Holland Sand Prairie in the News
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This was in the LaCrosse Tribune on Sunday June 14, 2009 on the front page of section C - Hometown.
Flora abounds at
the Holland Sand Prairie
The 61-acre parcel of land west on
McHugh Road off Hwy. 53/35, was created 12,000 years ago during
the last ice age.
So was the rest of the Mississippi River Terrace, spanning from south La Crosse to Galesville, Wis. However, much of that land is now either under houses, concrete or farm crops. The sandy soil of the Holland Sand Prairie was so dry it was never cultivated for farm land, and preservation efforts have kept it from being developed, said Jim Rogala, with The Prairie Enthusiasts, an organization committed to protection and management of native prairie and savanna in the Upper Midwest. Rogala led a group of hikers through the Holland Sand Prairie on Saturday to see what was in bloom. Hikers’ pant legs brushed against the prairie grasses and flowers — the beautiful purple petals of the common spiderwort and the yellow-colored hairy puccoon. About 150 different species of plants have been identified on the acreage. Every now and then, someone in the group would lag behind to admire the delicate flower of the prairie smoxke or look up the name of a plant like the slender beardtongue. Because of the sandy soil, the plants are typically species found in more arid areas such as western United States, said Rogala. The property was on the verge of being developed about five years ago, but some residents in the Town of Holland, the Mississippi Valley Conservancy, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and others came together to purchase the property because they didn’t want to see it destroyed, said Brian Gray, Town of Holland resident and Friends of the Holland Sand Prairie board member. “I think that was a remarkable event. So now we have this instead of a strip mall,” he said. This spot is one of 9,000 acres of bluff lands, prairies, wetlands and streams in the Coulee Region that the conservancy has preserved, said Jay Fernholz, MVC member. Mike and Mary Collins said they’ve lived in the La Crosse area for about 30 years and never knew about the spot. Mike called the spot “amazing,” adding it looks totally different than some of the well-known spots like Hixon Forest or the marshland. “It’s another reason to love La Crosse,” Mary said. The conservancy sponsors various hikes. To learn more, visit www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org
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