Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area (MRPHA)
This site just south of Military Ridge on the Dane-Iowa County border encompasses one of southern Wisconsin’s most open and least developed landscapes. Scattered prairie remnants are embedded within a matrix of never-plowed “prairie pasture”, Conservation Reserve Program grasslands (CRP), hayfields, and high quality cropland. The fauna is especially notable for grassland birds, among them rare species such as Loggerhead Shrike, Henslow’s Sparrow, Bell’s Vireo, Sedge Wren, Upland Sandpiper and Short-eared Owl. Rare prairie invertebrates have also been documented here, and the native flora includes many rare plants as well. The Conservancy has protected lands important to many critically imperiled species (PDF 476k) in the area.
The area was identified as a priority landscape for grassland birds and prairie remnants by the WI-DNR. The DNR recently conducted a statewide assessment of places that presented the best opportunities to restore functioning grassland ecosystems, based on the quality and uniqueness of existing grasslands, potential for creation of larger, linked sites, and how valuable they were for rare species. This is the highest-ranked site in the state. This area has also been identified as one of two grassland areas eligible for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s newly established Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which will bring significant federal funding to help maintain and restore grasslands.
The primary threat to the area is from the high demand for residential lots by Madison commuters. Although there is significant development pressure here, there are still excellent opportunities to expand the small prairie and savanna remnants that exist by restoring surrounding land that is not well suited for farming. Maintaining open space between these pockets of prairie and savanna is crucial to keeping these remnants ecologically functioning. Subdivision of existing agricultural lands for residential development would fragment the landscape and degrade the quality of adjacent habitat. Conservation efforts will focus on utilizing strategies that keep farming operations viable throughout the area while working to upgrade prairie and savanna corridors.
Reproduced with permission from the Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin Land Legacy Report).
Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area Land Protection
