All Friends of Stewart Park work activities are pending due to the Pandemic. Check here for future plans. Meanwhile the Park remains open. Safety guidelines are posted on the Kiosk near the main parking area.
April 11. STEWART PARK IS STILL OPEN. Come hike and experience the mood-boosting fresh air and sunshine and respite from the uncertainty around us. Stewart Park is a perfect place for slowing down, gathering your internal resources, and gaining clarity. However, the spread of COVID-19 and the Safer-At-Home order (a.k.a. “Stay-At-Home”) issued by Governor Evers raises some questions. As some trails in Stewart Park are narrow, especially near the bridges, please be alert and considerate to those around you. When approaching others, stop, move aside, wait…do whatever is needed to keep the 6′ plus social distance rule in effect. And please follow the rule that ALL dogs must be leashed, including in the parking lot.
Is hiking still allowed? The good news is the Safer-At-Home order considers outdoor activity as an Essential Activity (defined in section 11). This means visiting Stewart Park, provided individuals comply with social distancing requirements, is still allowed. Such activities include, by way of example, walking, hiking, or running.
That said, it’s important to stop the spread of the virus and help flatten the curve. As of April 9, 2020, due to overcrowding and the public’s failure to maintain a proper social distance at popular state parks, Governor Evers ordered the closure of 40 state parks, forests, and recreational areas in the southern region of Wisconsin.
How far should I travel? A rule of thumb suggested by the American Hiking Society is to stay within about 50 miles of your home so that you can avoid stopping for gas, snacks, restroom breaks, etc., none of which allow for social distancing…running essential errands in your neighborhood is one thing…errands that result from traveling to a hike for fun are not essential. Disease experts who reviewed the results say those reductions in travel — to less than a mile a day, on average, from about five miles — may be enough to sharply curb the spread of the coronavirus in those regions, at least for now.
How can I flatten the curve? Why not STAY LOCAL? Limit travel. Enjoy Stewart Park, or your own back yard as much as possible. This is not the time to travel too far for a hike.
(thanks to the Ice Age Trail Alliance for sharing their advice; park photo by Ron Lutz II)
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Sunday, February 16 2020: FRIENDS OF STEWART workday coming up: Join the Friends in clearing and seeding various areas in the park on Sunday, Feb 16 1-3PM. Volunteers should meet at the end of Blue View Drive at 1PM or follow the Bush Trail south after 1:10 to find volunteers in the work area. For details contact FOSP President Mary McDonough-Sutter McSutter@mhtc.net or 608 332 5029 A family event!!
Saturday, February 1, 2020 SCANDIHOOVIAN BONFIRE IN STEWART PARK No vanity with this bonfire. Friends of Stewart Park (FOSP) is sponsoring a Scandihoovian Festival bonfire event in the park Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 3:30-7pm. The bonfires will be off the Bush Trail. You may access the trail by parking on Blue View Drive (in Nordic Hills on he east side of Mount Horeb). Enter the park at the dead end Blue View Drive entry point where candle luminaries will guide you. Bring your family and friends. If you need further directions call Mary McDonough Sutter at 608 332 5029.
Sunday, February 8, March 7: Here comes the Goat Squad, a restoration group, working a two acre remnant prairie in Stewart Park. Mark the upcoming Saturday workdays in 2020: January 11, February 8 and March 7 from 12:00-2:00 pm. Help cure your cabin fever this winter by getting outside and helping to restore this very special hillside prairie for a few hours each month. Your help would be very appreciated. The group meets at the end of Blue View Drive (east side of Mount Horeb). For more information or questions, contact Jack Saltes at 608-437-1877 or saltes@mhtc.net.
Sunday, December 16 and January 19, 1-3 PM: Friends of Stewart Park Monthly Work days. Join the group in clearing and seeding various areas in the park. Volunteers should meet at the end of Blue View Drive at 1PM or follow the Bush Trail south after 1:10 to find volunteers in the work area. For details contact FOSP President Mary McDonough-Sutter McSutter@mhtc.net 608 332 5029 A family event!!
Saturday, December 7: JOIN THE STEWART PARK GOAT SQUAD: The Goat Squad invites you to join in the restoration efforts of the Stewart Park remnant prairie on Saturday, December 7, from 12-2 pm. The remnant is a very unique, two-acre parcel within the park overlooking Stewart Lake. It supports 66 native species, some very special.
An important work priority this winter is to prepare the upper acreage of the goat prairie for its first burn this spring. We would very much appreciate your help with this effort. It’s a great way to get outside in the colder weather, with south -southwest sun, keeping warm with rewarding environmental restoration work in a beautiful scenic location. The Goat Squad meets at the end of Blue View Drive in Nordic Hills. Please join us. For additional information contact Jack Saltes at 437-1887 or saltes@mhtc.net
Saturday, November 9: JOIN THE STEWART PARK GOAT SQUAD: The Goat Squad invites you to join in the restoration efforts of the Stewart Park remnant prairie on Saturday, November 9, from 1-3 pm. The remnant is a very unique, two-acre parcel within the park overlooking Stewart Lake. It supports 66 native species, some very special.
An important work priority this winter is to prepare the upper acreage of the goat prairie for its first burn this spring. We would very much appreciate your help with this effort. It’s a great way to get outside in the colder weather, with south -southwest sun, keeping warm with rewarding environmental restoration work in a beautiful scenic location. The Goat Squad meets at the end of Blue View Drive in Nordic Hills. Please join us. For additional information contact Jack Saltes at 437-1887 or saltes@mhtc.net
Saturday, October 12: JOIN THE STEWART PARK GOAT SQUAD: The Park Goat Squad will resume restoration work on a very unique remnant prairie on Saturday, October 12 from noon-2:00 pm. Efforts will continue with woody vegetation and invasive species removal. The group will meet at the park entrance at the end of Blue View Drive. Please come to help restore this very special two acres of the Park. For more information, you can contact group leader Jack Saltes at 608-437-1887 or saltes@mhtc.net.
Sundays, October 20, November 17, December 15, 1-3 PM: Clearing and seeding various areas in the park. Volunteers should meet at the end of Blue View Drive at 1PM or follow the Bush Trail south after 1:10 to find volunteers in the work area. For details contact FOSP President Mary McDonough-Sutter McSutter@mhtc.net 608 332 5029
Saturday, Oct 12, Nov 9, Dec 7, noon-2pm: The Stewart Park Goat Squad will resume restoration work in the remnant prairie on Saturday, October 12 from 1:00-3:00 pm. Efforts will continue with woody vegetation and invasive species removal. The group will meet at the park entrance at the end of Blue View Drive. Please come to help restore this very special two acres of the Park. For more information, you can contact group leader Jack Saltes at 608-437-1887 or saltes@mhtc.net.
Sat/Sun/Mon September 14-15-16: Friends of Stewart Park 3 Back-to-Back Upcoming Events: Documentary Video and Work Days
1) Goat Squad Work Day: Saturday, Sept 14, noon-2pm: The Stewart Park Goat Squad will resume restoration work in the remnant prairie and will continue with woody vegetation and invasive species removal. The group will meet at the park entrance at the end of Blue View Drive. Please come to help restore this very special two acres of the Park. For more information, you can contact group leader Jack Saltes at 608-437-1887 or saltes@mhtc.net.
2) Friends of Stewart Park Work Days: Sunday,Sept 15,1-3pm: cutting/clearing buckthorn, honeysuckle in Bush Trail area. Volunteers should meet at the end of Blue View Drive at 1PM or follow the Bush Trail south after 1:10 to find volunteers in the work area. For details contact FOSP President Mary McDonough-Sutter McSutter@mhtc.net 608 332 5029
3) Driftless Documentary: Monday, Sept 16 at 6:30pmat the Mt Horeb Public Library (105 Perimeter Road). The Mt Horeb Public Library, Driftless Historium and Friends of Stewart Park, with a shared mission of public education, invite you to a free screening of the multi-disciplinary documentary, “Decoding the Driftless: A Film of Science Exploration and Adventure.”Due to limited seating, registration is highly recommended though not required. Call Library at 608-437-5021.
