Wisconsin DNR News
March 27, 2007
No chronic wasting disease found in west central Wisconsin
Hypothermia is a serious concern during spring boating
Yellow perch recovery continuing on Lake Michigan and Green Bay
Geneticist assists state’s musky stocking program
Don’t prune oaks April through July to avoid oak wilt
Improper trash burning is hazardous, alternatives offered
MacKenzie center to hold Maple Syrup Festival April 7
Grants available to help landowners manage, restore habitat for ‘at-risk’ species
No chronic wasting disease found in west central Wisconsin
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Sampling conducted in 19 west central Wisconsin counties during the 2006 deer hunting seasons found no signs of the fatal chronic wasting disease, indicating the disease has not spread to that part of the state, according to state wildlife officials.
Department of Natural Resources biologists, technicians and volunteers collected 9,304 samples for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing from the agency’s West Central Region and areas of southern Wisconsin that are not in a CWD zone. None of these samples tested positive for the disease.
“This level of sampling was possible only because most hunters now recognize the statewide threat of this disease and helped us in the sampling,” said Bob Michelson, DNR West Central Region wildlife biologist, who noted many hunters volunteered to have the deer they registered tested for the disease.
Michelson said the findings show that hunters in west central counties now have some assurance the disease is not present in their hunting areas.
The DNR West Central Region includes St. Croix, Pierce, Pepin, Dunn, Chippewa, Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson, Clark, Marathon, Portage, Wood, Adams, Juneau, Monroe, La Crosse, Vernon and Crawford counties. In the 19 sampled counties, more than 7,500 samples were taken, which provides a very high probability of discovering the disease if it were present, according to Michelson.
The agency collects samples outside of the CWD zones on a rotating, regional basis, to confirm that the disease is not spreading beyond the boundary of the herd reduction zone in the southern third of the state. The DNR Northeast Region was sampled in 2005, and during the 2007 deer seasons, the department will collect samples from the DNR Northern Region.
“Not finding the disease outside of the CWD zones is good news that reinforces the Department’s efforts to contain the disease in southern Wisconsin” said Alan Crossley, CWD project leader.
CWD was discovered in Wisconsin in February 2002 through routine testing of deer harvested during the November 2001 season. Since then, 129,019 wild deer have been tested across the state, and a total of 834 of those deer have tested CWD-positive. All infected wild deer were harvested in the current CWD zones of Southern Wisconsin.
CWD is an always fatal nervous system disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It is a member of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) family of diseases which also includes mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie in sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
According to the World Health Organization, any tissue that may have come from deer or elk with CWD should not be used in animal or human food; however, at this time there is no evidence that CWD in deer and elk can be transmitted to humans.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Michelson- (715) 839-3736
Hypothermia is a serious concern during spring boating
MADISON – The dramatic rescue of a kayaker from a flood-swollen river in west central Wisconsin last month offers what state boating safety specialists say is a compelling example of how quickly cold water can affect a person and why boaters need to take special precautions when on Wisconsin’s waterways this spring.
On March 13 around 5:30 p.m., the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department received a call that a woman kayaking in flood conditions on the Rush River had overturned and become separated from her boat. The victim was in the middle of the river on a log and the caller said that the woman had been there for about 45 minutes and was becoming hypothermic.
Rescuers wearing survival suits were able to reach the woman, but she said she was unable to grasp anything with her hands and that she was unsure if she could even move from the log due to how cold she was.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Brad Peterson arrived at the scene in a flat bottom boat, was able to navigate to the victim, and rescuers were able to get her into the boat for transport to a hospital. Peterson was commended by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for his life-saving efforts.
“This person’s survival is due in large part to the expertise of DNR Warden Brad Peterson,” Pierce County Sheriff’s officials said. “The skill that he showed on this rescue was unbelievable. We watched Brad navigate extremely dangerous currents and debris to get to the victim. How he did this is only due to skill and professionalism that truly saved this lady’s life.”
DNR boating safety specialists caution boaters that even though spring has arrived and the weather is warming, the water can still be very cold and hypothermia is a real threat to boaters who capsize.
Hypothermia can occur when the body’s temperature drops below 95 degrees, according to Roy Zellmer, DNR boating safety administrator.
“The loss of body heat results in loss of dexterity, loss of consciousness, and eventually loss of life,” Zellmer says. “Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air.” The three main areas of heat loss from the human body are the head, the armpits and the groin.
Boaters can take steps to ensure their safety
To have a safe time boating in cold water, DNR safety specialists recommend:
• Taking a boater safety course.
• Always wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. You can float without using energy and they cover part of your body thereby providing some protection from the cold water.
• Avoiding alcohol. Most hospitalized hypothermia cases involve people who have consumed excessive quantities of alcohol. Alcohol impairs judgment and inhibits the body’s normal shivering trigger—denying the body its most effective heat producing response.
• Packing an extra set of clothes, towels, blanket or sleeping bag.
• Sitting low in the boat. Don’t stand or move around unless absolutely necessary. Capsizing and falling overboard is often due to a victim losing balance or tripping over equipment in the boat. Never allow passengers to ride on gunwales or seatbacks or outside of protective railings, including the front of a pontoon boat. A sudden turn, stop or start could cause a fall overboard.
• Not overloading a boat. This is a common cause of capsizing among duck hunters.
• Not slowing down too quickly. Sudden deceleration often allows the stern wake to overtake and swamp the boat by washing over the transom.
• Being weather wise. Sudden wind shifts, lightning flashes and choppy water all can mean a storm is brewing. Bring a radio along and keep a close eye on the weather.
• Bringing emergency supplies such as maps, flares, and a first aid kit. Put them in a floating pouch.
• Telling someone where you are going and when you will return.
• Planning what to do if you should fall in.
Zellmer says the physical shock of cold water can cause cardiac arrest or cold-induced gasping.
“If your mouth is underwater when this gasp occurs, drowning is the most probable outcome,” he says. If you know you are about to fall into cold water, cover your face with your hands. This helps you to avoid gasping water into your lungs.
“If you do fall in, get back in the boat if possible. The more of your body that is out of the water -- on top of an over-turned boat or anything that floats -- the less heat you will lose. See professional medical care as soon as possible even if the victim has seemingly made a complete recovery.”
If someone is not able to get back in a boat, they should limit body movement, and not swim unless they can reach a nearby boat or floating object. Swimming lowers your body temperature and even good swimmers can drown in cold water.
Instead, Zellmer says people should “assume the heat-escape-lessening-position” (H.E.L.P.). Begin by crossing your ankles, then cross your arms over your chest, draw your knees to your chest, lean back, and try to relax.
People who ski in cold water temperatures should be sure to dress properly. Wear a wetsuit and preferably a drysuit. A wetsuit allows water into your suit but insulates and warms it once it enters. A drysuit does not allow any water in because it has rubber seals that fit snugly around the neck, wrists, and ankles. Be sure to use gloves and booties when appropriate.
Hypothermia progresses through three stages
Zellmer says there are three stages to hypothermia marked by the following symptoms:
1. Mild hypothermia -- the person feels cold, has violent shivering and slurred speech.
2. Medium hypothermia -- the person has a certain loss of muscle control, drowsiness, incoherence, stupor and exhaustion.
3. Severe hypothermia -- the person collapses and is unconscious and shows signs of respiratory distress and/or cardiac arrest probably leading to death.
Hypothermia can be treated by gradually raising the body temperature back to normal. If an extra change of dry clothes is available have the person change into them immediately. Cover the person with layers like towels, sweatshirts, or hats. A dry life vest will also do. Have the person move around to increase blood flow to warm the body. Position the person in the boat as to where they are shielded from wind.
Give the person non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic hot liquids, sweets, carbohydrates, and proteins and fats. Avoid nicotine. Put the person in front of a heat source. If none is available share the body heat of other people on board by grouping together under towels. A warm bath could be used for mild to medium hypothermia, gradually increasing the temperature. Keep arms and legs out of the water and do not attempt to raise the body temperature too quickly. Do not massage the victim’s arms and legs.
“At Wisconsin DNR we want you to be safe in Wisconsin’s outdoors,” Zellmer said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Zellmer (608) 264-8970 or Bill Engfer at (608) 266-0859
Yellow perch recovery continuing on Lake Michigan and Green Bay
MILWAUKEE – Yellow perch from the big pond are making a comeback in anglers’ creels, reflecting the growing recovery of this species in Lake Michigan and Green Bay.
Recently analyzed angler surveys show that anglers pulled in nearly two to four times as many yellow perch in 2006 as they did in 2005 from Lake Michigan and Green Bay, respectively.
Anglers in 2006 reported catching 822,555 perch from Green Bay, up from 297,917 in 2005. They caught 67,660 perch from Lake Michigan, up from 32,848 in 2005, survey results show.
