Isabelle's Invitation - Nature At The Confluence

Written by Isabelle Molitor | June 2025

Our planet has a vast and fascinating history, with a diverse range of plants and animals that came before us. This summer, you can imagine a prehistoric world within the learning garden at Nature At The Confluence. Plan a visit to explore the numerous vegetables and fun plants growing in the garden, and be sure to make a stop at the dinosaur themed children’s garden!

A peek into the dinosaur garden

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs and other prehistoric life forms inhabited the Earth during the Mesozoic era. This geologic era can be split into three smaller periods: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Paleontologists study and search for fossils (the preserved remnants of ancient life forms) to give us clues as to what happened on Earth in prehistoric times. The triassic period was characterized by reptile-like species, and plants such as conifers, ferns, and ginkgoes. The dinosaurs of this period had little resemblance to today’s portrayals of dinosaurs, but some species include Coelophysis, Temnospondyl (an amphibian species), and Aetosaurs. A mass extinction event occurred at the end of the triassic, leading to carbon cycle disturbances. Carbon is an element essential to all life forms which flows between living organisms and the atmosphere.These disturbances are hypothesized to have impacted changes in vegetation across the Triassic and Jurassic periods. The Jurassic period saw a significant increase in conifers in comparison to ferns, and the introduction of cycads. Some dinosaurs of this period include Sauropods such as Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus, the Allosaurus, and Cephalopods in the ocean. The most well-known period, the Cretaceous, is characterized by some similarity to the Jurassic, but with more flowering plants and diversifying insects. Some of the most commonly known dinosaurs existed during this period, including the T-Rex, Velociraptor, and Triceratops.

Similar to how we can piece together prehistoric events, gathering evidence and acknowledging the history of the land before us is a crucial part of Nature At The Confluence’s mission. Before 1832, the area of Nature At The Confluence was a Ho-Chunk village. You can learn more about this village and the people who lived here with our educational resources in our building, or by visiting the Ke-Chunk Ciporoke sculpture by Truman Lowe. This sculpture is a symbolic land acknowledgement of not just the Ho-Chunk village, but of their way of life as well. The Nature At The Confluence project has been an ongoing restoration effort to provide the community with a natural space for imagination, comfort, recreation, and education. Traces of prior mistreatment, such as garbage and contaminated soil can still be found in some spaces. The Earth is resilient, yet still holds so much evidence of our history.

The learning garden at Nature At The Confluence allows us to strengthen our connection to the planet and its rich past. A source of family fun, children can visit and use their senses to explore the garden, and their imagination to play in the dinosaur garden. The community-supported garden also represents the significance of locally grown food. When you visit make sure to look for the following crops which are labeled in both English and Spanish: