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Volume 36, No. 4 Fall 2011
Lake Lovers Become Lake Leaders
Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Wisconsin’s Wild Lakes
Lake District Q&A
Spinning An Autumn Tale
Keeping Lakes in the Family
Wisconsin Lakes Partnership 34th Annual Convention
CLMN Superstars
Land Use and Wetlands: Zoning Opportunities to Improve Wetland Protection
Calendar
Reflections
Lake Lovers Become Lake Leaders
Whether you live on a lake all year long, visit your lake cabin during the warmer months, or are a “dry-lander,” we know you enjoy being near, on and in the water. You love its soothing properties as little ripples lap the side of your kayak, or shimmer in the early morning sun as you sit quietly with pole in hand. You love the exhilarating feeling it gives you as it flies high in a spray behind your ski or boat, or as you listen to the grandkids giggle and splash. You love how it echoes the call of the loon or reflects the beauty of the autumn colors. So how can you help to make sure these loves can continue now and into the future? How do you grow from a “Lake Lover” to a “Lake Leader”? One way is to join The Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute.
In the continuing age of shrinking budgets and smaller government, partnerships among natural resource agencies and local, citizen-run organizations have become essential to effective natural resource management. This has long been the philosophy of the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership. In Wisconsin there are quite literally thousands of citizens serving as officers, board members, or on committees of lake management districts and associations that routinely deal with a host of complex issues. Over 1,000 volunteers are monitoring lakes for everything from algae to zebra mussels. Throw in a few hundred county and municipal professionals that include lake and watershed management in their day-to-day activities and you can see why Jeff Bode, DNR Section Chief, has always suggested that with a handful of lake management staff in the state, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) should be “on tap” not “on top.” Although, recruiting and nurturing this diverse and revolving pool of human resources is a huge challenge.
History
In 1996, the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute was created. It was intended to “proactively develop a pool of committed and prepared leaders who could assume leadership roles in the (then) Wisconsin Association of Lakes and other statewide committees, county-wide lake associations, and watershed teams being organized by the DNR.” While recruiting talent for statewide roles is still a goal, many participants of the Institute learn and hone skills that they put to use in their local lake community. The Institute is designed to assist in developing and enhancing both the technical and people skills of citizen leaders. The Institute also seeks to develop networks for sharing experiences and to encourage participants to learn from each other.
Courses
The core curriculum is delivered every other year and is made up of three seminars, each lasting two days. These seminars give participants an opportunity to take field trips, enjoy natural beauty, exchange ideas, and develop friendships. Courses within each seminar are designed to create an atmosphere of openness, trust, and camaraderie.
Carroll Schaal, DNR Lake Team Leader, gives us an instructor’s/organizer’s view of the Lake Leaders Institute: “One of the most satisfying aspects of LLI to me is to see over the course of the three sessions how people respond. They open up, they become more confident, attitudes and perspectives change. They see the dedication and passion in the instructors and in each other and it helps inspire them. I always hear people say they leave the sessions energized, and so do I!”
Seminar 1 – Society and Environment: Philosophy and Ethics of Lake Management
Seminar 2 – Aquatic Ecology and Watershed Management: Impact of Lake Development
Seminar 3 – Organizations, People, Politics
The courses are designed and taught by a partnership of lake professionals. Instructors come from all levels of government and across many disciplines. The Wisconsin Lakes Partnership is able to cover most of the operational costs of the Lake Leaders Institute so that the participants are only expected to invest $350. These costs cover lodging, meals, field trips, equipment and materials during the three, two-day seminars. Some participants are able to secure financial support from a local lake organization or other sponsorship.
Who should be a Lake Leader?
Anyone interested in stretching their mind and exploring new ideas about lakes and the management of the human use of lakes, is welcome to apply. Maybe you have a neighbor or friend that you think would excel in this environment, maybe your current job or position would benefit from further leadership training, or perhaps you are ready to take that next step and volunteer your talents to ensure stewardship of our lakes.
Participants, in addition to lake residents, often include staff from DNR, UWEX, county conservation and zoning offices, and private consulting firms. The mix of agencies, staff, and citizens creates a unique dynamic that naturally fosters the collaboration and partnering necessary to succeed in today’s environment.
