Cherished by Friends since 1982, the Luncheon Lecture series has provided many afternoons of warm connection and opportunities to hear engaging speakers.
Luncheon Lectures are held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Arboretum Visitor Center Auditorium. A buffet lunch is followed by an educational presentation. This popular series fills up quickly, so register soon. Each lecture costs $50.
Register online at foamadison.org. Online registration is fastest. You can also register for the entire series as a package.
To pay by check, make payable to Friends of the Arboretum and mail to: Friends of the Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Hwy., Madison, WI 53711. Please indicate the lectures you wish to attend, attendee names and email addresses, and your mailing address.
A registration confirmation will be sent to you. If a program you request is full, you will be contacted promptly. Reservations are transferable. If you give away your reservation, please call us at 608-890-2555 and let us know the name of the attendee. You also may cancel a reservation and request a refund at least 2 weeks ahead of the event.
2026–27 Luncheon Lectures
September 16, 2026 – The Sauk Prairie and the Origins of the UW Arboretum
Curt Meine, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Aldo Leopold Foundation, and adjunct professor, UW–Madison Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
There is a hidden story that connects the founding of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum with the fate of the Sauk Prairie in neighboring Sauk County. The story involves the Ho-Chunk Nation, European settlers and farmers, land, wealth, a secret gift, Aldo Leopold, World War II, and the ironies of history. Curt Meine will share this fascinating tale of loss, continuity, and renewal – and what lessons it holds for the future.
October 15, 2026 – Wisconsin’s Land Trust Community: Decades of Conservation Impact
Mike Carlson, M.S., J.D., executive director, Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts
Wisconsin is home to more than 40 nonprofit organizations known as land trusts. Land trusts work with private landowners to protect wildlife habitat, water quality, and other conservation values. Gathering Waters is the state association for Wisconsin’s land trusts. The organization advocates for public funding for conservation, works to strengthen its land trust members, and promotes the value of land conservation. In this session, learn about the land trust community and the history of this movement in Wisconsin.
November 17, 2026 – Southern Wisconsin’s Glacial Landscapes
Dave Mickelson, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Geoscience, UW–Madison, and Badger Talks
This talk describes how Wisconsin’s landscape came to be what it is today. Southwestern Wisconsin, the Driftless Area, was never glaciated and its deep valleys and narrow ridges result from millions of years of stream erosion. Limestone and sandstone abound. At times in the past, glaciers covered more than two thirds of Wisconsin, and the area covered by the last glaciation exhibits excellent examples of glacial topography. Wisconsin was chosen as the location of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and the Ice National Age Scientific Reserve mostly for that reason. The state’s most recent glaciation was the Wisconsin glaciation, and it was responsible for many of the glacial landforms visible today. The formation of these moraines, kettles, outwash plains, lake plains, drumlins, eskers, and tunnel channels is explained using slides of modern glaciers as well as many photos and maps from Wisconsin.
January 12, 2027 – On Fourth Lake: A Social History of Lake Mendota
Don Sanford, author and former captain for Betty Lou Cruises
Madison author Don Sanford spent more than a decade collecting stories, interviewing dozens of past and present Mendota “water rats” and searching for photos that help explain why this lake holds a special place in the hearts of so many. His 2015 book, On Fourth Lake: A Social History of Lake Mendota, takes the reader on a leisurely cruise around Lake Mendota. In his talk, Sanford will share some of his collection of stories and photographs that provide a new and unique perspective on the shoreline of Lake Mendota as it’s known today.
February 9, 2027 – Wisconsin’s Trumpeter Swan Recovery: The Role of Field Research
Mike Mossman and Lisa Hartman, retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ecologists and educators
Nesting trumpeter swans were extirpated from Wisconsin in the nineteenth century, and the DNR led a successful recovery effort beginning in 1987. Among the program’s many aspects, research played a critical role in the precarious early years – developing and testing methods of rearing and release, determining habitat needs, and monitoring the health and ecology of the slowly growing population. This is an historical account of that research, from the perspective of two field biologists.
March 17, 2027 – Damsels and Dragons of Wisconsin
Dan Jackson, master naturalist, educator and record reviewer for the Wisconsin Odonata Survey
This presentation is designed to be a fun, informative introduction to the insect order Odonata, which includes dragonflies and damselflies. The presentation includes a discussion on the biology and life history of this order as well as pointers for identification.
April 15, 2027 – Wisconsin’s Changing Climate
Steve Vavrus, Ph.D., director, Wisconsin State Climatology Office, and senior scientist, UW–Madison’s Division of Extension and the Nelson Institute
Like the rest of the world, Wisconsin is experiencing climate change and its impacts. The past two decades have been the state’s warmest on record, and the 2010s were Wisconsin’s wettest decade. How can we put these kinds of climate changes into historical context, and what does the future hold for our state? This presentation will highlight some of the major trends and consequences, as well as paths toward societal climate resilience.
May 19, 2027 – The UW Urban Canid Project: Living with Red Foxes and Coyotes in Madison
David Drake, Ph.D., professor, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, UW–Madison, and principal investigator, UW Urban Canid Project
Since 2014, Drake and his collaborators have been live trapping and radio collaring red foxes and coyotes in the greater Madison area. This presentation will briefly cover urban canid ecology and the project’s methodology. Drake will then present some past and ongoing results. Lastly, he will share recommendations to facilitate a positive human-urban canid co-existence.
June 10, 2027 – Wild Neighbors: Photographing Urban Conservation Stories
Anne Readel, Ph.D., J.D., conservation storyteller
Conservation storyteller Anne Readel will delve into how she finds and documents compelling conservation stories in urban environments. Through her photography projects on city-dwelling birds, backyard bumblebees, and the American lawn, Anne will share insights on photographing urban wildlife and conservation issues. Learn how she creates visual stories that highlight the ecological importance and conservation challenges of often-overlooked urban inhabitants.