Fall color is here! As the bright hues of autumn move from north to south in the state, some of the best places for viewing can be discovered at Wisconsin’s state parks, trails, forests and recreation areas. Find a state property near you at wiparks.net. The Department of Tourism’s Fall Color Report keeps track of the best leaf-peeping. The color report includes the status for areas around the state, with percentage of fall colors showing and a prediction for peak weeks. Check dnr.wi.gov, keywords “fall colors” for details.
Outdoor activities
fill fall calendar
Plenty of outdoor activities are planned for October, including fall festivals, trail runs, color viewing, candlelight hikes, wildlife education, Halloween happenings and a whole lot more! Check dnr.wi.gov, keywords “get outdoors,” for a complete and searchable fall calendar. Admission fees may apply and a vehicle sticker is required for entry to most state properties.
Two popular annual autumn events are:
* MacKenzie Center Fall Festival: Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (rain date Oct. 6), at the nature center in Poynette. Sponsored by Friends of MacKenzie, it includes wildlife tours, a hay maze, gunny sack races, wagon rides and more.
* Horicon Marsh Archaeological Festival: Oct. 12 and 13 at 10 a.m. (ends 5 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday), at the Education and Visitor Center in Horicon. The DNR and Friends of Horicon Marsh organize this event that includes a buck skinners encampment, blacksmith demonstrations, Native American traditions and other educational activities.
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Half a million gift for pollinators
The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, WisConservation.org, recently received a $500,000 donation to support conservation efforts for native pollinators. The anonymous gift creates a Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Fund to aid native bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles and birds that perform vital pollinator functions. Pollinator numbers have declined due to loss of habitat, disease and other factors. The new fund will support research and monitoring, habitat work and other pollinator conservation efforts. The donors also will match, up to $10,000, additional donations to the fund in upcoming months. Contact the NRF for details. |
NRF names new exec director
In other news from the Natural Resources Foundation, the organization has a new executive director, David Clutter, who replaces Ruth Oppedahl. Clutter brings a wealth of experience, including previous work with the NRF as director of WisConservation Corps and Lands programs. Most recently, he was executive director of the Driftless Area Land Conservancy. The nonprofit NRF works to support conservation efforts in the state through public-private partnerships, fundraising, grant programs and other efforts. Highlights of the NRF’s popular field trip program are featured in Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine each spring.
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at DNR fisheries activity during fish hatchery open houses! Dates are Oct. 5 at the Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility in Kewaunee, and Oct. 12 at the Root River Steelhead Facility in Racine; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for both. Click here for all the details.
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