Sunday, August 11, 4-6PM Brats. The Friends 3rdAnnual Stewart Park Celebration is August 11, 4-6PM, with live music by Frank Laufenberg and Old Oaks. Event held at main park shelter, 3106 County Road JG. Beverages, brats and eating utensils are provided by the Friends; please bring a potluck dish to share side.
Saturday, August 17 at 10AM Joe Senulis will speak on bats in Stewart Park. A lecture and nature exhibit will be held at the Historic District School House #1 at 100 North Second Street. At 11AM there will be a bat house building workshop. The lecture is free, the building workshop is $15 and you must sign up…for more details, go to www.MountHorebLandmarks.com This event is held in conjunction with the Landmarks Association.
Saturday, October 5, 9-12AM. Brushes: Plein Air (open air) painting demonstations in Stewart. Bring family and friends to experience plain air painting in various locations in the Park. Approximately 6 area artists will demonstrate their techniques a you observe. Kid friendly. Mt Horeb art students will assist artist and provide art materials for all. Special educational demos at the main shelter at 3106 County Rd JG Mt Horeb. For details contact Carolyn White 724 422 2641
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Saturday, July 20 at 10AM Susan Carpenter, UW arboretum naturalist since 2003, will address “Pollinators on the Prairie,”and guide a Bee Walk and Talk. She leads the Arboretum’s bumble bee conservation project and collaborates with the state-wide Bumble Bee Brigade with particular interest in the federally endangered rusty patched bumble bee. Participants should meet at 410 Blue View Drive (east side of park) in order to take advantage of the highland meadow and prairie areas, and the Friends pollinator garden. She will stress bee habitat and the role of the citizen scientist.
Sunday, May 19 at 1-3PM FRIENDS OF STEWART PARK WORKDAY: This weekend there will be a workday for Friends of Stewart volunteers—SUN May 19th, 1-3:00—There are TWO OPTIONS: 1) Brush Trail Clean Up. Volunteers should meet at the end of Blue View Drive at 1PM or follow the Bush Trail south after 1:10 to find volunteers in the work area. Volunteers will be lopping off woody shrubs near the Bush Trail. Any questions can be addressed via text or email to FOSP President McDonough-Sutter. McSutter@
Saturday, June 1 at 12-2PM Join us for our Goat Squad Workday sponsored by the Friends of Stewart Park. We will continue working on the removal of larger woody vegetation and invasive in the Stewart Goat Prairie remnant. Warm sunny weather is predicted for Saturday. Meet at end of Blue View Drive, Nordic Hills, on the east side of Mt Horeb. For information call Jack Saltes, 437 1887.
Saturday, May 4 at 1-3PM Join us for our Goat Squad Workday sponsored by the Friends of Stewart Park. We will continue working on the removal of larger woody vegetation and invasive in the Stewart Goat Prairie remnant. Warm sunny weather is predicted for Saturday. Meet at end of Blue View Drive, Nordic Hills, on the east side of Mt Horeb. For information call Jack Saltes, 437 1887.
Saturday, June 8 at 8:30AM Paul Schilke, a UW wildlife ecologist, will lead a walk and talk on summer birds in Stewart Park. He is a specialst on flycatchers and insect eating birds. All interested should meet at the main Park Shelter, 3106 County Road JG. You are welcome to attend his introductory remarks, “Breeding Birds of Stewart Park,” only, or, following the talk, choose to walk with the group and look for birds on trails near the lake and upland prairies.
Saturday, April 6 and May 4th Goat Squad Work Days
The Goat Squad, the remnant prairie restoration volunteer workgroup in Stewart Park, will have workdays on April 6 and May 4, Saturday, February 9, 2019. Meet at end of Blue View Drive, Nordic Hills, east side of Mt Horeb. Call Jack Saltes, 608 437 1887 for details.
Friday-Monday, February 1-4, 2019…Friday through Monday…. Scandihoovian Winter Festival February. Over 20 wonderful community events. Co-sponsored in part by Friends of Stewart Park. For details http://www.scandiwinterfest.com
Sunday, January 20, 2019, 1-3 PM Park Work Day
This weekend there will be a workday for interested Friends of Stewart Park.
