Ghost Pipe: An Otherworldly Forest Resident

JoAnne Lund's Oneida County Clean Water Minute

Ghost Pipe has an almost ethereal look. The entire plant is a translucent, ghostly white— sometimes marked with black flecks or a pinkish hue. Scale-like leaves hug the stem, which rises 4–8 inches above the forest floor, bearing a single, nodding flower. This unusual plant may appear alone or in small clusters and blooms from June through September in dense, moist woodlands rich with leaf litter. That’s why Ghost Pipe is abundant in Oneida County!

Its white coloration is due to a complete lack of chlorophyll—the green pigment most plants use for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll allows plants to make their own food using sunlight. But without it, how does Ghost Pipe survive?

To answer that, we need to explore the hidden world beneath our feet—the remarkable relationship between trees and mycorrhizal fungi. These beneficial fungi wrap around tree roots, forming an intricate underground network that protects the tree from pathogens. In return, the tree shares nutrients it produces with the fungi. This mutual exchange is part of a vast forest web of life.

Ghost Pipe has found a way to tap into this food-sharing network. Instead of photosynthesizing, it siphons nutrients indirectly from nearby trees by connecting to the fungi that serve them. It’s a parasitic participant in this fungal pipeline—thriving in the shadows, nourished by the forest’s secret lifelines.

What an extraordinary and otherworldly way to live!

Wave Boat Bill Coming to a Head?

Lake protection groups warn of potential expedited attempt by State Assembly.

By Eric Rempala August 22, 2025- There are new rumors circulating that the Wave Boat issue may soon be addressed by the legislature. Both the Last Wilderness Alliance (LWA) and Lakes at Stake have issued warnings that the Wake Surfing Industry may be looking to rush an inadequate bill through the Assembly. The latest LWA newsletter stated:

"We've just received news that a wake-surfing industry-backed bill is expected to be introduced in the Assembly within the first two weeks of September.

While we don't have the exact language yet, we anticipate it will include inadequate depth and distance-from-shore requirements and will likely restrict local control (the rights of towns to decide what’s best for their lakes). Once we know the bill’s exact details, we will immediately notify you on how you can help stop bad legislation.

The wake-surfing industry's strategy is to rush this bill through the Assembly before we have time to respond. They will likely push for a public hearing to be scheduled with as little as 72 hours' notice. This hearing will probably be held by the Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks, and Recreation on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday in Madison, Wisconsin."

OCCWA as member of an 80-organization statewide coalition have been active locally in sharing news and pressing legislators to protect our Northwood Glacial Lakes. These lakes may well pay the severe environmental price of inadequate legislation.

Recap of Local Impacts and Efforts so Far

In September of 2023, OCCWA attended a Senator Felzkowski listening session in the town of Tomahawk. In that session the Senator revealed that she had been contacted by the Wave Boat Industry concerning wave boat legislation

Also, in September of 2023, Last Wilderness Alliance began educating Oneida County towns on Wave Boat's wakesurfing impacts on lakes and how to create town ordinances to combat the eventual damages.

In October of 2023, Senator Felzkowski and Representative Swearingen proposed a bill to regulate wakesurfing which failed to provide any meaningful protection against the activities impacts. The bill stated wakesurfing boats should operate no less than 200ft from shorelines. The bill also provided no minimum depth requirements for wake creation. On top of all that the bill would forbid any town to pass a more protective ordinance to protect their lakes.

In November of 2023, Senator Felzkowski and Representative Swearingen's bill landed with a thud in Onieda County when hundreds of concerned citizens voiced their concerns in local listening sessions. Details of listening sessions provided by WXPR: Wake surf boats hot topic for local lawmaker listening sessions | WXPR

Fast forward all the way to May of 2025 and Senator Felzkowski admits that restricting towns from creating more protective ordinance is not a good idea with her comment on legislation in the works:

“The legislation will ensure local control with no limitations on it. We are looking at the spreading of invasives. We are looking at public safety, and we are looking at distance from shore,” Felzkowski said."

