On behalf of the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, we wish to voice concerns over multiple developments in the upper Yahara River watershed and, specifically, the proposed QTS data center.

Birding from dawn to dusk, the team spotted 35 species. Highlights included a Rough-legged Hawk at Cherokee Marsh North Unit at dawn, a flock of 10 Bluebirds at Hickory Island, a Harrier and a Northern Shrike far out in the Marsh, and a Kingfisher and Great Blue Heron at School Road Landing at sunset. This year's participants included Jan Axelson, Tim Baker, Marcus Mueller, Barb Noeldner, Paul Noeldner, Brian Schneider, Courtney Woods, and Jim Mand.

A seasonal reminder about opportunities for winter fun in and around Cherokee Marsh: hiking, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, skating, birdwatching, and more.

The Friends of Cherokee Marsh invite all Friends members and the general public to our annual membership meeting on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center. Doors open at 9 a.m, and the program will begin at 9:30 a.m. The morning will include updates from representatives of Madison Parks and Dane County Parks, the Friends’ year in review, and election of Friends board members, followed by our featured presentation on water quality issues.

A virtual meeting to update residents about the Warner Park and Cherokee Marsh Watershed Study was held in September. Madison’s Engineering Division is working to identify causes of flooding and recommend projects to reduce flooding in areas of high risk around the city.

Over the two evenings of the August bat walks, the Echometer sensors gave plenty of indications of the presence of bats, even if we can't absolutely rely on the exact IDs. The sensors suggested the possible presence of six of Wisconsin's eight species: Little Brown, Big Brown, Hoary, Silver-haired, Tricolored, and Eastern Red.

If you’ve paddled or viewed the shoreline of the upper Yahara at Cherokee Marsh this summer, you have noticed large numbers of aquatic plants growing on, above, and under the water’s surface.