In an inspiring move toward ecological restoration, Leonardo Academy (LEO) has launched a bold sustainability initiative aimed at revitalizing native prairies in southwest Wisconsin. The project focuses on the 145‑acre Valley Ridge Preserve—a protected fragment of non‑glaciated Driftless Area terrain—once blanketed by mixed prairie, oak savannah, and mature woodlands livegreennebraska.com+2leosustainability.org+23blmedia.com+2.
🎯 Project Vision & Timeline
LEO’s plan? Restore four acres of former farmland over a four-year span, documenting every step—from seeding to full bloom—in a rich pictorial record 3blmedia.com. This visual chronicle aims not only to engage the public but also to serve as a replicable model for other restoration efforts.
💰 Crowdfunding for Conservation
To fund the restoration, LEO has launched a Kickstarter campaign—a reminder that ecological initiatives often rely on grassroots financial support:
- Funds will be used for native seed mixes, site prep, monitoring, and documentation.
- Pledgers will receive exclusive updates and project-related rewards.
- As Michael Arny, LEO’s president, noted: “We only get the pledged funds if we reach or exceed our funding target.” 3blmedia.com+1leosustainability.org+1
🌾 Prairie’s Plight in America
Historically, Midwestern prairies stretched across America—but today, they’ve nearly vanished:
- Less than 0.5% of original prairie habitat remains in areas like Valley Ridge Preserve planetwild.com+5leosustainability.org+53blmedia.com+5.
- The land, protected since 2003 under a conservation easement with Driftless Area Land Conservancy, once supported iconic species like the Greater Prairie Chicken, which depends on expansive grassland habitats