Since the Felzkowski-Swearingen original bill proposal, the only concession to concerned lake enthusiasts has been the right to create more protective ordinances. There have been zero indications on any amendments on distance from shore or depth of operation. Which is exactly why both LWA and Lakes at Stake are correct in issuing their recent warnings.

Lakes at Stake's latest newsletter:

Saddle Up Folks - A Bad Wakesurf Bill Soon to Drop

Voice your concerns:

Call or send your emails to:

Senator Felzkowski Contacts

Email Sen.Felzkowski@legis.wisconsin.gov

Phone # (608) 266-2509

Representative Swearingen Contacts

rep.swearingen@legis.wisconsin.gov

Phone # (608) 266-7141

Super Fires: Coming to a Forest Near You?

Despite misinformation on Canadien wildfires, comparing them to Wisconsin is apples and oranges.

By Tom Wiensch August 19, 2025- Global warming is changing the world, and part of what is changing is the frequency and size of wildfires. Both NASA and the United States Geological Survey have stated that warming is increasing wildfires and making them more destructive.

Northern Wisconsin has received a huge amount of smoke from Canadian wildfires this year, often making the air unhealthy to breathe. Is Wisconsin going to face the sort of fires that Canada has been dealing with? While there is reason for concern, there is also reason to hope that we will not experience fires like those that Canada has experienced.

The Geography of Canada is much different from that of Wisconsin. Canada has 980 million acres of forest. 16 million of those acres have burned this year alone. By contrast, as of early August, 3.4 million acres of U.S. Forest had burned.

The largest fire burning in the U.S. as of early August was the Dragon Bravo Fire in Arizona, which had, as of August 4th, burned 126,000 acres of forest. The largest wildfire in Canada, the Candle Lake Fire had burned over 1.3 million acres of forest as of early June.

There has been a trend toward increasingly large and destructive wildfires in Canada in recent years. The Canadian wildfires of 2023 were the largest in that nation’s history, burning over twice as much forest as was burned in the second worst year.

Several members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional district recently sent a letter to the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. suggesting that Canada could, by using available technology, and managing its forests differently, prevent and control wildfires.

“That is a flawed argument that seems to show a lack of understanding of the geography of Canadian Provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan.”

Much of Northern Wisconsin is forested. Unlike the wilds of Northern Canada, however, Northern Wisconsin has an intricate web of roads. These roads can act as fire breaks. Also, the roads, and the natural geography of Wisconsin make most areas in our state readily accessible. It is difficult to find places in Northern Wisconsin that are more than a very few miles from a public road, and many of those places contain logging roads. In contrast, Northern Canada has many roadless areas that are over 100 miles square. Even the most remote parts of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest seem relatively tame compared to more remote parts of Canada. The roads and terrain of Northern Wisconsin make it unlikely that we will see fires of the magnitude recently experienced by Canada.

Still, there is reason for concern. By the end of March 2025, there had already been over 150 wildfires in Wisconsin. Fortunately, the total acreage burned was only 430 acres. On May 13, the Wisconsin DNR issued a red flag warning for five counties in Wisconsin, noting that in the previous week, the Department had fought over 130 wildfires. That report noted that several homes had to be evacuated, and one structure was consumed by fire.

Also, relatively large forest fires have occurred in the Upper Great Lakes States in recent years. In 2012, the Duck Lake Fire in Upper Michigan consumed 21,000 acres of forest. That fire also destroyed dozens of homes and other buildings, including a popular resort. In May of this year, wildfires in Northern Minnesota destroyed 150 structures, and consumed over 20,000 acres of forest. Admittedly, the U.P. and Northern Minnesota contain more remote areas than Northern Wisconsin. Still, they are not nearly as remote and inaccessible as Northern Canada. Both of those fires provide cautionary tales for Wisconsin.

