MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) this week announced Darlington resident Steve Hubner as the State Natural Areas Volunteer of the Year for 2024 for his nearly 40 years of volunteer work at many properties around the state, including Muralt Bluff Prairie State Natural Area.

With a degree in natural resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Hubner brought his skills to a group of like-minded individuals in Green County as one of the founding members of the Prairie Bluff Chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts during the late 1980s. Partnerships with groups like The Prairie Enthusiasts, who co-own Muralt Bluff Prairie with the DNR, are critical to care for the over 406,000 acres of state natural areas across Wisconsin.

Since his retirement in 2012, Hubner has averaged 800 volunteer hours per year doing everything from removing invasive brush with a chainsaw to collecting seeds and helping with prescribed burns. He has also spent time contributing to planted prairies at Yellowstone Lake State Park, working with private landowners in Lafayette County to care for a remnant prairie that’s home to a variety of rare species and volunteering with the DNR’s Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey.

“Steve is very passionate about native prairie plants and has an appreciation for the beauty of a native prairie. He has a sense of awe that is fun to see, along with a very practical approach to getting things done,” said Jared Urban, DNR state natural areas volunteer coordinator. “He loves sharing that sense of awe with others, too. When someone new shows up, Steve is eager to show them everything that is cool about a property.”

After so many years dedicated to prairie management and restoration, Hubner is also focused on bringing the next generation of volunteers into the fold. 

“If we don’t continue to have volunteers at some of these remnants, they won’t still be around in the future,” he said. “Mother Nature puts up a fight to turn these spaces into brush patches. There’s so many new invasives we’re up against. Some of us have been doing this for more than 30 years — we need younger generations to keep it going.”

Volunteer At Your Local State Natural Area 

Wisconsin’s state natural areas are designated to conserve the best of our state’s prairies, forests, wetlands and other habitats. These unique places support 90% of rare plant species and 75% of rare wildlife species. Nearly all properties are open to the public to enjoy while bird watching, hiking, hunting and fishing. 

The Wisconsin DNR is actively recruiting volunteers to help care for these unique places. No experience is necessary, and training and equipment are provided on-site.

To get involved and receive notifications about upcoming workdays, sign up for email invites on the DNR’s State Natural Areas Volunteer Program webpage.

Additional volunteer opportunities are available directly through The Prairie Enthusiasts’ Volunteer webpage.