Ask yourself these questions to help decide whether you or a friend would be a good candidate:
- Do you have a vision of what our waters should be?
- Are you interested in meeting people that care about our lakes and waters?
- Would you like to meet and get to know the people working for state agencies charged with lake stewardship?
- Could you benefit from more knowledge of how to be an effective leader?
- Would you enjoy hands-on education on the science of lakes and aquatic ecology?
- Do you want to make a difference in Wisconsin’s legacy of lakes?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these, we think Lake Leaders is for you! To nominate yourself or a friend, go to
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/lakeleaders and click on “Nominate a Lake Leader” at the top of the page. You can also nominate via mail by sending the name and contact information of the person you are nominating (please also include your name and contact info.) to:
UWEX Lakes
College of Natural Resources, UWSP
800 Reserve Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897
phone: (715) 346-2116
Nominations for Crew 9 are being accepted now for 2012 – deadline for nominations is February 13, 2011.
Award-winning
In 2009, the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute received a national award for outreach and education from the National Fish Habitat Board (a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Among hundreds of nominees, the Institute was chosen by the board for its “extraordinary commitment to fish habitat conservation, science and education.”
Graduates
Lake Leaders Institute graduates are making a difference. They have taken their new skills and personal connections back to their communities and are assisting in the job of preserving and protecting our waters. Graduates are getting involved at many levels from being a more confident and knowledgeable resource for their lake neighbors to being elected to the county board. To date, the Institute has celebrated 219 graduates from 50 counties across the state. These individuals have made a personal commitment to take on active citizen roles in their local lake community, in county lake associations, on watershed management teams, and on statewide policy committees. They have taken their new skills and personal connections “back home” where some have been elected to town boards, county lakes association boards, and teams developing state water policy.
Advanced Lake Leaders
On odd numbered years the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute holds “Advanced Lake Leaders.” Open only to graduates of the Institute, Advanced Lake Leaders is a chance to gather for a couple of days and focus on a single, participant-fueled, timely topic. A group of 24 met at Kemp Research Station in September and asked for more in-depth training and resources regarding the shoreland and shallow areas in and around lakes. Of this gathering Hope Oostdik, a Crew 1 graduate and business owner said, “My experience at Kemp was awesome! I enjoyed the retreat idea and it was great to learn while swaying to and fro in the old boathouse! So much history there...My favorite moment – despite the cold – was the look on Paul Skawinski’s face when he spotted a new species of pondweed he had never seen before up close! There was some magic in the air that day on Lake Tomahawk...it gave me hope for the future that there are people so deeply interested and excited about our wonderful lake resources. Another highlight for me was to see John Haack’s slides of his wild rice harvest...so inspiring to see his enthusiasum for this native American tradition and culture! Kemp is a magical place away from the world!”
More on the Web
Who are the Lake Leaders in your neck of the woods? You can find out on the UWEX Lakes website at
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/lakeleaders. There is a handy map on the main page that allows you to click on your county to see who has graduated from the Institute. No one from your county? Maybe you will be the first! Our website also offers a convenient online nomination form (deadline: February 13, 2012).
Archives from past Lake Leaders crews are not only valuable for those who have completed the Institute, but also for those who would like to learn more about it. You will find everything from handouts, powerpoints, and maps to photos, recipes, and brochures.
Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute graduates have proven to be invaluable assets to our state’s water resources. Carroll Schaal, Lakes Team Leader with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says, “I have participated in the LLI [as an organizer and instructor] since its inception, and I think it’s done more to help me learn about the lakes, the communities, and the issues around the state more than any other experience or training. Sometimes, I think I get more out of the session than they [participants] do. It’s helped me put a face to Wisconsin lakes.”
Are you up for the challenge? Please consider joining the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute and continue to protect in partnership our legacy of lakes.
Graduate Feedback
The Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute helped me to gain a well-rounded understanding of lake policy. The organizers of the Lake Leaders sessions brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, and organized three terrific sessions to broaden our understanding of the scientific and legislative aspects of lake policy. After graduating from the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute, I am better able to understand not only the science of lake ecosystems, but also the psychology of riparian landowners and the politics of water regulation in Wisconsin. The friendly atmosphere and beautiful locations only sweetened the ‘Lake Leaders’ experience - I would highly recommend it to all lake residents and water resource professionals!
Paul Skawinski
Regional AIS Education Specialist, Golden Sands RC&D,
UWSP Graduate Student
Crew 8 and Advanced Lake Leader graduate
The Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute helped me by providing the tools to take my local lake advocacy experience and knowledge to a higher level. Participating in this important learning arena allowed me to tap into a network that has proved invaluable. So often we see the work we do as protecting ‘my lake’, but in reality every Wisconsin lake should be ‘our lake’. Sharing stories and experiences statewide expands our sense of partnership and brings a whole new set of resources to bear on issues and concerns that are much more common than they are different.
The Wisconsin Lakes Partnership and the Lake Leaders Institute are unique and the partnership has been the driver for the many success stories that are shared by LLI graduates at workshops, conventions, and conferences. Strong leadership gets the job done, and I believe this opportunity has made me more effective and energized.
Mary Knipper, Wisconsin Lakes Board member
Delavan Lake, Walworth County
Crew 5 and Advanced Lake Leader graduate
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Wisconsin’s Wild Lakes
by Patrick Goggin, Lake Specialist, UWEX Lakes
Wild lakes, defined by their undeveloped shorelines, pristine water quality, and diversity of life, provide us with a special opportunity. It is on these waters where we often can truly find solitude, wilderness, and tranquility. These unique lakes become our favorite places for hiking with the dogs, fishing for elusive sport fish, paddling with friends, or camping on their shorelands with family under the stars.
Ownership of wild lakes takes numerous forms. Many of these watery gems can be found on our public lands within county, state, and federal forests, natural areas, park systems, and wildlife management zones. Others are protected and maintained for public use by assorted conservation groups like the Nature Conservancy and additional land trusts. We are fortunate to have these biological wonderlands to visit and enjoy.
Access to these wild lakes supports our $13 billion tourism industry in Wisconsin. The exceptional fisheries in many of these wild lakes provide a place for the 1.4 million licensed anglers to wet a line every year. And the wetland complexes often associated with wild lakes store flood waters, filter runoff, and provide critical fish and wildlife habitat - services worth millions of dollars for free - not to mention limitless recreational opportunities.
But some of our wild lakes are rapidly disappearing due to development pressures for additional lake homes. Since the 1960s, development has occured on about two-thirds of lakes 10 acres and larger that were previously undeveloped. The average number of dwellings on privately-owned shorelands has more than doubled over the same time period. In the first ever 2007 National Lakes Assessment conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the number one stressor to our lakes is shoreline habitat degradation.
Citizens, along with the Department of Natural Resources, have recognized this vulnerability. Together they are working to protect and conserve them for future generations through the Wild Lakes Program. The purpose of the Wild Lakes Program is to protect and preserve high quality, endangered wild lakes. The goals of the program are achieved through the use of easements and land acquisition. For the purposes of the stewardship program, a “wild lake” is defined as:
“A lake or flowage of at least 5 acres, or significant portions thereof, identified in the Wisconsin registrar of waterbodies, where human influence, such as structural development of its shorelands, is not significant or can be removed at costs deemed warranted by the DNR”.
How does the program work?
A potential lake purchase is scored for the program according to a list of criteria to identify whether it qualifies as a “wild lake.” Generally, the program looks for the most undeveloped lakes and shorelands, but reviewers will evaluate any mostly-wild lake, or large, undeveloped parcel. Landowners on lakes that score the highest are contacted regarding either a voluntary sale of the property or potential conservation easement placed on their property. The program only works with willing sellers or voluntary participants; no lands are ever condemned.
The acquisition and preservation of wild lakes is a joint effort between many parties. These include the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, county governments, assorted land trusts, and numerous other non-profit conservation organizations. It is through this unique partnership that we will be able to protect wild lakes so that future generations can enjoy and appreciate their values.