The increased harvests are positive signs for these important fisheries, both of which suffered precipitous declines in yellow perch populations over the last decade, says Brad Eggold, the Department of Natural Resources fisheries supervisor in Milwaukee who analyzed the results.
Green Bay perch harvest
Green Bay’s increased harvest reflects increasing yellow perch abundance and the fact that anglers were able to keep more yellow perch because the bag limit increased from 10 to 15 effective May 20, 2006, according to Mike Donofrio, DNR fisheries supervisor in Peshtigo.
Poor natural reproduction between 1988 and 2000 resulted in a 90 percent decrease in yellow perch and triggered DNR to drop sport bag and harvest limits on Green Bay in 200l to protect the 1998 year-class, Donofrio says. Fish hatched in that year, along with those from 1991, were the only ones that entered the fishery in any kind of numbers and which comprise the bulk of the harvest.
The more protective bag and harvest limits seem to be paying off, with remaining members of the 1998 year-class exhibiting strong natural reproduction, Donofrio says. DNR fall trawling surveys found reasonably strong year-classes in 2002, 2004 and 2005, and an extremely strong year-class in 2003. That 2003 year-class comprises the bulk of the fish anglers are harvesting now. Of the 244 angler-caught fish that were aged by DNR fish biologists, 75 percent were determined to have hatched in 2003.
Lake Michigan perch harvest
In southern Lake Michigan, where the bag limit stayed the same for 2006, the increased harvest is a positive sign that there are more young perch out there helping rebuild the population. That’s very important because Lake Michigan has experienced a lakewide decline in yellow perch populations since the early 1990s, caused by a large decline in the number of yellow perch surviving their first year of life. Until recent years, the only year with strong natural reproduction was 1998.
Wisconsin, along with other Great Lakes states bordering Lake Michigan, took several measures to protect the remaining female fish, including prohibiting commercial fishing for yellow perch, imposing lower bag limits for recreational anglers, and closing the perch fishing season at different times of the year.
DNR yellow perch assessments, and now the harvest results, seem to indicate those efforts to protect the fish are paying off, Eggold says. DNR assessments have documented hatches and survival of fish from 2002, indicating more young fish are joining the 1998 year-class in rebuilding the population. In 2005, the 2002 year-class comprised 41 percent of the fish anglers were harvesting, compared to 37 percent from the 1998 year-class. In 2006, the numbers were 57 percent and 26 percent, respectively.
In addition, DNR egg deposition surveys and young-of the year surveys in 2005 indicated that a large amount of eggs were deposited and a successful hatch occurred, suggesting a potentially strong year-class, Eggold says.
It’s too early to tell how many of those 2005 fish survived and are entering the fishery. They were too small in 2006 to be caught in the nets DNR uses for assessments and were just starting to be kept by anglers.
“We hope the 2005 year-class will be as strong as the 1998 year-class, providing anglers with fish for 2007 from three distinct year-classes and helping rebuild the fishery as well,” Eggold says. The state Natural Resources Board will be considering the status of yellow perch populations and determining whether changes in sport limits and commercial fishing quotas are warranted early this summer
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Eggold (414) 382-7921; Mike Donofrio (715) 582-5050; Bill Horns (608) 266-8782
University geneticist assists state’s musky stocking program
HAYWARD, Wis. – By collecting muskellunge eggs from different lakes where muskies have proven they can grow to large sizes and reproduce successfully on their own, state fisheries officials are hoping to improve Wisconsin’s musky rearing and stocking program and provide better musky angling for years to come.
Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists are working with a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point fish geneticist who helped them develop genetic criteria for selecting lakes for musky egg collection.
Dr. Brian Sloss, a geneticist at the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources, helped DNR biologists develop criteria to select lakes for egg collection using factors such as documented natural reproduction and adequate number of fish. Trophy-fish potential is another factor considered when selecting brood source lakes.
Dr. Sloss also recommended annually rotating collection among the lakes that meet the criteria for providing eggs for hatchery production.
“The greater the genetic diversity among sources of stocked fingerlings, the greater the odds they will adapt to their new home, resist disease, and perhaps even spawn successfully as adults,” said Dave Neuswanger, DNR fisheries supervisor for the Upper Chippewa Basin.
Following the criteria, biologists last year obtained all the fertilized eggs needed for fingerling production at the Governor Thompson Hatchery in Spooner from adult muskies on the Chippewa Flowage.
