|
|
Inside This Issue
A Message from the Executive DirectorThe Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership has deliberately engaged in discussions revolving around stewardship in the last year. One result was to change our Mission Statement to “Cultivating environmental stewardship in the lakeshore region.” Environmental stewardship is an ethic whereby citizens participate in the careful and responsible management of air, land, water and biodiversity to ensure healthy ecosystems for present and future generations. Implementation embodies cooperative planning and collaboration with organizations, communities and others to actively engage in the protection, conservation, and restoration of natural resources in the interest of long-term sustainability. At our first showing in June, LNRP launched a new group, Friends of Hika Bay. The group will focus on stewardship activities in the watersheds that drain directly into Hika Bay including Calvin, Pine, Point, Fischer, Centerville, and Seven Mile Creeks. What better way to inspire a “Friends” group than to share the story of Aldo Leopold and his thought-provoking land ethic? The closing words of the film are critical to the message Leopold wanted to convey: that the land ethic ultimately can’t be written, that it’s alive in the minds (and I’d add hearts) of concerned people in order to stimulate community-based stewardship. The land ethic is not a final word but a guiding light. It includes land and it includes us! We hope the Friends of Hika Bay will use the land ethic as their guiding light to better our quality of life now and into the future. Stayed tuned to our website for future showings of the film and please join our membership as we further support stewardship activities in the lakeshore region. If you’re interested in hosting us to show this remarkable film, please contact me at 920-304-1919 or by email at Jim@lnrp.org. It’s an honor to serve you, Jim Kettler, Executive Director 2011 Champions of Conservation Receive AwardsThe Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership (LNRP) and Dominion® recently awarded three people from the Lakeshore Region for their environmental stewardship efforts, at our annual Champions of Conservation Awards Program, May 18 at UW-Green Bay. Kelly Eskew-Vorron was named Environmental Education and Outreach and Champion of Champions for her enthusiastic and creative environmental education throughout Manitowoc County with Woodland Dunes Nature Center in Two Rivers. Vickie Mayer was selected as the 2011 Champion of Water Resources Protection for her lifetime of citizen advocacy. As Champion of Land Use Protection and Habitat Protection, Richard Becker was lauded for his protection of his family’s century-old farm, converting all 220 acres into perpetual easement in the Wetlands Reserve Program. The Champion of Champions received $2,000, which Kelly donated to Woodland Dunes. Vickie Mayer is establishing a scholarship program with Friends of the Branch River with her $500 award which they will match for area students. Richard Becker is giving his $500 to the Westshore Sportman’s Club. Former Lt. Governor and current chair of the Wisconsin Arts Board Barbara Lawton addressed the group building a bridge between water and the arts, painting a lyrical and factual picture of the essential need for this relationship, “as fundamentally necessary in our world today,” according to Lawton.
Champions of Conservation Award Winners: Kelly Eskew-Vorron (2nd from left); Richard Becker (last on right); Vickie Mayer’s award accepted by representatives of the Friends of the Branch River, Terry Huske (far left) and Tom Ward (middle). The non-profit LNRP sponsors this program with support from Dominion. “We are very pleased to award these individuals for their outstanding achievements in a wide range of environmental initiatives,” LNRP Executive Director Jim Kettler said. “With our corporate sponsor Dominion, we hope to encourage our communities to emulate the achievements of these successful nominees to promote innovative environmental approaches to enhance our quality of life in the Lakeshore Region.” Conference to Address Groundwater Pollution, Help Farmers Find Workable SolutionsMore than four years after a highly publicized groundwater pollution problem affected numerous drinking water wells in the Town of Morrison, in Brown County, a conference will explore solutions with farmers and landowners. LNRP is partnering with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Glacierland RC&D, the Land and Water Conservation Departments of Brown, Calumet and Kewaunee Counties, and the Kewaunee and Calumet Groundwater Guardians. “Groundwater Protection, Education and Awareness on Karst Topography: Building the Agricultural Management Tool Box,” will be held July 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Glenmore Community Center in Brown County. “We learned a lot after the Town of Morrison well contamination peaked in 2006-2007. More than 40 percent of the 150 wells tested were high in nitrates and bacteria,” said Bill Hafs of the Brown County Land Conservation Department. “Educating manure haulers about where it’s safe to put waste has improved the situation considerably. No one wants to purposely pollute drinking water.” While similar pollution problems are widespread in much of northeast, southeast and northwest Wisconsin due to land use practices and underlying geology, this coalition joined forces to curb groundwater contamination. Much of their work focuses on educating area residents about the health and economic benefits of preventing groundwater pollution.