Do you know of a lake with little or no development that you would like to see included in this program? For more information see:
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Wild Lakes Program
The DNR considers the following factors when evaluating wild lake projects (not listed in priority order):
- Existence of no or low levels of structural development on adjacent shoreland;
- Lake or flowage has larger surface area;
- The extent to which water quality and fish and wildlife habitat are threatened by development;
- The extent to which the lake provides habitat for rare species or harbors high quality natural communities;
- The extent to which the lake provides quality habitat for fish and wildlife;
- The extent to which threats to water quality and fish and wildlife habitat can be protected through acquisition of property as determined by the percent of the lake’s shoreline or watershed captured by the acquisition;
- Degree to which the acquisition reduces fragmentation of terrestrial or aquatic habitat as evidenced by the proximity to other public lands, clusters of lakes and linkages to other surface waters; and
- Other unique features, including but not limited to, natural scenic beauty, archeological, geological, or cultural features.
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Lake Districts Q&A
Q: Can Lake District commissioners receive compensation for their service?
A: Yes. Typically, Lake District commissioners are only paid for actual and necessary expenses that they incur while conducting the business of the district. They may also be paid additional compensation if that compensation is established by the annual meeting [Wis. Stat. § 33.28(5)].
We often get phone calls and emails from Lake Tides readers with a variety of questions about lake districts. Do you have a question about lake districts that you would like to see answered in Lake Tides? Send it to uwexlakes@uwsp.edu so we can include it in a future issue.
By Simone LaMarche, UWSP Student
From films and fears and children’s songs, the spider has earned a reputation for being a creeping, crawling, skin biting, web-spinning spokesperson of spooky. This time of year spiders are a common sight. Aside from the decorations that were recently adorned for Halloween, real spiders are taking refuge from the cold-coming winter in the attics, garages, and wood piles of their reluctant landlords. Most people don’t take much time apart from the moments it takes to sweep a broom or stomp a foot to consider spiders or the fascinating lives they lead.
Spiders are arachnids, a class of invertebrate animals that are distinguished from insects by having eight legs in lieu of six. Approximately 40,000 different species have been identified worldwide on five continents; over 500 species reside in Wisconsin. In addition to their eight legs, spiders also have chelicerae (pinchers), venomous fangs, and anywhere between zero and eight eyes. But what really sets the spider apart is the web she weaves.
The picturesque spider web most familiar to people is the spiral orb web; however there are many different kinds of webs and habitats in which spiders reside. Tangle webs or cob webs are often seen in neglected ceiling corners. There are also funnel webs, tubular webs, sheet webs, and tent webs. Some spiders bypass the web thing altogether and instead live underground, in natural debris, or even submerged under water!
While a spider may or may not spin a web, all spiders produce silk. Spider silk is incredibly strong; pound for pound it’s stronger than steel! It’s also incredibly elastic and can stretch up to four times its original relaxed length before breaking. Spider silk has many different uses, and because of this, there are many different types. A single spider can produce several different types of silk from different glands. Dragline silk, for example, is used for the outer rim and spokes of an orb web while the much tougher aciniform silk is used to wrap captured prey. In all, there are seven different silk glands for producing different types of silk.
One of the most fascinating uses of silk is the act of ballooning. Ballooning, also known as dynamic kiting, is a process by which a spider, typically a small spider, can launch itself into the air. The spider begins by climbing as high as it can. It then stands on raised legs, abdomen pointed upwards. This is called “tiptoeing.” It then releases anywhere from tens to hundreds of fine silk strands, called gossamer or balloon silk, which form a triangular sheet that acts as a parachute and lifts the spider away. While most spiders land only a few yards from where it began, spiders have been known to survive in the currents of jet streams, without food, for over 25 days. Many sailors have reported spiders being caught in the sails of their ships even miles from land.
Given its remarkable strength and elasticity, one could only imagine the human uses of spider silk. Unfortunately, spider silk is difficult to harvest in any quantity. Attempts have been made to re-create spider silk synthetically in a lab, but the substance and the exact mechanics by which a spider spins her web are enigmatic and have eluded scientists for years. In 2000, scientists produced spider silk protein in goats by introducing a spider silk gene into the goats’ DNA. Though the milk contained the necessary protein, attempts to spin it into silk were met with limited success. More recently, the Universities of Wyoming and Notre Dam have created a genetically altered silk worm that produces a silk very similar to that of a spider. In 2010, it was announced at a press conference that the effort had been successful.