“During that operation, we mated an unprecedented number of individual females -- 26 of them -- up to 51 inches in length with multiple unique males up to 45 inches in length,” Neuswanger said. “This ensured a healthy level of genetic diversity among the hatchery-produced 10- to 12-inch fingerlings stocked last fall throughout northwestern Wisconsin,” he said.
This year, biologists chose Butternut Lake near Park Falls in Price County as the source of eggs for the DNR musky hatchery in Spooner. Neuswanger said that Butternut is one of the few lakes in northwestern Wisconsin that meets all the criteria recommended by Dr. Sloss for sources of muskellunge brood stock. Further, Butternut produced many trophy-class fish over 50 inches long until it became overpopulated in the early 1990s. More recently, body condition (plumpness), growth rate, and average size declined in the face of extreme competition for food among abundant adults.
“We propose to fix the overpopulation at Butternut by removing some adult fish surplus to our spawning needs. That will also help us start a new musky fishery in Lake Neshonoc near La Crosse,” Neuswanger said. “As a source of eggs for hatchery production and adults to start a new fishery, Butternut is ideal because its adult muskellunge have the demonstrated potential to reach trophy size, and they have reproduced naturally at a high rate since 1995, even in the presence of northern pike.”
Biologists initially considered moving a couple hundred adult muskies from Butternut Lake to Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) near Hayward. LCO currently has fewer muskies than desired. That plan was changed when tests showed substantial genetic differences between adult fish in the two lakes.
“We have no reason to believe there is anything wrong, genetically, with the fish in either lake,” Neuswanger explained. “They simply appear to be different, and we thought it unwise to flood LCO with spawning adult fish from a different genetic stock at a time when biologists are trying to get the native stock at LCO to reproduce better on their own.”
“Using Butternut Lake offspring will help maintain overall genetic diversity in northwestern Wisconsin,” Neuswanger said. “The stocking of 10- to 12-inch fingerlings to maintain a musky fishery at LCO, where about 90 percent will die before reaching sexual maturity at age 6, poses far less risk to future natural reproduction at LCO than doubling the population instantly with a transfer of hundreds of spawning-age adults from Butternut Lake.”
Neuswanger added that he appreciates the help from the University of Wisconsin in moving the state’s musky program forward. “I have worked in other states,” said Neuswanger, “but none are applying the principles of muskellunge genetic stock conservation more progressively than Wisconsin right now, thanks in large part to Dr. Sloss.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Neuswanger - (715) 634-9658
Don’t prune oaks April through July to avoid oak wilt
MADISON – People who don’t want to run the risk of losing their oak trees should avoid pruning them in April through July. Spring and early-summer pruning makes oak trees vulnerable to oak wilt, a serious and almost always fatal fungal disease of oaks, according to the Jane Cummings Carlson, forest health coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Special care should also be taken not to accidentally wound a tree during this time, according to Cummings Carlson. Any action that might provide an opening into the tree – carving initials, attaching a birdfeeder or clothes line, etc. – could also provide an opportunity for the fungus to invade and establish itself in the tree. Builders and developers should be very careful as many oak wilt infections and deaths have occurred because of these practices.
“While the risk of spreading oak wilt is low after July, to be on the safe side you should avoid pruning oaks until the fall,” Cummings Carlson said. If spring comes early and daytime temperatures begin to reach the 50F degree mark, you should stop pruning oak at that time, even if it’s still March, she said. If there is a reason oaks must be pruned during spring or summer, she recommends applying a wound dressing or paint on the cut surface as soon as the wound is created because waiting even half an hour can be enough time for the beetles that transmit the disease to land on a fresh wound and infect a tree.
“Oak wilt can spread from a diseased tree to a healthy tree through a connected root system and by insects,” Cummings Carlson said. “Very small sap beetles transport fungal spores by landing on fungal mats found beneath the cracked bark of trees that died the previous year. The spores are then transmitted from the beetle on to the fresh wounds of a healthy oak tree while the beetle is feeding at the pruned or damaged site.”
The beetle that transmits oak wilt disease is not capable of boring into a tree, Cummings Carlson said. Any tree that is not pruned or damaged during the recommended time should remain free of the disease from beetle infestation.
Once oak wilt exists in an area, control of the disease is both difficult and costly. The prevention of oak wilt is the best approach. If a wound is left unprotected, Cummings Carlson said, a new oak wilt pocket may begin in a location where oak wilt did not previously exist and will radiate to other oaks through the connected root systems. If no management steps are taken, the pocket could continue to expand year after year.
