Barneveld Prairie

State Natural Area (No. 405)

Location: Iowa and Dane Counties. T6-R5E, Sections 8, 16 17, 22, 24. T6-R6E, Section 19. 675 acres.

Access: For Thomas Pasture (section 17): From the intersection of Highway 18/151 and County T west of Barneveld, go south on T 0.4 mile to a parking area east of the road marked with Fire Number 3975. For the Botham tract (section 16): From the interesection of County ID and County K in Barneveld, go south on K 2 miles, then west on Langberry Road nearly 0.6 mile to the intersection of Lee Road. Park along the road.

Description: Barneveld Prairie features a remnant of the vast tallgrass prairies and savannas that once covered most of southern Wisconsin. It is located within the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, a region recognized as the global center for dry prairies and dry-mesic prairies. The natural area lies within the heart of the Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area (MRPHA) – an extensive grassland landscape supporting a high concentration of prairie remnants. MRPHA also includes patches of untilled prairie pasture and surrogate grasslands that combine with the natural area in providing habitat for many grassland-restricted species such as the regal fritillary butterfly (Speyeria idalia). It has been identified as the highest priority for landscape-scale grassland protection and management in Wisconsin and represents one of the best opportunities to protect grassland birds such as bobolink, dickcissel, and Henslow’s sparrow. Three parcels – Thomas Pasture, Thomson prairie, and the Botham tract, currently make up Barneveld Prairie. The Botham tract is the single largest contiguous property located within MRPHA and contains a diverse mix of prairie remnant, prairie pasture, oak savanna, wetlands, and wooded draws. This gradient of habitat types supports a diversity of plant and animal species including Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii), woolly milkweed (Asclepias lanuginosa), Hill’s thistle (Cirsium hillii), and rare prairie invertebrates. Barneveld Prairie is owned by The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin and was designated a State Natural Area in 2003.