Join the Friends and Adaptive Restoration on the last Thursday of the month from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Volunteers will meet at the Friends Shelter and then carpool to each location. Please wear long pants, gloves, sturdy shoes/boots, and a hat for sun protection. Tools will be provided. May 28 June 25 Read more
Sunday, March 1 | 2:00 – 4:00 PM Friends and volunteers cleared the undergrowth from about one acre of degraded woodland. At a later date, some larger non-prairie trees will be removed. This includes the area adjacent to the upper walnut prairie. Thanks to all who came out and helped! Read more
As we close out 2025, the Friends are pleased to share an update on the remarkable progress, community spirit, and forward momentum that shaped this year at Blue Mound State Park. Despite a few challenges, this has been one of our most productive and hopeful years yet, with meaningful ecological Read more
David Laufenberg from Adaptive Restoration, LLC presented an update on the Blue Mound State Park prairie restoration project at a recent event. We are thankful for David’s expertise and for the work volunteers have provided during the scope of this project. Below is David’s update. You can help maintain the Read more
At the end of May, we had a committed crew cutting brushy resprouts and seeding in Swain prairie. The volunteer seeded any areas that were lacking vegetation due to prior herbicide treatment or underneath brush. Join the Friends and Adaptive Restoration on the last Thursday of the month from 6:00 Read more
It was a big year of restoration at Swain Prairie and Upper Walnut Prairie in Blue Mound State Park. In February, Adaptive Restoration LLC was awarded a 3-year contract for actively restoring these areas. During the first month we took stock of the condition of the prairies and worked with the Friends, Park Read more
There was a small and motivated volunteer group turn out for seed collection on September 24th. With the sun still warm and bright in the sky, the group headed into the Walnut Prairie with buckets and bags in hand in search of native prairie plants with seed ready for collecting. Read more
September 24 5:00 – 7:00 pm Help with the ongoing prairie restoration project by collecting prairie seeds. Volunteers should wear long pants, socks, good walking shoes, and gloves. Also bring a hat, long-sleeved shirt, water bottle, and hand pruners if you have them. Seed collection bags and extra pruners will be Read more
The prairies in the park are looking great. A few patches of ragweed and crown vetch have re-sprouted in Swain Prairie since treatments earlier in the season. Those patches will be cut prior to going to seed. Adaptive Restoration and volunteers have done well with the herbaceous weeds throughout the Read more
The prairies are really starting to take off given mid summer rain and sun. Adaptive Restoration recently performed a site visit of each of the prairies on July 12. All in all, they are pleased with the post-burn and post-spray effects of the 2024 spring season. The crown vetch and Read more