Oak wilt is commonly found in the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin. Every year, this disease kills many oaks in the state by interfering with the tree’s water and nutrient conducting systems, essentially starving it. The leaves begin to wilt and the tree may eventually die. Those in the red oak group, such as northern red and northern pin oak, are especially vulnerable and once wilting symptoms become visible, the tree loses most of its leaves and dies very quickly, often within weeks.
Trees in the white oak group – those with rounded or lobed leaves – are more resistant to oak wilt and the disease progresses much more slowly, often one branch at a time. White oaks could live with oak wilt for many years, and some trees may recover from the disease.
“Besides oaks, pruning deciduous trees in general should be avoided in the spring as this is the time when tree buds and leaves are growing and food reserves are low,” Cummings Carlson added. “The best time to prune any deciduous tree is winter, followed by mid-summer after leaves have completed their growth.”
Please visit the DNR Forestry website for more information about oak wilt and other forest pests at
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/Fh/ and regarding pruning at
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/publications/Tree_Pruning_brochure_Color.pdf. For information on proper pruning techniques contact your community forester, a University of Wisconsin-Extension agent or the DNR urban forestry coordinator for your area.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Cummings Carlson (608) 275-3273
Improper trash burning is hazardous, alternatives offered
SPOONER, Wis. -- Anyone taking a match to a woody debris pile this spring may want to think twice. If the pile contains household trash the fire will be adding dangerous pollutants to the air.
According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, a single household open burning unsorted trash can produce as much of some cancer causing emissions as a 200-ton-per-day municipal waste incinerator with high efficiency emission control technology.
“Burning any material, whether plastic, paper or wood, produces a variety of hazardous and toxic air pollutants, including carcinogens such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde,” said Neal Baudhuin, Department of Natural Resources air management supervisor at Rhinelander. “Looking for alternatives to burning is one thing everyone can do to help our environment,” he added.
Burning poses fire danger
Debris burning is also the number one cause of wildfires in Wisconsin. These fires often threaten the safety of citizens and fire fighters, burn structures, and damage natural resources. Because of their danger, debris burns are regulated by state code. Requirements include not burning until after 6 p.m. nor on Sundays, holidays and during high winds when the ground is not snow covered.
Permits for burning outside of city limits may be obtained at DNR service centers local ranger stations or from volunteer emergency fire wardens in the community. Permits help inform local citizens of the correct method to burn allowable materials and alerts fire fighters to locations of where to expect smoke.
Even though a person has a permit, if a fire escapes from control or the person fails to extinguish the fire, he or she can be held responsible for all costs of suppression and civil damages. Anyone burning without a permit may be issued a citation.
Campfires and cooking fires are allowed without a burning permit unless an outdoor burning ban has been announced by the department.
In addition, burning the following materials is prohibited under any conditions:
• wet, combustible rubbish;
• oily substances, such as oily or greasy rags and oil filters;
• asphalt products such as shingles or tar paper;
• plastics of any kind, including plastic bottles and plastic bags;
• rubber products, including tires and hoses;
• treated, stained or painted wood; and
• upholstered furniture, bedding, carpeting, etc.
• recyclable paper or cardboard; and
• garbage.
Homeowners
Homeowners may also burn small quantities of nonrecyclable paper and unpainted, untreated wood. State and local laws require recycling of plastic containers, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, magazines and office paper. Penalties can be assessed to individuals and businesses for the improper disposal of recyclables.
However, if people do choose to burn, DNR air quality specialists say they should be courteous to neighbors and be aware of the effect the smoke and air pollution has on people and the environment downwind. They recommend people look into alternatives to getting rid of burnable waste.
“Property owners may want to donate items like furniture, appliances and other usable household items to local thrift stores, charities or schools as a first option rather than burning or landfilling them,” said Bob Germer, a DNR recycling specialist.
Brush, leaves and plant clippings could be composted. Backyard composting information is available at local DNR Service Centers.
Outdoor enthusiasts may want to use renewable paper products for meal preparation rather than more costly, hard-to-manage plastic and foam utensils. Burning a paper plate in a campfire creates less of an environmental and human health impact than the black noxious smoke of a foam plate. Wash and reuse the plastic utensils.
Businesses
Businesses, commercial enterprises, and industries may not use burn barrels or openly burn wastes and may not be granted burning permits by municipalities. Businesses may obtain a permit to burn small brush piles that are the result of clearing business property on a case-by-case basis.
