Schedule

Saturday, November 14 | International Crane Foundation

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
All Day Events and Activities

Self-Guided Crane Discovery Center and Migration Center Exhibit Tours
George Archibald Welcome Center and Gift Shop
Self-Guided Nature Trail Walks: Sauey Birding Loop, Deedee’s Wetland Trail, Prairie Loop, Stedman Landscape Loop, Branch Family Trail
Food Trucks: Any Street Grill Food Truck & RMN Mini Donuts and Drinks

9 – 9:45 a.m.
Welcome to the Great Midwest Crane Fest &
International Crane Foundation
George Archibald Welcome Center Theater
Dr. Rich Beilfuss, President and CEO,
International Crane Foundation

Join the International Crane Foundation’s President and CEO, Dr. Rich Beilfuss, for a festival kick-off with an introduction to the foundation’s work and the importance of conserving and protecting cranes around the world.

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Prairie Tour
Meet at the Branch Family Trail Head across from the Migration Center

10 – 11 a.m.
Crane Discovery Center Tour: Crane Behavior
Meet behind the George Archibald Welcome Center

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Relief Printmaking Workshop – SOLD OUT
Ron Sauey Memorial Library
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum

Join Woodson Art Museum staff to learn relief printmaking techniques inspired by Birds in Art artist Giorgia Oldano. Utilize imagery inspired by the natural world and compositional techniques to design and carve a linoleum block. Participants will leave with a printed tote bag or bandana and their carved block to continue printing at home!

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Slow Noticing with Quick Creatures:
An Artist-led Bird Walk
Meet at the George Archibald Welcome Center
Austen Camille, Tia Kramer, Amanda Leigh Evens, and Mark Menjivar

Join the artists from Beak is a Bridge for an hour-long birding walk to hone our different noticing senses: listening well, looking closely, and noting the sensory qualities of an ecosystem. Each artist will lead you through a different noticing activity along the way. If you have them, bring a notebook and binoculars. We will have extras if needed. Dress comfortably for the weather and an hour-long walk!

11 – 11:30 a.m.
Keeper Chat with an Aviculturist
Wattled Crane Amphitheater

11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Meet the Artist
Migration Center
Tyler Vouros, Artist in Residence,
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum

12 – 12:30 p.m.
Whooping Crane Q&A
Whooping Crane Alcove

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Crane Discovery Center Tour: Cranes of the World
Meet behind the George Archibald Welcome Center

1:30 – 3 p.m.
Haiku & Hope: Stretch Your Imagination and Learn the Art of Natural Journaling
Ron Sauey Memorial Library
Maggie Dewane, Author and Filmmaker

Join author Maggie Dewane and the International Crane Foundation to explore the art of haiku and learn how to write your own! In this workshop, participants will be guided through a nature journaling exercise that tugs at imagination and invites creativity. Building on individual sensory observations and experience, participants will be encouraged to consider elements of nature in new ways and how everyone can take flight in poetic expression. By the end of the workshop, participants will have crafted their own haiku.

2 – 3 p.m.
A Legacy of Hope with Co-Founder Dr. George Archibald
George Archibald Welcome Center Theater
Dr. George Archibald, Co-founder,
International Crane Foundation

What began as an idea of two bird-loving graduate students at the Cornell Laboratory for Ornithology became the International Crane Foundation in 1973. The Foundation has grown over the past 53 years to help cranes, biodiversity, and goodwill around the world. Join the International Crane Foundation’s Co-founder, Dr. George Archibald, as he shares memories from a lifelong dedication to cranes.

2 – 3 p.m.
Prairie Tour
Meet at the Branch Family Trail Head across from the Migration Center

2:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Keeper Chat with an Aviculturist
Wattled Crane Amphitheater

3 – 4 p.m.
Crane Discovery Center Tour: North American Cranes
Meet behind the George Archibald Welcome Center

Saturday, November 14 | Aldo Leopold Foundation

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
All Day Events and Activities

Self-guided tour of the Leopold Shack & Farm, a National Historic Landmark
Food Truck: Las Milpas Restaurant

8:30 – 9 a.m.
2026 Great Midwest Crane Festival Opening Remarks & Kick-Off
Lecture Hall
Buddy Huffaker, Executive Director, Aldo Leopold Foundation

Kick off the Great Midwest Crane Festival with the Leopold Foundation’s Executive Director, Buddy Huffaker. Join him in giving thanks to the plethora of people and organizations that make this annual event possible, including the foundation’s long-standing relationship with the International Crane Foundation, before transitioning into the festival’s first events!

9 – 10 a.m.
Guided Nature Hike with Leopold Foundation Land Stewards
Meet at the Prairie Vista Loop Trailhead (look for signage or a docent)

Bring your questions and join the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s naturalists for a one-mile guided walking tour of our Prairie Vista loop Trail. Participants will enjoy the scenery of our restored oak savanna and tallgrass prairie—some of the most threatened ecosystems in the world! This guided nature hike is a great way to learn more about the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s work and the surrounding landscape.

Note: This one-mile hike could be strenuous for some, as it will be through varied terrain on improved hiking trails. Please arrive dressed for the day’s weather conditions.

9 – 10 a.m.
“A Sand County Comic” with creator Emily Johnson
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center Meeting Hall
Emily Johnson, Environmental Educator

“A Sand County Comic” is a 26-piece art collection based on essays from A Sand County Almanac. It ranges from humorous takes on sections of the Almanac to stunning visual interpretations of Aldo Leopold’s lessons on what it means to be in a relationship with nature. Audiences will learn more about the artist, her journey to create these pieces, and more during her presentation.

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Guided Leopold Shack Tour with Foundation Docents
Leopold Shack & Farm

The landscape surrounding the Shack was the primary inspiration for Aldo Leopold’s essays in A Sand County Almanac and continues to be a living classroom for exploring ecological relationships and conservation history. You will hear stories about the pioneering restoration work initiated by Leopold and his family, experience the inside of the Shack, stroll through the second-oldest restored prairie in the world, and enjoy the historic woods along the Wisconsin River, led by the Leopold Foundation’s guides.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
What Does It Mean to Care for Forests in a Time of Such Profound Change?
Lecture Hall
Ethan Tapper, Forester, Ecologist, Content Creator, and Author

Ethan Tapper’s New England Book Award-winning literary debut, How to Love a Forest, explores the complex reality of what it means to love a forest at this moment in time. Tapper’s highly anticipated follow-up book, The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving, follows Ethan across a single year of life and stewardship at Bear Island, his 175-acre forest in Vermont. The Forest Year is a book about trees, forests, birds, and wildflowers, structured around themes of seasonality, community, resilience, and the profound and beautiful thing that happens when we decide to stay.

Ethan will read from his new book and discuss forest ecology, natural history, and phenology, as well as his own story and his experiences as a working forester and ecologist in Vermont, and as an internationally recognized and award-winning advocate for ecosystems, biodiversity, and conservation.

12 – 1 p.m.
Guided Green Building Tour
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center

Using materials harvested locally from the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area, the Aldo Leopold Foundation sought to construct a building that reflected Leopold’s Land Ethic. By exemplifying this Ethic, the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center received Platinum Certification, scoring 61 out of 69in its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification. At the time it was awarded in October 2007, it was the highest certification ever issued by the U.S. Green Building Council. Join us to learn about the building’s features, including geothermal earth tubes, radiant floor heating, forward-thinking design, and art by local artists.

1 – 2 p.m.
Book Signing with Ethan Tapper, How to Love a Forest and The Forest Year
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
Bring your own personal copies or purchase from the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s Marshland Market.

2 – 3:30 p.m.
Guided Nature Hike with Leopold Foundation Land Stewards
Meet at the Prairie Vista Loop Trailhead (look for signage or a docent)

Note: This one-mile hike could be strenuous for some, as it will be through varied terrain on improved hiking trails. Please arrive dressed for the day’s weather conditions.

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
A Vast Pulsing Harmony by DeepTime Collective
Meet in the central courtyard
Tia Kramer and Amanda Leigh Evans

“Then you may hear it—a vast pulsing harmony—its score inscribed on a thousand hills, its notes the lives and deaths of plants and animals, its rhythms spanning the seconds and the centuries.” –Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

Join DeepTime Collective for an activity that attunes our attention to the avian sonic world. During this one-hour activity, participants will take a short walk while using sculptural listening devices that invite us to imagine the past, present, and future ecological sounds of the Driftless Region. The artists’ handmade sonic devices draw inspiration from sound-amplification systems in nature and from audio-recording technology used by scientists to monitor the ongoing health of an ecosystem. This playful yet intimate event is limited to 20 participants. Dress for the weather and for a 0.8-mile walk.

