Seed collection

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People make the difference

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People make the difference

I went seed collecting at Goose Pond with a focus on two goldenrods: stiff and showy. All were in abundance at a prairie that several of us collectors had sowed the seed four years earlier that transformed it from row crops to prairie.

Photo by Brenna Marsicek / Madison Audubon

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Join us this fall at Faville Grove!

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Join us this fall at Faville Grove!

It’s been a hectic summer at Faville Grove with lots of neat wildlife sightings and tons of brilliant wildflowers, as always. Canadian wildfire haze and drought have settled in from time to time, but plants keep blooming and birds keep moving; asters, goldenrods, and goldfinches are making their mark as summer fades.

Join us for weekly seed collecting beginning September 8th through the end of October. Our meeting point is the kiosk on Prairie Lane every Wednesday from 9:30-noon, and for two separate work parties every Saturday from 9:30-noon and 1:30-4pm. We need all of the help we can get!

Photo by Drew Harry

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Volunteer and help restore Wisconsin's beautiful prairies

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As the seasons change at our sanctuaries, so do our volunteer opportunities!

Canada wild rye. Photo by Carolyn Byers

Canada wild rye. Photo by Carolyn Byers

Fall is one of the busiest times at Faville Grove and Goose Pond, as it's an ideal time to collect native prairie plant seeds from the hundreds of acres of restored habitat at each site. 

We're seeking volunteers all through the autumn season to help with prairie seed collection at both sites. See below for details.

Madison Audubon's FAVILLE GROVE SANCTUARY (near Lake Mills) will host seed collecting parties on the following days, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 7:

  • Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon
  • Saturdays, two shifts: 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon, and 1:30-4 p.m.

Madison Audubon's GOOSE POND SANCTUARY (near Arlington) will be collecting seed through the end of October, beginning Sept. 16:

  • Fridays, 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon
  • Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon

The seed our volunteers help to collect is used in future prairie restorations both in our own Sanctuaries and across our service area. The local-genotype seed we collect on site helps preserve genetic characteristics that thrive in our specific climate. Plus, it's incredible to see the full-circle restoration process: plant a prairie, collect seeds, and plant a new prairie! 

You don't need any experience to help us collect prairie seed! It is a great learning experience, a fantastic time of year to be outside, and its a fun way to connect with others in our community. 

If you have any questions about helping us collect prairie seed, email our Sanctuary land stewards!

Faville Grove land steward Drew Harry: faville@madisonaudubon.org
Goose Pond land steward Maddie Van Cleve: mvancleve@madisonaudubon.org

See you in the prairie!