No business or individual property owner may burn standing structures such as houses, sheds, cabins, garages, etc.
The Department of Natural Resources encourages all persons to consider alternatives to open burning such as reducing the amount of waste produced, reuse of items, recycling, chipping and composting yard and brush and landfilling.
Waste reduction, reuse, and recycling information is also available at local DNR Service Centers or electronically at [dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/wm.publications].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal Baudhuin, DNR Rhinelander – (715) 365-8958 or Bob Germer, DNR recycling specialist – (715) 635-4060
MacKenzie center to hold Maple Syrup Festival April 7
POYNETTE, Wis. – Wisconsin ranked fourth in the nation as a producer of maple syrup in 2006, with 360 producers tapping sugar maple trees and boiling the sap down to produce 100,000 gallons of syrup, accounting for nearly 7 percent of national syrup production.
“Maple syrup production is a tradition in this area dating back for centuries, when Native Americans established sugar camps in the spring to tap trees,” says Derek Duane, director of the MacKenzie Environmental Education Center. “It is still very important to Wisconsin, which is reflected in the sugar maple being designated as the Wisconsin State Tree.”
Maple syrup season is highly dependent upon weather conditions, but generally runs from mid to late February through the end of April in Wisconsin. The flow of sap inside the tree is triggered by cold nights with below freezing temperatures and warmer days with temperatures pushing into the 40s.
People who are interested in learning more about the traditional methods of making maple syrup can attend the annual Maple Syrup Festival at the MacKenzie center on Saturday, April 7.
The festival includes free guided tours, demonstrations of tapping sugar maple trees in the “sugar bush,” collecting sap in buckets and boiling down the sap in an authentic sugarhouse at the center. The tours will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be horse-drawn wagon rides from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. available for a fee, along with live music. The MacKenzie Center’s native wildlife exhibit and museums will also be open until 2 p.m. The event kicks-off with an all-you-can eat pancake breakfast – featuring maple syrup made from trees at the center -- served from 8 a.m. until noon at the resident center lodge.
The Friends of MacKenzie will be offering refreshments and selling maple products and souvenirs, with a raffle taking place at 1 p.m. The MacKenzie Center is located 2 miles east of Poynette on County Highway CS/Q. The festival is being sponsored by the Friends of MacKenzie, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and Department of Natural Resources. The breakfast is sponsored by the Poynette Optimist Club.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: MacKenzie Environmental Education Center – (608) 635-8110
Grants available to help landowners manage, restore habitat for ‘at-risk’ species
MADISON -- Landowners interested in managing or restoring habitat on their land for plant or animal species that are considered “at risk” have until April 20 to submit pre-applications that would make them eligible for cost sharing grants.
Up to 75 percent of the costs of projects to help “at risk species” may be covered under the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP), which is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and administered by the Department of Natural Resources.
At-risk species are rare plants and animals such as those listed as state or federally endangered or threatened, state special concern or species of greatest conservation need.
“The ultimate goal of this program is to support the recovery of rare species and natural communities and to prevent their further decline,” says Signe Holtz, director of the DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources. “The biggest threat to most rare species is loss or degradation of habitat. More than 85 percent of the land in Wisconsin is in private ownership and we estimate about 90 percent of at-risk species have populations on private land, so supporting private landowners in their efforts to restore and enhance habitat is an essential part of the strategy to preserve biodiversity in Wisconsin.”
In 2006, 16 separate projects received grants totaling $97,336 through the program. The projects primarily focused on restoring prairies and removing exotic species to benefit rare turtles, lizards, snakes as well as grassland birds, and rare plants, such as the eastern prairie fringed orchid, a federally endangered species.
The Landowner Incentive Program is currently accepting proposals for two areas in Wisconsin: the prairie and savanna region that covers much of the southern and western part of the state and the northern Lake Michigan coastal region along Green Bay and around Door County.
“We are initially asking eligible applicants to submit a pre-application rather than having them complete the full application, which is a much more detailed process,” explains Heidi Nelson, LIP coordinator. “This first step will help us to determine if the project would qualify for LIP and allow us to provide feedback for development of the final application.”
The DNR is also sponsoring a series of workshops in April to provide landowners and land managers with information about the program. Participants will learn how to read the land to see what species and characteristics identify ecological communities, and will discuss some of the management options that are eligible for funding, including prescribed burns, restoring native vegetation, and removing invasive and woody species. The workshops will also provide guidance on the LIP application process.
Different workshops will address topics specific to each priority area, three for the Prairie and Savanna Region, and two for the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape.
Prairie and Savanna Region workshops will be held:
• April 5, Madison - 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lussier Family Heritage Center, 3101 Lake Farm Road.
• April 13, Fennimore (Grant County) – 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, Room 493, 1800 Bronson Blvd.
• April 16, Eau Claire - 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Community Center, Room 204, 1300 First Ave.
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Landscape workshops will be held:
• April 11, Door County - 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Bailey’s Harbor Town Hall, 2392 CTH F, (Downtown in Bailey’s Harbor- Corner of Hwy 57 and EE/F).
• April 9, Suamico (Brown County) - 6:30 to 8 p.m. at he L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve- West Shores Interpretive Center, 2024 Lakeview Drive.
More information is also available on the Landowner Incentive Program pages of the DNR Web site at [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/WLIP/].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Heidi Nelson – (608) 267-0797, Darcy Kind (prairie and savanna region) - (608) 267-9787 or Christina Hodge (Lake Michigan region) (920) 662-5401
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.
March 31
• Hunting, fishing, sports, and conservation patron licenses expire.*
• Otter trapping season closes in central and southern zone.
• Trout season opens on designated sections of some Lake Superior tributaries. See the current Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide for more information. NOTE: There is an error in the 2007-2008 Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide pertaining to the open season date for some Lake Superior tributary streams. Those streams listed under the "Specific Waters Listed By County" section for Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, and Iron Counties which show an "Open Season" date of March 21 are incorrect. The correct Open Season date for these streams should be March 31.
April 7 – 8
• Youth turkey hunt.
April 11 – 15
• Spring turkey hunting period A
April 15 through July 31
• It is illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal Waterfowl Production Areas lands during this time unless the dog is on a leash no longer than 8 feet. Doe not apply to class 1 field trial grounds or DNR lands open to dog training.*
April 16
• Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Conservation Congress county meetings held in every county.
April 18 – 22
• Spring turkey hunting period B
April 25 – 29
• Spring turkey hunting period C
April 28
• Frog season opens. Runs through Dec. 31
April 29
• Early catch-and-release only trout season closes at midnight. Season is artificial bait, barbless-hook only.
• Otter trapping season closes in the North zone.*
April 30
• The yellow perch season closes on Lake Michigan and tributaries. The season reopens June 16.*
May 2-6
• Spring turkey hunting period D
May 5
• General inland waters game fish opener (trout, walleye, northern pike, bass in the southern zone). Check current Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations pamphlet for exceptions regarding specific game species and waters.
• Catch and release only bass season opens through June 14 in the northern zone.
• Muskellunge season in waters south of State Highway 10 opens:
May 9 – 13
• Spring turkey hunting period E
May 16 – 20
• Spring turkey hunting period F:
May 20
• Yellow perch season opens on Green Bay, the Fox River and other Green Bay tributaries through March 15 with a bag limit of 10. Yellow perch season on Lake Michigan opens June 16.*
• Set or bank pole and setlines can be used on specified waters in the Wolf and Fox river basins through Sept. 30. Check the current Setline, Set or Bank Pole Regulations for open waters.
May 26
• Muskellunge season opens north of State Highway 10.
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
April 11 - The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on revisions to ch. NR 809, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to drinking water standards via video conference beginning at 10 a.m. On Jan. 14, 2002, U.S. EPA published National Drinking Water Regulations for Long-Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment (LT1). These changes impact all public drinking water systems using surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI) and serve fewer than 10,000 people. In order to maintain primacy, Wisconsin must adopt all federal requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA) or have requirements that are equal to or more stringent than the SDWA. The proposed rule will also include revisions to correct minor errors in and updates to the following: the existing interim enhanced surface water treatment rule; the stage 1 disinfection and disinfection byproducts rules; the lead and copper rule; the drinking water public notification rule; the radionuclide rule; and updating analytical methods. Additionally, language is to be clarified with regard to total coliform rule maximum contaminant level determinations impacting systems collecting less than 40 samples per month. The department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. The proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted at the following Internet site:
http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Carol McCurry, Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until April 20, 2007. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. A copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from McCurry at - (608) 267-2449. Video conference participation ll be available at:
Eau Claire - Room 138, Eau Claire State Office Building, 718 W. Clairemont Ave.,
Green Bay - Room 618, Green Bay State Office Building, 200 N. Jefferson St.,
Madison - Room G11, GEF #2 State Office Building, 101 South Webster St.
