This holiday season, give a gift to your family and to nature! Join the Waukesha County Land Conservancy for our Annual Christmas Tree Harvest at our Calhoun Creek Prairie Preserve on Saturday, November 28th, from 10 AM to 3 PM. This preserve was once a Christmas tree farm, but we’re working to restore it to its original prairie and oak savanna ecosystem. By taking home a nonnative evergreen tree, you’re not only carrying on the tradition of choosing a Christmas tree to enjoy the holidays with - you’re also helping bring back the open skies, wildflowers, and wildlife that once thrived here. Each tree removed lets sunlight reach the soil again, encouraging native grasses, flowers, and young oaks to return.

It is a pretty special tradition: you take home a tree for your family, and the land gets a little more room to become a prairie again!

Pick your perfect Christmas tree for $50 or a wreath bundle for $5! Payment accepted in person (card, cash, or check) or preorder your tree online here. We’ll have a few hand saws and twine ready, but bringing your own will make the experience even easier. Our amazing volunteers will be nearby to lend a hand and help make your harvest merry and bright.

This year’s harvest is especially meaningful thanks to Team Rubicon, a veteran led humanitarian organization that serves communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. Their volunteers will be joining us to help with tree removal and hauling while using the event as a hands on training opportunity to practice chainsaw cutting, tree removal, and hauling skills that can be put to work during future disaster relief efforts.

We strongly encourage you to utilize Team Rubicon’s free cutting and hauling services when selecting your tree. Your participation will make the experience easier for your family while giving their team valuable real world training and helping us continue the restoration of Calhoun Creek Prairie Preserve.

Choose a tree of any size and have it topped to whatever size works best for your home. The portion you take home becomes your Christmas tree, while the remaining tree is removed from the preserve to help restore the habitat beneath it.

We are incredibly grateful to Team Rubicon for bringing their skills and spirit of service to our community. What makes this partnership so special is that their volunteers get an opportunity to strengthen skills that may one day help communities in need, while their work here directly helps restore a local landscape for future generations.

This year is extra merry and bright as we welcome back North Pillar Brewing for a full day of festive fun! Stop by to enjoy delicious drinks, including hot cocoa, while gathering around the bonfire and celebrating the season with friends and family.

We’re also excited to welcome the Waukesha Choral Union to the preserve from 2-3 PM for an hour of beautiful holiday carols!

You can catch them again in December for their holiday concert, “The Joys of Christmas,” with two performances:

• Friday, December 11 at 7:30 PM at Community United Methodist Church in Elm Grove
• Saturday, December 12 at 1:30 PM at First Baptist Church of Waukesha

As a special offer, WCLC members, volunteers, and supporters can receive $5 off adult tickets! Once tickets are available at choralunion.ludus.com, select a $15 adult ticket and enter WCLC at checkout to receive the discount. Ticketing fees still apply. The discount code is valid for adult tickets only.

Waukesha County Land Conservancy's Annual Christmas Tree Harvest

Calhoun Creek Prairie Preserve
5180 S Calhoun Rd, New Berlin, WI 53151

The property is just south at the corner of Beloit Road and Calhoun Road. Entrance is via a gravel drive off Calhoun Road. Look for “WCLC Event” yard signs to guide you to the right spot.

See the map below for reference, and please reach out with any questions at wclc1992@gmail.com

Take a look at our map to explore the different tree species available and the restoration areas you’re helping support!

In the case of inclement weather, Sunday, November 29 will serve as our backup day. We will do our best to work with you to make sure you’re still able to get your Christmas tree!