Tucked quietly in a patch of protected woodlands in the Driftless Area, a mother bobcat watches as her three kittens tumble in the underbrush, curious and full of life. Ever alert, her mission is to keep her kittens safe and teach them how to make a life in this wild space. Both eagles and bobcats were rare in the 1970s and 1980s, but now we are hearing regular reports of both from our landowners. In fact, we now take eagle sightings for granted.
These sightings are a powerful reminder of what spring is all about: new beginnings, wild beauty, and the quiet hope that comes with a future made possible through care and protection. And it’s also a reminder of just how far we’ve come—because not long ago, scenes like this were nearly impossible to find in our region.
In the 1980s, bobcats were almost absent from southwestern Wisconsin. Habitat loss, unregulated trapping, and property fragmentation pushed these elusive cats out of much of their native range. But in the decades since, something remarkable has happened. Thanks to the protection of large, connected tracts of natural habitat—made possible by people like you—the bobcat population has begun to recover. Today, sightings are on the rise, and families like this one are once again finding the space they need to survive.
Bobcats are a powerful symbol of what it means to protect land not just for today, but for tomorrow. These wild cats need intact forests, clean water, and quiet places to raise their young—just like we all want safe, healthy places to raise our own families. When you support Mississippi Valley Conservancy, you’re not just protecting prairies and woodlands. You’re helping create a future where wildlife thrives, where children grow up with woods filled with bird songs and wildflowers, and where we all have the chance to feel rooted in something lasting and good.
Every acre protected is a promise kept—to the animals who depend on it, to the people who cherish it, and to future generations who will walk these same trails and know they are part of something worth protecting. Your generosity ensures that these bobcat kittens will have the space to explore and grow, just as your own children or grandchildren will have the freedom to experience the wonder of wild places.
This spring, as life blooms across the Driftless Area, we hope you’ll see this mother and her kittens as a sign of what’s possible close to home—when compassion leads, when conservation is rooted in community, and when hope is alive and well in the woods.
(Photo of bobcat family by Sheryl Pearson)