While they’ve been few and far between, there are some notable human uses for spider silk. Peasants living in the mountains of Eastern Europe used to cut up spider tubes built by the Atypus spider and cover their wounds. It reportedly facilitated healing due to the antiseptic properties of spider silk in addition to vitamin K, which is essential to the process of blood clotting. Fishermen in the Indo-pacific Ocean use spider web to catch small fish; at one time it was common to use spider silk for crosshairs in optical instruments. Because of the difficulties involved in keeping spiders captive, as well as the tedious silk collecting process, silk production is usually left up to the silk worms. However, one piece of spider silk exists today. It took more than a million spiders, seventy workers, and four years to create, but in 2009 Nicholas Godley and Simon Peers produced an eleven-by-four foot textile courtesy of the Golden Orb spider.
Spiders aren’t just interesting to learn about, they’re a significant benefit to humans as well as the environment. As predators, spiders help control bug populations in agricultural areas and residential zones. Bugs that destroy our crops and cockroaches that infest our homes are kept at bay by spiders. As prey, spiders are an important food source for wasps, lizards, birds and other animals. Many birds also depend on spider silk for nest construction.
While not totally unfounded, spiders suffer more from their stigma than humans suffer from them. An important and intriguing aspect of nearly every ecological system on earth, spiders deserve more credit than they receive.
References
Fishing spiders, also known as dock spiders, are the largest spiders in the Upper Midwest. Their bodies grow to be one inch, with a leg span that can cover up to four inches. They’re typically seen around ponds, swamps, and streams nearby vegetation. These hunters can skate across water and dive underneath for prey. In addition to insects, fishing spiders often eat small vertebrates such as frogs, tadpoles and small fish! This one was near the Plover River in Stevens Point, WI.
The name “daddy long legs,” given to bugs with exceptionally long legs, can refer to harvestmen (opiliones), cellar spiders (pholcidae), or crane flies. One famous myth claims that daddy long legs are some of the most poisonous spiders in the world, but their fangs are so small that they cannot penetrate skin. However, this myth has been bunked by the MythBusters and Bill Nye The Science Guy.
A noiseless, patient spider,
I mark’d where on
a little promontory it stood isolated,
Mark’d how to explore the
vacant vast surrounding,
It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament
out of itself:
Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.
And you O my soul where you stand,
Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space.
Ceaselessly, musing, venturing, throwing,
seeking the spheres to connect them.
Till the bridge you will need be form’d,
till the ductile anchor hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul.
~ Walt Whitman from Leaves of Grass
As a child I spent summer vacations at my grandparents’ cabin on Spider Lake in Iron County. On several occasions, my parents and grandparents recounted the old wives’ tale that claimed that stepping on a spider living on Spider Lake would result in a karmic rainfall the next day. Miraculously, I saw this myth substantiated and since then have avoided stepping on spiders on and off Spider Lake.
Keeping Lakes in the Family:
Sharing the Magic Through Stories
Compiled by Lynn Markham, Center for Land Use Education
As the weather turns colder we gravitate toward cozy evenings on the couch under a warm blanket or in our favorite chair by the fire. What better way to round out that snug feeling than curling up with the kids (or grandkids) and a book about lakes? See the Fall 2008, 2009 and 2010 editions of Lake Tides for more reviews at www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/laketides.
Loon Baby
Author: Molly Beth Griffin
Illustrator: Anne Hunter
This lovely picture book addresses a child’s fear of abandonment and offers the reassurance of a mother’s love. Hunter’s illustrations artfully complement the story arc. In the beginning, watercolor washes of subtle blues and greens establish serenity. Ages 4-8.
The Waterfall’s Gift
Author: Richard Jesse Watson
Illustrator: JoAnne Ryder
The insistent voice of the waterfall rings through the old north woods, beckoning a listening child back to the secret place she once shared with her grandfather. Now that Grandpa’s gone, she wanders alone, yet feels a comforting sense of oneness with the forest. Ages 4-8.
That’s Papa’s Way
Author: Kate Banks
Illustrator: Lauren Castillo
A father and his daughter spend a lovely day together in this quiet story about the small pleasures of an outing on the lake. The illustrations convey the sense of calm that blend wonderfully with the story. Ages 4-8.
