Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy

Programs: The organization manages the 23 acres of carity prairie, a rare virgin prairie/savanna/sedge meadow complex, which was donated in 2005. The property is one of the last known examples of virgin (unplowed) prairie in the highly populated milwaukee county. Its management preserves and educates the public about this type of rare and unique habitat. The organization also manages sidney woods preserve, a rare woodland remnant of approximately 3. 76 acres that is home to over 136 native plant species. The preserve is a premium example of pre-european settlement habitat. The management of this property educates the public of and preserves its natural and historical beauty. In addition, the organization manages a 22. 5 acre conservation easement on the mayer property located in the city of franklin, milwaukee county wisconsin. The parcel adjoins the county-owned franklin savanna state natural area (fssna). The fssna contains an extremely rare habitat for milwaukee county where 93. 9 percent of natural vegetation and nearly its entire prairie and oak savanna habitat have been lost. The easement area grades from the savanna site into a white oak and hickory woodland, which is part of a designated secondary environmental corridor. Ryan creek, a tributary to the root river flows through a portion of the site. The management of this conservation easement maintains the existing habitat, provides a buffer to the state natural area, and affords long-term protection to a portion of ryan creek. The organization lastly manages fitzsimmons woods, an isolated natural resource area (inra), that is approximately 43 acres in size: 19 acres are under ownership of milwaukee county. Malc holds title to the remaining 24. 5 acres thus maintaining a direct link to the portion of woodland owned by the county. It is host to 145 native wisconsin plant species as well as 13 ephemeral wetlands (vernal pools). There are 25 species of trees (all native), 20 species of native shrubs, and approximately 100 native herbaceous (groundlayer) plant species. The woods are one of the most intact and undisturbed woodlands in southeastern wisconsin. Management of the woods educates the public of and preserves its natural and historical beauty.