FCNA plans annual meeting

The Friends of the Campus Natural Areas (FCNA), an organization that promotes the preservation of natural areas on the UW–Madison campus, will hold its fourth annual meeting on Wednesday, April 6.

The FCNA meeting will feature joint presentations by Daniel Einstein, a UW–Madison environmental management specialist, and George Christiansen, an archaeologist at the Great Lakes Archeological Center.

For several years, Einstein and Christiansen have studied historical land use patterns of UW–Madison natural areas. Using archival images, the researchers will describe how natural spaces on campus have evolved over generations, starting from the time of Native Americans who frequented the land for thousands of years to hunt, camp and bury their dead.

The 4-year-old FCNA works to conserve and enhance about 325 acres of natural space and 3 miles of Lake Mendota shoreline. Members work year-round to remove invasive species, introduce native vegetation and monitor resident flora and fauna.

Richard McCoy, FCNA’s president, says the organization is crucial at a time when UW–Madison’s green areas are increasingly pressed by urban development.

“The value of land as inherently important open space is extraordinary to the whole character of the (UW-Madison) campus,” adds McCoy.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6, at the UW Arboretum’s McKay Center, 1207 Seminole Highway. All are welcome to attend. For more information, visit http://www.uwalumni.com/fcna or call 233-5706.