Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen

Owen Park History: the Edward Owen Years ~ Join Naturalist Beth Whitaker for a free guided nature walk to explore Owen Conservation Park and discuss an important period in the history of that land, the years from 1892, when UW Professor Edward Owen purchased the property, through his death in 1931. During this period, Owen rode his horse to this rural property from his Madison home, enjoyed leisure time at the "summer house" he had built on the hill, landscaped around the house and planted a vineyard and apple orchard. We will look for the physical reminders of his activities that endure on the landscape and observe where his activities have been erased by later management as a conservation park.  Edward Owen was an amateur conservationist but this work did not occur at our location. His impact on the City of Madison's parks system was as a civic leader who, along with John Olin, created the Madison Parks and Pleasure Drive Association, the predecessor of the Madison Parks Department. Dress warm.

Explore Owen Conservation Park on gentle trails through historic oak openings on a hillside with an Ice Age kettle and along restored prairies with beautiful vistas on this high point overlooking the west side of Madison. Co-sponsored by Madison Parks and the Friends of Owen Conservation Park. Free, family-friendly guided nature walks at Owen Conservation Park are held on the 2nd Saturday of each month, year-round 1:30-3pm. Free, welcoming, healthy, fairly accessible, family and kid friendly, educational, no registration required, no pets. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

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