Support the Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum
The Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum (GPA) thrives because of people who care deeply about this special place. Some give their time—being a board member of the Friends of the Gottfried, pulling invasive species, helping with educational programs, or planning community events. Others give financial support to help maintain trails, expand the prairie, and grow our educational offerings. Many do both. Whether you volunteer your time, share your expertise, or make a financial gift through our new Gottfried Fund, you play a vital role in preserving this natural treasure for our community and future generations.
Volunteer Your Time, Skills, and Passion
Volunteers are the heart of the Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum. By sharing your time and talents, you help ensure the prairie, arboretum, and trails remain a place where people can connect with nature and learn about native ecosystems. If interested, please email us at info@gottfriedprairiearboretum.org.
- Maintaining the GPA: Volunteers can help in one or more of the following areas: invasive weed control, brush cutting, mulching, trash clean up, etc.
- The Friends of GPA (FOGPA) Board: The FOGPA Board is responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum. This includes leading initiatives in environmental education, community engagement, and fundraising. The board also serves as a key liaison for our ongoing partnership with the County Parks Department to ensure the sustainable management and enhancement of the property. People who love nature, have good ideas on how to enhance and protect the GPA, and have connections to the Fond du Lac County community are encouraged to apply.
- Environmental education knowledge sharing: The FOGPA is always looking for people to share their knowledge and expertise for our educational programs. Let us know what you would like to present!
- Programming Committee: This committee develops a list of educational speakers, plans and coordinates events like luminary hikes, seed collection workshops, monthly prairie hikes, native plant sales, and other fun events. The Prairie Fest Committee is a sub-committee of Programming. This group starts meeting in January/February to plan for our annual Prairie Fest event that occurs the first Saturday of August. Prairie Fest is a free family-oriented environmental education event with activities for all ages. If you love to plan events, especially ones centered around nature, please connect with us!
- Grounds Committee: This committee assists County parks staff with management and maintenance planning, including prescribed fire activities, invasive species control, installing new trees and plantings, and expanding the prairie. They also work with consultants and coordinate volunteer efforts.
Support the Gottfried Fund
While volunteers provide the energy that sustains the Gottfried, financial support helps provide the resources needed to care for and grow this special ecosystem. The Friends of the Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum, a 501c3 non-profit organization, has partnered with the Fond du Lac Area Foundation to establish a dedicated Gottfried Fund. Gifts to this fund will help support important improvements and opportunities, including but not limited to: trail maintenance and improvements, development of new trails, prairie restoration and expansion, planting new trees to replace ash trees, educational programs for youth and adults, and community events that connect people with nature.
Your gift—no matter the size—helps protect this ecosystem and expand its impact in our community.
How to Donate
Online:
Visit https://fdlareafoundation.com/donate/
Scroll to bottom of page and select Click Here to Make an Online donation. Then select Fond du Lac Area Foundation for payment type. Within the online donation portal, select OTHER for the Fund and enter Gottfried in the FOR field.
Gifts of cash or checks may be dropped off in person or delivered by mail to:
Fond du Lac Area Foundation
1020 S. Main Street, Suite E
Fond du Lac, WI 54935
Note: Please make checks payable to Fond du Lac Area Foundation and write Gottfried on the memo line.
Together, we can preserve the prairie, protect wildlife habitat, and keep the Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum a place of discovery, peace, and natural beauty for our community—today and for generations to come.
