Freedom Park Wisconsin

04/24/2025

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to Marathon Petroleum Corporation for approving our grant application and giving us the funds to put on our Earth Day Celebration. Without their support, our small non-profit would not be able to offer the free events/programs that our center puts on for our community. We are VERY grateful! 😊

04/23/2025

Earth Day Celebration is 3 days away! Come and pick-up a FREE white pine 3yr old seedling! (While supplies last) There are kids activities, educational speakers, vendors, food/beverages and...FREE FUN for everyone! See you at the celebration! 🌲

04/22/2025

HAPPY EARTH DAY Prescott! Stop on by the center this coming Saturday April 26th from 10am to 5pm for our Earth Day Celebration! Lots of free fun for everyone! More information: www.freedomparkwi.org 🌎 See you at the Celebration!

04/18/2025

The more I learn about birds, the more and more fascinated I am!

When birds migrate, they tend to follow one of these four major routes...

04/17/2025

A HUGE THANK YOU to the Public Works team for helping the center and park upgrade and repair a lot of items. They have completely re-done our chimney swift tower, put new lights on our building, fixed our parking lot lights, upgraded our interior lights, painted the fence and our River Room. You guys ROCK! 🤩 Here is a link as to what a chimney swift is: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/overview

04/14/2025

Our bluff maintenance project has begun! Thanks to Landbridge Ecological and their team of Oliver and Kyle, the woody invasives are being removed on the Western bluff!👍

04/12/2025

Calling all kids! Come and plant your own flower starter. Go home and watch your flowers grow! Just one of the MANY fun, free, family friendly activities at our event. More information: www.freedomparkwi.org. See you at the event! 🪴

04/11/2025

Ever thought that it would be nice to raise chickens in your yard? Then come and hear Prescott residents Corinne and Chris Swatzina talk about chickens at our Earth Day Celebration. They will present on the ordinances needed to keep chickens in the town of Prescott, they will cover information on the costs, the avian flu, the advantages and pitfalls, and where to go to buy supplies. 12:00pm to 1:00pm River Room at the GRRVLC...see you then! 🐥More Info: www.freedomparkwi.org

04/10/2025

Come and meet Tom Hansen of Rustic Road Gallery during our Earth Day Celebration. Check out Tom's website at: cooperhansen.com See you at our event! 🦅

04/09/2025

One of our favorite local spots to guide visitors when they visit our center ( with the ability to watch a lock in action, see 3 distinct ecological communities, and have a nice leisurely walk) is going to look a bit different starting this year.

Plans for a protective island near Lock & Dam #2 are proceeding.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, awarded a $10 million contract to Three Oaks Construction Inc., from North Sioux City, South Dakota, to construct a protective island upstream from the embankment at Lock and Dam 2, near Hastings, Minnesota.

The goal of the Lock and Dam 2 protective island is to safeguard the existing embankment on the upstream, windward side acting as a buffer from wind and wave erosion. The 3,250-foot-long earthen embankment was constructed in 1930 and has since suffered degradation due to weather conditions, lack of vegetation, and the erosive effects of high-water events. The island will be constructed using near-by river material from the 9-foot navigation channel that will feature various heights above the typical pool elevation to provide habitat benefits including tall grasses, tree plantings, a wetland, rock features and an overwintering fish habitat.

The work is scheduled to begin Spring of 2025 and anticipated to be done the fall of 2027.

“Improving the embankment will strengthen the Corps’ navigation mission while simultaneously improve the ecosystem’s habitat quality, creating a safer environment for wildlife,” said Nick Castellane, Corps of Engineers’ project manager.

The St. Paul District applies principles of good environmental stewardship to the natural and cultural resources located on Corps-administered federal lands. The district manages more than 77,000 acres of land more than 284,000 permanent easements across the Upper Midwest. Of these lands, the district’s natural staff is responsible for grassland, fisheries, forest and management; regulating public use; managing water levels; establishing and enhancing vegetation; shoreline stabilization and more.

04/08/2025

The Pelicans have returned from their winter vacationing down south! I never put it into perspective how large they are - 9 foot wingspan 😯!

Gentle Giants of the Sky

They may not be the most graceful birds on land, but on water and in the air, American white pelicans are truly gentle giants.

These magnificent birds have returned from their wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast and Mexico. This photo captures a large flock, or “squadron,” soaring over the St. Croix River on Monday. How many pelicans can you spot?

As one of North American’s largest birds, American white pelicans are a sight to behold. With an impressive 9-foot wingspan and distinctive black flight feathers against their snow-white body, they often fly in groups of 60 or more. These birds are making their way to nesting grounds in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes Region.

Image: a large group of American white pelicans on outstretched wings soar against a blue sky. NPS/Peterson photo.

04/07/2025

Earth Day Celebration is coming up! A family friendly FREE event! Come on over and visit one of our many vendors! We will have honey, trees, live art, wildlife art, kids activities, plantable flower sheets, and so much more! See you at the center for a super FUN time! 👍🌎 More information: www.freedomparkwi.org

04/06/2025

As the sun sets on a brisk, breezy April Saturday, we hope you had a fantastic day!
We want to invite you out tomorrow for the Community Day of Service from 2-4pm! It is being coordinated by Prescott Community Education and will be helping out, Freedom Park Wisconsin , Coulee River Trails , the Lions Club, among others!

Just show up at any of the locations and we will welcome you with open arms!😁😁
** Buckthorn Removal at Magee Park - come anytime!
** Spreading Woodchips at Freedom Park playground or Lion's Park playground (by the Intermediate School/old middle school) - both locations will start at 2pm and spread until done
** A variety of indoor projects hosted in the Middle School/old High School Cafeteria - stop anytime - projects/collections shown below (used blankets, sheets, towels, non-stained t-shirts, and Matchbox cars will all be collected onsite)

04/04/2025

Fort the benefilt of pollinators, Experts suggest leaving your garden beds until overnight temperatures reach 50 degrees consistently!⏳️⏳️.

As temps keep climbing and days get longer, you may be tempted to get your flowerbeds back in tip-top shape, but it’s not quite time yet!

Many of Wisconsin’s pollinators are still in “do not disturb” mode, snoozing away in hollow-stemmed plants and leaf litter, like this common eastern bumble bee.

Experts with the Xerces Society suggest leaving your rakes, garden gloves and yard waste bins in the shed until overnight temperatures reach 50 degrees consistently.

Instead of disturbing critical habitat, try reading a book, doing a jigsaw puzzle, doing your taxes (don’t forget to look for "Endangered resources" in the donations section!), tidying up the garage or cleaning the gutters.

While you may be eager to get outside and play in the garden, it’ll be time to toil in the soil before you know it!

04/03/2025

Here is some great maps and information about our own little mini mountains throughout Wisconsin , Minnesota, and Iowa!

Here in Wisconsin, we love the Driftless Area! But what is it? Where does it start? Where does it end? Well, we have answers for you in the latest publication released earlier this week. An educational pamphlet titled "The Driftless Area: The extent of unglaciated and similar terrains in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota." The report describes and outlines the boundary of the unglaciated Driftless Area based on modern geologic evidence. It is written by 's Eric C Carson in collaboration with B Brandon Curry from the Illinois State Geological Survey, Phillip K. Kerr from the Iowa Geological Survey, and Barbara A. Lusardi from the Minnesota Geological Survey. Learn more and download your own copy of this map here: https://wgnhs.wisc.edu/catalog/publication/000997

04/02/2025

Educational Speakers, Children's Activities and Takeaways, Vendors, Food Cart/Beverages, Music...and so much more! A family friendly FREE event! More information: www.freedomparkwi.org See you at the celebration! 🤩