Sunday, November 15 | International Crane Foundation

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
All Day Events and Activities

Self-Guided Crane Discovery Center and Migration Center Exhibit Tours
George Archibald Welcome Center and Gift Shop
Self-Guided Nature Trail Walks: Sauey Birding Loop, Deedee’s Wetland Trail, Prairie Loop, Stedman Landscape Loop, Branch Family Trail
Food Trucks: Any Street Grill Food Truck & RMN Mini Donuts and Drinks

9 – 10 a.m.
The Lonely Marsh: A Live Puppet Performance
Ron Sauey Memorial Library
Julia Blair, Puppeteer

The Lonely Marsh is a live puppet performance with an original music score, written and directed by Julia Blair. It is inspired by Marshland Elegy, an essay by Aldo Leopold, and explores the relationships between a marsh, a farmer, and the species that rely upon our inland wetland ecosystems.

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Prairie Tour
Meet at the Branch Family Trail Head across from the Migration Center

10 – 10:45 a.m.
Welcome to the Great Midwest Crane Fest &
International Crane Foundation
George Archibald Welcome Center Theater
Dr. Rich Beilfuss, President and CEO,
International Crane Foundation

Join the International Crane Foundation’s President and CEO, Dr. Rich Beilfuss, for a festival kick-off with an introduction to the Foundation’s work and the importance of conserving and protecting cranes around the world.

10 – 11 a.m.
Crane Discovery Center Tour: Crane Behavior
Meet behind the George Archibald Welcome Center

11 – 11:30 a.m.
Keeper Chat with an Aviculturist
Wattled Crane Amphitheater

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Habitat Support for Birds: How to Create Bird Habitat at Home
George Archibald Welcome Center Theater
Jennifer Lazewski, UW-Madison Division of Extension Volunteer, Master Gardener and Master Naturalist programs

Wisconsin loves birds! Over 300 resident and migratory birds visit our state, besides Sandhill and Whooping Cranes, and we have been ranked #2 in the nation for birdwatching. You can increase the species and numbers of birds you see right out your door by adding native perennials, shrubs, and trees that provide birds with shelter, nesting, and food. Gardening for birds improves their habitat, provides a rest stop during migration, and helps with bird conservation. Learn how to expand your home habitat and become an even bigger supporter of birds.

12 – 12:30 p.m.
Whooping Crane Q&A
Whooping Crane Alcove

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Crane Discovery Center Tour: Cranes of the World
Meet behind the George Archibald Welcome Center

1 – 2 p.m.
Whoopers in Wisconsin: What It Takes to Reintroduce a Species
Ron Sauey Memorial Library
Alicia Ward, Outreach Biologist, International Crane Foundation

In this presentation, we will introduce the Endangered Whooping Crane, discuss their history, conservation, and the critical, ongoing reintroduction efforts that brought this species back from the brink. We will share insights on some of our current research that informs Whooping Crane reintroduction and long-term survival. Finally, we will share updates on the population numbers to emphasize how far the population has come and how much work lies ahead to safeguard their future.

1 – 3 p.m.
Meet the Artist: MOTUS as Sculpture
Meet in the picnic space near the paved parking lot
Mark Menjívar, Artist and Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary School for Engagement, University of Texas at San Antonio

Join artist Mark Menjívar to learn more about MOTUS and visualizing the flight paths of migratory birds! Through its actions of listening and receiving, MOTUS expresses a network of connections. When the MOTUS tower is seen as a sculpture, the flight path of migratory birds can be seen as drawings: the bird’s path becomes a line, and the tower becomes the instrument that makes that line visible. MOTUS as Sculpture will be a viewing location where Crane Fest participants can meet Mark, look through a spotting scope, and learn more about MOTUS.

