Wisconsin Point Planning Open House Aug 29, 6-8pm

You are cordially invited to attend a public open house concerning the development of a management plan for Wisconsin Point and surrounding area. This event will take place from 6-8 PM on Monday, August 29th at the Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Ave in Superior. Your input will be essential to crafting a vision for Wisconsin Point and identifying a long-range management strategy for this unique resource.

Please feel free to share this with others within your organization!

Regards,
Jason

Jason K. Laumann
Senior Planner
Northwest Regional Planning Commission
1400 South River Street | Spooner, Wisconsin 54801
ph 715.635.2197 | fax 715.635.7262

Chequamegon-Nicolet Nat'l Forest Takes Lead on Climate Change For Future Planning

In July, the Lake Superior Partner Team heard from Dale Higgins, US Forest Service Hydrologist about the Forest Service's work on climate change. He is involved in assessing vulnerability of sites and prioritizing key areas in the Chequamegon National Forest in the Lake Superior watershed.

The Forest Service has selected two watersheds to study: the headwaters of the Marengo and the 20-Mile Creek. The goal is to document and improve watershed conditions. He is looking at twelve indicators eg aquatic/physical, geomorphic etc. Assessment is mainly done via GIS data. The next step will be to prioritize areas for restoration work for the next 3-5 years.

Why these watersheds?
20 Mile has a good mix of projects already approved or underway. Good partner potential. Located in the Great Lakes basin. Small enough to get a plan done by Sep 30. 11,734 acres. 43% in National Forest.

Marengo headwaters excellent mix of projects. Good opportunity for collaborations. Bigger, more complex. 33,144 acres. 63% in the National Forest.

Potential projects include: road stream crossings, instream restoration, relocation of FR378, restore chanellized section, decommission roads, riparian restoration, stabilizing streambanks.

Climate Change Response Framework in Northern Wisconsin--report now available!

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is at the forefront of research and action planning for adaption to climate change. The Climate Change Response Framework Project is a highly collaborative effort working to help land managers in northern Wisconsin understand the potential effects of climate change on forest ecosystems and integrate climate change considerations into management. Since 2009, this project has set out numerous tasks to bridge the gap between scientific research on climate change impacts and on-the-ground management activities. Land managers currently face the immense challenge of anticipating the effects of climate change on forest ecosystems and then developing and applying appropriate management strategies. Our project works to identify strategies and approaches for climate change adaptation and mitigation relevant to forest ecosystems in northern Wisconsin. A new report has been released to help land managers and others concerned about the health of our forests, plan for changes in our climate and its effects on our forests.

Summary of report

To order the a hard copy of the Climate Change Response Framework
in Northern Wisconsin report, click here.

Aug 11 Bird City Meeting in Ashland

On Thursday, August 11 at 6:30pm at Northland College's Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, Bird City Wisconsin coordinator Carl Schwartz will be scouting out potential supporters for Bird City recognition efforts in the Bayfield Peninsula. Schwartz will be making a public presentation aimed principally at Ashland, Bayfield and Washburn residents interested in seeking Bird City status for their communities.

Modeled on the “Tree City USA” program, Bird City Wisconsin developed 22 criteria across five categories, including habitat creation and protection, community forest management, limiting hazards, public education, and recognizing International Migratory Bird Day. If a community meets at least seven criteria, it becomes an official “Bird City.”

There are 182 "Tree Cities" in Wisconsin, with some recognized for more than 30 http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifyears, so the Bird City Steering Committee had anticipated that many communities would take advantage of their Tree City status to meet BCW's category 2 requirement: "Participation in Programs Promoting Effective Community Forest Management."

While Bird City also offers communities an opportunity to demonstrate some other important accomplishment in this area, Schwartz said Tree City communities not only understood the concept of a community recognition program but also appreciated the importance of habitat improvement in bird conservation.

Website: Wisconsin Bird City website