Lakes in Action

From: Steph Boismenue <sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: September 9, 2016 at 12:38:34 PM CDT
Subject: Workshop: Lakes in Action: Advocacy 101

Good Afternoon,

Here is a great opportunity to learn how you and your lake group or organization can be more effective advocates for sound water policy.

Lakes In Action: Advocacy 101 (Rhinelander)

Presented by Wisconsin Lakes & River Alliance of Wisconsin

When:  Thursday, September 22, 2016   5 PM - 8 PM

Where: Holiday Acres Resort, 4060 South Shore Drive, Rhinelander, WI  54501    http://www.holidayacres.com

~Registration is FREE, but space is limited~

Wish you could influence public policy makers to be more protective of our lakes and waters, instead of tearing down existing protections? You can!  Wisconsin Lakes and the River Alliance of Wisconsin have partnered to create “Lakes in Action”, a new program designed to help you and your lake organization be even more effective in advocating sound water policy at all levels of government.

To launch Lakes in Action this fall, we’re offering a free workshop to teach you the basics of being a good advocate - as an individual and an organization. Using the recent dismantling of Wisconsin’s shoreland zoning law as a real world topic from which to work, we’ll cover topics such as:

·         What can my lake organization do under the law to influence lawmakers? Can my group do lobbying

·         What are the best ways to communicate and build effective relationships with lawmakers?

·         How can I have an impact and advocate for my lake if my voting address is different from my lake home?

·         How do we build consensus within our own organization as to the group's position on an issue, or even whether to advocate one way or another as a group?

The training, presented by staff from WI Lakes and the River Alliance, will run 3 hours and are free, but registration is required.

Click here to register for the Rhinelander workshop   https://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/307/personal2.asp?formid=EventsNoGuests&c=6648760

Steph

Stephanie Boismenue

Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator

Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Department

Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor

PO Box 400

Rhinelander, WI 54501

Phone:  715-369-7835    
Fax:  715-369-6268
sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us

www.oneidacountyais.com 

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What's Happening in Conservation?

From: Michele Sadauskas <msadauskas@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: September 8, 2016 at 1:34:01 PM CDT
Subject: Conservation Clip List

Good afternoon everyone-

Did you know that baby oysters are called spat?  That L.A. is looking to build a land bridge over a 10 lane highway and you can watch a time lapse video of the proposed wildlife corridor?  And that it took only one tidal cycle after riprap and concrete slab were removed from a river shoreline to see a brand new beach appear?

Check out the below links to find out more what is happening across our country in the world of Conservation.  Enjoy!

Conservation Clip List is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD that provides our members and partners with the latest news in what's driving conservation. If you have a relevant submission, please contact your NACD Communications Team.

---

Minnesota Cracks Down On Neonic Pesticides, Promising Aid To Bees via NPR

If Minnesotans want to spray neonics on plants, for instance, they now need to go through an additional step, verifying that the pesticides are needed. The state's Department of Agriculture also will increase inspections and enforcement efforts to make sure that any pesticides that are highly toxic to bees — including neonics — are being used according to regulations.

Yellowstone River closes indefinitely over deadly parasite via BBC News

More than 2,000 mountain whitefish have been found dead along the banks of the river, but officials estimate about 20,000 more whitefish are presumed to have been killed by the parasite.

Cargill, General Mills, Wal-Mart collaborating to improve farm soil, water quality via Star Tribune

The announcement Wednesday will call for accelerating field-scale research in three states to reduce fertilizer runoff and groundwater pumping for irrigation. The participants also will create case studies so that farmers, crop consultants and ag retailers can learn what conservation measures make economic as well as ecological sense in particular geographic areas.

With Water In Short Supply, One California Farmer Grows Feed Indoors via NPR

Growing barley as feed isn't anything new, but Daccarett sprouts barley seeds inside shipping containers using hydroponic technology and indoor grow lights. He's using just 2 percent of the water it would take to grow the crop outside.

‘Like it’s been nuked’: Millions of bees dead after South Carolina sprays for Zika mosquitoes via The Washington Post

The dead worker bees littering the farms signaled the killer was less mysterious, but no less devastating. The pattern matched acute pesticide poisoning. By one estimate, at a single apiary — Flowertown Bee Farm and Supply, in Summerville — 46 hives died on the spot, totaling about 2.5 million bees.

L.A.’s mountain lions could be near extinction in 50 years via Los Angeles Times

The mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains is still relatively healthy but has the lowest documented genetic diversity of any puma population, aside from Florida’s panthers. Scientists now have a chance to tackle the main threat to the big cats’ survival: isolation.

In drought, drones help Calif. farmers save every drop via The Pantagraph

In the drought-prone West, where every drop of water counts, California farmers are in a constant search for ways to efficiently use the increasingly scarce resource. Cannon Michael is putting drone technology to work on his fields at Bowles Farming Co. near Los Banos, 120 miles southeast of San Francisco.

Millions of Oysters Coming to Maryland Thanks to $800K Grant via CBS Baltimore

An $800,000 federal grant from NOAA will be used to plant one and a half billion oyster spat over the next three years. The more oysters survive, the healthier the bay becomes. The NOAA grant stipulates the oysters are to be planted in protected sanctuaries, currently off limits to harvesting.

Why do we keep putting people in the way of wildfire? The wrong carrots and sticks. via Los Angeles Times

(Opinion) It will be impossible to control the rising costs, damages and dangers related to home development on fire-prone lands unless we get the incentives right. Ideally, towns and cities should be rewarded when they allow building to go forward in a fire-safe fashion, and they should be forced, financially, to think twice before approving any new housing developments on dangerous lands.

Eroded Elwha River beach transformed after armoring removed via Peninsula Daily News

The old armor had been keeping fine sands and woody debris suspended by wave action, preventing natural beach formation. The new beach is prime spawning habitat for surf smelt and ideal for forage fish, Shaffer said. But even the experts were surprised by how quickly the beach was transformed and the shorebirds and otters returned.

Western States Face Challenges Cleaning Up After Coal Mining via NPR

Cloud Peak literally moved a mountain, which is an expensive proposition. In Wyoming alone, what has already been mined is expected to cost more than $2 billion to clean up. And moving mountains back into place is just part of the cost. The rest is rebuilding an entire ecosystem. Jones says that starts with the plants.

Michele Sadauskas County Conservationist Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor PO Box 400 Rhinelander, WI 54501 Phone:  715-369-7835     Fax:  715-369-6268 msadauskas@co.oneida.wi.us Like Us on Facebook

Help Needed.....

From: Steph Boismenue <sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: September 8, 2016 at 9:06:01 AM CDT
Subject: Help Needed to Restore Invasive Phragmites Site

I need volunteers to help me plant native plants to restore a roadside marsh, which has been altered by the invasive Phragmites. The planting/restoration day is scheduled for Wednesday, September 14^th from 1:00 pm to about 4:00 pm, and the site is located on Highway 8 West of Rhinelander (see below for directions). The day’s projects include

1) Plant about 200 native plants in 2” pots, which include Cordgrass, Blue Vervain, Iris, and Joe- Pye Weed.  Michele started these plants from seeds last fall and has been nurturing them ever since.  

2) Help dig out the Phragmites regrowth that has occurred since last summer’s management efforts.  Currently, there are about 100 plants that average 35-40” in height.  Any help you can give would be appreciated. 

What to bring: This is a wet site, so old clothes, gloves, old boots or rubber boots, and waders (if you have them) are recommended. If possible, bring a shovel. I’ll have refreshments available.  

Location: The site is located on highway 8 west of Rhinelander, on the south side of the road, directly across the street from South Fox Ranch Road. It’s at the bottom of the concrete run-off ditch.  Bet you didn’t know this site was even there.

Please RSVP by 4:00pm Monday, September 12^th by phone 715-369-6293 or sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us

The Oneida County AIS Team has been managing and rehabilitating this invasive Phragmites site for the last several years. The site is approximately 0.05 acres.  It’s been a daunting task, but we have finally arrived to the point where we can have fun with this project – by planting native vegetation, which I could sure use your help with.

Thank you,

Steph

Stephanie Boismenue

Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator

Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Department

Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor

PO Box 400

Rhinelander, WI 54501

Phone:  715-369-7835    
Fax:  715-369-6268
sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us

www.oneidacountyais.com 

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From our County Conservationist.....

From: Michele Sadauskas <msadauskas@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: August 22, 2016 at 12:14:17 PM CDT
Subject: Support DNR's invasive plant work and enter to win a free eagle license plate

Good afternoon all-

See the below message from Kelly Kearns, Invasive Plant Coordinator, Natural Heritage Conservation, DNR:

Invasive Species Folks – Much of the work done on invasive terrestrial plants by DNR is thanks to contributions by you and other WI residents. When you contribute to the “Endangered Resources Fund” on your state tax form, or when you buy a wolf, badger or the new eagle license plate, you are paying for my work to coordinate invasive plant efforts, and for our field crews to control invasives on our State Natural Areas. Thank you for your continued support! Below is a chance to win a new eagle license plate.

Our new eagle license plate celebrates the comeback of bald eagles in Wisconsin and lays the financial foundation for our work together to conserve native wildlife, plants and natural areas. To help raise awareness of this beautiful new license plate and the important work it funds, we are giving away 10 of these Endangered Resources license plates. Enter now online http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/EndangeredResources/plate.html through Sept. 2 for your chance to win one of the license plates free for the first year and let others know about this opportunity.

Good luck, and let’s continue to keep invasive species at bay!

Michele Sadauskas County Conservationist Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor PO Box 400 Rhinelander, WI 54501 Phone:  715-369-7835     Fax:  715-369-6268 msadauskas@co.oneida.wi.us Like Us on Facebook

From our AIS coordinator....

rom: Steph Boismenue <sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: August 24, 2016 at 3:15:50 PM CDT
Subject: Oneida County AIS Newsletter 8-24-16

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Attached is the Oneida County AIS Newsletter, which includes upcoming workshops and AIS events, and gives you a peek of what we’ve been up to this summer. Please share with you lake association.

