Programs & Events

Winter Walk at Pope Farm Conservancy

Sunday, February 15, 2026 (1:00-2:00 p.m.)

Location: The walk will take place at Pope Farm Conservancy, but we will meet in the parking lot at Pope Farm Elementary School (816 Schewe Rd, Middleton, WI 53562).

The Friends will be hosting a Winter Walk at Pope Farm Conservancy on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 1PM. Come enjoy the stark beauty of winter at the conservancy. Bring your own gear (snowshoes, cross-country skis, or hiking boots) and join us for a one-hour adventure through this beautiful winter wonderland. Let’s hope for some nice winter weather! This walk is free and open to the public – no registration is necessary. We will meet in the parking lot at Pope Farm Elementary School (816 Schewe Rd, Middleton, WI 53562).

Public Talk: Pheasant Branch Watershed

Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

Location: Pope Farm Elementary School, 816 Schewe Road, Middleton, WI 53562 (Community Room)

Pope Farm Conservancy is located on a divide of three watersheds: Black Earth Creek, Sugar River, and Pheasant Branch Creek.  A presentation on the Pope Farm Conservancy’s connection to Pheasant Branch Creek, and watersheds in general, will be given by Jim Bachhuber on Wednesday, April 8th at 7PM in the Community Room at Pope Farm Elementary School.  Jim is a retired stormwater professional and current chair of the City of Middleton’s Water Resources Management Commission.  The talk will also cover the rain event, and subsequent flooding that occurred in August of 2018. 

This talk is free and open to the public.

“A Trip Around Wisconsin” – Geology Talk at Pope Farm Conservancy

Sunday, May 24th, 2026 at 2PM

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – We will meet at the TOP of the hill, near the picnic area.
Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

“A Trip Around Wisconsin: The new surficial geologic map of the state”

The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey has recently published a new map of the surficial geology of Wisconsin, the first of its kind ever published for the state. Eric Carson, one of the map’s co-authors, will lead a conversation of the geologic story told by the map—the depiction of how glaciers and rivers and wind have sculpted the state—with particular emphasis on the areas surrounding Pope Farm Conservancy.

This tour is free, family-friendly, and open to the public. We will at the TOP of the hill near the picnic area.

Speaker Bio: Eric Carson is a geologist at the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and a professor at UW-Madison. He earned his B.S. from West Virginia University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from UW-Madison. He has worked that the WGNHS for nearly 18 years; his work focuses on geologic mapping in the Driftless Area and research into landscape evolution in Wisconsin over timescales ranging from tens of thousands of years to tens of millions of years.

Spring Birding Tour at Pope Farm Conservancy

Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 7:30 a.m.

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – We will meet in the lower parking lot by the main entrance.
Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

Tour Guide: Mike McDowell, Nature Photographer and Birding Expert

Join us for an early morning avian adventure at Pope Farm Conservancy with local birding expert Mike McDowell. Whether you’re an experienced birder or a novice enthusiast, this tour promises unforgettable encounters with nature’s winged wonders amidst the stunning landscapes of the conservancy. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this extraordinary spring migration experience! This is a great way to start the day and meet other local birders. Wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars and camera, too.   

This tour is free and open to the public – no registration is necessary.

Photo credit: Susan Day

“Bumble Bees and Other Pollinators” at Pope Farm Conservancy

Saturday, June 27, 2026 (10AM-12PM) at Pope Farm Conservancy

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – Main entrance, lower parking lot
Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

Host: Susan Carpenter, Native Plant Garden curator and gardener at the UW Arboretum.

Discover the life history, ecology, and healthy habitats of native bumble bees at Pope Farm Conservancy. We will use photography to document, monitor, and identify bumble bees. Join the WDNR Bumble Bee Brigade and learn ways you can help pollinators! (Feel free to bring a camera or close-focusing binoculars. Bumble bee ID guides will be provided.)

Registration is limited to 20 participants! This gives a better field experience for everyone.

Speaker Bio: Susan Carpenter is the Native Plant Garden curator and gardener at the UW Arboretum. She works with students and community volunteers to manage and monitor a 4-acre garden representing southern Wisconsin native plant communities. She supports the WDNR project Bumble Bee Brigade and leads students and the public in documenting native bumble bees, including the federally endangered rusty-patched bumble bee. A graduate of Stanford University, Susan earned her MS in Botany and MS in Science Education at UW–Madison.

Rain Date: Thursday, July 9th, 1-3PM

Friends Annual Picnic

Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026 (5:00-8:00PM)

Location: Kalscheur Park Hall in Pine Bluff, 3734 County Rd P, Cross Plains, WI 53528

Host: FOPFC Programs Committee

Join us for an evening of food, fun, and fellowship as we come together to celebrate our contributions to the enrichment of Pope Farm Conservancy as a community and educational asset. This event is open to members of the Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy, their families, and anyone wishing to join the Friends group. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. RSVP to info@popefarmconservancy.org.

Archeology Talk with Dr. Amy Rosebrough

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 (Time – TBD)

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – Main entrance, lower parking lot. Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

Host: Dr. Amy Rosebrough, State Archeologist

Join State Archaeologist Dr. Amy Rosebrough for an archeological tour of how the landscape of Pope Farm Conservancy and southern Wisconsin influenced, and was used by, Indigenous peoples and European settlers, and how it has changed over time. This walking tour will invite visitors to contemplate the impact of the land around them on human history. What resources were available to local communities, and how were they used? How did ice and water determine where and when people came to stay? How did people, in turn, change the landscape around us?

Monarch Tagging at Pope Farm Conservancy

Dates: TBD

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – Main entrance, lower parking lot. Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

Prairie Seed Collection ** Volunteers Needed **

Dates: TBD

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – Main entrance, lower parking lot. Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

Fall Migration Birding Tour

Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 (7:30AM)

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – Main entrance, lower parking lot. Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.)

Host: Mike McDowell, Birding Expert and Nature Photographer

Join us for a Fall birding tour at Pope Farm Conservancy with local birding expert Mike McDowell. Bird watching enthusiasts and nature lovers will have the opportunity to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle of fall migration, as millions of birds journey southward to their wintering grounds. This program is free and open to the public – no registration is necessary. Great for all ages and families! Don’t forget to bring binoculars, wear comfortable walking shoes, and dress for the weather.