Milwaukee - Room 98, Milwaukee State Office Building, 819 North 6th St.
Spooner - Conference Room, DNR Northern Region Headquarters, 810 W. Maple St.
April 11 - The Department of Natural Resources will be conducting a Public Informational Hearing regarding a permit application from Riverboat Lofts, LLC, of Milwaukee, to place slips on the bed, and for temporary structures and minor dredging associated with construction of a seawall on the shoreline of Milwaukee River. The hearing will be at 1 p.m. at the DNR Headquarters Building, 2300 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Milwaukee. For more information, contact Jennifer Jerich at (262) 884-2356.
April 12 – A Class 2 contested case public hearing on the matter of whether withdrawal orders issued by the Department of Natural Resources for lands enrolled under Managed Forest Land Designation shall be affirmed will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the offices of the Division of Hearings and Appeals, 5005 University Avenue, Suite 201, Madison. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 77.88(1)(b) and (c), the Department of Natural Resources issued an Order of Withdrawal (#26-018-1996) to Valuation Systems, P. O. Box 2013, Santa Monica, CA, 90406, effective Jan. 1, 2004, withdrawing managed forest land designation from 40 acres of land comprising the SE ¼ of the SE 1/4 , Section 36, Township 44N, Range 04E, Town of Oma, Iron County (Parcel Identification No. 14-1279-0000 and 0100). Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 77.88(1)(b) and (c), the Department of Natural Resources issued an Order of Withdrawal (#26-019-1996) to Planning Technology, P O Box 799, Santa Monica, CA, 90406, effective Jan. 1, 2004, withdrawing managed forest land designation from 68 acres of land comprising part of the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ and the entire NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 36, Township 44N, Range 04E, Town of Oma, Iron County (Parcel Identification No. 14-1277-0000 and 14-1276-0100). For information contact the Division of Hearings and Appeals at (608) 266-7709.
Meetings
March 27& April 4 – The Department of Natural Resources will be conducting public informational meetings on the agency’s “Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan” [http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/management/index.htm] to guide how federal grants and funds from the sale of hunting and fishing should be used to manage sport fish and wildlife populations. Wildlife, fisheries, and law enforcement staff will review their programs during meetings ask how those funds should be used in Wisconsin over the next six years [http://dnr.wi.gov/invest/fwhplan/]. The meetings are open to anyone interested in the work of the Department of Natural Resources. For more information contact Barb Zellmer at - (608) 266-8724. The meetings scheduled at this time will be:
March 27, Eau Claire - 6:30 p.m., Chippewa Valley Technical College Auditorium, 620 W. Clairemont Ave.
April 4, Wisconsin Rapids - 6:30 p.m., Mid-State Technical College 500 32nd St. North.
March 27-28 – The state Natural Resources Board will meet in Room G09, of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster Street Madison, to act on items as listed in the meeting agenda. For information contact Laurie J. Ross, Natural Resources Board Executive Staff Assistant at (608) 267-7420.
March 28 – The DNR Brownfields Study Group will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., Madison. The meeting is free and open to the public. If you need more information about the meeting agenda, location or parking, please contact Andrew Savagian at (608) 261-6422, or [andrew.savagian@wisconsin.gov].
March 29 – The DNR Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest ATV Stakeholders group will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reuland's Catering, 1571 Hwy. 51 North, Arbor Vitae to continue to evaluate sustainable use of ATVs on the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. For information contact: Bob Dall at (715) 365-8993 for details.
April 4 - The Groundwater Advisory Committee created by 2003 WI Act 310 will meet from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Gathering Waters conference room at the South Central Region Service Center in Fitchburg. For more information, contact Jill Jonas at (608) 267-7545. The agenda is available on the drinking water pages of the DNR Web site.
April 11 – The State Trails Council quarterly meeting will be held at 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Governor’s Conference Room, 116 East State Capitol, Madison. (If unavailable, the back up room is, Room 330 SW, State Capitol). The agenda includes: recreational trails program projects overview, water trails, snowmobile and ATV emissions, funding for parks and trails, invasive species, motorized state recreation area concept update, master plans update, trail crew update, Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest ATV Trail Stakeholder Committee update and other trail issues. For more information contact Joseph Warren, at (608) 267-7487, or by e-mail at joseph.warren@wisconsin.gov .
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/
