Our Board of Directors is responsible for planning, coordinating, communicating and managing the activities of our organization. At our annual member meeting, members elect directors for the coming two years.

The board usually meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 5:30 pm at the Lakeview Branch of the Madison Public Library, 2845 N. Sherman Ave. All meetings are open to members and the public. To confirm the time or request an agenda, or if you’re interested in joining the board or helping out on a committee, contact Jan at (608) 215-0426 or janaxelson@gmail.com.

Directors Jan Axelson, Jim Krause, Paul Noeldner, Dick Walker, Anita Weier, and Dorothy Wheeler are in the middle of their 2-year terms and thus aren’t up for re-election.

Here are statements from the six announced candidates for six positions with terms that will end at our member meeting in January, 2019: Read more

Our snowshoe event is back for 2017! Tour the marsh on snowshoes by candlelight. Then warm up with hot cider by the fire. Bring your own snowshoes. If there is no snow or little snow cover, the event will be a walk.

Sponsored by the Friends of Cherokee Marsh and Madison Parks. If you have questions or would like to help set up the event (we need volunteers!), contact  janaxelson@gmail.com or call (608) 215-0426.

Saturday, January 28, 6:30 – 8:30 pm (come anytime from 6:30 on)
Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, North Unit. 6098
N. Sherman Ave. Travel north on N. Sherman Ave to the
main parking lot at the end of the gravel road.

Here is a message from Madison Parks Conservation Resource Supervisor Paul Quinlan about plans for prescribed burns at Cherokee Marsh this fall:

Parks regularly conducts prescribed burns on conservation parks to restore and maintain prairie and savanna habitat. Our conservation staff is trained and experienced in proper techniques for igniting and controlling the fire, and managing impacts related to smoke. We have the proper equipment and we develop a burn plan for each management unit, which details our protocol and required weather conditions. We have also secured a permit from the Fire Department. Read more

(image courtesy of Dane County)

County Executive Joe Parisi’s 2017 budget includes funding for a 4-year, $12 million project to use hydraulic dredging to remove phosphorus from stream beds, including the upper Yahara River and Token Creek upstream from Cherokee Marsh.

Phosphorus encourages algae growth that reduces water clarity and results in fish kills due to oxygen depletion caused by algae’s decomposing. Dredging the sediments will prevent them from making their way downstream into Cherokee Marsh and the Yahara Lakes. Read more

We have updates and news about the North Unit’s restrooms, the caretaker’s house, and more.

Caretaker’s house to be replaced

Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park’s North Unit has long had an caretaker living on site to open and close the entry gate, perform maintenance such as mowing and plowing, and generally keep a watchful eye on things. The caretaker is a City employee, usually someone from Parks, who pays a reduced rent in exchange for the tasks performed. Read more

Here is an announcement and welcome from County Parks Director Darren Marsh to Lars Higdon, the new Dane County Parks Botanist/Naturalist (pictured above).

I am excited to announce the hiring of Lars Higdon as the new Dane County Parks Botanist/Naturalist.  As many of you are aware long time Park Naturalist Wayne Pauly will be retiring at the end of September 2016.  Wayne has worked for more than 42- plus years as our County Naturalist and Restoration Ecologist. Lars will have the unique opportunity to work with Wayne for a couple of months as part of a transition plan.  Lars will begin work on July 27, 2016. Read more

At our July meeting, we welcomed Madison Parks staff members Lisa Laschinger, who recently was promoted to Operations Manager and Paul Quinlan, the new Conservation Resource Supervisor.
From left, Lisa Laschinger, Friends President Jan Axelson, and Paul Quinlan.

At a public meeting in Westport on July 20, Dane County Parks staff presented plans for a trail system and parking at Yahara Heights Park and the Cherokee Marsh Natural Resource Area adjacent to the park.

The plan does not add any new trails but documents the existing trail system that has been maintained by volunteers. Signage will mark easements across private land.

Also proposed are an improved trailhead and parking lot just north of the dog exercise area on Catfish Ct and a new 5-car parking lot on River Rd just south of Gilkeson Rd.

The long-term plan is to move the parking from Catfish Ct. to River Rd, but this will wait until the intersection of HWY 113 and HWY M is reconfigured at an as-yet undetermined time in the future.

Anita Weier

You will have a chance on Tuesday, Aug. 9, to support children’s environmental education while enjoying a Benvenuto’s meal.

Anyone who has lunch or dinner at the Northside Benvenuto’s—or orders delivery or take-out or buys a gift card—will be making a contribution to the Friends of Cherokee Marsh that will help bring groups of schoolchildren to Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park for guided, hands-on learning. However, you must tell the restaurant staff specifically that you want your payment to benefit the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, a nonprofit organization.

Benvenuto’s, located at 1849 Northport Drive in the Northside TownCenter, then will donate a generous 20 percent of the tab to the Friends. The restaurant also offers one-half off bottles of wine on Tuesday nights.

Read more

We’ve checked with City staff for updates on the new North Unit entrance and trails, the North Unit’s closed restrooms, and the improved paddlecraft launch.

New parking lot and trails (North Unit)

Last year, we reported on plans to move the North Unit’s entrance gate about a half mile to the south, near the current park boundary on N. Sherman Ave. Just inside the gate will be a new parking area with access to new trails that connect to the current trail system. These plans are in the works for completion this year.

Read more