For naturalists and ecologists who spend their working days outdoors, some of each winter is often devoted to office work. Cold, snowy days are a good time for restoration ecologists to check accomplishments of the past year, to revise management plans, and to develop work schedules for the coming season.
But sometimes we need a little inspiration, and stop to dream as we recall the glories of the prairie in mid-summer. Here are a few warm reminders of the summer of 2012 on a couple of prairies in Dane and Sauk Counties, Wisconsin.
Prairie restoration along the Table Bluff segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Train, Dane County, Wisconsin.
Bottle gentian and still goldenrod along Table Bluff segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Dane County, Wisconsin.
A Leopold Bench and prairie restoration at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Sauk County, Wisconsin.
