Ripples 8/20/26
By Max Kornetzke, Land Manager In the precolonial landscape, tall grass prairies were a dominant plant community in much of
NATURE BLOG
Ripples From the Dunes
Ripples from the Dunes is a weekly nature article series written by staff and guest writers that has been published for over 50 years.
Ripples 8/13/26
By Jess Johnsrud, Education Coordinator I was recently with a group of seven- to eleven-year-olds on Conifer Trail during the
Ripples 8/6/26
Written by Raymie Miller, Habitat Restoration Intern Nearly every day while working here at Woodland Dunes, I hear a distinctive
Ripples 7/30/26
Written by Jaden Johnson, Habitat Restoration Intern Have you ever wondered why you feel better after being out in nature?
Ripples 7/23/26
By Aidan Montgomery, Summer Education Intern This week is National Moth Week! Although they’re often overshadowed by their butterfly counterparts,
Ripples 7/16/26
Written by Raymie Miller, Habitat Restoration Intern – Image from Wikipedia Since starting my job here at Woodland Dunes, I
Ripples 7/9/26
Written by Kassidy Beseler – habitat restoration intern, Image from iNaturalist “d_king, no rights reserved (CC0)” Nearly everyone is familiar with
Ripples 7/2/26
Written by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist Woodland Dunes contains a variety of wetland habitats, including the area around the nature center
Ripples 6/25/2026
By Max Korneztke, Land Manager Mid-June and early July are opportune times to explore the restored prairies of Woodland Dunes.
Ripples 6/18/26
Written by Jason Prigge, Development Director I needed a break from the cold glare of my laptop screen, so I
Ripples 6/12/26
Written by Jess Johnsrud, Image by Shelly Randerson As Father’s Day approaches, I think of my own father and I
Ripples 6/4/26
Written by Jason Prigge, Development Director Nature is constantly changing. Sometimes those changes happen slowly over decades, while other times
Ripples 5/28/26
The Killdeer Diary Monday, April 20th: When taking my dog, Gus, for a walk around one of our fields –
Ripples 5/22/26
The next few weeks are an excellent time to enjoy Woodland Dunes trails as they are brimming with emerging vegetation,
Ripples 5/14/26
This Ripples is brought to by Jim Knickelbine -Director Emeritus and has been modified slightly to update it with the
Ripples 5/7/26
Despite the overall colder than usual weather, signs of spring are all around us. Just take a short stroll outside
Ripples 4/30/26
During breaks from the office, I will often stretch my legs with a brisk walk. I have noticed a pair
Ripples 4/23/26
This time of year I will get down close to the ground to investigate what has begun to emerge. My
Ripples 4/16/26
During the spring, the wet areas of the State Natural Area fill with sunshine, both literally as the weather warms
Ripples 4/9/2026
I was taking a hike out on Cattail Trail boardwalk the other day to see what the rains of spring
Ripples 4/2/26
A walk down Black Cherry Trail, Trillium Trail, and the Dunes Segment of the Ice Age Trail leads you through
Ripples 3/26/26
The earliest flowering plant I’ve noticed this year lives amongst the canopy of our woodlands. Red maple (Acer rubrum) is
Ripples 3/19/26
As I write this, Snowstorm Elsa is blowing through most of Wisconsin. I can’t remember the last time we had
Ripples 3/12/26
There is a special kind of quiet that lives inside the observation windows inside Woodland Dunes Nature Center, with the
Ripples 3/5/26
This weekend we experience the yearly Daylight Savings Time adjustment to our daylight hours. We ‘spring ahead’ one hour essentially
Ripples 2/26/26
The animal that excites me the most to see on our trail camera is the fisher. Fisher (Pekania pennanti) are
Ripples 2/19/26
The end of winter usually brings a few warm days filled with birds chirping. They conjure anticipation for the unfurling
Ripples 2/12/26
We are getting to the point in winter when we start to resent the snow and cold. This is especially
Ripples 2/5/26
At last, the sun’s gentle warmth graced the earth, a balmy 27 degrees, inviting me to wander down the Cattail
Ripples 1/29/26
As I write this, the temperature gauge outside our house shows -14 degrees. I filled the bird feeders, added extra
Ripples 1/22/26
During much of the growing season I find myself looking down along the ground, trying to see whatever I can
Ripples 1/15/2026
I was at the store shortly after the beginning of the new year and was reminded that Valentine’s Day is
Ripples 1/8/26
For me one of the best parts about winter are the sounds, specifically the sound beneath your feet. As
Ripples 1/1/26
One of my favorite field trips to teach is Owling 101. Typically taught for early elementary ages in the fall,
Ripples 12/11/25
Nature is everywhere and it’s amazing how much you can see even when driving from one place to another. I’ve
Ripples 12/4/25
My eye is drawn to the rippling patterns the wind creates with snow. Their formsecho lakeshore sand dunes or the
Ripples 11/27/25
On Thanksgiving, people often think about what they are thankful for. Friends, family, their pets, etc. I am thankful for
Ripples 11/20/25
The first snow has fallen (and mostly melted) and almost everything has gone to sleep for the coming winter months.
Ripples 11/13/25
The other morning when I was setting up for a field trip, I nearly stepped on a dragonfly. It was