Our Conservation Values & Management Plan
At Schlitz Audubon, we tend to our land throughout the year and this care embodies and reflects our conservation values. The restoration and rejuvenation of our 185 acres creates a more resplendent habitat for birds and wildlife which in turn allows our visitors to deeply enjoy nature and learn about its many elements. This page is dedicated to conservation at Schlitz Audubon – our approach, our techniques, and our passion for the land, but it is the forests, ponds, and prairies that truly illustrate our story.
Values
Maximize Floristic Quality
Floristic quality is a measurement of a natural area’s ecological health and integrity based on its grasses, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs. As we plan revitalization activity, we choose native plant species that will best support and harmonize with the habitat’s wildlife to create a cohesive habitat.
Enhance Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem services are the benefits that a piece of land offers people. Our ecosystem provides a host of services, including stormwater mitigation, carbon cycling (the movement of carbon between wildlife, earth, and atmosphere), oxygen production, habitat for pollinators (important for food production), and of course, a beautiful haven for exploration and discovery.
Increase Wildlife Diversity
Wildlife diversity is important because it keeps wild populations living within natural communities in balance. In an urban environment, habitat fragmentation, which occurs when large blocks of habitat are broken up for development, is a problem that affects many native and migratory species. Reptiles, amphibians, fish, bird, and mammal populations have plummeted since settlement. We tailor our habitats and land restoration activities to create homes for the most vulnerable of these animals.
Elevate Educational Opportunities & Visitor Experiences
The property is the premier location to experience and learn about the region’s native plants, wildlife, and seasonal cycles. We continually work to responsibly share this with the Greater Milwaukee community.
Stand Assessment
Our 185-acre property has been divided into 256 sections called management stands. Stands are differentiated from each other by their topography, hydrology, soil types, and vegetation. Every five years, we assess the flora component of each stand. These assessments quantify the tree coverage in the canopy and sub-canopy of the area, identify which shrubs are present, and finally, measure the breakdown of grasses and flowers in the ground layer. For each layer, native and invasive plant species are identified. Based on that data, each stand is given a management goal of what type of habitat we want a stand to be in 2030, and what techniques we will use to reach those targets. These goals inform our overall management plan, which our conservation team implements throughout the Center’s habitats. Target habitats include oak savanna, sedge meadow, hardwood swamps, and southern mesic forests.
Native Restoration
Every year, Center staff and land volunteers eradicate invasive species by the acre, and then reestablish these areas with native plants. The strategy for revitalizing these habitats is based on our management plan. Working stand by stand, management techniques are based on the most recent stand assessment and target habitat. Native plant species are deliberately selected based on many factors, including their hardiness in that particular habitat, benefit to wildlife, and appearance. We strive to use the most innovative and effective techniques, while protecting native species and the surrounding environment.
As we continue our restoration efforts, we are witnessing a greater diversity of native and migratory animals at the Center. Schlitz Audubon is home to the rusty patched bumble bee (U.S. endangered), Blanding’s turtle (Wisconsin special concern), wood frog, blue-spotted salamander, and a wide variety of migratory birds, insects, and other animals. The presence of these animals is a testament to our efforts and a measure of our progress.
Volunteer Contributions
Volunteers are core contributors to Schlitz Audubon’s conservation efforts, spending thousands of hours throughout the year making our property more biologically diverse and beautiful. The acres of buckthorn they clear in fall and winter, create space in which to plant in spring. The summer season of invasive species control allows for our already established native species to flourish and spread. Every year, we see improvements across the property. Schlitz Audubon would not be what it is without our amazing volunteers.