Pope Farm Conservancy

Pope Farm Conservancy is 105 acres that sits on top of three recessional moraines in the Town of Middleton where three different watersheds come together. A 360 degree panoramic view of Lake Mendota, the Capitol and Madison’s west side can be seen to the east, the Black Earth Creek valley to the North, and the terminal moraine to the South and West. Six different Prairie Restoration projects and seven different crops including a field of sunflowers provide tremendous synergy that attracts wildlife to the conservancy. Forty interpretive signs follow the historical aspects of the land. They start with the Glaciers and land formation, followed by the Native Americans, settlers, the CCC project in the 1930’s, to today’s methods of erosion control. These features and their interpretation have resulted in making Pope Farm an educational conservancy. The Native American garden is designed to educate the public about the remarkable contribution made by the Native Americans to agriculture. Many of the features of the land are taught as part of local fourth grade curriculum, which has resulted in many lesson plans and field trips. All of this, combined with eight miles of walking trails and picnic areas provide the visitor with an unforgettable experience.