By Paul Noeldner
Friends of Urban Nature
New Master Naturalists
The Madison Friends of Urban Nature (FUN) partnership, including Madison Parks, Wild Warner and Friends of Cherokee Marsh, co-sponsored the 4th Annual Summer Wisconsin Master Naturalist class at Warner Park and Maple Bluff. Please welcome our 13 new Master Naturalist volunteers and help them get involved in Northside nature groups and initiatives.
Hartmeyer Natural Area
A new Friends of Hartmeyer Natural Area group has scheduled meetings to help inform the public and get input for saving the 29-acre historic wetland and surrounding upland for nature, neighborhood enjoyment and future generations. See the Northside News Calendar of Events for monthly meeting times and locations. Also see the related article about a meeting with Groundswell Conservancy Director Jim Welch, and what the public would like to see. Please “like” the Friends of Hartmeyer Natural Area on Facebook to show your support. There are also opportunities to serve on the board.
Nature recreation assets in parks
While there are strong protections for nature in our conservation parks, like Cherokee Marsh, there are hundreds of smaller natural areas throughout the city that help support native trees, plants, pollinators, birds and wildlife. These nature recreation assets have value to much of the public, just like ball diamonds and tennis courts.
They provide enjoyment to hundreds of park visitors year-round — nature education for school children, volunteers who do nature restoration activities, and residents who enjoy watching nature do its thing. Daily access to nearby nature offers well-documented natural health benefits and creates a sense of neighborhood and community as a shared resource that anyone can visit without spending money or having special equipment.
Nature recreation assets are also important when we consider proposals like allowing dogs in more city parks. Birds do not like to nest near paths that have dogs. Even occasional dog access on leash would displace native Wisconsin birds that people love to see when they walk in our city parks and natural areas. As native Wisconsin bird species populations are impacted by development, our parks provide safe havens for birds and nature.
How can we help protect the nature recreation assets in our parks? Nature ethics means we make sure we are not displacing native birds and wildlife in natural areas while accommodating appropriate access for human activities. This could possibly include accommodations such as allowing dogs on leash in some developed mowed areas and paths, but not in natural areas and nature paths in our parks. Please keep nature ethics in mind when visiting our parks, and vote for leaders and proposals that support nature.