Wisconsin DNR News January 29, 2008152,000 permits issued for spring turkey hunt
Free turkey hunter education clinics offered statewide
Legacy left in support of Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
Wisconsin to now offer single, season long burning permits
DNR seeking expansion of private woodland certification
Council on Forestry offers sustainability criteria
Camping fees set for state parks and forests in 2008
152,000 permits issued for spring turkey hunt
56,275 remaining permits will go on sale March 28
MADISON -- More than 156,200 permits are being issued be for the spring 2008 Wisconsin wild turkey season through the spring turkey preference drawing. Successful applicants will notified by postcards that are going out in the mail the last week of January. Hunters who do not receive a postcard by mid-February can call a DNR Service Center to find out the status of their permit application.
An estimated 56,275 remaining spring turkey permits will be sold over-the-counter beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 28. The spring season, which runs from April 16-May 25, is divided into six 5-day (Wednesday through Sunday) time periods. A total of 46 zones, 15 state parks and Fort McCoy will be open for hunting.
Wisconsin’s turkey population continues to expand its size and range, according to Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials, and as it increases, hunters can expect the number of permits available also to increase. The 212,475 permits available for 2008 spring season compares to 206,925 permits issued for the 2007 spring season. Hunters harvested a state record 52,428 turkeys with a success rate of 25.5 percent.
“Winter survival should be good this year,” says Scott Hull, DNR upland wildlife ecologist. “Wild turkeys in Wisconsin have proven themselves to be tough birds. As long as there is access to ample food and snow depth does not hinder their ability to navigate their surroundings for an extended period of time, wild turkeys can handle nearly any Wisconsin winter.”
In fact, Hull says, wild turkeys can remain in roosting areas for up to two weeks during especially severe weather and can lose up to 40 percent of their body weight before dying of starvation.
“While many people believe putting out feed for wild turkeys will ultimately help the population, biologically, artificial feeding is not the best approach to helping wild turkeys,” he says. “For starters, it would take a tremendous amount of feed to affect the survival of a significant portion of the turkey population. Also, feeding turkeys can actually be more of a risk to the birds because it can cause habituation, increase the risk of disease transmission, and make them more vulnerable to predators which are attracted to feeding areas. Ultimately, long-term habitat management aimed at increasing the suitability to turkeys year-round as well as during extremes of winter is the best investment.’
Remaining spring turkey permits are sold on a first come, first served basis and are available at any license sales location, over the phone (1-877-945-4236), or online at
http://dnr.wi.gov. The fee for these permits will be $10 for residents, and $15 for nonresidents.
All hunters will also be required to pay the spring turkey license and stamp fee, unless they have previously purchased the license and stamp, or are a 2008 Conservation Patron License holder. Residents and nonresidents will have equal opportunity to purchase over-the-counter permits.
Purchasing these permits will not affect preference status for future spring or fall turkey permit drawings. Permit purchases are limited to one permit per hunter per day until each zone and time period is sold out. A select number of disabled turkey permits for several state parks are also available for over-the-counter sales. Disabled hunters should note that these permits will only be available through DNR Service Centers.
Updated information on leftover spring permit availability and other information regarding the 2008 spring turkey hunting season is available on the turkey hunting page of the DNR Web site at [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cs/springturkey/].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hull (608) 267-7861 or Sharon Fandel (608) 261-8458
Free turkey hunter education clinics offered statewide
Clinics begin in February and run through early April.
MADISON -- Free turkey hunter education clinics will be offered again this year around Wisconsin. The clinics cover wild turkey biology and behavior, hunting methods, regulations, safety precautions, and landowner/hunter ethics, as well as tips for scoring trophy birds and a few ideas on preparing turkeys at home.
Clinics, run by volunteer instructors, are intended to address and inform all ages and experience levels.
“Whether you are just beginning and interested in learning wild turkey hunting techniques or are an experienced wild turkey hunter, these clinics can help you brush-up on skills or learn new techniques,” says Scott Hull, upland game ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources.
Clinics will be held February through early April. They typically last two-and-half to three hours. Information and a listing on where and when clinics are being held are available at any DNR Service Center and on the DNR Web site or by calling (608) 261-8458. For the latest additions or changes in the schedule please refer to the turkey hunting education page of the DNR Web site [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/turkey/education.htm].
The clinics are sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Fandel, assistant DNR upland wildlife ecologist - (608) 261-8458
$600,000 legacy will support conservation of Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
FITCHBURG, Wis. – Conservation efforts along the 92-mile Lower Wisconsin State Riverway will be aided in perpetuity thanks to a $600,000 legacy left by one of the major proponents for establishing this unique recreational corridor.
Paul Brandt, who served as a Department of Natural Resources employee for more than 30-years at Boscobel and was one of the early and major proponents for establishing the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway to protect its scenic and environmental quality and to provide improvements in public safety and access, made the bequeath.
Upon his retirement Brandt created the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Fund with a $25,000 endowment, the proceeds from which are used to support habitat management on public lands. The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Fund is invested within Wisconsin Conservation Endowment program administered by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization that supports conservation efforts in the state.
Brandt passed away unexpectedly in 2006 at age 60, and the foundation recently learned that Brandt left additional money for the endowment from his estate, raising the total gift to more than $600,000. At its current level, Brandt’s estate gift will generate more than $30,000 annually for wildlife management along the Lower Wisconsin River.
“We salute a real conservation hero, Paul Brandt, for his lifelong dedication to the Lower Wisconsin Riverway and for his wonderful legacy gift that will support this important landscape,” said Charles Luthin, NRF Executive Director.
Friends and colleagues say that throughout his career Brandt was known for his passion for southwestern Wisconsin’s natural resources.
“The Wisconsin River was the blue vein that ran through Paul’s heart,” said Ruth Bauer, his long-time partner of 19 years.
Dave Gjestson, retired DNR wildlife biologist and Lower Wisconsin Riverway manager, said that his former colleague’s commitment and “dedication to the Wisconsin River and its adjoining public lands was without equal.”
Gjestson says Brandt’s family-like relationship with the people of Grant and Richland counties – “he virtually knew all landowners in his two county area” – allowed him to quietly change the face of southwest Wisconsin by purchasing thousands of acres of public land on wildlife areas and later along the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway.
“I believe his constant vigil and aggressive pursuit of land acquisition opportunities were responsible for protecting more acreage for wildlife than any manager in the state over a 20-year time span,” Gjestson said.
Brandt’s brother Neal Brandt, while reflecting on his brother’s gift to the Riverway Fund, noted that “as far back as I can remember, he was interested in conservation and ecology. In one of his early college essays, he was developing the concept of a land ethic. I think this was before he knew of Aldo Leopold and the groundbreaking work he had done in this area.”
Neal Brandt offered this challenge: “What Paul created is a fine start for the Riverway Fund. I think we need to go further, however, and outdoorsmen and women and fellow conservationists should work toward doubling the Riverway Fund in ten years.”
People interested in contributing to the fund or getting more information about the endowment can contact the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin through their Web site at [http://www.wisconservation.org/].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Luthin, Executive Director, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin - (608) 261-4384 or Greg Matthews, DNR Regional Public Affairs Manager, Fitchburg - (608) 275-3317
Wisconsin to now offer single, season long burning permits
MADISON --Landowners in all areas of Wisconsin where the Department of Natural Resources has primary responsibility for wildfire protection and suppression will now be able to apply for a single, no-cost, season-long, outdoor burning permit.
In the past, homeowners using burn barrels were required to apply for an annual permit for their burn barrel and separate three-day permits for burning brush in piles. At this time of year, burning permits are required anytime the ground is not snow-covered in areas protected by the DNR firefighters.
“This new permit system offers a couple of real improvements,” said Trent Marty, chief of DNR forest protection services. “Our goal was to make it more efficient in obtaining a permit and easier to check local fire danger conditions prior to burning. By accomplishing those things we expect to reduce the number of wildfires. And permits are good for an entire calendar year so folks only have to make one trip to their emergency fire warden, ranger station or DNR office.”
Where to call/go online for daily burning information
Customers can use either a toll-free phone number or go on the Internet to find out if burning is permitted on any given day or if there are any special burning restrictions for the day:
• Call 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876).
• On the forestry pages of the DNR Web site at [http://dnr.wi.gov/forestry] by clicking on “view burning permit restrictions.”
Updates will be posted by 11 a.m. each day. Instructions will tell the permit holder if they can burn today in their county and, if fire danger conditions allow outdoor burning, whether or not there are any restrictions on burning such as limiting burning to certain hours of the day.
Permit holders are required to have their permit available upon request and are still responsible for their fire and any damage it may cause.
Burning some materials prohibited under Wisconsin law
“This new system isn’t meant to encourage burning,” says Marty. “We encourage landowners to recycle paper and cardboard, to compost leaves and either chip brush or use it as wildlife habitat, and to properly dispose of materials that should not be burned.”
Burning clean untreated and unpainted wood, clean unrecyclable paper or cardboard, dry leaves, plant clippings and brush is generally allowed unless a local ordinance prohibits, but Wisconsin law prohibits anyone from burning the following materials:
• Wet, combustible rubbish, such as wet cardboard or paper.
• Oily substances, such as oily or greasy rags, oil filters, etc.
• Asphalt, such as asphalt shingles or tar paper.
• Plastics of any kind, including plastic bottles and plastic bags.
• Rubber products, including tires and hoses.
Permit system was piloted in northern Wisconsin in 2007
The new permit system was tested in several northeastern Wisconsin counties in 2007 and worked well. Customer feedback was positive and officials feel that the convenience promotes a higher level of compliance with outdoor burning rules and safety concerns.
The potential for loss of homes and other property due to wildfire is increasing say officials as more homes and second homes are established outside of communities or close to what foresters call the “wildland-urban” interface.
At the time permits are issued permit holders will be given a set of written guidelines for using the new permit and have their questions answered.
Marty added that special permits, such as those issued to contractors for land clearing, prescribed burning and other special circumstances will continue to be issued directly by DNR fire control staff on a case by case basis as in the past.
Fire control officials also stress the following:
• Permit holders must have a written and signed annual permit available while burning.
• Fires must be attended at all times and completely extinguished before you leave.
• Permit holders must also comply with local ordinances that may be more restrictive than state law.
• Permit holders must follow all restrictions listed on the permit.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Regan - (608) 219-9075 or (608) 266-2359
DNR seeking expansion of private woodland certification
Dual certification could expand economic benefits for MFL participants
MADISON -- In a move that is expected to strengthen responsible forest management of private woodlands in Wisconsin, the Department of Natural Resources has initiated a Forest Stewardship Council audit of Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law program.
According to Paul Pingrey, certification coordinator for the DNR Division of Forestry, the agency has contracted with SmartWood, an independent Forest Stewardship Council certifier, to review forest management activities of family-owned forest lands enrolled in the Managed Forest Law (MFL) program. SmartWood representatives will be in Wisconsin the first week of March and will submit their completed audit by mid-May.
Gov. Jim Doyle directed the DNR to investigate forest certification as part of the “Grow Wisconsin” initiative, the goal of which is to capitalize on the state’s unique technological and resource strengths. Pingrey said forestry is crucial to the state economy, producing $20 billion annually in forest products and accounting for one in seven manufacturing jobs. Formation of the MFL-Tree Farm Certified Group and other DNR forest certification projects have helped Wisconsin maintain its position as the largest paper producer in the country, Pingrey added.
The MFL program is currently certified by the American Tree Farm System (ATFS). If the SmartWood audit shows MFL participants are meeting Forest Stewardship Council standards, the program will also qualify for certification from the council. This second certification would mean MFL forests are managed according to the council’s strict environmental, social, and economic standards.
Wisconsin’s MFL program, established in 1985, provides a property tax incentive to landowners who pledge to follow long-term stewardship plans. In addition to generating income for certified timber, MFL plans assure land is being managed in a way that protects and improves water quality and that preserves wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.
More than 38,000 landowners – and more than 2 million acres of forests – currently participate in the MFL program.
Forest certification is a market-based method of verifying sustainable resource management. A growing number of companies in Wisconsin and elsewhere want to expand their certified forest product lines. While ATFS-certified wood is currently recognized by most paper producers, Pingrey said, Forest Stewardship Council certification is preferred by some buyers. That trend is most notable in the solid wood furniture, flooring, and building trades.
“It’s sort of a ‘Good Housekeeping’ seal of approval for forests,” Pingrey said. Third-party auditors make inspections to confirm that operations meet agreed-upon benchmarks. The Forest Stewardship Council is one of three independent standards commonly sought by manufacturers in the U.S.
“This additional certification would give woodland owners a way to maximize flexibility to sell sustainably grown trees under any credible label,” according to Pingrey. Dual certification is backed by the Wisconsin Council on Forestry, an advisory board appointed by Governor Doyle.
If Forest Stewardship Council certification is awarded as a result of the SmartWood audit, Pingrey said sampling will continue on an annual basis for five years, during which time DNR would address any corrective actions needed to maintain FSC certification.
SmartWood, whose U.S. regional office is located in Northfield, Minnesota, was awarded the DNR contract after competitive bidding,
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Paul Pingrey (608) -267-7595
Council on Forestry offers sustainability criteria
MADISON – How does Wisconsin define the concept of “sustainable forestry,” and how can progress toward sustainable management of Wisconsin’s multi-billion-dollar forestry resource be measured? Those involved with forestry in Wisconsin are addressing those questions in a newly published document: Wisconsin’s Forest Sustainability Framework.
Sustainable forestry is generally thought of as the management of forest ecosystems in an economically, environmentally and socially responsible way that provides benefits for present and future generations, according to said Rebecca Gass, a planning specialist with Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry.
“The document is a kind of “blueprint” for defining forest sustainability that is specific to Wisconsin,” Gass said. “The framework also identifies areas where more information is needed to provide a complete picture of sustainability. It helps to think of this framework as a blank ‘report card’ – once information is collected, progress toward sustainability can be measured.”
“Wisconsin’s forest community has worked hard, and continues to work hard, to sustainably manage a great resource that is Wisconsin’s forests,” according to Frederic Souba Jr., vice president of Wood Supply and Sustainability for NewPage and the chairperson of the Wisconsin Council on Forestry. “The framework suggests a way to measure those efforts.”
The framework, which will be used to evaluate current management practices, guide future management, and monitor the goals of the Statewide Forest Plan, was formally submitted to the Wisconsin Council of Forestry in December. The council, a diverse group of representatives and leaders in Wisconsin’s forestry community, advise the governor, the legislature, and state agencies on a host of forest issues. A 14-member Advisory Committee was asked to develop the framework. Committee members spent the bulk of 2007 discussing how to define sustainable forestry as it specifically applies to Wisconsin – and how progress toward sustainability can be measured.
Souba said it is important to recognize substantial efforts have already been undertaken toward sustainable forest management in Wisconsin. Many publicly managed forests currently follow established sustainability principles. And private owners of forested land in Wisconsin as well as a growing number of forest-related businesses also follow sustainability practices and principles. Souba said the framework is an important element of Wisconsin’s journey to greater forest sustainability.
“Council members applaud the work of the Advisory Committee and recognize how much work went into preparing the framework,” Souba said. “ I encourage Wisconsinites to take hold of this framework and use it to discuss how our forests are managed.”
A copy of the report, Wisconsin’s Forestry Sustainability Framework: Measuring the Sustainability of Wisconsin’s Forests. can be found online at the Wisconsin Council on Forestry’s Web site [http://council.wisconsinforestry.org/framework/pdf/SustainabilityFramework.pdf].
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Rebecca Gass (608)266-9261
Camping fees set for state parks and forests in 2008
MADISON – While most Wisconsinites have spent the last few weeks caught in the grip of icy cold weather, thousands of campers have been planning for spring and summer camping getaways at Wisconsin State Parks and Forests. Camping reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance via the Internet [www.wiparks.net] or by phone at 1-888-WIPARKS (947-2757).
In 2007, advance camping reservations in the Wisconsin State Park System were 9.2 percent over 2006 numbers. Campers choosing to arrive at the park without reservations seeking to get a first come first serve site were also up 3 percent from previous years.
Campers should note that on Feb. 1, 2008, changes to Wisconsin Administrative code will become effective and will result in a new, simplified camping fee schedule for Wisconsin state parks and forests. (The change will not affect reservations made prior to that date).
Department of Natural Resources officials, responding to comments from campers and park staff, have taken steps to simplify the complex rules that regulate the Wisconsin State Park and Forest fees. Campers will now pay the same nightly rate each night they camp. The new rule eliminated a weekday/weekend pricing differential as well as a series of fee changes based upon the season of the year. Additional charges for electrical and water view sites remain unchanged. The $10 non-refundable reservation fee also remains unchanged.
The camping rate at each park is established based upon customer demand. Seven additional properties will be added to the high demand rate this year. Those properties include Copper Falls, Council Grounds, Governor Dodge, High Cliff, Newport, Pattison and Potawatomi State Parks.
“The Wisconsin State Park System depends revenues from camping and admission stickers to maintain the safe, quality outdoor experience that Wisconsin visitors demand and value,” said Bill Smith, acting director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. “Camping fees are also used to maintain state park and forest campgrounds, beaches, showers facilities and picnic areas and support interpretive programs lead by naturalists, protective services provided by rangers and resource management activities within the property.”
Camping fees for Wisconsin residents will range between $9 and $15 per night depending upon the property.
Campers should note that vehicle admission stickers are also required for overnight camping and other park/forest use; admission sticker pricing remains the same as 2007. A resident annual admission is $25; a non-resident annual admission is $35. Annual admission stickers provide access to all Wisconsin State Parks and Forests in the system throughout the calendar year. Daily and one hour stickers are also available. Admission stickers can be purchased at any park or forest or can be ordered via phone at (608) 266-2181 during business hours.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Smith, Acting Director, Bureau of Parks and Recreation – - (608) 266-2181
OUTDOORS CALENDAR
*Indicates date remains the same each year, except some permit deadlines may be extended one day if they fall on a Sunday or Federal Holiday.
September 15 through First Saturday in May
• From Sept. 15 through the first Saturday in May, hook and line fishing is prohibited from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise in all Lake Michigan tributaries except the Oconto River and its tributaries and the downstream portion of the Peshtigo River (see regulations for details).*
January 31
• Squirrel season closes.*
• Raccoon season closes*
• Ruffed grouse seasons closes in zone A (northern zone).*
February 15
• Coyote trapping season closes.*
• Red and gray fox gun and trapping seasons close.*
February 9
• Lake Winnebago Sturgeon Spearing Season opens. Season runs for 16 days or until the harvest level is reached. Season hours are 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily. The season will close after one day if one of the harvest caps is reached. Sturgeon must be registered by 1:30 p.m. the day they are harvested. There are separate, annual spearing seasons for Lake Winnebago and for the system’s upriver lakes of Butte des Mort, Winneconne and Poygan. Previously the Upriver Season occurred only once every five years but was open to anyone who wanted to participate in it and bought a license. Spearers who wanted to participate in the Upriver Lakes season had to submit an application by Aug. 1, 2007. Licenses for the upcoming season must have been purchased by Oct. 31 of the previous year.
February 20
• Ice fishing shelters must be removed from Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters.*
February 24
• Lake Winnebago system sturgeon spearing season closes unless season is closed earlier due to spearers reaching harvest caps.
February 28
• Cottontail rabbit season closes in northern and southern zones.*
• Mink trapping season closes in the northern, central and southern zones.
DNR Public Hearings and Meetings
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call the contact person listed for the meeting or hearing with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.
