Author: Eliza Banjanac

Many children experience the wonder of watching a monarch caterpillar grow and change into a beautiful butterfly. Raising monarch butterflies can be a valuable educational tool for teaching children about lifecycles and metamorphosis. It can even inspire a love and appreciation of butterfly species. However, the practice of rearing monarchs can actually be more harmful than helpful to monarch conservation.   

If you are a wanderer of The Ridges trail systems, particularly in the ridges and swales, you've probably noted the relatively high number of boardwalks (roughly 25 in total), and the recent progress staff and volunteers have made on replacing ones that have shown their age. Much time and effort are invested in maintaining our network of trails and bridges for a multitude of reasons...

As white-nose syndrome devastates bat populations, conservation efforts at The Ridges offer hope for the federally endangered northern long-eared bat.

“What makes an orchid an orchid?” is a question we hear often at The Ridges Sanctuary. There are several ways to answer it, depending on whether you approach the question through history, biology, or the emotional response these plants seem to inspire.

WisCorps Environmental Educator Placement Natalie Schnackenberg concludes the school year with a touching reflection on her time co-teaching Dragonfly Nature 4k

Walking in the woods is one of my favorite ways to slow down my mind and be present in the moment. With longer daylight hours and signs of new life, May is a wonderful time to go on an afternoon walk. Unique colors are always the first thing to catch my eye. In the winter it may be lichen, in the fall I notice mushrooms, and in the spring it's the new flowers! 

There is specific, restrained electricity in the air at The Ridges Sanctuary during these early weeks of spring. To the casual observer, the forest may still look dormant, but as Land Manager, I see a landscape in a state of high-tension readiness. Rarity, by its very definition, commands our attention—but here, it also commands our awe. At The Ridges, we aren't just protecting a static map of trees and water; we are stewards of a restless, prehistoric, and incredibly rare intersection of life. 

One of the few remaining U.S. populations of the Hine’s emerald dragonfly persists at The Ridges Sanctuary, where conservation and research support its future.