Join us in our prairie in Madison, Wisconsin as we discuss native plants, conservation, and sustainability with a focus on Dane County and greater Wisconsin. Kristen Speicher, owner of Prairie Fairy Native Plants, talks with people working to support environmental causes in their homes, neighborhoods, community organizations, and businesses. We hope their stories and practical experience help listeners feel more connected locally in our efforts for a better, more sustainable world.
Episode 4: The ecological importance of Lake Waubesa and the organization working to protect it with Tamara and Dan Knickmeier
Tamara and Dan Knickmeier of the Lake Waubesa Conservation Association tell us about the ecological significance of Lake Waubesa, steps we can take at home to protect local lake health, and how best to explore and enjoy this stunning natural area in Dane County.
LWCA website: https://www.waubesa.org/ (https://www.waubesa.org/)
23 Oct 2026
Episode 3: Brenna Marsicek - Wisconsin’s critical role in supporting Monarch butterfly populations
We talk with Brenna Marsicek, Outreach Director of the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and the Safe For Monarchs Program, about why Wisconsin is uniquely critical in Monarch butterfly conservation and how residents can help. Did you know that the Wisconsin Monarch Collaborative has set a goal to plant 119 million new milkweed stems in the state by 2038? We discuss a new program to help connect Wisconsin residents with the plants Monarchs most need to help reach this ambitious goal.
Safe For Monarchs: https://wimonarchs.org/safe/
16 Oct 2026
Episode 2: Connecting fragmented habitat for better wildlife resilience with Ann Braue
We discuss building wildlife corridors in Dane County to encourage population resilience with Ann Braue, the Pollinator Pathway Organizer for Dane County. We also chat about creating community in your neighborhood with native plants and tips for building your own pollinator pathway
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/towns/dane-county
Dane County Pollinator Pathway contact info: danecountypollinatorpathway@gmail.com
27 Aug 2026
Dave Evans - Sustainability focused HOAs, lawn to native plant conversion, and organizing with neighbors to build habitat in shared spaces
Dave is a Fitchburg, Wisconsin resident and has helped contribute to the Fitchburg Sustainability Plan, serves on his HOA’s Eco-Team, and has converted nearly all of his yard to native plantings. We’ll discuss community organization, eco-friendly HOAs, and his lawn to native plant transformation.
Show notes:
Atlas of Sustainability Action Planning - Contains over 1,000 real sustainability action plants from municipalities in the USA, organized by Local Governments for Sustainability USA: https://icleiusa.org/atlas-of-sustainability-action-planning/ (https://icleiusa.org/atlas-of-sustainability-action-planning/)
Fitchburg Sustainability Plan: https://www.fitchburgwi.gov/2877/Fitchburg-Sustainability-Plan (https://www.fitchburgwi.gov/2877/Fitchburg-Sustainability-Plan)
TerraVessa Sustainability Information: https://www.terravessasustainability.com/ (https://www.terravessasustainability.com/)
Dane County Gravel Bed Tree Nursery; https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/what-we-do/restoration-and-land-management/forestry#gravelbedtreenursery (https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/what-we-do/restoration-and-land-management/forestry#gravelbedtreenursery)
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