We’re a young organization, but we’re proud of our membership and all they’ve accomplished over the last 10 years, on behalf of the Prairie! Our success is in our members…
FAQS
| · | For centuries, the greater Sauk Prairie was a mosaic of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and semi-open oak woodland stretching across 14,000 acres of southern Wisconsin; today, fewer than 5,000 acres of prairie remain in the entire state! |
| · | During the 1840s, settlers transformed these prairies, long held by the Ho Chunk people, into productive farms; farming remained the predominant land use for 100 years. |
| · | In 1941, 80 farm families were displaced from the Sauk Prairie, when the U.S. Army announced they would build an arms production facility there, in support of World War II; since 1942, the Badger Army Ammunition Plant has dominated the Sauk Prairie landscape. |
| · | No longer needed for national defense, the Badger Plant was decommissioned by the U.S. Army in 1998; at this time, the Community Conservation Coalition for the Sauk Prairie (CCCSP) was formed in the interest of restoring the Badger land to its pre-settlement condition. |
| · | In 2000, the Sauk County Board of Supervisors acted to establish a locally driven reuse planning process; the Badger Reuse Plan was the outcome of this process, and seeks to ensure that the entire property is managed as one cohesive unit. |
| · | In 2002, the CCCSP changed its name to The Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance and revised its long term goals to support conservation activities involving the Badger land and the greater Sauk Prairie landscape through education, research, ecological restoration, and community participation. |
| · | The Alliance strives to foster environmental stewardship of the prairie by involving people in active service learning experiences; 7 school districts within Sauk County currently participate in hands-on prairie restoration projects with their students, and the program is growing! |
| · | Alliance volunteers actively assist in restoration of the prairie through the removal of invasive species; seed collection and seed planting are also essential tasks handled by volunteers. |
| · | The Alliance has an active volunteer prescribed burn program to help eliminate invasive species and encourage the propagation of native prairie plants; a goal of 350 acres is set to be burned beginning in 2009, with plans to grow the program as resources allow! |
| · | Despite disturbances at Badger, remnants of natural communities still exist; nearly 600 species of plants have been identified, along with 25 species of butterfly, 15 mammals, 16 reptiles and amphibians, 137 aquatic insects, and 102 birds. |
| · | Restoration of the greater Sauk Prairie may be the last opportunity to restore a natural ecological continuum, from the foot of the Baraboo Hills, to the shores of the Wisconsin River! |
| · | As a member, teacher, student, restoration volunteer or volunteer du jour, your efforts on behalf of the prairie are needed today! |
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Our Goals Our mission statement and goals were developed as part of our strategic planning process in the spring of 2002, after incorporating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. |
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Volunteer Work parties are a great way to meet others who are interested in conservation, the Sauk Prairie, or the Badger Army Ammunition Plant. It also presents a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Wisconsin's native prairie and savanna communities! |
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History of the Badger Lands The history of the Badger Plant and the greater Sauk Prairie is an amalgam of many histories, beginning billions of years ago with the formation of some of the oldest and most durable rocks on earth... |
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Imagine! Badger presents the opportunity to provide endless recreational pursuits for area residents, including hiking, photography, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and camping. |
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Become a Member We have over 200 members and we are growing! We need your support to continue to work toward a community-based conservation future for Badger. |