Turtle Crossing
Author and illustrator: Rick Chrustowski
This nonfiction picture book follows a painted turtle as she emerges from the ground where she hatches, crosses the road, and makes her way to a pond – then travels back five years later to lay her own eggs. Cutaway views showing what is above and below ground level are particularly effective. Ages 4-8.
Loon
Author: Susan Vende Griek
Illustrator: Karen Reczuch
This gorgeously illustrated prose poem follows two baby chicks through the cycle in which they breed on northern lakes during the spring and summer, and migrate to open coastal waters in the fall. An afterword supplies other interesting facts about the common loon, and the different factors that threaten them, suggesting ways to help protect them.
A House for Wanda Wood Duck
Author: Patricia Barnes Svarney
Illustrator: Dominic Catalano
This charming tale tells the story of a family that builds a nest box for Wanda, their favorite wood duck. Her successful nesting becomes a tale of discovery as well as an important lesson in conservation. Includes a simple diagram on how to build a wood duck nest box. Ages 4-8.
Adventures With Jonny:
Let’s Go Fishing!
Author: Michael DiLorenzo
Illustrator: Jennifer Julich
Unique in its approach, this first title from the Adventures With Jonny series presents three books in one. It first depicts a children’s fishing adventure story, which perfectly relates the excitement of the day from a child’s point of view. Next is a parents’ “how-to” fishing guide that also offers tips for achieving maximum enjoyment from the day. Finally, a “Name that Fish!” family game is presented to help everyone learn the basic characteristics of the most common freshwater fish. Ages 3+
Wild about Wisconsin’s Birds: A youth’s guide to the birds of Wisconsin
Author: Adele Porter
Kids are naturally curious, and this book can help satisfy that curiosity while fostering a love of nature. There is a 46-page section about birds that live near lakes, rivers and wetlands. The vivid photographs and fun, kid-friendly presentation will have wildlife fans of all ages flipping through the book with each new sighting. Ages 9-12.
Songs of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems
Author: Joyce Sidman
Illustrator: Beckie Prange
In this strikingly illustrated collection, science facts combine with vivid poems about pond life through the seasons. Sidman employs many poetic forms, including austere haikus and rollicking sea shanties. Ages 8-12.
Aquatic Plants of the
Upper Midwest
Author and photographer: Paul Skawinski
This full-color, photographic field guide to the aquatic plants of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is an expanded version of the popular guide Aquatic Plants of Wisconsin. Learn to identify 131 species with over 350 color photos and easy-to-understand descriptions. Other features include an introduction to aquatic plant ecology, three practice pages to familiarize readers with how to use the book, and botanical keys to the four most common genera of aquatic plants in our region.
Water: A Natural History
Author: Alice Outwater
A generation after the Clean Water Act was passed, one-third of our waters are still polluted, according to the author. Outwater reaches back into our history and shows how our waterways have been transformed by the loss of keystone species. She looks at grasslands and forests, artificial waterways, agriculture, aqueducts and toilet bowls, sewers and sludge
Movies and Films
Into the Outdoors: On the
Water’s Edge
This film takes audiences on an exciting adventure around Wisconsin to explore the plants and animals of wetlands. Learn about bluegill colonies in Washburn County, then travel to the Fox River Sanctuary and learn about the invasive purple loosestrife. The film also visits a student-led project about shoreland restoration.
For ages 9-16.
Available by calling Discover Mediaworks at 608-442-5973. Other episodes of Into the Outdoors are available at www.kididdel.com
Mysteries of the Great Lakes
Ron Bruch (Actor), David Lickely (Director) Travel to the “inland seas” in
Mysteries of the Great Lakes, and dive underwater with a 200-pound sturgeon making her spawning run up Wisconsin’s Wolf River. This Science North Production takes the audience on a journey through some of the world’s most spectacular scenery. View the trailer or buy the DVD at
http://sciencenorth.ca/mysteriesofthegreatlakes/.
Bugs of the Underworld: A fly fisher’s guide to the natural history of aquatic insects
Ralph and Lisa Cutter
Extraordinary, award-winning, underwater video footage follows the life cycles of mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, and other amazing bugs, many of which live in lakes and streams. See how aquatic insects behave and what they really look like. Teachers, parents, water monitors, scientists, and kids of all ages will be entertained and enlightened by this video.
