Natural Heritage Conservation Field Notes
Donations from people like you help fund wildlife comebacks across Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s Endangered Resources Fund benefits Wisconsin’s at-risk plant and animal species through science-informed, hands-on conservation activities.
SAMPLE IMPACT STORIES
Trumpeter Swans
Less than a generation ago, trumpeter swans in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Ontario were endangered due to wetland habitat loss and market hunting. In Wisconsin, trumpeter swans were completely eliminated by the 1880s. Fortunately, restoration efforts by the department and its partners, starting in the 1980s, were so successful that the Trumpeter swan was removed from the Wisconsin endangered species list in 2009.
Karner Blue Butterflies
Karner blue butterflies are very sensitive to environmental changes, making them excellent indicators of healthy ecosystems. Wisconsin is home to most of the world’s remaining population of this federally endangered butterfly, a nickel-sized pollinator that relies on wild lupine, a native Wisconsin plant, to complete its lifecycle. For protection, our biologists monitor this species. We work with many partners across the state to conserve and maintain its remaining habitats. Karner blue habitats are conserved through active management in many of Wisconsin’s state natural areas.
Little Brown Bats
Wisconsin bats are important insect-eaters, consuming forestry, agriculture, and human-health pests. When white-nose syndrome emerged in Wisconsin in 2014, little brown bats, once the most common bat species in North America, declined by almost 90%. Since then, DNR staff, partners and trained volunteers have carefully monitored and preserved roost sites. DNR staff also count bats at winter hibernation sites and facilitate the work of University partners on potential white nose treatments. Recently, they've recorded a hopeful change for these hard-working creatures. At one significant overwintering site for little brown bats, the population has increased by 17%.
Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid
The federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera leucophaea) reappeared in a state natural area near Oshkosh in 2022 following DNR and volunteer management at the site. It’s another shining example of what can be accomplished when DNR staff and volunteers unite, as well as the importance of on-the-ground work needed to maintain rare species habitats.
After orchid numbers dwindled at the site, DNR and volunteers began habitat restoration, hoping the orchids would return. When volunteers discovered a single plant, a local conservation partner was able to cross-pollinate it with a nearby population in hopes of improving genetic diversity and the long-term viability of the species.
LEARN ABOUT SOME OF OUR RECENT WORK IN THE NATURAL RESOURCES MAGAZINE
- On the Road For 30 Years: Endangered Resources License Plates Drive Conservation Funding
- Conservation Innovation: Rush Creek Project Takes On Climate Change
- In it Together For the Frogs and Toads: Wisconsinites Join Forces for Cruical Monitoring Project
- Contribute to Conservation: Donations Help Protect Wisconsin’s Special Species
- Going to Bat for the Creatures of the Night: Scientists Hope New and Ongoing Efforts Can Boost These Special Species
- Keen On Conservation
- 2022 Field Notes
- 2021 Field Notes
More stories of our work to protect rare species
- Echolocator, news from DNR's bat program.
- Rare Plant Monitoring Report
- Clam Chronicle, news from DNR's mussel monitoring program.
We can't do it without you
Your support is crucial to protecting and restoring the native plants and animals that call Wisconsin home. The best part? Your online and income tax gifts are matched, doubling your impact on rare and endangered species across the state. Choose how you make a difference today: