PLATO upcoming events

Mansion Hill East Walking Tour (May 31, 2026)

Sun, 31 May 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Mansion Hill East Walking Tour

Sunday, May 31 from 4:00-5:15

Registration is required.

Join us as we collaborate with the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation on a guided walking tour through the historic Mansion Hill East neighborhood. Travel through time to see the stately sandstone mansions built by Madison’s early elite, including the Old Governor’s Mansion, home to 17 Wisconsin governors. Other highlights include the “architectural gem of Mansion Hill,” now Mansion Hill Inn, and the Gates of Heaven Synagogue.

The tour will accommodate up to 18 pre-registered guests and will last approximately 75 minutes. Meet outside the Edgewater Hotel at the upper level restaurant entrance. The tour will begin promptly at 4 p.m.

The guided tour is approximately 1 mile in length and covers some paved but hilly terrain. Comfortable shoes for walking are strongly recommended. Tour participants are encouraged to bring water with them as the tour will be taking place entirely outdoors and shade will vary. Walking tours will happen rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, consider bringing an umbrella. There are no restrooms on the tour.

Leading the tour will be PLATO Board member Steve Sparks. A certified Toastmaster, he holds a master's degree in journalism and mass communication. In retirement Steve is doing consulting work in communications and indulging his interest in history by working as a tour guide at the Wisconsin State Capitol and as a docent for the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace and for Historic Architecture Walking Tours through the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation.

Registration: Cost is $20/person with all the registration money donated to the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation.

The registration deadline is Thursday, May 28. PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline. Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.

A tour may be cancelled for extreme weather or lightning. We will alert guests at least four hours in advance by email. Purchased tickets will be refunded.

Parking: You can park on the street or in the Edgewater Hotel parking ramp which has a public parking rate of $4/hour.

Questions? - Contact tour organizer Steve Sparks at 608-692-3302 or swsparks@charter.net

Dane County Landfill Tour (June 02, 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Dane County Landfill Tour

Tuesday, June 2 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Free to PLATO members and guests.

Registration is required.

We had a wait list for last year's Dane County Landfill Tour so we are repeating it in 2026.

Ever wonder what happens to your trash after it leaves the curb? Join us for an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes field trip to our local landfill and waste management facilities — a fascinating journey into the world of recycling, renewable energy, and responsible disposal.

Tour highlights Include:

Clean Sweep Facility: See how hazardous household materials like paints, cleaners, and batteries are safely collected and handled.
Construction & Demolition Recycling Center: Learn how building materials are sorted and reused to keep tons of waste out of landfills.
Renewable Natural Gas Plant: Discover how organic waste is turned into clean, renewable energy that powers homes and vehicles.
Active Landfill Site: Get a rare, firsthand look at how today’s landfills are engineered to manage waste while protecting the environment.

Why You Should Come:

Gain a deeper understanding of where your waste goes — and why it matters.
Learn how to reduce your own environmental footprint.
Perfect for sustainability advocates and curious minds of all ages.

Space is limited and spots fill quickly, so register today for this unique, educational experience that just might change the way you see your garbage!

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Safety information: The health of our visitors and staff is important to us and we have implemented the following policies and procedures for our tour program:

- Safety vests will be provided and must be worn at all times during the tour.

- No sandals or open toed shoes.

- Bathroom access is extremely limited, please plan accordingly.

Weather: Tours proceed rain or shine, so tour attendees should dress for the weather.

Directions: Please meet at Hope Park (3656 County Highway AB, McFarland, WI) directly outside our landfill facility where our mobile Trash Lab exhibit is located. The Trash Lab exhibit will be parked out front, with a "tours" sign to mark where we will be gathering. Visitors will have a chance to explore the Lab prior to getting on our Waste + Renewables bus for the grounds tour.

For further information, contact PLATO trip leader, Cynthia Moore, eron99c@gmail.com , 608-228-8836.

Nature Walk at Pheasant Branch Conservancy (June 11, 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Free to PLATO members and guests

Registration Required

Registration Opens on May 12

Join Pheasant Branch Conservancy President Hans Hilbert as we explore some of the most unique land features in the Conservancy. We’ll discuss human history, ecology, watershed dynamics, and the impacts that development around Pheasant Branch continue to have on the Conservancy. We will also highlight the Friend’s successes in prairie establishment and habitat improvement. Our walk will include a visit to the Springs and an overview from Pheasant Branch Hill.

The Walk

This 2 1/2 hour walk and presentation will cover about a 2 1/2 mile stretch of the Conservatory including views of natural springs, contouring newly added farmland to better hold the water and clarifying it prior to it flowing into Lake Mendota. The walk is on mostly flat or slightly rolling trails. We may climb a hill to better view the newly added and modified farm land.

Land Use History and Hydrology

The Pheasant Branch Watershed covers a 24-square-mile area within the northwest portion of the Yahara River Watershed. It includes parts of the towns of Springfield and Middleton and the cities of Middleton and Madison. Land use is roughly 50/50 urban and rural. The North and South forks of Pheasant Branch Creek meet just west of USH 12 in Middleton and the flow about 2 ½ miles to Lake Mendota. The North Fork in the Town of Springfield is mostly rural and the South Fork in the Town of Middleton and the cities of Middleton and Madison is mostly urban.