Hearings
January 30 - A public informational hearing for the purpose of giving all interested persons an opportunity to make a statement with respect to the proposed reissuance of Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) Permit No.WI-0003239-08 for Dairyland Power Coop Genoa located at S4651 State Road 35, Genoa, in Vernon County. Discharge is to the Mississippi River just south of Genoa, Wisconsin. Dairyland Power Cooperative operates an electrical power generating facility just south of Genoa, Wisconsin that consists of 2 units. The hearing will be held Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 5 p.m. in rooms B-19 and B-20, DNR Service Center, 3550 Mormon Coulee Road, La Crosse. Issues to be considered at the hearing are the proposed requirements and effluent limitations of the WPDES permit as they relate to protection of aquatic life in the Mississippi River and protection of the river user’s health and welfare. Pursuant to § 283.39 and 283.49, Wisconsin Statutes, persons wishing to comment on or object to the proposed permit action are invited to do so by attending the public hearing or by submitting any comments or objections in writing to the Department of Natural Resources, at the permit drafter’s address. More information, including a copy of the proposed permit, is available for downloading at the WPDES public notices page and for inspection at the Department of Natural Resources, WPDES Permits - 3nd Floor, 101 S. Webster St., Madison, WI 53707-7921; or contact Jeff Brauer at (608) 267-7643.
February 8 – The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing from 1 – 2:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Waukesha Public Library, 321 Wisconsin Ave., Waukesha, to provide information and receive public comments on the Opus North Corporation permit application and the environmental assessment to construct an air contaminant source in the City of Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The Opus North Corporation has submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources an air pollution control permit application (Permit Number 07-MF-332), including plans and specifications, for the construction and operation of a 54.75 acre retail development located north of West Sunset Drive and west of, but not adjacent to, Sentry Drive. The proposed development includes 15 retail buildings, four restaurants, and one bank. The total size of all fifteen buildings is approximately 477,393 square feet. Surface parking lots for the proposed retail center will have the capacity to accommodate 2,352 vehicles. An air pollution control permit is required pursuant to Chapter NR 411, Wisconsin Administrative Code, as the proposed development will exceed parking space equivalency standard of 999 vehicles and is located in a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). The DNR Bureau of Air Management analyzed information submitted by Graef, Anhalt, Schloemer and Associates, Inc. consultant to the Opus North Corporation for the construction of the 54.75 acre retail development and supporting surface parking area and has preliminarily determined that the project will meet applicable criteria for permit approval as stated in section 285.63, Wisconsin Statutes, including the ambient air quality standards for carbon monoxide, and should, therefore, be approved. The DNR has prepared an environmental assessment for this project, pursuant to Chapter NR 150, Wis. Admin. Code, which identifies the anticipated impacts of the project. DNR has made a preliminary determination that this proposed project will not have an adverse effect on the environment and an Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. This recommendation does not represent approval from other DNR sections, which may also require a review of the project. Information, including the applicant's plans and air quality analysis and the DNR's preliminary analysis and environmental assessment regarding this proposal, is available for public inspection at the Bureau of Air Management, Department of Natural Resources on the 7th floor of the State of Wisconsin Building, 101 South Webster Street, Madison, Wisconsin or the DNR Waukesha Service Center, 141 NW Barstow St., Room 180, Waukesha. In lieu of, or in addition, written comments will be accepted from the public regarding the proposed air control permit and/or environmental assessment for the construction of the Shoppes at Fox River retail development. These comments will be considered in the final decision regarding this project. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearing. Interested persons wishing to comment on the preliminary determination and/or environmental assessment should submit written comments by Feb. 15, 2008 to: Mike Friedlander, DNR Bureau of Air Management, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. For more information contact Mike Friedlander at - (608) 267-0806.
Meetings
January 30 - The Deer Committee will meet at 10 a.m. in the meeting room at the Wausau Gander Mountain store, 1560 County Trunk Hwy XX, Rothschild. The main topic of the agenda will be covering the steps in the Deer Management Unit (DMU) review process. Administrative Code calls for a review of DMU boundaries and population goals every three years. For more information, please contact Jason Fleener at (608) 261-7589.
