Interested in volunteering? Check below for opportunities.
This year marks the beginning of the sixth year of volunteer effort to affect positive change in our environment. Many of the invasive species that we have been working on can easily diminish the biodiversity of the native flora in the Forest. We are lucky to have 12 state natural areas in the KMSF-NU. Our state natural areas are designated to preserve the best of Wisconsin prairies, forests, and wetlands. These unique places are home to 90% of Wisconsin’s threatened and endangered plant species and 75% of the animal species. We have been working intensively in two of these SNAs for the last five years.
Dear Stewards of the NKMSF,
After a great spring and summer season, we are taking the month of August off. We accomplished what we had planned and even more! We will wrap up the 2024 season with woody invasive shrub and tree removal. We hope you can make it to at least one of these Saturday mornings. Bring your friends and family too! Everyone is welcome and appreciated.
Jersey Flats Prairie: We will remove unwanted trees and shrubs. Since the southern portion of the prairie has not been burned for many years, woody species have been encroaching. Birds, mammals and insects move the seed as they feed in the area. We will cut them with a chainsaw, handsaw or pruners and a few of us will treat the stumps to prevent them from resprouting.
Volunteer day in Jersey Flats Prairie
September 21st from 9 – 12 pm
Meet at the parking lot on SS a quarter mile from G on the left.
Haskell Noyes State Natural Area: We will be targeting common buckthorn, honeysuckle and Japanese barberry on the southern section.
Volunteer day for woody invasive species removal in Haskell Noyes SNA are as follows.
Saturday, September 28th from 9 – 12 pm
Meet at the Haskell Noyes parking lot on GGG.
Ice Age Center: The day scheduled for June was cancelled due to heavy rain. It has been changed to October 5th.The Friends of the NKMSF are excited to fund some of the invasive species control work around the Ice Age Center this fall and winter. We plan to hire a contractor to open up the view from the deck to the outwash plain. Over the years, trees have grown and now block the view. We also plan to manage the prairie that was planted when the building was erected, and rid the adjacent trails of buckthorn and honeysuckle. We would like to show visitors what a healthy ecosystem looks like.
Volunteer day for removal of some of the invasive shrubs at the Ice Age Center.
OutWiGo Volunteering: Invasive Species Awareness Day
October 5, 2024 from 9 am – 12 pm
Meet at the Ice Age Visitor Center parking lot on 67.
Mauthe Lake Tamarack Trail: We will remove buckthorn, autumn olive and honeysuckle along the trail.
Volunteer day at Mauthe Lake Tamarack Trail
Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 9 – 12 pm
Meet at the parking lot by the boat ramp at Mauthe Lake
Little Mud Lake: We will basal bark, cut and treat suckering shrubs and trees in this small, but beautiful prairie remnant.
Volunteer Day at Little Mud Lake
Saturday, October 26th, 2024 from 9 – 12 pm
Meet at the parking lot on SS, about 1 mile east of New Prospect.
Thanks so much for your interest in protecting the biodiversity of our Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit.
Warm regards,
Connie Ramthun
The Friends of the Kettle Moraine have long been committed to preserving and protecting our land and water. We hope by volunteering, you will experience the deep rewards that come from contributing to the preservation of biodiversity in the Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit.
Please contact Connie Ramthun, Volunteer Coordinator, with any questions or concerns. She will put you on the emailing list with details of the work involved, what to wear and what to bring. Her email address is connieramthun@gmail.com.
“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”
Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer ————————————————————————————
Ice Age Visitor Center hours
Call the Center for current hours at 920-533-8361————————————————————————————————-Please note that the DNR urges state park visitors to do their part when visiting DNR properties. Most Wisconsin state parks, forests and other day-use areas do not have garbage or recycling bins. When you visit, please take your garbage and recyclables home with you. We all play a vital role in taking care of our natural resources. Following the Leave No Trace principles helps protect the land for generations to come. Fight the Bite! Ticks are out, and visitors should take precautions to prevent Lyme Disease.