Spring Learning Circle: Co-establish Community and Pollinators!
Fri, May 30
|Fair Meadows Prairie
This is an opportunity for women landowners, farmers, farm workers and conservation professionals to connect around their shared interest in conservation practices and learn from one another. Gather on a protected prairie and learn what establishment can look like on your land.
Time & Location
May 30, 2025, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Fair Meadows Prairie, 11305 N Vogel Rd, Milton, WI 53563, USA
About the Event
This gathering will be an opportunity for women landowners to connect around their shared interest in conservation practices and to learn from one another. Join us at our first of three events rooted on prairies in Southern Wisconsin. For the first of the series, we will be accompanied by land stewards of Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance at a protected prairie in Wisconsin. We will discuss establishment practices, native variety selection and how prairies share space for wildlife sanctuary on our farms and lands.
Optional prairie walk after event concludes at 4pm. Learn more about Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance here: https://swibirds.org/
To protect our bird communities (farm and wild), please avoid cross-contamination please do not wear boots or other footwear that is used around livestock or poultry. Thanks!
What To Expect:
To network with other women in the area around shared dreams, challenges, and experiences of conservation.
To learn about the WiWiC project and opportunities that exist for women landowners to access conservation practices
To gather on a protected prairie, with some uneven ground and uncertain weather - dress accordingly.
To learn, talk, laugh and connect.
Bring a friend along and join fellow women landowners, farmers and conservationists along with local experts, to delve into learning the benefits of maintaining healthy soil, cover crops, no till and the value of keeping that soil covered. Bring your experiences with, we love hearing your stories! This event is roughly geared to be relevant to women in Dane, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth, Racine and Milwaukee Counties, but all are welcome!
Location: Fair Meadows Prairie, Milton, WI
Fair Meadows became Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon)’s newest sanctuary in summer 2023. The 374.24 acre property, designated a State Natural Area in 2005, has been in active restoration since 1985. The sanctuary features diverse habitats including woodlands, savannas, prairies, sedge meadows, wetlands, and natural springs. Because of this, these rolling hills create space for a variety of birds, plants, and insects to find refuge.
Here, birds like Virginia Rails, Sandhill Cranes, and Green Herons can soak up the rich resources in the wetlands. Great Crested Flycatchers, Baltimore Orioles, and Tennessee Warblers can enjoy the oaks and hickories in Fair Meadows’ extensive woodlands. Savannah Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, and American Kestrels can find food and refuge in the vibrant prairies. Birds and all other types of wildlife benefit from the thoughtful care and hard work it’s taken to create this sanctuary. Learn more about this unique property: https://swibirds.org/fair-meadows
Event Details:
Event is free to attend but registration is required and space is limited.
Women, all who identify as such, are welcome to attend – from landowners to farmers to conservationist enthusiasts – whatever your background, from beginners to experts!
Our WiWiC events follow a Learning Circle model, with ample time and a safe space for story sharing, networking and collaborative learning. We all have something to both share and learn together.
Light refreshments will be offered during the event, but please plan to eat lunch or bring a snack along if you need to eat during the event.
Dress for the weather.
Please bring a chair/camp chair.
Photos will be taken at this event and used for educational purposes only by WiWiC and the partner groups. If you do not wish to have your picture taken, let the on-site WiWiC host know.
WiWiC is a family-friendly space and you are welcome to bring your children.
Looking for travel support? Follow the following links to coordinate a ride-share with a fellow WiWiC bee!
CARPOOL! TRAVELERS LEAVING FROM MILWAUKEE - CLICK HERE
Photos are taken at WiWiC events to help amplify the work being done by Wisconsin's women land stewards, and to help promote future events. Your registration grants consent for your photo to be taken and used for these purposes.
About Wisconsin Women in Conservation
WiWiC s a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with state and federal conservation agencies, local organizations, and other farm advocacy groups. WiWiC brings together Wisconsin's women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.
About Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
MFAI is a non-profit organization that has been cultivating resiliency through research, education, and policy work since 1984. With a broad coalition of public and private partners, The Institute supports farmers, food systems and communities in the Upper Midwest and beyond through a range of programs and initiatives. We believe agriculture can sustain both human and ecosystem health, while advancing food security, independence, and justice. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and events.