Tundra Swans in Chequamegon Bay

For the last week or so we have had about twenty tundra swans hanging out in Chequamegon Bay near the mouth of Fish Creek. The swans are on their way to Chesapeake Bay. Tundra swans are a larger-than-life reminder of the amazing migration many birds make from their arctic breeding/nesting grounds across North America to their wintering sites.

Some places along the Upper Mississippi receive thousands of swans each fall near Alma, WI and Weaver Bottoms, MN.

On a day like today, with a warm gray mist hanging over the lake, I feel lucky to witness these beautiful birds on their long journey.



Tundra Swans at Alma, Wisconsin by rontaube

Underwater Glider

The Great Lakes Observing System reported on the University of Minnesota-Duluth launching an underwater glider in Lake Superior.

On Sept. 26, 2009, Jay Austin, professor at the University of Minnesota - Duluth, successfully recovered his Autonomous Underwater Glider (AUG) after a nine-day data collecting mission. During its mission, it "flew" approximately 250km in the western arm of Lake Superior, making an equivalent of nearly 1000 conductivity, temperature and depth (CDT) casts.

The AUG's first mission was to move back and forth along the waters near Two Harbors collecting data, making 16 crossings of the shelf over about 4 days. After that, the glider swam over to the Wisconsin shore and back, producing a 30-km long section (see chart for raw, not-yet post-processed data). According to Austin, the cross-lake sections took about 24 hours to complete. He recalled the glider typically ran at about 35cm/s, slower than advertised, but thinks there are some things he can do to improve this.

The AUG is designed to collect real-time data at least once every three hours or when the AUG has completed a mission, whichever comes first. "While running it can be a bit un-nerving, this thing is really cool and provides a sort of data impossible to collect from ships or moored platforms," Austin said. "Hopefully this is just the first of many gliders in the Great Lakes!"

GLOS assisted with financing the daily operating costs which were on the order of $100-$150 per day (excluding boat time to get it out and back). Currently, the data the AUG is collecting is limited to temperature. Eventually Austin would like to collect data on a wide range of parameters, from oxygen levels to chlorophyll content.

For more information contact Jay Austin, 218-726-8773 or jaustin@d.umn.edu.

Wisconsin's New Invasives Rule

Gene Lemmenes, Charly Ray and Gene Brevold cut and treat Japanese Knotweed in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

Invasive species classification administrative rule (NR 40) went into effect on September 1, 2009.

This rule is important for Wisconsin because invasive plants and animals displace native species, disrupt ecosystems, and harm recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and hiking. They also damage commercial, agricultural, and aquacultural resources.

Because invasive species lack the predators and competitors they faced in their homelands, invasive species can spread rapidly and aggressively. Controlling invasive species is difficult, and getting rid of them is often impossible. People play a major role in spreading invasive species, and can also help keep them from spreading.

Some of the prohibited or restricted species found in northern Wisconsin include: Japanese Honeysuckle, Garlic Mustard, Spotted Knapweed, Leafy Spurge, Japanese Knotweed, Common and Glossy Buckthorn, non-native fish, zebra mussels, emerald ash borer and European gypsy moth.

The rule also requires several preventative measures to limit spread of invasive species, and includes permit and enforcement provisions. More information about the rule is online the Department of Natural Resources website.

In the Lake Superior Basin, we are lucky to have the Northwoods Cooperative Weed Management Area, a group of agency and nonprofit partners that meet regularly to coordinate work across the basin. CWMA members lead work parties to train volunteers in invasive control work, they coordinate regional strategies and initiatives for managing invasives and provide information to the community on actions we can take to prevent or control the spread of invasive species.

Whittlesey Creek Outdoor Classroom Rain Garden Revealed!

Thanks to stellar National Park Volunteers Judy and David Kay, the rain garden and patio at the Whittlesey Creek NWR Outdoor Classroom is looking beautiful!

The rain garden is planted with native perennial plants with small signs that talk about how rain gardens can soak up extra rain runoff so sediment doesn't flow overland into the creek. It's also very pretty!

Judy spent hours and hours this past weekend weeding the garden, laying landscape fabric and mulch. Her work on this garden allows the perennials to really take hold so there will by much less maintenance needed in the future.

In addition, the paver patio that can serve as a base for aquatic exploration along the small branch of the Whittlesey Creek, has been cleared of weeds. This is a nice spot for small groups to have easy access to the creek.
An artesian well is flowing and offers a tap to fill water bottles.