“This issue of groundwater contamination in sensitive Karst areas of the state continues to be a serious problem and challenge for safe drinking water, but we now have solutions,” said LNRP Executive Director Jim Kettler. “We believe in working with farmers, manure haulers, industry and government representatives to find economically viable and effective management tools to help keep our groundwater and drinking water safe.” Karst soils are the geologic equivalent of Swiss cheese. The soils are extremely permeable and sit atop bedrock, making it easy for water and contaminants to flow through soils and into groundwater, a common source of drinking water. Contaminants from agriculture and dairy operations, urban practices and natural sources can inadvertently pollute neighbor’s wells and make them unusable. Chuck Wagner, a tree farmer from northwest Kewaunee County and tireless advocate for clean water and best management practices, knows this issue first hand. “I’ve been struggling for over a decade to have safe water to drink. The problem came to light in 2001 when my baby grandchild came to live with us. We knew of the dangers of contaminated well water on infants and had our water tested, discovering high levels of nitrates and bacteria. Now, despite several different attempts to fix the issue, we still can’t drink our own water,” he said (see Fall 2010 issue of The Source for an in-depth article). Kettler said preventing groundwater pollution is much easier and less expensive than cleaning up a problem after it occurs. Calumet Co. Land Conservationist Eugene McLeod said his staff has been collecting data through 2,500 residential well tests these past several years. “We see a problem in a good one-third of the county, in a line from High Cliff to New Holstein. Considering the presence of nitrates and/or indicator bacteria, the data point to problems in 50 percent in karst areas deemed highly susceptible, with 70 percent of samples testing unsafe for drinking due to our geology and largely agricultural land use. We need to work with farmers and other landowners to use best management practices and protect the groundwater. What I’d guess is that for every visible karst feature we see, there are many more invisible beneath the surface.” Andy Wallander, County Conservationist for Kewaunee County, said that 28 percent of drinking water wells in the county are unfit for human consumption due to bacterial or nitrate contamination. “When the snow melts or it rains enough in the spring to recharge the local aquifer in these areas, we’ve got well contamination events,” Wallander said. “Sometimes, we’ve even got ‘brown’ water coming out of kitchen faucets.“ He added that most of the wells that tested high for nitrates and bacteria contamination are located in the sensitive karst areas. The LNRP is inviting all land and water conservation agency representatives, crop consultants, contract manure haulers, farm insurance providers, and agricultural banking representatives to the conference. To showcase low-impact farming, a Karst Landscape Tour at the Mike Wierick’s Dairy Farm in Casco will take place on Friday, July 15, from 9 a.m. to noon. “Mike will provide a walking tour of his farm to discuss these soils and showcase practices he’s put in place to protect groundwater, and there will be guest speakers as well,” Kettler said. This tour is part of our new Ledge Tour program (see related information in this issue). We will also gather at Trout Springs Winery on Saturday, July 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. for a special Dining on the Ledge, featuring a silent auction of Water’s Edge Artists’ paintings and gourmet four course meal prepared by renowned chef Kyle Cross. We will engage in a lively discussion of the importance of the Ledge wineries to the economic well-being of our region and upcoming American Viticulture Area designation. Registration is limited for these events. Contact Maryanne Dainsberg, Glacierland RC&D, 920-465-3006, or email office@glacierlandrcd.org, for more information. The Environmental Scourge of Phantom Loads
“The Door County Libraries purchased a number of “smart” watt meters,” Douglass says, “available on loan just as you would borrow a book. They come with easy-to-read instructions. All you have to do is plug the watt meter into an outlet and then plug each of your electrical devices into the socket on the meter. You can move the watt meter to a nearby outlet as you test each device to see how much power is being consumed. You can tell the watt meter how much you pay for each kilowatt hour of electricity, and the smart watt meter will tell you how many dollars will be charged on your electric bill each month or each year for each device you test.” “The results surprised me, particularly in some cases,” he adds. “The devices listed here are quite typical so you can do your own expense calculations based on what I found. These are devices that run 24/7/365, often with clocks or timers.” Desktop Computer & Peripheral Equipment: “My home’s phantom loads add up to 154.7 watts. At 12 cents per kilowatt hour, it is costing me an extra $162 a year. And, that is with our computers and TV turned off instead of ‘idling’ or in ‘standby’ mode,” Douglass reports. He says if you’re going to measure your own usage, be sure to include battery chargers, electric fencing, and other ‘passive’ devices. This meter only measures devices that plug into an outlet.” “Other problem areas adding to the phantom loads prove difficult to measure. These include devices wired directly to the electrical panel and include the electronic controls of the furnace, the doorbell transformer (warm to the touch and vibrates and therefore must consume power), the smoke detector system, air conditioners, hot tub controls, electric stove (because of the clock), washing machine and clothes dryer.” “Another big energy robber is our refrigerator, consuming 153 watts while running and 901 watts when going through the defrost cycle. It runs 36% of the time and, in a 24-hour period, consumes 1,354 watts of power. At 12 cents per kilowatt hour, the refrigerator costs me $4.87 a month or $58.49 a year. Now several years old, it was the most efficient model when I purchased it.” “To reduce phantom loads, I now have all computers and their peripheral devices plugged into power outlet strips with on-off switches. I shut off all power to these devices when not in use. Same for the TV. Other appliances are more problematic. I want the weather radio on standby because it warns me of impending dangerous storms or if there is an Amber Alert. Some devices require clocks or timers to perform their functions.” “As smart consumers concerned for their pocket books,” Douglass suggests, “for the pollution spewed into the air we breathe, creating hazardous wastes in the process of generating electricity, and for the depletion of increasingly diminishing sources of fuel, we can try to buy more efficient appliances and those that don’t consume power when idle. And maybe we can do without some of the ‘bells and whistles’ that are ‘phantom’ consumers of electrical power.” Water’s Edge Artists Launch New Programming – Art with a PurposeThe project will add to a series of current LNRP activities to foster a stewardship ethic among people by appealing to individuals’ heartfelt connection with the beauty of nature. Throughout history, art has proven to be a powerful messenger, having the ability to initiate entire movements. The Water’s Edge Artists explore what stewardship means and how their art can help foster a stewardship ethic that protects our priceless natural resources and strengthens our communities.
The Water’s Edge Artists already has created a rich portfolio of artworks, and each artist allows their talents to speak for the places they love. The collaboration with LNRP ensures that these special places are sustained for future generations. LNRP believes that the appreciation of art can be an effective first step in our efforts to promote the knowledge, enjoyment, and protection of Wisconsin’s natural resources. Please visit our Conservation Gallery and partner with LNRP by purchasing your favorite painting. The sale of each painting results in 50% of the proceeds going towards LNRP’s support of stewardship activities. Ledge Tour To Washington IslandOur newly restructured Ledge Tours program attracted 17 hearty and adventurous souls on a May 20, 2011 excursion to Washington Island, located at the tip of Door County, Wisconsin. Considering the chilly days leading up to it, we lucked out with a splendid day of sunshine and warm temperatures. Our knowledgeable guide, Sandy Petersen, lived on the Island teaching ecology for 14 summers and presented us with a well-rounded, engaging and educational tour.
We thoroughly enjoyed getting a taste of what makes Washington Island so special and attractive while learning about the Escarpment features at the same time. |
Summer 2011
News from LNRP3rd Annual Barn Dance Plans Underway! Niagara Escarpment and Groundwater Events Planned LNRP Receives Two River Planning Grants Lake Michigan Stakeholders Meeting 3rd Annual Barn Dance Plans Underway!Our third annual Barn Dance at the renovated, historic Saxon Homestead Farm in Cleveland, Wisconsin, will take place on the evening of Saturday, September 24, 2011. You can find more details and purchase tickets on our event website: www.wisconsinbarndance.org.