Wisconsin Lakes Partnership 34th Annual Convention
The Wisconsin Lakes Partnership will host their 34th annual Lakes Convention on April 10-12, 2012 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. The convention theme, “Partnering for Lakes,” will focus on how we can continue to work together to protect our state waters. Who are we? We are lakefront property owners, farmers, swimmers, scientists, builders, business owners, anglers, realtors, lake groups, government officials, boaters, foresters, teachers – we are the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership.
Continuing with tradition, the convention will offer interactive workshops, full-group (plenary) sessions, a poster session, over 35 concurrent sessions, and several opportunities to create new partnerships and bolster seasoned ones. Two of the keynote speakers this year are John McKnight and Darby Nelson.
John McKnight:
John McKnight has conducted research for over four decades on social service delivery systems, health policy, community organizations, neighborhood policy, and institutional racism. After almost 20 years of working in and with neighborhoods in Chicago, McKnight returned to his Alma Mater, Northwestern University, to join the “academics” - as he puts it - and give a practitioner’s angle to their research. From his continued work and interest in local communities and neighborhoods, the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute was born.
Celebrating, connecting, and building on valuable qualities from within – that’s really what Asset-Based Community Development is all about. Instead of looking from the outside and seeing what’s wrong with a community (or lack of partnership) and trying to “fix” it, John McKnight and the ABCD Institute suggest identifying and encouraging each community members’ skills and interests (assets) in order to enhance the community (or partnership).
John’s relaxed delivery will reassure you that if you approach individuals in your community the right way, creating and maintaining partnerships is not only possible, but also enjoyable! His tried-and-true approach to community building may shift your perspective and give you another tool to help build partnerships that are in our lakes’ best interest.
You may be interested in some of John McKnight’s written works:
Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets (1993)
The Careless Society: Community And Its Counterfeits (1995)
The Abundant Community (2010)
Darby Nelson:
It is clear that Dr. Darby Nelson has a life-long commitment to the preservation of our environment – especially our lakes. He is an aquatic ecologist who taught at Anoka-Ramsey Community College for 35 years, and then brought his knowledge and experience to the Minnesota state legislature where he served three terms and chief-authored numerous environment and conservation bills. He is a friend, supporter, and co-chair of Conservation Minnesota, where he recently served as board president.
Nelson currently writes for several outdoor publications, and his new book, For Love of Lakes, just hit shelves last month. Editor-in-chief at the Minnesota State University Press calls it the “Sand County Almanac of lakes.” This necessary and thoughtful book addresses the stewardship void while providing improved understanding of our most treasured natural feature.
Darby will no doubt get you thinking about how our actions have an effect on our lakes and inspire you to continue your great efforts of
“protecting in partnership our legacy of lakes.”
Darby gracefully describes the beauty and ecology of lakes through rich personal and natural histories. This book engagingly challenges us to consider both our relationship with nature and how our choices affect its future.
~ Jonathan Higgins, Senior Aquatic Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy
Nelson’s interplay of emotion and logic stimulates the reader to think and that is a good thing. For Love of Lakes is poetic to the end–a wonderful read for all who enjoy natural history.
~ John J. Magnuson, Emeritus Professor of Zoology and Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Nominate a Local lake Steward
Deadline: February 10, 2012
Do you know an individual or group involved in outstanding efforts to protect and preserve the waters of Wisconsin? We want to know who they are! Nominate them for a Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Stewardship Award - it's a great way to say, "thank you!" to the people who are really making a difference in your lake community.
The 2012 Stewardship Award winners will be celebrated at the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention in Green bay, April 11, 2012.
Wisconsin is fortunate to have many talented and knowledgeable people acting as Citizen Water Quality Scientists on their lakes. We would like to highlight some of the accomplishments of the volunteers in the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network (CLMN).Want to see a CLMN volunteer acknowledged in Lake Tides? Please send information to Laura Herman, CLMN Statewide Coordinator at Laura.Herman@uwsp.edu.