Prior to settlement, much of the rainfall in the watershed drained into a large wetland in the area of current day Middleton Airport (Morey Field). Early settlers drained the wetland and channelized Pheasant Branch Creek (creating the North Fork) in the 1850s in order to harvest peat and farm the old glacial lake bed. These changes and subsequent development greatly expanded the drainage network, increased runoff, destabilized the channel, increased erosion, and deteriorated water quality. Consequently, the ability of this area to stabilize downstream flows, protect water quality and recharge groundwater has been diminished.

Land use in the northern part of the Pheasant Branch Creek Watershed is mostly agricultural with the result that nutrient-laden runoff flows from the watershed and into Lake Mendota. This runoff contains significant amounts of sediment and phosphorus, which pollute the Pheasant Branch Creek and contribute to the algae blooms that plague Lake Mendota. Runoff from the urban areas in the South Fork also contribute large amounts of sediment, phosphorus and other pollutants which end up in the Conservancy and Lake Mendota. In fact, Pheasant Branch Creek is one of the major tributaries that deliver phosphorus to Lake Mendota.

Steps are being taken to correct this situation. Pheasant Branch Creek Watershed is part of an innovative, multi-faceted approach known as “adaptive management” to reduce phosphorus. Led by Yahara WINS (Yahara Watershed Improvement Network,) this pioneering approach brings together diverse partners - farmers, businesses, cities, towns, Madison Metro Sewerage District, and the county - to fund and carry out a range of conservation practices including cover crops, strip cropping, manure injection, streambank buffers, biofilters, and grassy swales to control and reduce the amount of phosphorus flowing through the watershed and entering the Conservancy and the Yahara Lakes. The Friends of Pheasant Branch strongly support the adaptive management effort.

Additional Information: Several maps of the conservancy are available at the Friends of Pheasant Branch website: http://www.pheasantbranch.org/

Accessibility: A 2 1/2 mile walk along a graded path makes this walk one of the more accessible we'll offer this year. The route may involve a few small hills to view newly added prairie.

Microphone: Our leader will have a microphone along to assist in delivering his message clearly as possible.

Driving and Parking Information: We will use the parking lot at Orchid Heights Park, 3960 Valley Ridge Rd, Middleton, WI 53562.

For further information, contact PLATO trip leader, Mike Dilorio at mdiiorio@tds.net or 608-520-4448.

The Recycling Revealed Tour (June 18, 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:30:00 GMT

The Recycling Revealed Tour

Thursday, June 18 from 10:30-12:00

Free to PLATO members

Only 8 slots available because of limited parking

Registration is required

Registration opens on May 19

Ever wonder what happens to your recyclables after you drop it in the green bin? Find out on our tour of the Pellitteri Kipp Street Station material recovery facility which Madison uses to handle its recycling operation.

Recycling plays a vital role in conserving natural resources, reducing landfill waste, and protecting the environment for future generations. By reusing materials like paper, metals, plastics, and glass, we decrease the need for raw resource extraction, which in turn saves energy and reduces pollution. Recycling also helps limit greenhouse gas emissions, making it an important part of addressing climate change. On a community level, it supports local economies by creating jobs in collection, processing, and manufacturing. Ultimately, recycling is a simple but powerful way for individuals and organizations to contribute to a more sustainable and responsible use of our planet’s resources.

The tour begins in the Education Room, where you’ll get a behind-the-scenes view of how recycling really works. From this vantage point, you can watch state-of-the-art systems in action as they separate, sort, and prepare materials for their next life. You’ll also overlook the busy tipping floor, where truckloads of recyclables arrive and begin their journey through the facility. Along the way, you’ll enjoy a short, informative presentation and video that bring the process to life and highlight the impact of recycling in our community.”

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Safety Rules:

All visitors must be accompanied by a Pellitteri employee.
Tour participants must wear long pants and closed-toed shoes.
No visitor will be allowed to tour the working floor of the facility.
All visitors are to follow the instructions listed for vehicle restrictions, safe vehicle entry, enter through the center door of the building and stay within the enclosed office space and educational room
In the event of a fire, please exit the stairwell nearest the parking lot. In the event of a tornado, please exit the stairwell by the TV and go to the hallway by the bathrooms located between the lunchroom and utility room.

There is a No Media policy at the facility; taking videos or photos on personal devices is not allowed. This is out of respect for the employees as well as for proprietary reasons.

Directions: Because parking at the recycling facility is limited to two cars for our group, we will be meeting at a nearby lot and carpooling the 1.3 miles to the recycling site. Meet at 10:30 in the parking lot of the McFarland Ice Arena, 4812 Marsh Road.

The trip leader will be taking her car and we need one more car to transport registrants. If you would be willing to use your car to carpool registrants from the McFarland Ice Arena to the recycling facility, indicate that when you register.

For further information, contact Joyce Knutson at k2pmw@sbcglobal.net or 608-238-4279.