With this annual event, we celebrate the value of working lands, recognize the need for quality natural resources, and explore the partnerships that can help improve rural life. Our first and second annual barn dances were huge successes, bringing statewide awareness to rural development and sustainability issues, and raising thousands of dollars to support our partner organizations, all in a fun-filled, uplifting atmosphere. Partnering for Progress is a partnership between Gathering Waters Conservancy, the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers, hosted by the Saxon Homestead. Each organization has a mission that, in part, works to promote environmental stewardship and sustainable rural development, and this event serves as a fundraising vehicle to advance each organization. Niagara Escarpment and Groundwater Events PlannedLNRP is co-hosting a series of events to raise awareness of issues relating to groundwater protection on karst topography (see related article). On July 15, we will co-host a pasture walk on a dairy farm with significant karst features. On July 19, we will co-host a workshop designed to better inform dairy operations on how to minimize the risk of contaminating groundwater while exploring the best available management tools. Our partners include the USDA-NRCS, WDNR, Glacierland RC&D, The Land and Water Conservation Departments in Brown, Calumet, and Kewaunee Counties, the Kewaunee Groundwater Guardians, and the Calumet Groundwater Guardians. LNRP Receives Two River Planning GrantsLNRP will continue to cultivate stewardship with watershed-based activities with funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. River Planning Grants will focus on further developing the Friends of the Branch River and launching two new groups: Friends of Hika Bay and Friends of the Twins. Friends of Hika Bay will focus on the watersheds draining into Hika Bay from Seven Mile Creek to the south to Calvin Creek to the north. Friends of the Twins will focus on the East Twin River and West Twin River watersheds. Stay tuned to the LNRP website for events and other announcements. Lake Michigan Stakeholders MeetingSteering Committee Update On June 14, the Lake Michigan Stakeholders met at the Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland. Jim Kettler, Executive Director of LNRP, provided an update of Steering Committee activities. The Steering Committee has been involved with strategic planning over the past year in response to the 2010 survey. To facilitate that process, the Steering Committee established a Strategic Planning Committee comprised of the Steering Committee members and several additional Stakeholder members. Through that process, they have developed a set of Bylaws, established an annual survey, and drafted an Action Plan. Over the next few months, they will be developing a logo and setting up a website as well. Phragmites & Lyme Grass Control Project Heidi Springborn, DNR coordinator for Phragmites and Lyme Grass Control project, presented a spirited discussion of the scope of their upcoming plans to manage these invasives along the shoreline in a 6 county area of Oconto, Marinette, half of Brown, part of Door, Manitowoc and Sheboygan. She described the life cycle of these invasives and the challenges on the project. The State Wildlife Action Plan established Conservation Opportunity Areas (COAs), which are being used to determine where treatments will occur along the shoreline. These areas are places on the landscape that contain ecological features, natural communities or species habitat for which Wisconsin has a unique responsibility for protecting or contains habitat with dominant responsibility for conservation when viewed from the global, continental or in the upper Midwest perspectives. Thus, it is important that their ecological integrity be restored and protected.
The project is designed to treat the invasives over three field seasons on both private and public lands covering a total of 3600 acres. The Ordinary High Water Mark is used to delineate between public and private lands. Treatment is expected to begin in August when Phragmites begins to flower, and will be done through aerial and ground spraying depending on the size of the infestation and ability to access the site. Landowner agreements are required before any treatments may occur on private property. Private contractors experienced in this type of work will be hired for the majority of the work. Sheboygan AOC : Progress on Delisting Strategy and Summary of Projects Stacy Hron, DNR’s AOC Coordinator for Sheboygan River Area of Concern (AOC), discussed efforts to implement habitat projects in the AOC. The Sheboygan River Area of Concern (AOC) Fish and Wildlife Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has been in the process of planning habitat restoration projects for delisting degradation of fish and wildlife populations. This includes the loss of fish and wildlife habitat Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) as well as projects that address restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption, degradation of benthos and degradation of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations BUIs. U.S. EPA is interested in accelerating restoration projects in this AOC to leverage clean up of contaminated sediments in the river expected to be completed later this year, in the hopes of removing several BUIs
Key projects along a 14-mile stretch of the Sheboygan River include shoreline stabilization and shoreline restoration projects, Wildwood Island restoration, targeted invasive species control, in-stream habitat improvements, and conservation planning on a 180-acre parcel owned by the City of Sheboygan. They will also be evaluating waterfowl toxicity to determine whether consumption advisories may be lifted and will be evaluation the status of plankton and benthic communities as well. GRLI funding totaled $5.1 million for this AOC. Stacy works out of the Plymouth WDNR office. Great Lakes Conservation Initiative Lia Montgomery, a concerned citizen and member of the Stakeholders, presented Dr. Barlow’s Great Lakes Conservation Initiative, a petition drive to create a Great Lakes protected Bio-Region joining 47 others in the US. Visit their website for further information. New Publication Land Use and Wetlands: Zoning Opportunities to Improve Wetland Protection Now AvailableThis May, in celebration of American Wetlands Month, the Wisconsin Wetlands Association released a new publication, Land Use and Wetlands: Zoning Opportunities to Improve Wetland Protection. The publication provides detailed recommendations on how Wisconsin’s local governments can use zoning and other land use ordinances to improve local wetland protections.
