Restoration

The land of Prairie Moraine was once owned by Dane County Hospital and Home or "Poor House," located two miles to the North. In 1896, a cabin and outbuilding were built to be used as a leper colony to provide isolation from the other residents of the Poor House for two sufferers from the disease.  Only one, Thomas Nelson, survived until construction was complete.  He moved in during the summer of 1896 and lived there for six years, until his death on November 1, 1902.

From then until the 70's the land was relatively unused except for farming and livestock grazing purposes.  In 1970 a 9-1-1 communication tower was established on the east side of the site.  The tower is still being used.

In 1993, the land was transferred by resolution from the hospital to Dane County Parks "for park and open space purposes, as a corridor for the Ice Age Trail (IAT), and to relocate the Dane County Conservation League's conservation programs to the site."

Dane County was one of the first park systems in the United States to develop designated off-leash dog parks.  The first Dane County Pet Exercise Area was established in late 1993 at Viking County Park near the City of Stoughton. The second Pet Exercise Area was added in 1994 with an 80-acre site at Prairie Moraine County Park south of Verona.

They are in no particular order of importance.

Objective One

Create additional off leash areas in the park and within the local region to lessen negative impacts to the park.

Objective Two

Protect significant natural and geologic resources within the park, including protection of desirable open viewsheds.

Objective Three (re:parking)

Objective Four (re: relationships with neighboring property owners)

Objective Five

Create a park environment that allows co-existence of off-leash pet exercise areas, Ice Age Trail corridor, and vegetative restoration efforts.

A common belief on Earth Two is that the land was donated to Dane County Parks (perhaps by the Wesners?)  for use as a dog park.  Many also believe that the mature pines at the dog park entrance -- as well as the many apple trees in the park -- were planted by the Wesners.  In fact, it is the park expansion area (hopefully to open late 2024 or early 2025), as well as the "new" dog park entrance and parking lot, that came from the Wesners; and the variety of evergreens within that area were their repurposed Christmas trees.  The apple trees throughout the park were "planted" by deer who foraged in nearby orchards.

The feeling on Earth Two is strong that the area "is a DOG PARK" and that giving equal weight to the other objectives outlined in the 2002 Master Plan is not valid.  Attempts by Dane County Parks to communicate a multi-use perspective and the core values of land stewardship to those on Earth Two are misinterpreted by them as a lack of concern for dog park users and their dogs, at best, and, at worst, plans to eliminate the park's use as an off-leash dog exercise area at some point in the future.  This is highly unlikely, given that Dane County Parks is a pioneer in the U.S. in developing dog parks and that Prairie Moraine Dog Park is one of the most-used park facilities in the system.  Unless, of course, those on Earth Two succeed in making the park impossible to maintain and administer.  We'll hope that that is a misinterpretation of their intent.

This on-line petition (on Change.org) was started by a Prairie Moraine Dog Park user on October 29, 2021 in response to the October 20th installation of a temporary fence around the 11-acre Oak Savanna restoration area in the park.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with loving the dog park as is, and not wanting the changes brought by restoration work.  Or in starting a petition to communicate that to Dane County Parks decision makers. However, it would be more meaningful and perhaps more effective if:

1. It was based on accurate information, and if 
2. A better petition method were used.  

One person living on Earth Two was telling dog park users that the restoration plan was to cut down ALL trees in the dog park and turn it ALL into prairie.  This was in spite of the map of Target Vegetation Community Types (above) within the park.  For years, this map was prominently displayed in the kiosk at the entrance to the dog park.

She was also telling dog park users that the restoration work was based on the wishes of a small group of volunteers and placed the "blame" for the work being done on the president of the Prairie Moraine Friends group, Dave Jelinski.  As usual with park Friends groups, the volunteers were only assisting Dane County Parks with development and maintenance of the park, according to their direction.  DaveJ did catch and attempt to pass on the enthusiasm of those already working on and directing restoration work for Dane County Parks, but he was hardly responsible for the Dane County Parks' Natural Areas Program or the plan for Prairie Moraine Park.

The on-line Change.org petition allows people to compose a "blank check" petition.  It can say one thing when the petition is started and be changed after signatures have already been collected.  The copy shown is the petition as it appeared on 10/30/2021 -- the day after it was started.  The person telling dog park users that the plan was to cut down ALL trees in the dog park and turn it ALL into prairie also did so while collecting signatures for the petition in person at the dog park.  On the plus side, that meant that the signatures she collected were from actual dog park users.  The on-line petition included signatures from people from other countries as well as one who wrote, "I signed your petition, could you please sign my son's?"