Events Calendar
Learn and volunteer with the Conservancy
Want to learn to identify native and invasive plants, manage your own property, or just feel good about helping make a difference for local wildlife and community members? Looking for ways to join like-minded folks to learn more about the world we live in?
Join us for an upcoming Linked to the Land educational event or a Volunteer for the Wild work party to expand your horizons and gain a sense of satisfaction for helping wildlife in your community.
View the 2026 Linked to the Land schedule.
View the 2026 Volunteer for the Wild schedule.
Read more about the options below. Sign-up available online a few months prior to each event.
Events
Trail Trek Challenge is a free year-round hike/walk program on the nature preserves you've helped protect in Wisconsin's Driftless Area. Challenge yourself to hike at least five of the 19 designated trails to discover nature's treasures and learn what makes these places so valuable for everyone who lives, works, and plays here.
COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE AND WE WILL SEND YOU A WATER BOTTLE STICKER to commemorate your accomplishment! Add the kids' names to your Trail Guide, and we will send one for each of the kids, too!
When you sign up, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link to your downloadable Trail Guide & Hike Log with hike descriptions and a place to record your hikes throughout the year. Downloadable trail maps, an interactive map, and driving directions to each hike location are available from the Nature Preserves section of our website.
Registration kicks off at Earth Fair on April 27, 2025 with a guided marsh hike at Myrick part at 11am, and you can register at any time throughout the year.
Thank you to our sponsors, whose support helps us
- Protect trees, prairies, and clean water for plants, animals and YOU!
- Teach the value of nature through outdoor recreation and land restoration projects.
- Clear trails and provide free places for people to hike on over 7,000 acres in 9 counties.
- Inspire community members to unplug and spend more time outdoors.
2025-2026 Trail Trek Challenge Sponsors: J.F. Brennan Company, Organic Valley, Emplify Health at Gundersen,
Mayo Clinic Health System, Trust Point, People’s Food Cooperative, Altra Financial Advisors, Explore La Crosse, News 8 Now,
Powered Printing-A Service of Dairyland Power Cooperative
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Let's build fire breaks!
Ready for the spring fire season? Come along to help prepare this site for some healthy, healing fire. The Kaplan tract, near the Mathy Quarry site is a bluffside nature preserve that has an excellent view of the city of La Crosse. Bundle up and bring along a friend as we get down to business clearing brush, sticks, logs, and leaves away from the firebreak!
All ages and skill levels are welcome – dress appropriately for the weather, bring a water bottle and sturdy footwear and clothing to protect from brush. Events may involve full body movement on uneven ground and sometimes steep slopes. Expert instruction, protective gear, tools, and snacks will be provided. Together, we can make a big difference in a short amount of time!
Terrain difficulty rating: STEEP
Work difficulty rating: MODERATE
Registration confirmation will be sent by email. Additional details are emailed two days prior to the event. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 6.
Have you encountered garlic mustard on your property or places you spend time outdoors? Are you fed up with how fast it spreads? Come out to Sugar Creek Bluff State Natural Area to learn about our most effective garlic mustard control strategies. We will be removing this invasive weed from one of the most biodiverse nature preserves stewarded by Mississippi Valley Conservancy. Garlic mustard is easy to pull and identify, so bring all your friends and family to this event!
All ages and skill levels are welcome – dress appropriately for the weather, bring a water bottle and sturdy footwear and clothing to protect from brush. Together, we can make a big difference in a short amount of time! Events may involve full body movement on uneven ground and sometimes steep slopes. Expert instruction, protective gear, tools, and snacks will be provided.
Terrain difficulty rating: ROLLING
Work difficulty rating: LIGHT
Registration confirmation will be sent by email. Additional details are emailed two days prior to the event.
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 6
Join us for our Annual Friends Gathering on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 a.m. at the First Congregational Church in La Crosse.