The AIS Team has been busy in the field this summer with all sorts of outreach and proactive activities. One of our many field activities that we do is lake monitoring, which involves obtaining baseline water quality data and canoeing the shoreline/littoral zone in search of AIS.  The data we collect is written into a lake monitoring report as well as entered into SWIMS (Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System), a Wisconsin DNR information system that holds chemistry (water, sediment), physical, and biological (macroinvertebrate, aquatic invasives) data.  This year, the AIS Team monitored the following lakes: Echo Lake, Emma Lake, Bass Lake, Two Lakes North, Lake George, DL Lake, and Soo Lake, Little Carr Lake.  Landing only AIS Checks include the following boat landings: Buckskin, Kawaguesaga (at the dam), Squaw, Squirrel (Kobart Rd), Lake Nokomis (hwy N), and Crescent.  I’ve attached our Emma Lake Monitoring Report and as our busy season winds down, I will send out the rest of lake monitoring reports.

Enjoy the day,

Stephanie Boismenue

Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator

Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Department

Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor

PO Box 400

Rhinelander, WI 54501

Phone:  715-369-7835    
Fax:  715-369-6268
sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us

www.oneidacountyais.com 

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Another FYI....

From: Steph Boismenue <sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: August 26, 2016 at 12:31:25 PM CDT
Subject: Bridge Snapshot Day

Good Afternoon All,

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP MONITOR ONEIDA COUNTY RIVERS AND STREAMS FOR AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES

Volunteers are needed to help the Oneida County AIS Team search for invasive species in rivers and streams during the 3rd Annual Bridge Snapshot Day, to be held on Saturday September 10th, 2016 from 9:00am – 1:00pm.   Volunteers can choose one of four monitoring areas, which are Minocqua, Three Lakes, Rhinelander, and the Pelican Lake areas.  Depending on where volunteers wish to monitor, volunteers will meet at a centralized location to receive training, directions, and monitoring supplies and then head into the field to look for invasive species. All training will be provided by the Oneida County AIS team and snacks, beverages, tote bag and boot brush will be provided. 

This one day event, hosted by the River Alliance of Wisconsin, is a fun opportunity for you to search for undetected invasive species in and/or around rivers, streams, including trout streams, creeks, thoroughfares, bridge crossings, and culverts.  At some sites, friendly waters will beg you to wade in to get a better look, while at other sites you can simply look from the safety of the shore with binoculars and rakes.  If you have questions, please contact Stephanie Boismenue, AIS Coordinator at 715-369-7835.

Volunteer registration began August 1st and ends September 3rd. To register, please visit the River Alliance website: www.wisconsinrivers.org/events/display/item/snapshot-day-5

Stephanie Boismenue

Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator

Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Department

Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor

PO Box 400

Rhinelander, WI 54501

Phone:  715-369-7835    
Fax:  715-369-6268
sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us

www.oneidacountyais.com 

Like us on Facebook

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An FYI from AIS Coordinator Stephanie Boismenue.....

From: Steph Boismenue <sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us>
Date: August 31, 2016 at 4:13:12 PM CDT
Subject: AIS News- Starry Stonewort on the Move in WI

Hello,

Unfortunately, the AIS Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) has been discovered in the Sturgeon Bay Channel in Door County (see attached article). This threating AIS is fairly new to Wisconsin. It’s first confirmed discovery in Wisconsin was 2014 when it was identified in Little Muskego Lake, Waukesha County, during an aquatic plant survey. Last year it was confirmed in additional lakes in southeastern Wisconsin. It’s native to western Asia and Europe and was likely introduced to the Great Lakes via ballast water.

Quick Facts about Starry Stonewort:  This AIS may seem small, but the ecological threats are mighty!  It hitches a ride on boats, trailers, and anchors holding sediment. Once introduced, it causes significant ecological threat to our lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, and ponds by forming dense mats that reduce fish spawning habitats, hinders fish and animal movement, outcompetes and reduces diversity of native vegetation, and fragments entangle propellers and damage motors….ouch! It can grow in water depths up to 9 meters (30 feet). 

Similar Species:   Starry stonewort is often confused with Nitella and Chara.  Star-shaped bulbils are a unique feature to Starry Stonewort.

Help Stop this Aquatic Hitchhiker:

·         Practice clean boating and set a good example at boat launches – “Inspect, Remove, Drain & Never Move” to help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!

·         Become a CBCW volunteer and staff a landing to educate boaters and help them clean their equipment.

·         Become trained on the identification of invasive species and help be on the lookout for new populations

·         Share this information with your family, neighbors and lake groups.

Educational Information and Links:

·         Attachments: Starry Stonewort Quick Guide provided by Golden Sands RC&D/CLMN and Starry Stonewort FAQ provided by the DNR

·         Identification: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/fact/starrystonewort.html

·         Photos of Starry Stonewort:  http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/photos/index.asp?mode=detail&spec=218

Steph

Stephanie Boismenue

Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator

Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Department

Oneida County Courthouse, 2nd floor

PO Box 400

Rhinelander, WI 54501

Phone:  715-369-7835    
Fax:  715-369-6268
sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us

www.oneidacountyais.com 

Like us on Facebook

www.oclw.org