Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Welcome to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources! This page is for sharing your experiences recreating in Wisconsin's outdoors.

This page is not monitored 24/7. Report wildlife violations at https://dnr.wi.gov/contact/hotline.html The Department of Natural Resources is charged with sustaining and enhancing Wisconsin's natural resources and environment. A cornerstone of our mission is providing for outdoor recreation in our state. The WI DNR page is a place for the outdoor recreating community to share information

about fun in Wisconsin's outdoors. If you are looking for more information about Wisconsin DNR, please visit http://dnr.wi.gov.

Adventure awaits this summer in Wisconsin!Whether you're hitting the trails, visiting a state park or spending time in y...
06/18/2026

Adventure awaits this summer in Wisconsin!

Whether you're hitting the trails, visiting a state park or spending time in your garden, show your love for Wisconsin's native species and public lands with DNR merch.

Plus, proceeds from DNR merch directly support conservation and environmental education and outreach initiatives across Wisconsin. Officially licensed Smokey Bear products also support the National Fire Prevention Program.

Explore our online store: https://shop-widnr.kramermadison.com/

Get outside, learn and take action on slowing the spread of invasive species in Wisconsin during Invasive Species Awaren...
06/17/2026

Get outside, learn and take action on slowing the spread of invasive species in Wisconsin during Invasive Species Awareness Weekend (ISAW)!

ISAW is a collaborative initiative hosted by multiple DNR programs and partners with a goal to raise awareness on invasive species and promote action through local events during the weekend of June 20-21, 2026.

Discover how invasive species impact Wisconsin’s natural habitats, as well as how to manage and prevent their spread at more than 30 events around the state. Events include educational programs, invasive species control workshops, guided hikes and more.

Check out some of these events happening during Invasive Species Awareness Weekend:
– Bumble Bees and Other Pollinators, a drop-in educational program for all ages at Roche-A-Cri State Park.
– Forest Recovery and the Challenge of Invasive Species, a guided hike at Newport State Park.
– Out with Invasives!, a volunteer workday at Kohler-Andrae State Park.
– Invasive Species Awareness Day at the Glacial Passage Area with the Dane County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance.
– Exotic Pet Surrender Event with our partner J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue in Madison.

To find an ISAW event near you, search the DNR events calendar using the keywords "Invasive Species Awareness Weekend” or check out the Invasive Species Events And Volunteering webpage for a complete list of events: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/eventsandvolunteering.

Photo Credit: Platteville Community Arboretum

It’s June – and those fish are biting!Plan some summer evenings at a beautiful Wisconsin lake chasing bluegill, perch an...
06/16/2026

It’s June – and those fish are biting!

Plan some summer evenings at a beautiful Wisconsin lake chasing bluegill, perch and crappie by yourself or with your buddies and family.

Panfish are often close to shore at this time of year, making them a fun and easy way to introduce your young anglers to fishing.

New to fishing? Wisconsin Learn to Fish events can help families get started and build confidence on the water. Search the DNR Events Calendar to find one near you.https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events?type=fishing

Waste and recycling workers keep our communities clean and environmentally sound. You can help keep them safe year-round...
06/15/2026

Waste and recycling workers keep our communities clean and environmentally sound. You can help keep them safe year-round by following these easy steps:

– Take your spent batteries to a drop-off location. Alkaline batteries are safe in the trash, but many rechargeable batteries, especially lithium ion, can cause fires when damaged by equipment used at landfills and recycling centers.
– Sharps like syringes, needles and lancets should never go in the recycling or trash. Help lower the risk of needle sticks and use the DNR’s Sharps Collection Site map to locate a drop-off site.
– Tanglers, such as ropes, light strings and plastic bags, cause equipment at recycling facilities to malfunction and require workers to manually cut it free. Leaving tanglers out of the recycling stream keeps equipment functioning and workers safe.

Invasive Species Awareness Weekend is on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21 and this Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera ...
06/13/2026

Invasive Species Awareness Weekend is on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21 and this Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera photo of a woodchuck in Jefferson County shows an example of a widespread invasive plant called garlic mustard.

Invasive species are non-native species that harm our native ecosystems; garlic mustard, for example, spreads quickly and will crowd out Wisconsin’s native flora.

While Snapshot is a volunteer-powered trail camera project that aims to collect data on wildlife, images of invasive species inevitably appear as well.

Garlic mustard is a biannual plant, meaning it has a two-year life cycle. In the second year of growth, it produces small white flowers. If you look closely, you can see one of these flowers framed by the woodchuck’s body. Garlic mustard flowers become seeds and to avoid the potential for seed spread; the plant’s shallow roots can be hand pulled.