Sue and Dan Pagel have a home on Blue Lake in Oneida County. In 2007 they began discussions with their lake association about collecting baseline aquatic plant data to track water quality changes on their lake. Many lakes apply for Lake Management Planning grants to accomplish this goal, but Blue Lake does not have public access and might find it difficult to receive grant monies for this effort.
Dan started by taking a look at various ways of doing aquatic plant surveys. The lake group decided to do the point intercept method, the same that WI DNR and consultants doing the work use. A pontoon classroom was done on the lake in 2008 to acquaint folks with the plants present on Blue Lake. Plant samples were collected for comparison and the lake residents were ready to get busy.
Sue became proficient at identifying their aquatic plants. Dan diligently loaded the 962 GPS points into his GPS unit and learned to keep the boat on course. One basin of Blue Lake was completed in the summer of 2008. In August 2009, the Blue Lake plant survey team completed the baseline point intercept survey. Twenty-eight species of aquatic plants were found on the lake.
The group had a good time – they say the survey will be repeated every three to five years. Blue Lake is in good hands!! Thanks to Dan and Sue Pagel, Bill Clark, Tom Bose, Cheryl Kamba, Candy Simpson and Sylvia Knust for their efforts.
Zoning Opportunities to Improve Wetland Protection
New Publication Now Available
The Wisconsin Wetlands Association has released a publication, Land Use and Wetlands: Zoning Opportunities to Improve Wetland Protection, which provides detailed recommendations on how Wisconsin’s local governments can amend zoning and other land use ordinances to strengthen wetland protection and better integrate local, state and federal wetland policies.
Release of the publication was timed to help counties and towns address longstanding wetland protection challenges as they updated their ordinances to meet new shoreland zoning requirements (NR 115). With implementation of NR 115 delayed two years (from February 2012), local governments now have a longer timeframe to consider the publication’s recommendations. Cities and villages unaffected by NR 115, citizens, lake professionals, and environmental groups can also use the publication to encourage zoning revisions to improve local wetland protections.
Wisconsin Lakes Partnership
Photography Contest
They say a picture is worth 1000 words, but your picture could be worth $100! That’s right, first place in each of two categories of the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Photography Contest can get you a cool hundred (second and third place are $50 & $25 respectively).
All the rules and other details are on the web site at
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/conventions, or you can call Amy Kowalski at 715-346-4744. We want to see Wisconsin waters through your eyes. Whether it’s a candid shot or posed, or an innovative perspective or timeless scene, please share your best and favorite images.
Deadline: March 12, 2012
Calendar
December 4-7, 2011 – 2011 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Des Moines, IA
December 8-9, 2011 – 2011 Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association
58th Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells, WI
January 11-12, 2012 – 2012 Wisconsin Ground Water Conference, Wisconsin Dells, WI
January 22, 2012 – Early-bird Deadline, Wisconsin Wetlands Association Conference
February 1, 2011 – Application deadline for Lake Planning and AIS Control Grants
For more information contact your DNR Lake Coordinator or go to
February 22-23, 2012 – Wisconsin Wetlands Association Conference, Lake Geneva
March 19, 2012 – Early bird Deadline, Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention
April 10-12, 2012 – 34th Annual Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention, KI Center, Green Bay
Agenda details and online registration will be available in January 2012. Register before the March 19th early bird deadline and save your hard-earned cash!
College of Natural Resources
University of Wisconsin
800 Reserve Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Volume 35, No. 4
Fall 2011
Phone: 715-346-2116
Editor: Amy Kowalski
Design & Layout: Amy Kowalski
Regular Contributors: Patrick Goggin, UWEX & Carroll Schaal, WDNR
Contributing Editors: Erin McFarlane & Eric Olson, UWEX
Illustrations by: Carol Watkins & Chris Whalen
The contents of Lake Tides do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of UW-Extension, UWSP-CNR, the Wisconsin DNR or the Wisconsin Association of Lakes. Mention of trade names, commercial products, private businesses or publicly financed programs does not constitute endorsement. Lake Tides welcomes articles, letters or other news items for publication. Articles in Lake Tides may be reprinted or reproduced for further distribution with acknowledgment to the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership and author. If you need this material in an alternative format, please contact our office.
Published Quarterly
Reflections
Well done is better than well said.
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