Please bring a friend, your favorite baked goods to share, a coffee mug and meet us for some great conversation about conservation. The official program starts at 9:00. We'll provide coffee, tea, and water. (Photo - Feeding time at a meadowlark nest in a secluded grassland habitat. Photo by Neil Rettig)
PROGRAM
8:30 - Sharing of baked goods, coffee and conservation conversation
9:00 - Welcome & introduction – Carol Abrahamzon AND New lands protected – Abbie Church
9:45 - GUEST PRESENTATION : Mysteries in the Grass: A Filmmaker’s Journey into the Hidden Lives of Grassland Birds
Presented by Neil Rettig, Emmy Award-winning cinematographer and National Geographic photographer (see description below)
11:00 - Annual conservation awards - Recognition of outstanding volunteers and partners from 2025
11:30 - Final remarks - Carol Abrahamzon
MORE ABOUT OUR PRESENTER & PRESENTATION:
Mysteries in the Grass: A Filmmaker’s Journey into the Hidden Lives of Grassland Birds
With six Emmy Awards and more than five decades in the field, Neil Rettig is among the most respected natural history filmmakers in the world. His career has spanned the globe—from South America to the Arctic—capturing rare and compelling stories of wildlife. Best known for his daring canopy work documenting tropical eagles, including the harpy and Philippine eagles, Neil has also brought the natural wonders of the Midwest to the world through films such as the BBC award-winning Mississippi: Tales of the Last River Rat and National Geographic’s Wild Mississippi.
Neil and his wife Laura have called the Driftless region home since 1990, where they live on a ridge-top farm. In recent years, Neil has turned his lens closer to home, collaborating with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and conservation partners to tell powerful stories that inspire habitat protection. His latest work focuses on endangered grassland birds—species that depend on the same prairies, savannas, and open landscapes Mississippi Valley Conservancy works every day to protect.
This presentation, Mysteries in the Grass, will highlight Neil’s recent grassland habitat project, the challenges of documenting this hidden world, and how storytelling and land conservation together can secure a future for birds and people alike. Neil will take you behind the scenes with stories and imagery, immersing you in the process of documenting elusive bobolink and meadowlark on properties very similar to our many protected lands here in the Driftless.
Feel free to contact us with questions. Call (608) 784-3606 ext.1 or email [email protected].
Want to make a big difference in a short amount of time?
Join us for a clean-up day at the La Crosse River Conservancy as we work together for a common goal.
Did you know one of the largest wetland habitats in Wisconsin used to call La Crosse and the La Crosse river valley home? Today, only small remnants of this once 50 mile long riverside wetland exist. On Saturday, April 18th, join Mississippi Valley Conservancy to restore one of these remaining wetlands at the La Crosse River Conservancy! We will gather litter and trash that has collected along the wetland edge. Bring along some friends and enjoy the weather for this spring clean-up!
Terrain difficulty rating: ROLLING
Work difficulty rating: LIGHT
Registration confirmation will be sent by email. Additional details are emailed two days prior to the event. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 6.
Join Dr. Chuck Lee, Emeritus Professor of History at UWL, for an informative hike and discussion about the marsh and all of those who depend on it on April 26th at 11 a.m. at The Nature Place in La Crosse.
The La Crosse River Marsh, at the confluence of the La Crosse and Mississippi Rivers, is a thousand-acre wetland located in the middle of the City of La Crosse in western Wisconsin.
This marsh not only provides the city with critical flood protection, clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities, but it also helps to create a sense of community and bolsters the local economy. Local organizations, community members, and city government are all working together to protect and care for this vital resource. Bring your binoculars and your questions to make your hike even better.
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(Photo: A group of hikers explore the La Crosse River Marsh with Dr. Chuck Lee. Photo by Karen Solverson)
This hike is part of an all-day Earth Fair celebration at Myrick Park and The Nature Place in La Crosse. The Conservancy and many other friends of conservation will have booths set up. There will be guest speakers, games, hands-on exploration, and prizes throughout the day. For more information on all of the great family-friendly activities happening at Earth Fair, visit EarthFairLaCrosse.com.