On Sunday, January 20 1:00-3:00 Scott and Tracey Gross will be working with interested volunteers to spread seed within the oak opening off Ripahn Court. Volunteers should meet at the end of Blue View Drive at 1 o’clock or follow the Bush Trail after 1:10 to find volunteers within the work area. This work will be relatively quiet and chemical free so appropriate for families who feel confident walking on uneven ground.
Any questions can be addressed via text or email to FOSP President McDonough- Sutter. McSutter@mhtc.net 608 332 5029
Saturday, January 12, 2019, 1-3 PM. Goat Squad Workday Invite: Stewart Park has a unique 2 acre hillside prairie remnant and the Friends of Stewart Park has formed a special project workgroup to restore and protect this gem. A prairie remnant refers to an unplowed area that contains original prairie plants and grasses prior to European settlement of the 1800’s. Prairie remnants are rare now due to past agricultural and urban land uses, pollution and the incursion of invasive species.
Some remnants, such as this one, are also sometimes referred to as goat prairies because of their location on moderately steep, warm south-southwestern facing hillsides with thin and dry soils, frequent freeze -thaw cycles, and limestone close to the surface. Such topographical protection and climatic conditions made them unsuitable for agricultural or urban use and thus the soils and plants remained undisturbed.
Invasive plants and woody vegetation are the primary threat to the Stewart Park remnant. The group, thus appropriately named the Goat Squad, will have it’s first work day in the “goat” prairie on Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 1-3 pm, weather permitting. Meet at end of Blue View Drive, Nordic Hills, on the east side of Mt Horeb. For more information call Jack Saltes, 608 437 1887.
Sunday, December 16. REMINDER FOR SUNDAY: Friends of Stewart Park Workday Sunday, December 16, 2018, 1-3PM. Join the Friends of Stewart Park for their monthly workday. They will be working on the Bush Trail clearing invasive plants. Meet at the end of Blueview Drive (in Nordic Hills off North 78, east side of Mt Horeb). President Mary McDonough-Sutter says, “once again we’re expecting SUNNY, fairly mild weather 36F, but dress appropriately, bring a friend, we’ll provide the rest.” All tools and training will be provided. Thanks in advance for helping and caring for the natural areas in our Dane County Park. For more information please call McDonough-Sutter at 609 332-5029.
Friday-Monday, February 1 2019. Scandihoovian Winter Festival February 1-3 Over 20 wonderful community events. Co-sponsored in part by Friends of Stewart Park. For details http://www.scandiwinterfest.com
May 1stSpring and Summer–Bee, Bats and Butterfly Stewart Lake Park “Walk and Talks.” Specific Dates to be announced.
Sunday, November 18, 1-3pm. Friends of Stewart Park Workday. Join the Friends of Stewart Park for their monthly workday. They will be working on the Bush Trail clearing invasive plants. Meet at the end of Blueview Drive (in Nordic Hills off North 78, east side of Mt Horeb). President Mary McDonough-Sutter says, “we’re expecting sunny, fairly mild weather, but dress appropriately, bring a friend, we’ll provide the rest.” All tools and training will be provided. Thanks in advance for helping and caring for the natural areas in our Dane County Park. For more information please call McDonough-Sutter at 609 332-5029.
Sunday, Oct 2-3–REMINDER OF THE DRIFTLESS READER EVENT and RELATED EVENTS. Sunday is a busy day—Note that the Historical Society Annual Meeting is at 1-2PM at the Historium (refreshments served0 and the Driftless Reader Book Event, co-sponsored with the Friends of Stewart Park, is 2-3PM. And also there is a Friends of Stewart Park Work day from 10-12AM. Pick one or all the events. Kid Friendly and free to the Public.
1) The Mount Horeb Area Historical Society will hold its annual membership meeting on Sunday, October 21 at 1:00 p.m. at the Driftless Historium History Center. Following the business meeting, election of Board members, and reports by the Society Treasurer, Director and Curator, the featured program will take the stage.