January 30 - The Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming – Technical Advisory Group will meet from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Board Room 2, Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation, 431 Charmany Dr., Madison. The agenda includes a review of the draft reference case. For more information, or if you need special accommodations to attend this meeting, contact Nick Sayen, DNR, at (608) 267-2466 or nick.sayen@wisconsin.gov.
January 31 - The DNR wolf science committee will meet from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin State Patrol office, 2805 Martin Ave., Wausau. The committee will discuss: wolf shooting permits and developing a new form for these; current use of proactive control areas; modifications or updates needed for depredation control guidelines; new wolf population modeling for Wisconsin; and questions on wolf management that will appear at the spring conservation hearings. For information contact Arian P. Wydeven, DNR Mammalian Ecologist/ Conservation Ecologist at (715) 762-1363.
February 1 – The Phosphorus Criteria Advisory Committee will meet for its first time from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room G09 of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF2), 101 S. Webster St., Madison. The purpose of the meeting is to advise the Department on promulgating phosphorus criteria for water quality standards that will apply to Wisconsin lakes, reservoirs, streams and rivers. Development of these criteria is required by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, please contact Jim Baumann (608) 266-9277.
February 6 & 7 - The DNR Silviculture Specialist Team will meet at 10 a.m. at the Prairie Inn & Suites, 3913 Circle Drive, Holmen, regarding chapters and issues pertinent to the Silviculture Handbook, including oak & central hardwoods chapters, deer management, marking guidelines, team progress/ work plan, and other issues. A field trip will look at timber management at Hardies Creek Demo Forest. For more information, contact Julie Peltier at (262) 670-3404.
February 7 - The advisory committee for revisions to NR 151 (agricultural subchapter) and NR 153 (Targeted Runoff Management Grants) will hold it's third meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DNR South Central Regional office, 3911 Fish Hatchery Road, Fitchburg. The meeting room is the Glaciers Edge/Gathering Waters conference room located on the main floor. The committee will continue discussing proposed NR 151revisions from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and proposed NR 153 revisions from 1-4 p.m. Information on the rule revisions and advisory committee meetings can be found at
http://dnr.wi.gov/runoff/rules/announce.htm. For more information, contact Carol Holden at 608-266-0140 or carol.holden@wisconsin.gov.
February 8 - The Wisconsin Diesel Workgroup will meet 9:30 a.m. to noon in the WHEDA conference room (1st floor) of the Tommy Thompson Building, 201 W. Washington Ave., Madison. The group will continue discussions of voluntary strategies for reducing mobile diesel emissions in Wisconsin. For information contact Jessica Lawent, DNR, at (414) 263-8653.
February 12, 2008- The Karner blue butterfly habitat conservation plan – The Karner Blue Butterfly Habitat Conservation Plan Partnership will hold their annual meeting at the Chula Vista Resort, 2501 River Road, Wisconsin Dells from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, or if you need special accommodations to attend this meeting, contact Matt Krumenauer, DNR, at (608) 267-9680 or matt.krumenauer@wisconsin.gov
February 12, 2008- The Karner blue butterfly habitat conservation plan – Implementation Oversight Committee will meet after the HCP partnership meeting at the Chula Vista Resort, 2501 River Road, Wisconsin Dells, from 3 to 5 p.m. For more information, or if you need special accommodations to attend this meeting, contact Matt Krumenauer, DNR, at (608) 267-9680 or matt.krumenauer@wisconsin.gov
February 12 - The Technical Focus Group for the DNR Remediation and Redevelopment Program will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. in room 511 of the of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 S. Webster St., Madison. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss regulations and technical issues regarding investigation and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. For more information, contact Laurie Egre at (608) 267-7560 or Laurie.Egre@Wisconsin.gov.
Wisconsin DNR News
Edited by Paul Holtan
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707-7921
(608) 267-7517
Fax: (608) 264-6293
E-mail: paul.holtan@dnr.state.wi.us
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/