This outdoor classroom is a wonderful facility to have available at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. Many thanks for the TLC provided by Judy and David.

Wisconsin Lake Superior Partner Team Meeting July 13

Wisconsin Lake Superior Partner Team Meeting
Monday, July 13 at 4:00-5:30pm
Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Ashland, WI
Refreshments will be provided

1. Welcome and introductions

2. Bad River Watershed Association updates - Matt Hudson 40 minutes
a) Updates on funding and project
b) Solicit feedback on strategies for project implementation

3. Fish Creek Watershed Management and Restoration Plan introduction – Tom Fratt 10 minutes

4. Lake Superior Day July 19 discussion – Lissa Radke 10 minutes

5. St. Louis River 303(d) data inventory project request for input – Megan O’Shea 10 minutes

6. Outdoor Classroom in the Superior Municipal Forest review– Diane Nelson 10 minutes

7. Forestry & Watershed Management in Wisconsin’s Lake Superior Basin update– Ruth Oppedahl 10 minutes

8. Other matters for the good of the cause

June 26 Conservation Observance Day Honors Cora and Mark Liebaert

Join us for the 2009
Wisconsin Conservation Observance Day
Friday, June 26, 2009
10:00am – 3:00pm
At the Liebaert Family Farm, Riverview Ranch
7925 E. Munnings Rd., South Range, WI (near Superior)

Recipients of the 2008 Wisconsin Conservation Farmer of the Year
This free program will include: Speakers, lunch, exhibitors, and farm tours and demos

Mark and Cora Liebaert jointly own and operate a 600-acre farm in northern Douglas County which has been in their family 100 years this year. The Liebaerts also manage 200 acres of rented land. They are veteran graziers who raise and finish 80 grass-fed, pure-bred Black Angus cattle which they direct-market to local consumers. Besides this, the Liebaerts also raise several hundred pumpkins, a couple of horses, a few dogs and cats and a strong, wonderful family.

Mark and Cora manage their herd through rotational grazing; in fact, they started rotational grazing in 1985 before there were even names for such operations in their area. Mark has been instrumental in the rotational grazing efforts in Wisconsin, serving as a role model for others by sharing his successes and knowledge at local, regional and state venues, including hosting several pasture walks at his farm, teaching a rotational grazing class and speaking at the state Grass Works conference.

Other highlighted accomplishments include:

- Lowest cost hay producer in the state - Mark only uses 300 gallons of diesel fuel a year to operate his 600 acre farm plus 200 acres of rented lands; this figure also includes plowing his roads!

- One of the highest relative feed values in the state at more than 20% higher than the state average.

- Mark's first conservation plan was established in 1984 and has installed a variety of conservation plans since, the most recent being several access roads/animal crossings and heavy-use protection areas.

- Mark and Cora continue to participate in the Lake Superior Streams Volunteer Monitoring Program and they've taught others how to do their own monitoring.

- They host an annual Pasture Walk, follow a private Forest Stewardship Management Plan, and welcome opportunities to use their land and knowledge to help others learn - this sometimes includes bringing calves to kindergarten classes!

For more information see the Wisconsin Association of Land & Water Conservation website.

River Volunteers Needed to Detect Invasives in Northwestern Wisconsin-- Training Offered July 18

New Zealand Mud Snails have been detected in the Superior Duluth Harbor. NZMS have invaded western trout streams where they form mats on stream bed destroying habitat for fish and invertebrates.

The River Alliance of Wisconsin has launched Project RED (riverine early detectors), a new citizen monitoring program that trains river enthusiasts (paddlers, fishermen, WAV monitors, etc.) to identify and report 15 invasive species within river corridors statewide. During a free training hosted by the Bad River Watershed Association, the Friends of the White River, and Trout Unlimited Wild Rivers Chapter, the River Alliance will teach you to monitor your river by canoe, kayak, or on foot for 15 species of concern.

The Alliance will help you choose locations and a monitoring schedule that are convenient to you and your volunteers. The Alliance will also provide you with online data management tools available through www.citsci.org that help you report and map your findings. Detect It, Report It, and Fight It! Project RED provides you with the necessary tools to be a Riverine Early Detector. The protocols are easy and fun. Use this activity to become more familiar with your river or stream and to engage your friends and neighbors!

