The Spirit of Place: An Education of the Heart & Friends of Wisdom Prairie Annual Meeting
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Please join us for an evening celebrating the impact and contributions of the Friends of Wisdom Prairie (FWP). We will gather for dinner, look back at some of our favorite moments caring for the prairie in 2026, and learn from John Bates, whose keynote presentation is titled “The Spirit of Place: An Education of the Heart.” John teaches that our goal in life should be to fall in love with the entire world and to treat it as holy. We hope you can join us for a night of learning and celebration.
Schedule
• 5:00 pm – Drinks and mingling
• 6:00 pm – Dinner
• 6:45 pm – FWP Annual Meeting
• 7:00 pm – Presentation
• 8:00 pm – Q&A and wrap-up
Speaker – John Bates
John Bates is the author of 11 books and a contributor to eight others, all of which focus on the natural history of the Upper Midwest’s Northwoods. He’s worked as a naturalist in Wisconsin’s Northwoods for 36 years, leading an array of trips and giving talks all designed to help people further understand the remarkable diversity and beauty of nature, and our place within it. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the Wisconsin Nature Conservancy, River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Humanities Council, and he currently serves on the Board of the Northwoods Land Trust and the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame. John’s work comes down to this: Trying to help people fall more deeply in love with the natural world.
John and his wife, fiber artist Mary Burns, live on the Manitowish River in Iron County, WI, where they raised two daughters.
Cost & Registration
$42/person.
Please register by November 4, 2026.
There is no refund for cancellations, but registrations are transferable.
Schedule
• 5:00 pm – Drinks and mingling
• 6:00 pm – Dinner
• 6:45 pm – FWP Annual Meeting
• 7:00 pm – Presentation
• 8:00 pm – Q&A and wrap-up
Speaker – John Bates
John Bates is the author of 11 books and a contributor to eight others, all of which focus on the natural history of the Upper Midwest’s Northwoods. He’s worked as a naturalist in Wisconsin’s Northwoods for 36 years, leading an array of trips and giving talks all designed to help people further understand the remarkable diversity and beauty of nature, and our place within it. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the Wisconsin Nature Conservancy, River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Humanities Council, and he currently serves on the Board of the Northwoods Land Trust and the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame. John’s work comes down to this: Trying to help people fall more deeply in love with the natural world.
John and his wife, fiber artist Mary Burns, live on the Manitowish River in Iron County, WI, where they raised two daughters.
Cost & Registration
$42/person.
Please register by November 4, 2026.
There is no refund for cancellations, but registrations are transferable.
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Where is it happening?
4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53562
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherHoly Wisdom Monastery
