In my time with the Ice Age Trail Alliance I have contributed to hundreds of children’s experiences in the Wisconsin outdoors. I have helped to set a fire in these children which I can see burning strong. They are passionate and excited about the outdoors. However, just like a prairie fire, passion and excitement can burn out in a flash. They both must be rekindled periodically over the years. While experiences along the trail will undoubtedly influence these children in the future, I wanted to create a more permanent contribution to environmental education along the Trail.

Since first hearing the term “SwampLovers” early in my placement, I have learned much about the incredible story of these individuals and their foundation. I have had several chances to visit their property North of Cross Plains with students, even seeing a rare Yellow Lady Slipper Orchid this spring. On these visits I learned the story of the SwampLovers Foundation side by side with the children.

Since the land was purchased in 1987, a group of four men have worked tirelessly to restore and maintain the 460 acres, as well as to make it publicly accessible. They have bulldozed old farm ditches to restore marshland, cleared countless acres of invasives, and managed controlled burns to restore the prairie sections of the property. They have worked with groups such as Friends of the Black Earth Creek, Hunter Education programs, and of course the Ice Age Trail Alliance.

In my remaining weeks with the IATA one of my highest goals is to toughly document the history, ideology, and future aspirations of the SwampLovers foundation. Unfortunately, of the five men initially involved in the Foundation, one left the group quickly, and another has since passed away. The remaining three wish very much for the Foundation and the land to outlive them, continuing to serve the public and the environment.

I have met with Lee Swanson, the public face of the Foundation. I am in the process of scheduling a date with him and the other members of the Foundation to archive their story on film. We are planning on around three hours of video, which will be curated by the Ice Age Trail Alliance and used in future property evaluation and management plans. Additionally, we hope to edit a much shorter video from the footage which can be shown to groups before they visit the property. This inspirational video will serve as a drip torch for both the SwampLovers Property and the Ice Age Trail, helping to ignite fires in the hearts and minds of our youth for decades to come.