Wildlife of Wisconsin's Central Sands

At Birch Bay Retreat, birch forests melt into cattails and reedy wetlands that provide habitat for fish, frogs, turtles and birds. The property is home to many species of wildlife, including sandhill cranes, turkeys, deer, and monarch and swallowtail butterflies.

On parts of the property and nearby lands, you can get to know some of the native prairie wildflowers that grow in this area, such as prairie smoke, coneflower, and purple prairie clover.

It's a wonderful place to birdwatch, to introduce children to local plants and animals, or to simply relax and soak in the peaceful beauty of the natural world.

Learn more about the rich natural environment of Wisconsin's Central Sands:

Prairie Primer -- "The prairies of Wisconsin include some of the most interesting and least known of out natural landscapes." Enjoy this wonderful introduction to the prairie landscape and its plants.

Learn about the ecology, and typical local flora and fauna of the Wisconsin Central Sand Plains and Central Sand Hills, from the Wisconsin DNR.

Identify native species:

Wildflowers of Wisconsin -- explore and identify our wildflowers on the web!

Wisconsin Butterflies, and Waushara County butterfly species list

Activities with children:

Nature Navigator -- Central Wisconsin Environmental Station

Family Activities -- Connecting kids to nature (Project Learning Tree)

K-12 Forestry Lesson Guides (LEAF Wisconsin)

Environmental Education for Kids (EEK!) -- from the Wisconsin DNR.

Conservation of the natural habitat and wildlife of central Wisconsin:

Friends of the Central Sands -- Working to ensure natural resource stewardship throughout the central sands.

International crane foundation -- protecting and preserving sandhills and other crane species and their habitats.

Aldo Leopold Nature Center -- Nature exhibits, hiking, and education about our natural environment.

MonarchWatch.org -- Dedicated to education, conservation, and research on the endangered Monarch butterflies.