2025 Conservation Camp Webinar #1 Recording: Caring for Your New Prairie

This year's series of Conservation Camp webinars focuses on NEXT STEPS. You are committed to conservation, but what do you do next? In this webinar we explore best practices for establishing and maintaining pollinator habitat. Have you planted pollinator habitat or are you curious about it? There is a lot of information about how to establish prairie habitat, but how do you care for it?

In this webinar Julie Peterson, Farm Bill Biologist with Pheasants Forever, discusses care in the early years after establishment including mowing and prescribed fire. Landowner Debbie Boetcher shares her experience caring for the pollinator habitat she established.

Julie is a Pheasants Forever Wetland Biologist and is coordinating USDA permanent easement projects in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative . Most of her work is done in Northeast WI helping landowners with easements to plant, establish, and manage pollinator and prairie habitat. She has been with this organization for over 17 years.

Julie and Debbie have worked together a lot over the years. Debbie has been advocating for prairies and getting women involved long before WiWiC came along! Over 17 years ago Debbie and her husband started a 1-acre prairie garden on their 45 acres of land in Outagamie County. She quickly realized that her growing passion for native plants was not only good for her land and wildlife, but also good therapy for her.

Debbie started working with USDA in 2012 and enrolled 9 acres of land into the CREP and CRP programs. In 2015, Debbie enrolled 6 acres into CRP pollinator program. She designed the mix with Pheasants Forever and the local Coop air-seeded her mix onto the field.

Here are the resources the two shared on the webinar:

🪶The Wisconsin Pheasants Forever biologists are highly trained and motivated professionals focused on delivering habitat in your area. Click here to find the biologist near you https://www.pheasantsforever.org/Habi... 

🦋 Julie Peterson - Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Wetland Coordinator, Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever, Inc, NRCS 3369 West Brewster St. | Appleton, WI 54914, Phone: (920) 615-2624, Email: jpeterson@pheasantsforever.org

🌊 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) https://www.glri.us/

🦅 Pheasants Forever, Inc. https://www.pheasantsforever.org/ 

🪺 Quail Forever, Inc. https://quailforever.org/ 

🪲 The Renz Lab at UW has created a series of factsheets discussing the identification and control of many common invasive plant species problematic to natural areas https://renzweedscience.cals.wisc.edu...

🤿 A reminder that depending on what herbicide's you may choose to use, it could require a license or training. If you need to use these powerful chemicals, do it safely and informed! https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_S...

❤️‍🔥 Learn more about Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council & Find a Fire Practitioner near you! https://prescribedfire.org/burn/contr...

❤️‍🔥Prairie Enthusiasts often host trainings and prairie burn events that you can learn in person https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/ 

💙 You can learn more about the CRP and CSP that Debbie mentioned by connecting with your local NRCS agent. Reach out to WiWiC at info@wiwic.org or find your NRCS Office: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/fin... 

Our next webinar is THURSDAY and it's all about Caring for Your Pastures with Conservation Coach and Grazing Plan Writer Rachel Bouressa. RSVP now to get the LINK!