Lakeshore Nature Preserve

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve permanently protects the undeveloped lands along the shore of Lake Mendota where members of the campus community have long experienced the intellectual and aesthetic benefits of interacting with the natural world.

The Preserve shelters biologically significant plant and animal communities for teaching, research, outreach, and environmentally sensitive use, and safeguards beloved cultural landscapes.

The Preserve symbolizes not just the beauty of UW-Madison, but its core values as one of the preeminent environmental research universities in the world. The Preserve is as essential to the university as its lecture halls, laboratories, and playing fields. It contributes to a powerful sense of place and fosters an ethic of stewardship to promote mutually beneficial relationships between humans and the rest of nature.

Lakeshore Master Plan: A Vision for the Future

A phased program of ecological restoration, maintenance and recreational enhancement for the Preserve has been outlined to maximize and coordinate research and community use of this beloved area. Naming opportunities include:

• Restoration of a Fire Point Circle along Picnic Point- $50,000
• Creation of a multi-lingual adventure trail for children and adults- $25,000
• One year supply of native plants for Muir Woods and Picnic Point- $10,000
• Removal of invasive species and opening of 100 feet of shoreline view along the Lakeshore Path- $5,000