Waupaca Field Station

Waupaca Field Station (WFS) is a privately-owned/operated, non-profit Biological Research Station established in 1982, and located on 70 hectares of glacially sculpted terrain supporting 25 hectares of restored dry, dry-mesic, and mesic sand prairie and 17 hectares of oak savanna. Other upland plant associations include oak-pine woodland, oak-walnu... t woodland, oak-maple forest, and pine plantations. Lowland associations include ash-elm swamp, alder thickets, and cold, hard water stream bottom. The WFS is fortunately surrounded by 1195 hectares of public land (a state park with primitive camping and a state fish/ wildlife area with limited access). These complementary properties with similar management goals provide an excellent block of green space protecting several species classified as either state or federally endangered, threatened, or special concern. The WFS has been working cooperatively with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and several conservation organizations for the conservation of rare ecosystems and their associated species. Our annual Karner blue butterfly (KBB) population monitoring program is conducted on several local properties, with concentrated habitat restorations on both private and public lands within our local recovery unit is one major project. Fifteen private landowners and two WDNR properties are working together within a local cooperative-based partnership agreement, which is allowing us to restore KBB habitat on their properties through the support of the USFWS??s Partnership for Fish and Wildlife Program and funds granted through the National Wildlife Federation??s endangered species recovery program. We are a member of the Wisconsin Statewide KBB Habitat Conservation Planning Team and are promoting the volunteer membership of these private landowners to this conservation plan. Our student support, through Club:EKOS, has provided invaluable youth energy to conservation projects, often linked directly to our ...Read More