Wildfires are a natural phenomenon. That said, manmade global warming has increased the number and intensity of wildfires in recent decades. Wisconsin’s natural and manmade landscape make it less susceptible than Canada to enormous fires. Still, we do not live in an area without risk. The increase in the number and severity of wildfires is another reason, among many, to advocate for actions that will decrease and reverse global climate change.

Related Forest Fire articles:

As Canada wildfires choke US with smoke, Republicans demand action. But not on climate change | WXPR

Lawmaker Calls for Explanation of Inconsistent Forest Service Staffing Data — ProPublica

Land Trusts Contribute to Fiber of Northwoods Conservation

Kurtz Donation Marks 100th Milestone for the Northwoods Land Trust.

By Northwoods Land Trust August 5, 2025- Jan Kurtz made a generous donation of a conservation easement to the Northwoods Land Trust (NWLT) on July 24, 2025, protecting 22 acres of land and over 1,200 feet of natural shoreline on Julia Lake in the Town of Hiles, Forest County.

Jan’s motivation to preserve the property is to ensure that it stays as her family has known it for approximately 75 years. Jan grew up spending summertime at the rustic family camp, playing in the surrounding woods, picking berries, and swimming in Julia Lake and Furbush Creek.

What makes Jan’s donation particularly special is that it is the 100th conservation easement donation to the Northwoods Land Trust, a non-profit conservation organization based in Eagle River. This milestone is being celebrated by NWLT’s board of directors- a group of 16 passionate and skilled individuals who are advancing the mission to conserve land and natural resources to benefit present and future generations in seven counties in northern Wisconsin.

The Northwoods Land Trust was formed in 2001 when landowners and lake associations expressed the need for services to permanently conserve shorelands, woodlands, and wetlands. Land trusts are uniquely positioned to do just that. Shoreland protection remains among NWLT’s highest priorities today, with over 85 miles of waterfront protected that will remain natural and undeveloped.

One reason the northwoods region has such high-quality lakes and rivers is because of the amount of public and private conservation land that safeguards these resources. “Conserved shorelands offer the highest level of protection to the long-term health and quality of our waters, and for the wildlife that depend on them,” says Bob Martini, NWLT board president.

Ensuring healthy waters and forests for the future also plays a critical role in the economics of the region. “Tourism and recreation bring in millions of dollars of annual revenue to our communities, and those visitors come here to experience our clean lakes and healthy forests. Not every shoreline needs to be developed. Over time, the northwoods is at risk of looking like southern Wisconsin if proactive measures aren’t taken now. One such action is private landowners protecting their property through a conservation easement. The land remains intact and privately owned and managed. It remains on the property tax rolls -a win-win for communities and the environment,” noted Bob.

A conservation easement is a legal tool and a private property right. It allows a landowner to preserve their land in cooperation with a qualified organization, like the Northwoods Land Trust. Nearly 40 land trusts across the state and 1,700 nationwide are collectively working to keep private lands natural for future generations. Most conservation easements allow for the management of forestland for timber production, further supporting the long-term economic health of regions that depend on forest products to sustain their economy, like Forest County.

Jan’s conservation easement borders the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, making it even more critical of a connection that keeps forest and wildlife habitat intact. “I just could not see this land being subdivided and having houses all along Lake Julia’s shoreline. I’ve had a long-time passion to preserve the esker and wetlands of this parcel. My parents previously considered arrangements to conserve it before I became the owner in 2009. After their passing, it took me two years to accomplish our family’s conservation plans for these lands,” Jan explained.

“It’s my right and honor to protect the earth I’ve been privileged to inhabit. I am a caretaker of this land. I don't believe in dominion over land; I believe in stewardship of the land,” ended Jan.

To learn more about the Northwoods Land Trust and its services for landowners, visit Northwoods Land Trust . NWLT staff are available to discuss conservation options and benefits.

-----

Photo caption: Jan Kurtz (center) with family and Northwoods Land Trust representatives celebrating the 100th conservation easement donation to the non-profit organization.

The Cooling Conundrum

Why Saving Lives with AC Comes at a Climate Cost - and How Smart Land Design Can Tip the Balance.