This hike also counts as toward our Trail Trek Challenge program. Trail Trek Challenge is a FREE 365-day program where we challenge you to walk at least five trails throughout the year to earn a water bottle sticker. You can register online or in person at Earth Fair for the Trail Trek Challenge, and you'll receive a trail guide with all the information you need to enjoy a whole year of hiking on Conservancy lands you've helped us protect for wildlife habitat and public recreation. Can't make it to Earth Fair? There are no deadlines to register for the Trail Trek Challenge. Just sign up, download the handy trail guide, and start hiking!
We will meet inside The Nature Place by the large glass doors on the north side of the building, and start our hike promptly at 11 a.m. Dress for rain or shine and wear comfortable walking shoes. Plan to make a day of it, and enjoy the food vendors and many activities all around Myrick Park that day. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own water bottle to help Earth Fair become a zero-waste event.
This year’s Trail Trek Challenge is sponsored by J.F. Brennan Co, News 8 Now, Hawkins Ash CPAs LLP, Altra Financial Advisors, Emplify Health at Gundersen, Trust Point, Inc., Organic Valley Co-op, People’s Food Co-op, Explore La Crosse, and Dairyland Power Cooperative/Powered Printing.
Advance registration is requested for this free event and must be completed by April 25. With questions, contact Karen Solverson at [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 8.
This free hike is part of Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s 2026 “Linked to the Land” series, which connects people to the nature preserves protected for wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, outdoor learning, and recreation throughout the Driftless Area. The program is made possible through generous community support and sponsorship from WXOW News 19.
Have you encountered garlic mustard on your property or places you spend time outdoors? Do you wish you could do something to slow the spread? Come out to Plum Creek Conservation Area to learn about our most effective garlic mustard control strategies as we work together to improve the land.
Garlic mustard is easy to pull and identify, so bring your friends and family to this event!
All ages and skill levels are welcome – dress appropriately for the weather, bring a water bottle and sturdy footwear and clothing to protect from brush. Together, we can make a big difference in a short amount of time! Events may involve full body movement on uneven ground and sometimes steep slopes. Expert instruction, protective gear, tools, and snacks will be provided.
Terrain difficulty rating: ROLLING
Work difficulty rating: LIGHT
Registration confirmation will be sent by email. Additional details are emailed two days prior to the event.
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 6
Help us prepare our Spring Appeal mailing! Join us on Wednesday, May 6 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM for a relaxed morning of hand-addressing envelopes, folding letters, stuffing, and sealing. It is simple work, great company, and an easy way to make a real impact. Sign up to be part of the behind-the-scenes magic that keeps conservation moving forward.
Where: Mississippi Valley Conservancy office located at 1309 Norplex Drive, Suite #9, La Crosse, WI. Street parking is available.
When: Wednesday, May 6 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Light refreshments will be provided, but feel free to bring your own water and snacks, as well.
Sign up:
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/C7tefTHinIsUNplSRdSaIQ?t=1772143905
With questions, call (608) 784-3606 ext. 1 or email Tiffany at [email protected].
It's invasive garlic mustard season! Come join the Mississippi Valley Conservancy Mustard Taskforce. We need your help to attack the garlic mustard invasion taking over Eagle Eye State Natural Area before it's too late. Tag along and explore this wild site along the Bad Axe river, teeming with fish, birds, and other wildlife, while pulling these invasive weeds.
Garlic mustard is easy to pull and identify, so bring your friends and family to this event!
All ages and skill levels are welcome – dress appropriately for the weather, bring a water bottle and sturdy footwear and clothing to protect from brush. Together, we can make a big difference in a short amount of time! Events may involve full body movement on uneven ground and sometimes steep slopes. Expert instruction, protective gear, tools, and snacks will be provided.
Terrain difficulty rating: ROLLING (includes a shallow river crossing)
Work difficulty rating: LIGHT
Registration confirmation will be sent by email. Additional details are emailed two days prior to the event.
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 6