Prairie Learning Center (PLC)

The PLC is a place to

  • learn about the ecological services, wildlife & plants of prairie
  • experience firsthand the beauty of prairie within the landscape
  • volunteer and work with native plants
  • take a self-guided or naturalist-led walk
PLC’s Pollinator Garden at the Heritage Center
Bumble Bee on Red Milkweed at the PLC
Pearl Crescent on Butterfly Milkweed the PLC
Prairie at PLC, Lunney Lake Farm County Park in August
Prairie at PLC, Lewis Nine Springs E-Way, Moorland Road

The Prairie Learning Center is a place to learn about Wisconsin prairie and native plants by interacting with plants, pollinators, birds, and other creatures of prairie. We provide printed guides (see below) maps and plant labels to enhance your experience. We will also lead guided walks with naturalists and other experts to including guides and maps of the enter PLC.

WHERE is the PLC?

PLC MAP with Prairie Exploration ideas & benefits of Native Plant Gardening*

Headquarterd at Lussier Family Heritage Center, at 3101 Lake Farm Road, the PLC consists of

  • two pollinator gardens at the Heritage Center
  • native plant gardens at the Heritage Center
  • 5.5-acre prairie restoration at the Heritage Center
  • Lewis Nine Springs E-Way prairies at Moorland Rd, a 25-year-old planting
  • Lunney Lake Farm County Park prairies, a 43-year old planting

*This document is made possible by a grant from the Foundation for Dane County Parks.

RESOURCES

Check out our FLORA & FAUNA pages.

PRAIRIE PLANT AND POLLINATOR GUIDES

These guides are made possible by a generous grant from the Foundation for Dane County Parks.

Guides in PDF: Pollinators, Prairie Forbs & Grasses

Pollinators
Prairie Forbs & Grasses

SENSORY GARDEN

The Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area installed a Children’s Sensory Garden at the Lussier Family Heritage Center, 3101 Lake Farm Road, Madison, this summer.

The purpose of the garden is to create an inviting space where visitors – especially children – can experience the fragrance, textures and brilliant colors of native Wisconsin plants. Plants are selected to attract, feed and support bumble bees, monarchs and hummingbirds, which also provides in-person observation of these important Wisconsin pollinators.

While in the garden, visitors can also learn about beautiful, low-maintenance, sustainable plants that attract Monarch butterflies, native bumble bees and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds to home landscapes.

This garden is made possible by a grant from Plant Dane Native Plant Program (Madison Area Municipal Storm Water Partnership) and from the generous folks who donated to our plant request through this program.

This garden is also made possible by generous plant donations and volunteer time from Madison Area Master Gardeners Association (MAMGA). Along with the Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area, MAMGA is a founding organization of the Prairie Learning Center.

Please contact Clare, naturalist for the Friends, with your questions or comments about this project at clcarlson777@gmail.com, and how you can get involved.


Prairie stewards
Trail guide at the Heritage Center
E-Way prairie plant labels
Bumble Bee Brigade (community science) training with UW-Madison Arboretum
PLC sign and Aldo Leopold bench
Prairie plant label at Pollinator Garden, Heritage Center

GOALS

  • restore & maintain plantings
  • provide prairie education through experiences
  • provide place of beauty and reflection
  • increase biodiversity
  • become important monarch waystation and place for pollinators
  • encourage visitors to use native plants at home
StoryWalk at Heritage Center
Seed Production Boxes, Heritage Center
Lemon Cuckoo bumble bee on Hyssop at the PLC
Pale Purple Coneflower
Monarch Waystation at Heritage Center
Red Milkweed Beetle at PLC, Heritage Center

FUNDED AND SUPPORTED BY

The following partners and by grants from Dane County Environmental Council, Foundation for Dane County Parks, Natural Resources Foundation, and Friends of Wisconsin State Parks as well as private donations.