If you’re free next weekend, consider joining one of the Invasive Species Awareness Weekend events to learn more about the effects invasives have on our environment and how you can help care for local natural landscapes: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/eventsandvolunteering

If you’ve ever encountered a fawn curled up in your yard, you may have wondered if it needed help, but the good news is ...
06/11/2026

If you’ve ever encountered a fawn curled up in your yard, you may have wondered if it needed help, but the good news is that it was likely doing exactly what it should be.

White-tailed deer fawns are typically born anytime between now and late June. For the first 2-3 weeks of their life, fawns are not strong enough to follow their mother and will lay very still to reduce the chance of being found. To keep attention away from the fawn, the mother will stay away most of the day, visiting the fawn a few times to feed, clean or move them to a new spot.

Staying curled up and alone is a natural behavior that protects fawns from predators. Their spotted coat and minimal scent help them blend into their environment and keep them safe.

That’s why if you spot a fawn alone, remember: a young wild animal’s best chance of survival is with its mother. Don’t touch or move the fawn, give it plenty of space and keep pets away so the mother feels it is safe to return. Fawns have specialized dietary needs that are not easily met, and they need to learn normal social behaviors from their mothers.

Wildlife rehabilitation facilities often reach capacity during the warmer months and need to limit admissions of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. The public can help reserve space for wild animals truly in need by always contacting a licensed professional for advice before assuming a wild animal needs help.

Learn more about what to do if you find a fawn or other young wild animal at: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/orphan

Image Credit: Malia Moore
Video Credit: Carissa Knab

Wisconsin state natural areas have been protecting special natural spaces in Wisconsin for 75 years! For example, Avoca ...
06/11/2026

Wisconsin state natural areas have been protecting special natural spaces in Wisconsin for 75 years! For example, Avoca Prairie and Savanna State Natural Area in Iowa County is 2,208-acres and contains the largest remnant tallgrass prairie east of the Mississippi River.

Oak barrens, oak savanna, sedge meadow and flood plain forest add to the rich variety of plants and habitat at this site. Over 200 species of plants are found at this property.

Because it has maintained its native plant diversity for thousands of years, the seeds here are collected by DNR state natural areas staff and dispersed to nearby sites to ensure the genetic legacy of the plants that have long called the riverway home. This practice helps build resiliency for these sites for generations to come.

Wisconsin state natural areas protect natural communities and habitat for rare species, but that’s not the only goal of ...
06/09/2026

Wisconsin state natural areas protect natural communities and habitat for rare species, but that’s not the only goal of the program. State natural areas also protect sites with significant geological and archeological features.

One of these sites, Ancient Aztalan Village State Natural Area, is located within Aztalan State Park.

Aztalan is one of the most important archaeological sites in Wisconsin. It is an indigenous settlement from what archaeologists’ call the Middle Mississippian civilization, the heart of which was centered in the early city of Cahokia near present-day St. Louis. The site showcases Mississippian design with palisades and temple mounds situated along the Crawfish River. The village flourished between 1000 and 1200 AD. It is one of the northernmost outposts of the great southern civilization.

Aztalan become a state park in 1948. The site was designated a National Landmark in 1964 and listed in the National Registry of Historic Places in 1966. Ancient Aztalan Village was designated a state natural area in 2003. This year marks the 75th anniversary of state natural areas – learn more about the program and this property at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/statenaturalareas/AncientAztalanVillage

Every turtle counts toward a healthy population of these unique reptiles! Most hatchlings don’t survive their first fe...
06/09/2026

Every turtle counts toward a healthy population of these unique reptiles!

Most hatchlings don’t survive their first few years.

Some turtles take 10 years or more to reach reproductive age, and females must reproduce their entire lives to ensure that just ONE hatchling makes it to adulthood to sustain the population.

When a turtle is removed from wild or faces road mortality, that can have a significant, negative impact on the population.

June is Invasive Species Action Month! Whether you’re hiking, camping, on the water or tending to your home garden, educ...
06/08/2026

June is Invasive Species Action Month! Whether you’re hiking, camping, on the water or tending to your home garden, educate yourself and take action to help prevent the spread of invasive species.

One common invasive plant that’s in-bloom this time of year is dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis). This slender 3-4' plant with four pinkish-purple (or white) petals spreads quickly in forests, along roads and in natural areas. It is sometimes found in “wildflower mixes” and is a restricted invasive species in Wisconsin, which means it is unlawful to transport, transfer or introduce it on the landscape.

Address

Madison, WI

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+18889367463

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category