Wild Reads

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Wild Reads is where we share stories about and from partners, landowners, and friends throughout the conservation community. Let us know if you have a story, book review, poem, or photos to share. We don't promise to publish everything we receive, but we'd love to know what you're reading, writing, and what you think is worth sharing.

Conservancy Stories
Hikes
Sightings
Grant Smith shares insights from his visits to Holland Sand Prairie and Borah Creek Prairie. I celebrated the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by driving through the Driftless Region to…
Climate Change
Conservancy Stories
News Releases
LA CROSSE, WI – April 20, 2020 – With the signing of a recent agreement to permanently protect 88 acres of land in Monroe County, the total acres now conserved…
SPARTA, WI–April 15, 2020–With the protection of 88 acres of land in Monroe County, Wisc., this month, Mississippi Valley Conservancy now protects more than 21,000 acres in its efforts to…
Conservancy Stories
When Tim Wucherer signed up to be site steward for Angel Bluff, one of the 22 nature preserves owned by the Conservancy, he knew exactly what he was getting into…
Conservancy Stories
Hikes
Sightings
One of the buzz words that we hear often today is mindfulness, or the practice of “being in the moment.” This practice takes a designed effort. For example, every morning…
Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s mission is to conserve native habitats and farmlands in the Driftless Area for the health and well-being of current and future generations. We encourage outdoor recreation and…
At this point, it is agreed upon that a changing climate is a cause for concern; that land restoration and protection is an absolute necessity. But what gets ignored is…
Conservancy Stories
Hikes
Sightings
Reflections on a hike from the Easter Road trailhead (Hass Tract) I hiked the Hass Tract of the La Crosse Blufflands South alone. A friend's wife had died unexpectedly the…
Book Reviews
There are days when loving nature and being human seem like incompatible actions. As an avid hiker, I think a lot about how my enjoyment of the natural world is…
Book Reviews
A paperback book by Gary G. Ruhser and Jean C. Beyer Ruhser Including 99 color photos with accompanying nature writings by the authors. Available now on Amazon for $28.95 if…
Conservancy Stories
News Releases
TREMPEALEAU, WI—February 17, 2020— With a Sunday morning ceremony, the Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation has celebrated completion of a long-hoped-for land conservation easement for its 19-acre Little Bluff…
Book Reviews
A few months ago, I attended Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s Nature Photography Walk at the Holland Sand Prairie. That’s where I took the photograph you see above. This nature walk was…
Book Reviews
When was the last time you were tucked tightly into a linen cocoon and read a story by a parent or a loved one? Although I can’t pinpoint the last…
Conservancy Stories
News Releases
TOMAH, WI—January 23, 2020—Mississippi Valley Conservancy helps third-generation landowner protect wildlife habitat and family farm from industrial use. Peg Brenneke, a Monroe County native, resisted selling her grandfather’s farm to…
Conservancy Stories
Hikes
Sightings
Trail Trek Challenge Hike of the Month How painful it was to write about cross country skiing when, in mid-January, the ground was brown and the temperature at 40 degrees…