The Friends of the Madison School Forest is an organization of citizens formed to support environmental education at the forest.
The Friends provide financial and volunteer assistance to help operate the educational programs at the forest.
This includes helping to maintain and expand the education programs at the forest;
assiting in or purchasing outright adjacent land to protect the unique natural environment at the forest;
and supporting research of the forest communities.

We honor the memory of Gaylord Nelson, former Senator and Governor of Wisconsin, and founder of Earth Day.
June 4, 1916 - July 3, 2005

''The wealth of the nation is in the air, water, soil, forest, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat -- take that away and all that's left is a wasteland.''
"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations, whose words of thanks will not be heard."

The combined fundraising efforts from the State Stewardship Fund, Madison Community Foundation, Dane County Parks and Conservation Fund,
the Frautschi Family and many other Friends made the purchase of the 72 acre Andreas farm possible.
The land is being partly restored to prairie and preserved for wildlife like bobolinks and bluebirds.
In 2004 at least 34 bluebirds were fledged in the boxes placed around the acreage.
In the fall of 2005 4.5 additional acres will be planted for prairie, for a total to date of 13 acres,
with the help and under the direction of Dane County's Wayne Pauly.

Click on thumbnail photos for full size images. All photos of the prairie and farm: Eileen Dawson and David Spitzer.

Friends Newsletter, January 2007

Four and one half acres of prairie were planted in November, 2005.
Guided by Dane County's Wayne Pauly, volunteers seeded the acres with prairie dropseed, side oats gamma, little bluestem, and prairie brome.
Spring Harbor Environmental Middle School Science teacher Dave Ropa brought fifteen of his students,
and they were joined with Friends and school forest naturalists.

The prairie on the mornings of June 30 and July 1, 2005.

Bird banding. Photos courtesy of David Ropa, Spring Harbor Middle School, Madison

Baseline Study of a Prairie Restoration Site

Students at Spring Harbor Middle School are conducting a baseline research study on the 75-acre Friends' farm.
The baseline study will include data collected on the hydrology, vegetation, biology, topography, weather and soil found on the site.

Funding for this grant was provided by The Foundation for Madison Public Schools

Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivourus
Bobolinks are nesting at the farm. Bobolinks nest on the ground in slight depressions formed at the base of a clump of grass.
The nests consist of course grasses and weed stems lined with finer grasses.
Three to seven eggs are usually laid per nest.

Madison School Forest

Kids' Guide to the school forest By kids, for kids.

History of School Forests In Wisconsin

Midvale-Lincoln Elementary School Index

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Last update: January 21, 2007
Editor/publisher: Eileen Potts Dawson epottsdawson@madison.k12.wi.us