The new interpretive kiosk welcomes visitors to Moely Prairie in Ho-Chunk, Spanish and English.
The largest remnant of the former 14,000-acre Sauk Prairie now features an interpretive kiosk at its Fullerton Drive entrance in Prairie du Sac.
The kiosk welcomes visitors to Moely Prairie in Ho-Chunk, Spanish and English, and was made possible through a sizable grant from the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. Longtime Prairie Enthusiasts member Ron Endres also made a generous contribution. Volunteers donated the labor.
Text highlighting Moely Prairie’s history, cultural significance and the overall importance of prairie ecosystems is interspersed with photographs of the native plant and animal species inhabiting Moely’s 23.5 acres. Alpha Graphics of Middleton did the graphic design.
In their grant application, land managers stressed the site’s uniqueness, which is now a conservation “island” surrounded by development. Three schools are located within 2 miles of the remnant, and Moely Prairie is already used frequently as an environmental education and field science resource. The management team made the kiosk comprehensive enough to serve as a substitute tour guide when a volunteer cannot be present to conduct a tour.
Moely Prairie is owned by Barbara Moely, who holds a perpetual conservation easement on the property. Moely entrusted restoration and management of the prairie to The Prairie Enthusiasts, a private organization committed to the protection and management of native prairie and savanna of the Upper Midwest.