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All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
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Join a Saturday morning of hands-on habitat care, with instruction and equipment provided for new and experienced volunteers.
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
At the UW–Madison Arboretum’s Ecological Restoration Work Party, volunteers help care for the plant communities that support local ecosystems and wildlife. The November 7 gathering meets at the Grady Tract parking lot for a morning of outdoor work.
The Arboretum’s restoration work parties are part of an ongoing effort to care for native plant communities. The November gathering is devoted to habitats that include prairies, savannas and woodlands.
Across the work-party program, volunteers cut brush, remove weedy plants and collect seed from prairie plants. The assignment for November 7 has not been announced, so those examples are a guide to the kind of work involved, not a promise of particular tasks.
Further reading: Ecological Restoration Work Party | UW Arboretum ↗ · Restoration Work Parties | UW Arboretum ↗
Restoration experience is not necessary. The Arboretum welcomes volunteers at all experience levels and provides tools, gloves and instruction. The work is physical, but volunteers can work at a pace comfortable for them.
This is one of the Arboretum’s regular drop-in work parties, which generally meet on Saturday mornings from mid-February through mid-December. Meeting locations change, so a return visit may start at a different part of the Arboretum.
Further reading: Ecological Restoration Work Party | UW Arboretum ↗ · Restoration Work Parties | UW Arboretum ↗
The morning is reserved for habitat restoration; the specific assignment has not been announced.
The work party runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Capacity is limited. There are no restroom facilities at the Grady Tract meeting location.
Sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots and long pants are required. Wear clothes that can get dirty; long sleeves and a water bottle are recommended. Do not wear or bring flannel or fleece shirts or jackets, as burs cling to them. Canvas shoes, sandals, flip-flops and shorts are also prohibited.
Restoration Work Parties | UW Arboretum ↗ · Dressing for Work Parties | UW Arboretum ↗
Severe weather or ground too muddy or snow-covered for safe work can cancel a work party. For a cancellation message, call (608) 263-7327 after 8:15 a.m. on Saturday.
Groups are welcome with advance notice. For group arrangements or questions about individual access needs, contact the Arboretum at (608) 265-5214 or [email protected].
The meeting point is the Grady Tract parking lot at the southeast corner of Seminole Highway and W. Beltline Frontage Road. Madison Metro route H has a stop on or near the lot. Use the map links for directions from your starting point.
Ecological Restoration Work Party | UW Arboretum ↗ · Getting Here | UW Arboretum ↗
No previous experience is required. The Arboretum provides tools, work gloves and instruction.
Yes. Groups should make arrangements in advance by calling (608) 265-5214 or emailing [email protected].
No. The Grady Tract meeting location has no restroom facilities.
Call (608) 263-7327 after 8:15 a.m. Saturday for the cancellation message.
Southeast corner of Seminole Highway and W. Beltline Frontage Road, Madison, WI
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-10-28 against the linked sources.