2) This year, MHAHS has partnered with the Friends of Stewart Park to highlight the natural, cultural, and literary legacy of the Driftless Area that both organizations serve and call home. At 2:00 p.m., conservation biologist and writer Curt Meine and Savanna Institute Executive Director Keefe Keeley will share the story behind their work co-editors of The Driftless Reader, published in 2017 by the University of Wisconsin Press.
The Driftless Readeris a wide-ranging collection of texts and images about and from the Driftless Area. It includes selections from such well-known writers as Black Hawk, Mark Twain, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as other Native Americans, explorers, scientists, historians, farmers, songwriters, journalists, and poets. Paintings, photographs, maps, and other images complement the texts, providing a deeper appreciation of this region’s layered natural and human history.
A book signing will follow the presentation by Meine and Keeley. A limited number of Driftless Readercopies will be available for sale, with MHAHS Members receiving a 40% discount off the retail price.
The public is welcome to the Annual Meeting and program, with refreshments offered to all guests. For more information, call 608-437-6486 or email mthorebhistory@mhtc.net.
3) The Friends of Stewart is holding it’s monthly work date 10-12am. The Friends will continue to work on seed planting, small tree planting, invasive removal and maintaining our two prairie projects. Meet at the end of Blueview Drive (off North 78, east side of Mt Horeb). For more information please call Mary McDonough-Sutter at 609 332-5029. Family and kid friendly.
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HAPPY 2018!!–The New Year is a time of reflection and giving thanks, and the Friends of Stewart Park would like to express our gratitude to all the presenters and participants who made the 2017 series of Park activities successful. The Friends would also like to acknowledge the Dane County Parks staff for their assistance especially Rhea Stangel-Maier, Lars Higdon and Brian Berkan. Below is a reflection of recent Park events and some photos:
Prehistory/Archeology/Flintknapping event, by Dr. Paul Reckner and Erich Hughes (co-sponsored with Friends of the Military Ridge and the Driftless Historium); Plein Air (open air) painting demonstration, with Tom Gilbert and painters from the Madison Plein Air Society and Anna King and her MH High art student’s; Dragon Flies and Park Ecology, by UW Biologist Dr. Rob Bohanan; Celebration of Stewart Park, Pat Downing and his band, Down from the Hills; a DCP woodland native plant identification workshop with Lars Higdon; FSP assisted the Annual Boom-Boom Triathlon by Aaron Pratt; Olive Thomson Native Shrub Project organized by Carolyn White, assisted by Phil Leavenworth and a small vol. army, and funded by the Mound Vue Garden Club; new Kiosk Friends poster at Park entrance by Larry Kruckman; Blue Bird “Walk and Talk” and blue bird box maintenance by Jack Saltes; co-sponsored Scandihoovian events, including Broom Ball festivities on Stewart Lake organized by Dan and Ann Ganch and a museum exhibit: “A Slide, A Jump and a Prayer: Stewart Park’s Ski Jump” (by Destinee Udlehoven, Johnna Buysse at the Driftless Historium). Some of the Friends also participated in the DCP’s Prairie Burn and the Mt Horeb Area School District’s annual 4th Grade science days in the park (special thanks to Karen Ericksen, Kerry Beheler and others). And a big shout out to the scores of volunteers who have joined us for our monthly “Work Days.” Finally, we’d like to acknowledge Don Schlub, Irv Steinhauer and the Operation Fresh Start (OFS) crews and staff Andrea Rieck and David Schlueter for their on-going dedication to Stewart Park, and Peter Gorman and Ron Lutz II for sharing their excellent photography.
June 7–Thursday, : Weeds & Wildflowers Educational Training Walk & Workday (meet at shelter 3106 County JG, Mt. Horeb, WI) (Register here: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/1938639/false#/invitation) Join Lars Higdon, Dane County Botanist/Naturalist, for a guided walk through prairies in various Dane County park properties. These plant ID walks will be followed by an optional stewardship activity during the 2nd half of the morning. Participants will learn how to distinguish native plants from pesky weeds and discuss approaches for managing some of our worst invasive species. Come ready with questions about wrestling weeds or how to promote some of your favorite wildflowers. Following the walk, those who want to stay will roll up their sleeves and get hands on experience removing invasive plants using a tool called the parsnip predator. Make sure to wear long pants and closed toe shoes and bring plenty of drinking water and mosquito spray. Come to learn and give back– Join us!
