Plant donation launches work with Madison zoo to boost native birds

Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison is boosting native bird habitat thanks to a generous donation from Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls facilitated by SOS. Nursery Vice President Rob Dummert delivers the plants to Valerie McGoldrick, Henry Vilas Zoo horticulturist, on Oct. 14, 2023. Photo: Lisa Gaumnitz

A new partnership is taking wing in Madison to boost bird conservation at Henry Vilas Zoo, one of 10 free zoos in the United States.

Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls provided a tailwind for that effort when Vice President Rob Dummert donated and delivered a load of bird-friendly native plants to the zoo on Oct. 14.

Valerie McGoldrick, zoo horticulturist, says the plants donated by Johnson’s Nursery will advance their timeline for having a mature songbird garden.

“Within the next several years we hope to see more diversity of birds on zoo grounds because of this donation,” McGoldrick says.

Dummert says Johnson's Nursery “is proud to support organizations like the Henry Vilas Zoo who see the value that locally produced native plants have on our community and environment.” 

The donation was facilitated by SOS Save Our Songbirds and was the first action resulting from discussions Sept. 22 between zoo staff, SOS Coordinator Lisa Gaumnitz and Matt Reetz, executive director of Badgerland Bird Alliance, formerly known as Madison Audubon.

Zoo Conservation Education Coordinator Jess Thompson contacted SOS Save Our Songbirds in September to meet with their conservation task force.

“Henry Vilas Zoo has been working with the North American Songbird SAFE program, and we are excited to delve into shared goals to save songbirds with our local partners,” Thompson says.

SAFE stands for Saving Animals From Extinction, and this program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums seeks to reduce threats to North American songbirds and secure sustainable wild populations of these species throughout their ranges. Goals of the program are to have AZA members increase conservation on zoo grounds and educational outreach to visitors.

More than 750,000 people visit the Henry Vilas Zoo and its 28-acre campus every year. The zoo is owned by Dane County. SOS, zoo staff and Reetz discussed ways to reduce collisions at the zoo’s buildings, add native plantings good for birds, and collaborate on events and programming that can help raise awareness among the community of ways to help birds at home.

The plant donation from Johnson’s Nursery of Menomonee Falls is the first fruit of those discussions. Retired longtime DNR native and invasive plant specialist Kelly Kearns visited the site and discussed with McGoldrick native plants good to add to the existing raingarden area to help provide more shelter and food for native birds.

Work is underway to secure donations of bird feeders, nest boxes and window treatments at the zoo.

A volunteer plants a donated native plant from Johnson’s Nursery at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison.