Photos

Friends’ Prairie

Up close photo of open milkweed pods with silky seeds ready to fly on the next gust of wind

Milkweed seeds ready to fly

A bee keeper inspecting a tray from the hive

Bee culture at the Friends Prairie

Two signs on a post that mark the drive into the Friends Property. One says "Natural Area - Friends of the Madison School Forest" and the other says "Stewardship funded in part by the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources"

Signs at the entrance to the Friends Prairie

A wooden box with the side up showing a bluebird nest of dried grasses.

Bluebird nest on the nest box trail

Wooden memorial bench facing out across the Friends Prairie

Bench in memory of Eileen Potts Dawson

Intersection of 2 trails - one up from the field station and the other that circles the prairie

The trail into the prairie

Driveway into the Friends' Prairie and Field Station

Driveway into the Friends’ Prairie and Field Station

Mowed trails through the Friends Prairie

You’re invited to explore!

Lone Oak on the Prairie

Lone Oak on the Prairie

The plaque reads "In Memory of Eileen Potts Dawson - Artist and lover of family, friends, children, dogs, nature and great books". It's on a bench on the Friends' Prairie.

Plaque on Memorial Bench

Roadside Iron Sign at Friends’ Prairie

Friends’ Field Station

Friends Field Station building

Friends Field Station building

farm

Three tables, each with 6 chairs inside of the metal building on the Friends' property

Work area in the field station

Inside the Field Station, with 3 worktables and shelves with materials and supplies for students

Field station work space and equipment storage

Field Station Notebook

Field Station Notebook

The School Forest

Hugging the Grandfather Tree

Hugging the Grandfather Tree

We Had Such a Fun Day!

Five white and gray feathers lined up side-by-side on the forest floor, with other smaller feathers scattered around them.

Keep your eyes open as you hike!

Red rubber boots with black dots and eyes on tip of the toes.

Headed for a nature hike!

A girl crossing a creek by crawling on a big log stretching from one bank to the other

Keep ‘er moving!

Nine fourth graders on top of a very large stone that was left behind when the glacier melted

A Boulder the Glacier Never Got!

A boy with a clip board and data sheet writing information about trees in the forest

Collecting tree data

A girl has wrapped a tape measure around a tree trunk to figure out the circumference and diameter

Collecting tree size data

sign

The Campground

campground

A circle of benches around an outdoor fire pit

Waiting for overnight campers!