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Sunday, June 25–Blue Bird Talk and Stewart Park Work Day Planned
The Friends of Stewart Park announces two upcoming events of interest on Sunday, June 25. First, at 4PM, a blue bird talk, followed by a blue bird box monitoring demonstration led by Jack Saltes. Families are welcome to both events. Summer is a great time to be in the park. Please mark your calendar. No need to register, just drop by. For more details call Mary McDonough Sutter at 608-437-5900.
Tuesday, July 4th
Boom-Boom Triathlon in Stewart Park Register for Triathlon Here
Tuesday, July 11th
Volunteer Educational Training, Lars Higdon, Dane County Parks Naturalist, Woodland Identification, 9 and 11AM (limit 15 each); to sign up contact Rhea Stangel-Maier, stangel-maier@countyofdane.com
Sunday, August 20
Celebration of Stewart Park: 4-6PM at the main Park Shelter; pot luck, live music by Down From the Hills. Watch friends of Stewart Park Mt Horeb Facebook page for details.
Saturday, September 16
Talk and Walk: What Dragonflies Can Teach Us About Ecology and Stewardship: The Role of Citizen Science. Robert Bohannon, UW Biology. 10-12AM, Stewart Park Shelter.
Saturday, October 7
Demonstration: Dane County Plein Air Society, painting/demonstration. 9-12AM, with demonstrations (oil at 9:30, pastel at 10:30) Demos at Stewart Park Shelter with painters at locations around the park. http://pleinairdaneco.blogspot.com/
Saturday, October 28
Presentation (talk and walk), 1-3PM: “Prehistory of Mt Horeb and Stewart Park,” Dr. Paul Reckner, Wisconsin State Historical Society, co-sponsored with Driftless Historium, Mt. Horeb. Talk at Historium Community Center Room.
On Going Workdays: Monthly every third Sunday, 1-4PM. Check Facebook for Details. Sampling of projects: Two Area Groups Join Together to Fulfill Olive Thomson’s Wish: Native Shrub Planting Day in Stewart Park. Olive Thomson was a local biologist who died in 2016 at age 100. Olive was known for her area environmental preservation work, and for editing Spring Flora of Wisconsin: A Manual of Plants Growing without Cultivation (University of Wisconsin Press), which is still in print. A few years ago, in a conversation with Carolyn White, she lamented that most prairie reconstructions left out native shrubs. She requested that a demonstration plot be tried, and suggested Stewart Park. Carolyn, program director for the Mound Vue Garden Club and board member of the Friends of Stewart Park, has been working on Olive’s request ever since.
The Friends of Stewart Park and the Mound Vue Garden Club, in corporation with Dane County Park’s Lars Higdon and Rhea Stangel-Maier, organized a two-part work day on Sunday, May 21st to begin accomplishing these two goals: 1) transplanting prairie plants near the main parking lot and 2) planting native shrubs for the Olive Thomson Memorial near Blue View Drive entrance to the park, in Nordic Hills. Kerry Beheler has been transplanting native prairie plants along the hillside for over 5 years near the main parking lot. Work on these two areas continues all summer. Go to our volunteer link if you’d like to participate or write: friendsofstewart@gmail.co
December 17: Friends Work Day: Please come meet other Friends at the end of Viking Road (via Blue View Rd, right on North Ridge in Nordic Hills) to finish clean up on the north end of the Meadow Trail from 1-3:00. We are also working to protect native shrubs on the Bush Trail by capping the mesh surrounds with chicken wire. The Bush Trail is easier to access at he end of Blue View Drive. Join us! The entire family is welcome. For additional details call Mary McDonough Sutter 608 332 5029.
February 2018 (first weekend): Scandihoovian Festival, including Broom Ball on Stewart Lake. 2018 Schedule Here
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If you would like to be added to the Friends of Stewart Park Listserv write: friendsofstewart@gmail.com
See our Facebook page for more details and reminders about upcoming events: Click Here
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