By February 2012, many local governments will be required to update their shoreland zoning ordinances to comply with new requirements under Chapter NR 115 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. Though NR 115 did not substantially change minimum standards for shoreland-wetland protection, the ordinance revision process provides local governments the opportunity to evaluate current wetland provisions and amend their land use regulations to be more consistent with, or even more effective than, federal and state wetlands laws. Local governments not affected by NR 115 can use the publication to guide ongoing and future zoning, planning, and conservation efforts. Additionally, citizens and environmental groups can use the publication in their efforts to evaluate and improve local land use and wetland policies. WWA’s publication provides a variety of recommendations for local governments to consider, adopt, and implement at their discretion. It also includes tips to help local governments more efficiently administer local wetland protection policies and address longstanding local wetland protection challenges. The research and recommendations were completed with grant support from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and in collaboration with numerous partners, including the Center for Land Use Education and the Wisconsin County Code Administrators. Land Use and Wetlands: Zoning Opportunities to Improve Wetland Protection can be viewed or downloaded for free from WWA’s Land Use and Wetlands web-page. Questions about the recommendations or how Wisconsin Wetlands Association can help your community protect local wetlands should be directed to Policy Specialist Kyle Magyera at 608-250-9971 or by email. We're now on Facebook!Come check us out on our brand new Facebook page where you'll be able to see news updates, join in discussions, and share the good news about LNRP to a larger audience. Find us under Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership.
Want to donate?I would like to make a tax deductible donation.
|
| P.O. Box 62 Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 • © 2011 Lakeshore
Natural Resource Partnership, Inc. © 2011 Wisconsin Web Writer, LLC All Rights Reserved |
|
We have further explored stewardship with the showing of the new film on Aldo Leopold and his development of a land ethic. Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time was produced by the Aldo Leopold Foundation, the US Forest Service, and the Center for Humans and Nature. The film shares highlights from Leopold’s life and extraordinary career, explaining how he shaped conservation in the 20th century and still inspires people today.
You may have heard about electrical devices in your homes (and offices) that consume power even when allegedly turned off. Technical people refer to this power consumption as a “phantom” load. Ed Douglass, LNRP Board member, decided to check this out in his own home to get a picture of the problem for himself.
The intention for “Art with a Purpose” is to mentor and teach children that creating art can go beyond the visual or tactile and actually be a vehicle to make a difference in our world. To actively engage in the act of environmental stewardship, protection, and preservation, students shadow and partner with Water’s Edge Artists on-site at paint-outs. By experiencing the challenge of creating with all of the forces and stimulus of nature unfolding before them, young artists will be encouraged to physically and emotionally connect on a deeper level to the natural world.
First we learned more about the Island’s history from Dick Purinton, owner of the Washington Island Ferry, long considered to be ‘the lifeline’ for the approximately Island’s 658 permanent residents. According to their website, Washington Island was “one of the earliest immigrant settlements in Wisconsin. The town dates back to 1865. Icelandic and other Scandinavian immigrants made this Island their home. Before these times, the Island was populated by American Indians. Long known for abundant fish in the waters surrounding the Island, it is also well known for some of the most treacherous water conditions on Lake Michigan. Hundreds of wooden shipwrecks are located here and your passage to the Island takes you thru port des mortes or Death’s Door.”
Next, Terrie Cooper of the Door County Land Trust told us about their activities to preserve and protect some of Washington Island’s cultural and natural features. We took a quick hike to Little Lake and The Cut – a man-made channel project that went awry and almost drained the lake! We visited Schoolhouse Beach and “The Mountain” to view the sea caves and take in the views of Rock Island by hiking the many stairs up the escarpment and the observation tower. The group then took in a visit to the Stavkirke, a beautiful Norwegian chapel and spoke with some enterprising vineyard owners, Tim and Julie Lyons, who are growing a specialized grape unique to the area, as well as creating a not-so-well known culinary ingredient similar to vinegar called ‘vert jus’. We culminated our full day by meeting one of two remaining commercial fishermen on the Island, Ken Koyen, who also raises organic wheat used in making beer and who cooks up his catch daily in his restaurant. A leisurely lunch was had at People’s Park catered by a local business, Karly’s Tavern. 
