Lands_Content Page_State Natural Areas Volunteer Program

State Natural Areas Volunteer Program

Due to COVID-19, the following safety protocols are in place for the SNA Volunteer Steward Program:
  • Workdays are limited to the number of participants that can be socially distanced (e.g., space to be 6 ft apart) on a site or property.
  • If you are not fully vaccinated, wear a mask if unable to social distance from others at the site.
  • Please clean and disinfect tools and equipment when sharing.

 

If you have any questions, please call DNR Volunteer Coordinator Jared Urban at 608-228-4349.

 

Volunteers at work

 

Help us care for some of our state's most pristine public lands, State Natural Areas (SNA). Encourage native plants and animals to thrive by cutting brush, controlling invasive species, collecting seeds, monitoring rare species, and preparing fire breaks. Show up for a day or become a steward responsible for all volunteer activities at an SNA. Any level of participation is encouraged and no experience is necessary to start volunteering.

Learn more

Join us at a workday

Workdays are one of the main ways volunteers accomplish tasks. They occur throughout the year at different SNAs. They are a great way to get some exercise, have fun, learn something new and see if you’ve got what it takes to enjoy restoration. Come join us for a workday to see for yourself. You can also learn about individual volunteer opportunities.

I work in an industrial setting that does not inspire and reward me in the way these volunteer opportunities do. I get to learn things that I can apply to my land. I've enjoyed meeting people who share my enthusiasm for the restoration of our land. I've also been shown some prairie remnants in our SNAs that I never would have realized were still in existence. It's like finding treasure for me.

—Zach, SNA volunteer

Date Site Time County Activity Meeting location RSVP required? Contact Additional info
7/23 Sugar River Wetlands 9-noon Dane Weeds and Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		 Occur on the 4th Saturday of the month. 
7/28 Kettle Moraine Oak Opening 9-noon Jefferson Brush, Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		  
8/4 Kohler Park Dunes 9-11 Sheboygan Knapweed Sanderling Nature Center Yes Mollie Mechenich
920-980-9054		 For RSVP, please email your phone number so you can receive text alerts if there is a cancellation.
8/4 Lower Chippewa River  9-noon Dunn Brush Removal Tyrone Canoe Landing Yes Dean Edlin
608-792-3054		  
8/4 Rocky Run Oak Savanna 9-noon Columbia Knapweed, Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		 Please note that this is only an access point during workdays and is not public access. 
8/5 Waubesa Wetlands 1-4pm Dane Brush, Seeds Google map Preferred Alex Wenthe
608-282-5403		 Occur on the 1st Friday of the month. 
8/8 Yellowstone Lake State Park 9-noon Lafayette Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		  
8/10 Kessler Railroad Prairie 9-noon Rock Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		  
8/11 Maiden Rock Bluff 9-noon Pepin Seeds Google map Yes Dean Edlin
608-792-3054		 Occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month. 
8/12 Ridgeway Pine Relict 9-noon Iowa Seeds Google map No Mary Kay Baum
608-935-5834		 Occur on the 2nd Friday of the month. 
8/13 Blue River Sand Barrens 9-noon Grant Weeds and Brush Google map Preferred Brian McGraw 608-778-2260  
8/13 Bluff Creek 9-noon Walworth Seeds, Phragmites Google map Preferred Ginny Coburn
262-441-0393		 Occur on the 2nd Saturday of the month at different locations nearby.
8/18 Kohler Park Dunes 9-11 Sheboygan Weeds Sanderling Nature Center Yes Mollie Mechenich
920-980-9054		 For RSVP, please email your phone number so you can receive text alerts if there is a cancellation.
8/20 Chiwaukee Prairie 10-1pm Kenosha Weeds See webpage No See webpage Occur on the 3rd Saturday of the month. 
8/20 York Prairie 9-noon Green Seeds Google map No Shannon Roznoski
608-334-6920		 Occur on the 3rd Saturday of the month. 
8/25  Bluff Creek 9-noon Walworth Brush, Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		 Occur on the 3rd Saturday of the month. 
8/27 Sugar River Wetlands 9-noon Dane Seeds Google map Yes Wade Moder
608-437-7707		 Occur on the 4th Saturday of the month. 
9/1 Kohler Park Dunes 9-11 Sheboygan Weeds Google map Yes Mollie Mechenich
920-980-9054		 RSVP required. For RSVP, please send an email with your phone number so you can receive text alerts if there is a cancellation. 
9/2 Waubesa Wetlands 1-4 Dane Brush, Seeds Google map Preferred Alex Wenthe
608-282-5403		 Occur on the 1st Friday of the month. 
9/8 Maiden Rock Bluff 9-noon Pepin Seeds Google map Yes Dean Edlin
608-792-3054		 Occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month. 
9/9 Ridgeway Pine Relict 9-noon Iowa Seeds Google map No Mary Kay Baum
608-935-5834		 Occur on the 2nd Friday of the month. 
9/13 Yellowstone Lake State Park 9-noon Lafayette Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		  
9/14 Rock River Prairie 9-noon Rock Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		  
9/15 Kohler Park Dunes 9-11 Sheboygan Weeds Google map Yes Mollie Mechenich
920-980-9054		 RSVP required. For RSVP, please send an email with your phone number so you can receive text alerts if there is a cancellation. 
9/17 York Prairie 9-noon Green Seeds Google map No Shannon Roznoski
608-334-6920		 Occur on the 3rd Saturday of the month. 
9/17 Chiwaukee Prairie 10-1pm Kenosha Weeds See webpage No See webpage Occur on the 3rd Saturday of the month. 
9/29 Rocky Run Oak Savanna 9-noon Columbia Seeds Google map Preferred Jared Urban
608-228-4349		 Please note that this is only an access point during workdays and is not public access. 
10/1 Olson Oak Woods 9-noon Dane Seeds Google map Yes Wade Moder
608-437-7707		 This is a change from the normal Sugar River workdays on the fourth Saturday of the month. 
Expect to do some walking off-trail, do some physical activity, and wear clothes that can be beaten up. Good items to bring are drinking water, gloves, safety glasses, sunscreen, and bug spray in summer/fall. We’ll typically have enough tools for you to use. Although different sites have different approaches to cancellation a decision is made by at least two hours before the day. You can RSVP to get updates or ask the contact person about the status 2 hours before in these instances: moderate to heavy rain, snow/ice storms, extreme cold, or extreme heat. 

Receive email updates on upcoming workdays

We have divided the state into volunteer regions. Receive email updates on upcoming volunteer workdays in the region. Sign up for as many regions as you'd like.

Volunteer regions

 

Upper Lake Michigan map legend

Upper Lake Michigan | Email sign-up

Southeast map legend

Southeast | Email sign-up

Southwest map legend

Southwest | Email sign-up

West Central map legend

West Central | Email sign-up

Northwest region map legend

Northwest | Email sign-up

Driftless region map legend

Driftless | Email sign-up

Central sands region legend

Central Sands | Email sign-up

North central region map legend

North Central | Email sign-up