Mequon Nature Preserve Inc

BE A GUIDING EXAMPLE OF HABITAT RESTORATION BY RETURNING THE LAND TO A MOSAIC OF FORESTS, PRAIRIES AND WETLANDS AND TO ESTABLISH AN EDUCATION CONSERVANCY THAT INPIRES EXPLORATION AND CULTIVATES STEWARDSHIP.

EDUCATION OUTREACH MNP STAFF WORK TO INSTILL ENVIRONMENTAL EMPATHY AND ACTION INTO THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH VARIOUS FIELD TRIPS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE. THROUGHOUT THE 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR OVER 3,000 STUDENTS ATTENDED A FIELD TRIP AT MNP. DURING 2023, MNP OFFERED SEVERAL EVENTS, GUIDED HIKES, AND WORKSHOPS. MNP HOSTED A WEEKLONG ACT 31 TRAINING PROGRAM RUN BY MPS FIRST NATIONS DEPARTMENT.

LAND RESTORATION MONITORING MNP FOLLOWS A 150-YEAR LAND RESTORATION PLAN TO RETURN 510 ACRES OF PREDOMINANTLY AGRICULTURAL LAND TO ITS PRE-SETTLEMENT CONDITION AS A MESIC BEECH-MAPLE-OAK FOREST. THE PAST 20 YEARS, STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO RETURN THE LAND BACK TO ITS HISTORIC CONDITION. WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY THAT BASED OFF OUR 150-YEAR MASTER PLAN, WE ARE 25 YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE IN OUR LAND RESTORATION EFFORTS BY THE END OF 2023, THERE WILL BE NO MORE LAND LEFT IN CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE OF SOYBEANS AND CORN ROTATIONS. IN 2023 STAFF WORKED ON VARIOUS LAND RESTORATION PROJECTS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, STAFF REMOVED OVER 18 DIFFERENT INVASIVE, CONDUCTED TWO PRESCRIBED PRAIRIE BURNS SOUTHEAST OF THE OBSERVATION TOWER AND IN EMU PRAIRIE. STAFF PLANTED NATIVE SHORT GRASS PRAIRIE AND WETLAND SEED AS THE 1ST STEP IN REVEGETATION FOR THE 52-ACRE MMSD WETLAND RESTORATION AND REFORESTATION PROGRAM. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HELPED PLANT THE FIRST 200 OF THE OVER 43,000 TREES THAT WILL BE ESTABLISHED OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS. MNP HAS TWO CONSERVATION CANINES. TILIA IS WORKING WITH DR. GARY CAS

SPECIAL PROJECTS EVERY YEAR VARIOUS FUNDING COMES IN TO FUND SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT WOULD NORMALLY NOT OCCUR. IN 2023, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PROJECTS WAS THE LAUNCH OF TWO CHILDRENS BOOKS ABC AT MNP AND COLORS. ONSITE EVENTS INCLUDED A MONTHLY CRAFT AND STORYTIME, MAPLE SUGAR TAPPING, SUMMER PLAYDATE, GUIDED HIKES, MONARCH TAGGING, AND HABITAT HAUNTING. THE MNP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOOK CLUB, JUNIOR NATURE BOOK CLUB, MNP PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB AND MNP BEE CLUB MEET MONTHLY AND ARE OPEN TO ALL THAT ARE INTERESTED. TWO NEW STRUCTURES WERE INSTALLED IN MARTYS PLAYSPACE AS WELL AS TWO OBSERVATION PLATFORMS INSTALLED AT THE NEW SWAN ROAD WETLAND AND AT PAULS POND. AS PER THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MEQUON, ASSETS PURCHASED BECOME THE PROPERTY OF THE CITY.