2 – 3 p.m.
Prairie Tour
Meet at the Branch Family Trail Head across from the Migration Center

2:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Keeper Chat with an Aviculturist
Wattled Crane Amphitheater

3 – 4 p.m.
Crane Discovery Center Tour: North America Cranes
Meet behind the George Archibald Welcome Center

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Built to Fly, Wade, and Dance: Inside Crane Anatomy from Head to Toe
Ron Sauey Memorial Library
Sara Kalani, Veterinary Technician, International Crane Foundation

What makes a crane’s anatomy so perfectly suited for life in wetlands, long migrations, and graceful courtship dances? Join Sara Kalani, Veterinary Technician with the International Crane Foundation’s Conservation Medicine Team, for a behind-the-scenes look at crane anatomy from head to toe. Along the way, attendees will discover surprising adaptations, learn how anatomy influences crane health and veterinary care, and hear real-world stories from hands-on work caring for cranes at our Global Headquarters. Together, we’ll explore how form and function come together in one of the world’s most remarkable families of birds.

Sunday, November 15 | Aldo Leopold Foundation

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
All Day Events and Activities

Self-guided tour of the Leopold Shack & Farm, a National Historic Landmark
Food Truck: Las Milpas Restaurant

9 – 10 a.m.
The Wonderful Adaptations of Turkey Vultures with Uncle Butzie!
Lecture Hall
Lisa Hartman, Bird Researcher and Educator, and Mike Mossman, Conservationist, Ecologist, and Historian

You too can also meet Uncle Butzie, the Turkey Vulture! Turkey vulture researcher Lisa Hartman and ornithologist Mike Mossman will join us with Uncle Butzie so you can learn firsthand about this species’ astounding adaptations and ecology. For example, what is the species’ role in the wide world of decomposition? Or did you know that among all the breeding birds in the Western Hemisphere, turkey vultures have the largest breeding distribution, from Canada to the tip of South America?

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Guided Nature Hike with Leopold Foundation Land Stewards
Meet at the Prairie Vista Loop Trailhead (look for signage or a docent)

Note: This one-mile hike could be strenuous for some, as it will be through varied terrain on improved hiking trails. Please arrive dressed for the day’s weather conditions.

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Can Biotechnology Help Save Endangered Birds and Resurrect Extinct Birds?
Lecture Hall
Dr. Stan Temple, Senior Fellow, Aldo Leopold Foundation

Science fiction like “Jurassic Park” notwithstanding, throughout the six-billion-year history of life on Earth, extinction has been forever. However, rapid advances in biotechnology and reproductive biology may soon make it feasible to resurrect extinct birds such as the passenger pigeon and the dodo and to help endangered birds recover. These applications of biotechnology to conservation have many technical, ethical, legal, and ecological implications. Given the many uncertainties and possible unintended consequences, how should we proceed? Professor Stan Temple will review progress and discuss the pros and cons.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Guided Green Building Tour
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center

Using materials harvested locally from the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area, the Aldo Leopold Foundation sought to construct a building that reflected Leopold’s Land Ethic. By exemplifying this Ethic, the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center received Platinum Certification, scoring 61 out of 69in its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification. At the time it was awarded in October 2007, it was the highest certification ever issued by the U.S. Green Building Council. Join us to learn about the building’s features, including geothermal earth tubes, radiant floor heating, forward-thinking design, and art by local artists.

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
“A Sand County Comic” with creator Emily Johnson
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center Meeting Hall
Emily Johnson, Environmental Educator

“A Sand County Comic” is a 26-piece art collection based on essays from A Sand County Almanac. It ranges from humorous takes on sections of the Almanac to stunning visual interpretations of Aldo Leopold’s lessons on what it means to be in a relationship with nature. Audiences will learn more about the artist, her journey to create these pieces, and more during her presentation.

1 – 2 p.m.
“Ishkode, A Story of Fire” Book Signing with Author Dr. Evan Larson
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
Dr. Evan Larson, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental Sciences & Society, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Embracing the power of memory, storytelling, and restoration, Ishkode, A Story of Fire is a celebration of hope, healing, and the lessons we can learn from the land. The lyrical narrative weaves Anishinaabe teachings with the science of tree rings, and was collaboratively written by Dr. Larson, of European ancestry, and Nisogaabokwe Melonee Montano, an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The book is vibrantly illustrated by celebrated artist Moira Villiard, a Fond du Lac Ojibwe direct descendant.

Copies of “Ishkode, A Story of Fire” are available at the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s Marshland Market.

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Guided Nature Hike with Leopold Foundation Land Stewards
Meet at the Prairie Vista Loop Trailhead (look for signage or a docent)

Note: This one-mile hike could be strenuous for some, as it will be through varied terrain on improved hiking trails. Please arrive dressed for the day’s weather conditions.