In addition to the prairies, savannas, forests, wetlands, and shorelines of the 1,200-acre in Madison, the Arboretum also manages eleven other properties across the state. These examples of native natural communities include a variety of wetland, prairie, and woodland types.
Outlying properties are valuable research and conservation sites. To request access, email the research program manager.
Abraham’s Woods State Natural Area
40 acres, Green County
Transferred to UW from The Nature Conservancy in 1964. Designated a State Natural Area in 1961. Designated a National Parks Service Natural National Landmark in 1973.
Natural community: sugar maple–dominated mesic hardwood forest with extensive spring ephemeral plant populations.
Conservation challenges: Invasive plant species, primarily garlic mustard.
Management: Periodic visits to control garlic mustard and dame’s rocket, collect seeds from native plants (especially spring ephemerals), and clear downed trees from the trail. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages adjacent land to the south.
Teaching and research: Visits by UW classes, botanical clubs, Arb staff. Student research in soils and botany, vegetation surveys, and invertebrate survey. Permanent long-term vegetation sampling grid.
Community engagement: Local volunteers help with invasive species control and monitor the property.
Anderson’s Bottomland
139 acres, Iowa County
Acquired in 1975
Natural community: Floodplain forest along the Wisconsin River. Dominant tree species include swamp white oak, silver maple, and ash. Red and black oak and cherry on terraces in the floodplain.
Conservation challenges: Invasive plant species, including reed canary grass in marshy areas.
Management: No regular management. Adjacent to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources property.
Teaching and research: Visits by UW classes. Student invertebrate survey.
Bolz Prairie
6 acres, Dane County
Acquired in 1972
Natural community: Dry hill prairie remnant and restoration.
Conservation challenges: invasive plant species, including sweet clover, aspen, black locust, honeysuckle, buckthorn, teasel, and others. Occasional disturbance along roadside edge of prairie.
Management: Periodic visits to control invasive species, collect and sow seed, and conduct prescribed fires.
Teaching and research: Visits by Arboretum staff, work parties. Invertebrate surveys and research by students and staff. Surveys of declining thistle populations.
Community engagement: AmeriCorps and Operation Fresh Start Conservation Academy crews have helped with brush clearing.
Faville Prairie State Natural Area
92 acres (60 acres are remnant prairie), Jefferson County
Donated to UW in 1945. Designated a State Natural Area in 1952.
Natural community: High-quality wet-mesic prairie. Biodiversity includes rare plant and insect species. The entire prairie was flooded for several days in June 2008, which has changed the plant community composition.
Conservation challenges: Invasive plant species including sweet clover, reed canary grass, aspen, buckthorn, willow, and others.
Management: Periodic visits to control invasive species, collect and sow seed, and conduct periodic prescribed fires. A Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin grant funded invasive tree and shrub mowing in winter 2017–18. Since Arboretum purchased a forestry mower in 2021, regular ongoing visits for invasive tree and shrub mowing.
Teaching and research: Occasional field visits by UW classes, Arboretum staff, and BBA (formerly Madison Audubon) groups. Faculty, student, and staff projects include rare plant and invertebrate surveys, and research about flood response, soil microbiology, and shrub management.
Community engagement: Staff from BBA (formerly Madison Audubon), which manages the adjacent Faville Grove Sanctuary, frequently help with invasive species management.
Finnerud Forest State Natural Area
141 acres, Oneida County
Donated by the Finnerud family to UW in small parcels from 1957 to 1975. Designated a State Natural Area in 1958. Designated a National Parks Service Natural National Landmark in 1973.
Natural community: Mature red pine stand, mixed hardwood forest, and sphagnum bogs.
Conservation challenges: Red pine pocket decline is slowly killing red pines, white pine are growing in the canopy gaps.
Management: Occasional staff visits. No regular management.
Teaching and research: Occasional UW class field trips. Research projects include long-term study of pine demographics, statewide fire history project, and dragonfly surveys.
Hub City Bog State Natural Area
58 acres, Richland County
Transferred to UW by The Nature Conservancy in 1972. Designated a State Natural Area in 1970.
Natural community: Tamarack bog, cattail marsh, shrub-carr, and sandstone cliff communities.
Conservation challenges: Reed canary grass, shrub encroachment, human trespassing and disturbance.
Management: Visits to control garlic mustard, Japanese hedge parsley, and burdock, and occasionally to collect seed.
Teaching and research: Dragonfly survey.
Community engagement: A volunteer steward has helped with invasive species control.
Lodde’s Mill Bluff State Natural Area
12 acres, Sauk County
Transferred to UW by The Nature Conservancy in1963. Designated a State Natural Area in 1967
Natural community: Mesic basswood forest, sandstone cliff and remnant dry prairie communities
Conservation challenges: Invasive plant species including garlic mustard and Japanese hedge parsley.
Management: Regular visits to control invasive species and more recently to clear buckthorn and eastern red cedar from prairie areas. Have conducted two prescribed fires on the western prairie opening.
Teaching and research: Long-term monitoring of rare plants by Arboretum and WDNR staff.
McKenna Pond
6 acres, Dane County
Main parcel acquired in 1976. Additional adjacent oak woods acquired in 2011.
Natural community: Pond and adjacent oak woods.
Conservation challenges: Invasive plants including garlic mustard, Japanese hedge parsley, and honeysuckle.
Management: Regular visits to control invasive plant species.
Teaching and research: Occasional field visits by UW classes, Arboretum naturalists. Salamander survey, historic aquatic insect and macrophyte surveys.
Community engagement: Volunteers assist with invasive species management.
New Observatory Woods State Natural Area
13 acres, Dane County
Purchased by UW in 1956. Designated a State Natural Area in 1956.
Natural community: Oak-hickory woods.
Conservation challenges: Invasive species such as garlic mustard, buckthorn, prickly ash, and others.
Management: Regular visits to control garlic mustard.
Teaching and research: Occasional visits by UW classes. Graduate research projects in botany.
Oliver Prairie State Natural Area
4 acres, Green County
Transferred to UW from The Nature Conservancy in 1964. Designated a State Natural Area in 1967
Natural community: Dry hillside prairie remnant.
Conservation challenges: Shrub encroachment at boundaries, and other invasive plant species such as Japanese hedge parsley and Queen Anne’s lace.
Management: Regular visits to control invasive species, collect seed, and conduct periodic prescribed fires.
Teaching and research: Occasional visits by UW classes. Research projects include invertebrate surveys, vegetation surveys, shrub management research.
Community engagement: Several local volunteers help with invasive species control.
Pasqueflower Hill
6 acres, Dane County
Purchased by the Friends of the Arboretum and deeded to the UW in 1967.
Natural community: Dry hillside prairie remnant.
Conservation challenges: Shrub encroachment at boundaries, and other invasive plant species such as wild parsnip, sweet clover, and Queen Anne’s lace.
Management: Grant-funded invasive tree and shrub removal in 2012 and 2014. Regular ongoing staff and volunteer visits to clear trees and shrubs, treat re-sprouts, remove invasive herbaceous plants, collect seed, and conduct prescribed fires. City of Madison Parks manages adjacent land to south and west.
Teaching and research: Arboretum staff enrichment. Vegetation monitoring and invertebrate surveys.
Community engagement: AmeriCorps and Operation Fresh Start Conservation Academy crews have helped with brush clearing projects and seed collection.