Trees rightfully get a lot of attention, especially in April during Arbor Day. This year, Arbor Day falls on April 24th following on the heels of Earth Day on April 22nd. It is almost as if the two days are linked- plant a tree, and all will be well on planet Earth. The majesty of a large, old tree like a centuries-old oak stirs a passion in many. Like this beautiful bur oak in Onalaska: Aldo Leopold wrote a captivating elegy in A Sand County Almanac for a massive oak that

In 1879, Charles Darwin wrote to his good friend and fellow botanist Joseph D Hooker that "the rapid development as far as we can judge of all the higher plants within geologic times is an abominable mystery". In this famous quote, Darwin was referring to the flowering plants or angiosperms and was perplexed and mystified about their rapid appearance in the fossil record which seemed to upset his theory of evolution occurring slowly and incrementally over long periods of time

Friends of the Blufflands is pleased to introduce our newest board member, Nine Dodge. Nine encountered one of our board members while hiking the Birch Point Trail in the summer of 2025 and visiting Zoerb Prairie. This meeting ignited her interest, and she soon became a frequent volunteer during work days. Friends was impressed by her commitment and leadership skills when working alongside other volunteers, including students from UWL, and ultimately invited her to join the b

Many remnant prairies that survive today are gradually being overtaken by trees and brush. Friends of the Blufflands, in collaboration with the Coulee Region Chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts, has led the effort to restore several of these prairies in and around Hixon Forest. This has included hiring contractors and leading work parties to clear brush and trees from the remnant and clearing an area around the remnant into which it can expand. This cleared area is referred to

Recently, Friends of the Blufflands added three new members to its board: Scott Cooper - A full professor of biology at UWL where he began teaching and doing research in 1995. Scott is also the secretary of the board of the Outdoor Recreation Alliance and is active in maintaining trails in lower Hixon and grooming cross country ski trails. He is an accomplished athlete having qualified for the elite wave in the Birkebeiner cross country ski race and for the Ironman in Kona, H

Sometimes thinking about the past and the natural world can be disheartening. When thoughts percolate about the state of nature in North America before European settlement with its old growth forests and vast prairies rich with wildlife and rivers that ran fast and clean, an intense feeling of distress can occur. These thoughts can become overwhelming, and even produce rage as we witness the decline of monarch butterflies, the steep drop in bird populations, bats fighting for

Some may have noticed that several of the bluff prairies around La Crosse are looking better each year. This might be during a hike in Hixon Forest or while mountain biking on some of the shared-use trails. Or it could be in the comfort of your car. For example, here is Stry Prairie on Miller Bluff as recently seen from highway 16 heading north towards Onalaska: Many might remember that, until recently, this prairie was being overrun by brush and trees. Like many of our bluff

Beginning on October 12, a series of volunteer workdays kicked off. However, these were not typical workdays—they were attended by groups of UWL students from Dr. Jaspreet Kaur's Conservation Biology class. The 12th was followed by sessions on the 18th and 19th, and then again on 24th and 25th, all taking place on various prairies around the area. This initiative, organized by Dr. Kaur in collaboration with Friends of the Blufflands and the Coulee Region Chapter of The Prairi

As you may recall from the last post, Zeno was left frustrated by never getting that prairie cleared of invasive brush. He had followed the strategy of cutting and treating in a way that would eliminate half of the brush each year, leaving half to reemerge as resprouts. He thought that this would be good enough to eventually get rid of the brush and didn't mind missing a few side branches, cutting the stumps high, or not apply enough herbicide to the stump as long as the goal

Some readers might be familiar with Zeno's paradox. It's a perplexing idea suggesting that completing a journey, such as crossing a road, is impossible. To do so, you must initially cover half the distance. Next, you travel half of the remaining distance, and then half of what remains again. Continuing this process results in an infinite number of steps, meaning you'll never reach your destination. Zeno, an ancient Greek philosopher who lived from 490 to 430 BCE, believed tha

From a distance, a prairie often appears to be a scene of harmony. Indeed, it is, with numerous stable relationships formed over millennia among plants, microbes, insects, and other animals. However, beneath this harmonious facade lies a challenging world of negotiation, conflicts, and alliances, where some participants gain advantages while others face disadvantages- a kind of war going on! One of the "weapons of war" on the prairies is allelopathy, a process whereby a plant

Imagine working on Zoerb Prairie and seeing a few dazzling, bright red objects out of the corner of your eye. They stand out boldly in...

In May 2005 the Hixon Forest Comprehensive Plan was developed by the City of La Crosse Planning Department incorporating feedback from...

For the past four years, Friends of the Blufflands has been fortunate to host a WisCorps Service Member. These young individuals...

Recently I ventured into Hixon Forest with binoculars in hand hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the elusive and fleeting warblers...

Many have already reported seeing this reliable harbinger of spring, the delicate and charming pasqueflower! It is the first Plant of the...

For those of you who have been losing sleep ever since the puzzle was posted just over a month ago in "What Comes Next on the Prairie?",...

On February 21, the first brush piles were burned on Vista Prairie. Restoration began in the fall of 2023 by hiring a contractor funded...

On February 7th while working on the bluffs, a lone cedar waxwing paid us a visit. Usually present in flocks, it was sitting alone in a...

Recently Friends of the Blufflands began the restoration of Birch Point Prairie bringing the total number of prairies undergoing...