Project RED training is scheduled for Saturday, July 18 from 9:00-1:00pm at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center 2 miles east of Ashland off of Hwy 2. To reserve your space, please call Sarah Traaholt at 715-685-2672 or email sarah.traaholt@ces.uwex.edu.

See the River Alliance to learn more about invasive species in our river corridors and how you can help in the fight against invasives.

Woodland owners to tour pellet plant June 20 in Hayward, WI

HAYWARD -- Not since the energy crisis of the late 1970s has pelletized wood fuel become so popular. Don Kaiser, Executive Director of the Pellet Fuel Institute, estimates new or expanded facilities number over 40 coming on line in the last couple of years.

Here in the heart of the Northwoods forest products industry, Great Lakes Renewable Energy (GLRE) broke ground for the construction of a $7 million wood pellet plant in Hayward in April of 2008, which is operating at full capacity today. GLRE is on US Hwy. 63 South in Hayward, across from the Louisiana Pacific plant.
The Northwest Chapter of the Wisconsin Woodland Owners (NWWOA) will be touring the pellet plant on Saturday, June 20. A short NWWOA board meeting starts at 9:15, with registration for the tour set for 9:45-10:15 a.m.

At 10:30, GLRE General Manager Herb Seeger, and other employees will lead four small group tours, including demonstrations of debarking, drying, milling, pelleting, packaging, log yard activities and log scaling.

Products sold under the GLRE Lumber Jack brand name include Premium Wood Fuel Pellets, Animal Bedding, Aspen Kitty Litter, Wood Fiber Bedding and Commercial Fuel Pellets. The different species of trees used for these products will be discussed.
From 11:45 to 12:30, a box lunch will be served, including turkey and ham on croissants, pasta salad, fruit salad, chips and drink, at $7 per person.
Reservations for lunch must be made by June 17, by contacting Jim or Alice Kissinger at (715) 865-3419 or ajkiss@centurytel.net, with payment at the registration table.
At 12:30, GLRE representatives will take questions from the visitors, and from 1 to 2:30, a wood-chipping demonstration will be provided in the plant or on video.

The Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association is committed to educating and supporting private forest landowners in managing their land for all woodland benefits, now and in the future. The Northwest Chapter general membership meets four times each year, offering educational programs and opportunities for forest landowners to meet and share information and experiences about their woodlands. The Northwest Chapter serves private woodland owners in Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer and Washburn counties.

For more information, contact Ellie Williams, Bayfield County NWWOA representative, at (715) 765-4789.

Northwest Lake Conference June 19 at Cable

Join us June 19th for the Northwest Wisconsin Lakes Conference at the Telemark Resort and Conference Center in Cable Wisconsin.

Event details

Online registration (registration deadline June 13th)

We are pleased to welcome Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank who will give a luncheon address. Secretary Frank has seen significant conservation milestones achieved in his tenure as Secretary including re-authorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund and passage of the Great Lakes Compact. He is currently leading efforts to address invasive species, non-point pollution of lakes and streams, water conservation, and wildlife habitat protection.

We will also be joined by State Representative Nick Milroy. Rep. Milroy is a fisheries biologist by training and currently serves on the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Committee on Fish and Wildlife, and Committee on Forestry. We’ll be exploring the role of science in shaping legislation in our legislative updates session. Area Representative Gary Sherman and Senator Bob Jauch are also distinguished legislative guests; both have a long-standing commitment to Wisconsin water issues. This is a great opportunity for lake citizens to share their views with their elected officials.

Randy Stark, Chief Conservation Warden of the WDNR Bureau of Law Enforcement, will focus on some key people, challenges and events that shaped the history of the conservation movement in the United States since early 1800’s. He will tell the conservation story in a manner that he hopes will stimulate appreciation for the foresight, dedication and sacrifice of those who came before us, and provide inspiration to us in our day to tackle current conservation challenges on behalf of future generations.

Sessions throughout the day will explore ways to address land use concerns, zoning enforcement challenges, and local lake success stories. Join us for this great networking opportunity!

View from the Lake--Boat Tours of Lake Superior

The L.L. Smith, Jr. research vessel is back for another season of three-hour educational boat tours along the Lake Superior coastline! Did you know that a drop of water spends an average of 191 years in Lake Superior? Join us to discover why facts like these make monitoring so critical to keeping Lake Superior and its streams clean and healthy. Participate in sampling Lake Superior’s water and bottom-dwelling invertebrates (small animals without backbones) and compare your data to other locations around the lake. Get great ideas for how you and your community can protect this amazing resource while enjoying the "good life" along Lake Superior.

Are you a local government official, planning/zoning board member, or employee of a municipality and interested in attending for free? Please send Jesse an e-mail jschombe@umn.edu or call him at 218-726-6182.

Rain Harvesting Video

City of Superior Rain Barrels $40

Rain Barrels: An Old Idea That’s New Again. The PEIR Program (Public Education, Involvement & Relations) is selling rain barrels! Residential property owners of the city can purchase a rain barrel at the reduced cost of $40.00. Additional rain barrels can be purchased at the full cost of $70.00. All rain barrels must be pre-ordered by May 1, 2009. Download the application form, fill out and send it in with a $20.00 deposit. Rain barrel pick-up dates are June 4 from 2 – 7 p.m. and June 6 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Wessman Arena on the UWS campus.

For more information click here.

Chequamegon Bird & Nature Festival

The 2009 festival will be May 15-17 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. The festival has over 120 activities ranging from birding field trips,kayaking, rain gardens, children's activities with David Stokes and a lot more. This is the peak weekend for neo-tropical bird migration. You can register online and join us for a wonderful weekend.

Lake Superior Partners Meet April 16 in Iron River

The Lake Superior Basin Team is meeting on Thursday, April 16 at 7:00pm at the Community Hall in Iron River. Please join us to hear presentations on two new initiatives in the watershed.

First we'll hear from Carmen Wagner and Kristen Tomaszewski from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources about a forest watershed project that looks at how forest canopy cover affects water runoff into our streams. Scientists have seen that leaving at least 60% forest cover in our woodlands can reduce the velocity and volume of water entering our streams, reducing the erosion of clay and soil that harms fish and our drinking water supply.

Also at the meeting will be updates from Matt Hudson and Michele Wheeler of the Bad River Watershed Association on their Watershed Action Plan.

For more information, contact me via email at ruth.oppedahl@uwex.edu or call 715-685-2676.

Hooded Mergansers at the Center

A pair of Hooded Mergansers are hanging out at the pond behind the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. They are pretty shy and nest in hollow trees. They pair up in winter and may be headed further north. Our pond was tested for dissolved oxygen this winter, and did not have enough to support most fish. So I wonder what the mergansers are eating?

Photo courtesy of USFWS.

Wisconsin: Making it Home

A partnership of community groups and agencies are interested in bringing the Wisconsin Humanities Council’s Wisconsin: Making it Home film festival to the Chequamegon Bay area in 2010. The purpose of the festival is to promote dialog in communities about humans and nature. The Making it Home touring festivals include films from the 2009 Tales from Planet Earth Environmental Film Festival. The films tell stories from around the world that reveal connections between people and place, that explore questions of justice and responsibility, and that challenge assumptions about how we live on the planet.

We hope that we are successful in bringing this film festival to our area. If you are interested in volunteering, or would like to help plan the festival, please contact me.

For more information see our website.

Working Lands Workshop March 10

About four years ago I traveled to Madison with Bill Ferraro and Rick Dale, two fruit growers from Bayfield, to make a presentation about our farmland preservation program. Rick and Bill met with Rod Nilsestuen, the Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture to explain the benefits of purchasing development rights (PDR)on Bayfield orchards to preserve farmland.

We also presented a slide show about our program (the second in Wisconsin after the Town of Dunn) and information about twenty-four other states that have a state fund to support local PDR purchases. We had a full house in front of the Working Lands Initiative Committee and a great discussion about what works.

Secy Nilsestuen and his committee have done an excellent job incorporating this concept into the new Working Lands Program. To learn more about it, come to our workshop on Tuesday, March 10 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (Ashland, WI). We look forward to hearing more about the status of the program, and other efforts to protect farmland and working forests.

Brunsweiler Wild River Proposal

In January 2009, Senator Bob Jauch announced his goal of adding the Brunsweiler River in Ashland County to the Wild Rivers list, and naming it “The Martin Hanson Wild River” in honor of Wisconsin’s long-time conservationist.

The State Wild River legislation was passed over 40 years ago, the intent of the program is to “preserve some rivers in a free flowing condition and to protect them from development.” The program was developed to afford the people of Wisconsin an opportunity to enjoy natural streams, to attract out-of-state visitors and assure the well-being of the tourist industry. Currently, there are three Wild Rivers in Wisconsin: the Pike, Pine and Popple Rivers. The last time a river received the designation was in 1965.

The Brunsweiler River is an excellent candidate, as it provides a remote location for river recreation, with little development on its banks in the segment proposed for designation. The Brunsweiler segment includes more than a 10-mile stretch of river within the Chequamegon National Forest. The Brunsweiler was added to the state’s list of Outstanding Resource Waters in November, 2006. Because the proposed wild river segment of the Brunsweiler River is within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and it touches very few private parcels, the designation is expected to have little impact on current management of the river and little impact on private landowners.

There is considerable grassroots support for this initiative. This proposal was one of the top initiatives voted on by local conservation organizations at an August 14, 2008 meeting of the League of Conservation Voters in Ashland and Bayfield Counties. In order to be designated as state Wild River, a bill would have to be passed by both houses of the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
Click here to learn more about the Brunsweiler Wild River Proposal.

Lake Superior Youth Symposium

Please share this information with high school youth who love Lake Superior and want to meet others who are taking action to protect the big lake.

Lake Superior Youth Symposium May 14-17, 2009 in Duluth, MN.

Renewable Energy for America grantwriting workshop Feb 10

USDA Training Webinar with Live Location and Satellite Host Sites
Attend this workshop to understand the requirements of USDA funding in order to help your customers finance renewable energy projects.

This 75%/25% cost-share program can fund installations to save energy on agricultural operations or other small, rural businesses.

The Renewable Energy for America Program provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and small rural businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Eligible projects include biomass, wind, solar, geothermal and hydrogen; energy efficiency projects reduce energy usage in existing buildings and processes. Grants for energy efficiency measures include: lighting, heating, cooling, insulation, & pump improvements.

WORKSHOP DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2009
TIME: 9:00 a.m – 12:00 p.m.
PLACES: Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center-Ashland, WI (2 miles west of Ashland on Hwy 2)
Chippewa County Extension Office- Chippewa Falls, WI
Price County Extension Office - Phillips, WI
Sawyer County Extension Office - Hayward, WI

Lake Superior Tributary Models for Erosion and Sedimentation

I just sat through a webinar on some of the tributary erosion/sedimentation models developed by the Army Corps, Purdue and USDA to predict NPS runoff and sediment loads into Lake Superior. Did any of you get the notice on this? Most of the participants were from Carleton, St Louis and Cook Counties in MN and the UP.

Perhaps these tools are already in use by you all as resource professionals when you need to predict whether you get the most bang for your buck installing a practice in one site versus another on a stream. Some of the models are very specific like the model designed specifically for the Nemadji River (which lacks snow melt factors, is hard to use etc.). In Wisconsin, Army Corps is also in progress on a model for Whittlesey Creek, and scoping stage for Sisikiwit River and the St. Louis River. The Army Corps can only look at “federal harbor” sites, but that can include shallow-draft harbors. There are 91 tributaries in Lake Superior eligible for this modeling work. Obviously, their interest is reducing sediment to save $ on dredging harbors.

The Purdue model could be very useful with planning commissions, and even landowners. You can enter pre-development criteria about soils, area size and density of development, then chose a series of Limited Impact Development(LID) practices and compare the post-development runoff rates with or without LIDs. Purdue (Bernie Engel) hopes this model will help with TMDLs among other things.

One of the most interesting challenges is developing a forest-based model. Bill Elliot of USDA (Rocky Mtn Lab) has one, but it seems skewed towards forest fire impacts and it seems to indicate harvesting as little impact on runoff. It does show the huge impact road building can have on forest runoff.

The potential of using these models for education really great. I can see using these at a workshop for landowners; pull up the map for their property and run scenarios on thinning, harvest, timing of harvest (can it help to carry out harvest in stages) and whether or not you use BMPs and how this all affects the bottom line of runoff. The models could also be used in comp planning and development approvals.

There are lots of limitations of these models and if garbage goes in, garbage comes out. But they look like useful tools, and I wonder if others have any interest in learning more about these models? Perhaps ask for a rerun of the webinar or asking these guys to come up to our region so we can get trained in using them. How does info like this get disseminated in our region?

The session and materials are provided by the Great Lakes Commission and they have asked for ideas on how to get the word out about these models and for input on their materials. More info is at their website.

Thoughts?