Aldo Leopold’s daughter Nina had envisioned a memorial to her father on the approximate site where he died fighting a neighbor’s escaped brush fire on April 21, 1948. With your help, we can finally bring her vision to reality with the development of the Leopold Memorial Site.
Through the generosity of seed grants from the Kohler Trust for Preservation, the Evjue Foundation and the Sauk County UW-Extension Arts & Culture Committee we have the basics of the project covered, and this spring, the crew has been hard at work beginning to move dirt and boulders carefully into place.
Our goal is to raise an additional $10,000 so that we can include some signature elements which would include Leopold benches, redbud trees, native prairie plants, bison silhouettes, and signage.
Let’s Get Planting on Family Day!
*We have to act fast so we can enlist the help of 200+ Family Day visitors May 16th as volunteers to plant nearly 3,000 native prairie plants at the site. Imagine families from all over the region coming to learn about Leopold, the Land Ethic, conservation, and then together planting compass plants, little bluestem, prairie smoke, and others of Leopold’s favorite native plants!
Even Small Gifts Help!
Your support at any level will have a direct and meaningful impact. Even a gift as small as $5 covers the cost of planting one Compass Plant, or Silphium, described in the July essay, “Prairie Birthday” from A Sand County Almanac. Gifts of $500 and above will also be permanently recognized on an interpretive sign at the exit of the Leopold Memorial Site.
Give By May 15!
Please make your gift by May 15th so we can continue on this accelerated timeline and recognize your investment in honoring our rich conservation heritage and inspiring our sustainable future.
To make gift supporting the Leopold Memorial Site simply click here to make an online gift.
Thank you in advance for your support which will make a meaningful impact to further Leopold’s legacy, the land ethic, and conservation!
Special Thanks to the Kohler Trust for Preservation, Evjue Foundation, and the Sauk County Arts, Humanities, and Historic Preservation Grant for their generous support of this project, and to MSA Professionals, LMS Construction, Marcy Huffaker, and Greg Tenn for their expertise in planning, design, and construction!
