Wisconsin endangered oak ecosystems, 'OAKtoberfest' to help
MUKWONAGO, Wis. - The Waukesha County Land Conservancy will hold "OAKtoberfest" on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle to promote native oak trees and raise money for habitat restoration.
Oak Ecosystem Threat
Big picture view:
Wisconsin is home to oak openings, recognized as the most endangered ecosystem on Earth. A single healthy oak tree provides habitat and hosts between 300 and 500 insect species that support local songbirds and small mammals. However, fire suppression and invasive species like buckthorn prevent healthy oaks from growing wide outward branches, forcing impacted trees to stretch straight up.
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Conservation Effort History
The backstory:
The Waukesha County Land Conservancy has protected 3,500 acres across the county, including a healthy oak ecosystem adjacent to Old World Wisconsin. Last Valentine's Day, the nonprofit raised $1,500 after going viral with a campaign that allowed donors to pay $5 to remove invasive buckthorn and name the remaining stump after an ex-partner or old co-worker.
Waukesha County buckthorn removal, heartbreak healing habitat
The Waukesha County Land Conservancy is collecting donations, allowing people to remove invasive buckthorn and name it after their ex.
What they're saying:
Conservancy officials emphasize that land protection must be paired with ongoing care.
"The money goes directly towards restoration efforts. We have protected the land, but it’s also our take care of it too," said Alison Romero, the organization's executive director, adding that losing oaks harms the entire ecosystem food chain.
What you can do:
Tickets for the Sept. 26 event are available now. Officials have not publicly disclosed the total funding goal or the number of tickets available for the event.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a news broadcast by FOX6 reporter Bret Lemoine, who interviewed Helen Holtz and land conservancy representatives in the Town of Mukwonago.