by Paul Quinlan, Conservation Resources Supervisor, Madison Parks
Things are humming along in the City’s conservation parks. Our team of 5 staff is complemented by volunteers and contractors, and we have lots to report about conservation projects on Madison’s portion of the Cherokee Marsh public lands.
We completed and adopted our site-specific Habitat Management Plan for the Mendota Unit in February 2024. This documents our anticipated work plan and costs for the next five years. We look forward to updating the management plans for the North and South units later this year.
Here are some current projects:
North Unit
Prescribed burns were conducted on 253 acres in 2024. 215 of those acres were part of a larger burn in the Cherokee Marsh State Natural Area, which also encompassed state and county land.
Restoration of the South Hill management unit is underway, with forestry mowing and grazing completed in 2024. A burn and follow-up grazing and invasive species control is planned for 2025.
Understory and midstory canopy is being thinned in the woods between the parking lot and the river to remove non-native and fire-intolerant species to provide sufficient light for native herbaceous species and oak regeneration.
The 21-acre parcel on the north side of Wheeler Road (between St. Peter’s Church and County Road CV) has been taken out of crop production and was seeded to prairie in December. We are excited to see this area restored to native plants!
South Unit
A contractor is working on removing invasive woody species from the woods along Wheeler Road between the ponds across from Delaware Blvd and Ilene Lane. This maintenance of the habitat structure will benefit woodland wildlife and allow effective use of fire in this area.
The marsh and most of the uplands west of the boat launch road—approximately 100 acres—will be burned this spring.
Prescribed grazing will continue in small management units in the east and west ends of the park. The grazed unit near School Road will be rested and native species planted this year.
Mendota Unit
A major restoration project is underway in the woods northwest of Beilfuss Drive. A contractor is removing all invasive shrubs and smaller diameter fire-intolerant trees to restore the oak dominated woodland here. This complements extensive work that volunteers have completed and are still doing in the Mendota Unit.
Deep leaf litter has accumulated in the absence of fire, and we hope to burn the site this spring to release native herbaceous plant populations.
Herbaceous weed control will continue this spring, with a heavy focus on dame’s rocket and hedge parsley.
Save the date: We have scheduled a tour of the Mendota Unit park on May 14, 6–7:30 pm. The walk will be led by a member of Parks conservation staff and should be timely for viewing spring ephemeral wildflowers.
Thank you for the financial support of $5000 that the Friends of Cherokee Marsh donated to Madison Parks for conservation in 2024! We were able to extend the season for our seasonal worker by six weeks, accomplishing much additional invasive species control, native seed collection, and prescribed burning.
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