By Beckie Gaskill July 30, 2025- It’s hot. Really hot. And for more Midwesterners, that means air conditioning isn’t just a luxury, it’s a lifeline. But while AC units crank away to keep us cool, they’re also quietly turning up the planet’s thermostat.

In this piece, we’ll explore why modern cooling is a double-edged sword, and how time-tested land design—rooted in permaculture principles—could be the missing link in our fight for a livable future.

A long-term study in the U.S. spanning from 1960-2004 found an approximate 80% reduction in heat-related deaths on days over 90 degrees Fahrenheit when compared to pre 1960 numbers. There is no doubt that humans need a way to stay cool, especially as the planet continues to warm. But is AC the answer? Or is there a better way forward?

In 2022, air conditioning accounted for approximately 7% of the electricity used globally. That equates to nearly 20% of all electricity used in buildings. Further, AC accounts for about 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. That percentage jumps to 3.2% of total greenhouse gas emissions when refrigerant leaks are factored in.

To make matters a bit worse, cooling electricity demand is expected to triple by 2050, according to MIT’s Climate Portal. That portal also predicts AC-related emissions could swell from 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide today to over 2 billion by mid-century.

Humans, however, do not need to keep going down the same path. It is true that we need cooling, especially if climate realities stay on the same trajectory as some models predict.

Permaculture versus AC addiction

Without getting to “out there” or “hippy-ish", permaculture practices can go a long way toward cutting fossil fuel use, and not just from air conditioning use.

In its simplest definition, permaculture is working with Mother Nature rather than against her to achieve a desired outcome. In this case, that would be a cool place to be in the heat of long, summer days. It does not have to be complicated or involved, but the more a person dedicates time and effort to idea, the better the return.

It all starts with observing the outdoor world around our homes. Watch how the sun, wind and shade move across the property and how that changes throughout the seasons. Does the summer afternoon sun create turn your house into a hot box? Are you able to take advantage of the breeze that blows in a certain direction? These are some small things to look at, and to take steps to attempt to rectify.

Something as simple as planting trees or climbing vines on the westerly or southern facing side of the house can provide shade from the hot summer sun. In winter, as the leaves die off of the trees or vines, it allows the winter sun to help warm the house. Take this idea one step further and get a yield from your shade trees. A variety of fruit and nut trees would work well in these situations. Just be sure to keep them far enough away from the house so that they do not impede safety or grow into the foundation of the building. Grapes and hops, alternatively, are some great vine choices. Make your own wine or beer!

For those looking to get a little “deeper” into permaculture practices (pun intended), earth-sheltering or berming might be the AC-reducing ticket. Use native soil or natural contours to insulate part of a building. It has long been known that houses built into the side of a hill, for example, take much less energy to heat and cool due to the insulating properties of the Earth. But other structures can benefit from the same insulating properties.

Integrating rather than segregating parts of your home and landscape can help reduce the need for cooling as well. Every piece of the system can do double duty, or perhaps even more. A garden maybe more than a garden. It may double as a climate tool. Instead of a simple roof, why not a living roof? Water features can be not only attractive but can cool the surrounding air through evaporation.

Solar chimneys, cross-ventilation and thermal curtains are widely available today and can help cut down on the need for cooling. Choosing the color of the roof and siding for your home to deflect, rather than absorb, heat can help as well. Even old-school options such as root cellars as passive cool zones and lessen the need for air conditioning.

Many permaculture practices can also reduce heating needs (and therefore costs) in the winter as well. With extreme weather events becoming more common and more disruptive, the ability to not rely solely on electricity for air conditioning is another advantage to putting some of these practices to work in our own homes. When storms take out the power, those with alternative cooling methods can remain comfortable throughout the storm clean up.

Not only do these practices help use less fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions, but they can save us money in the long run, too. And let’s face it: who couldn’t use saving a little money in these uncertain times?

I would not say we need to go back to living in sod houses and cooking on woodstoves, although I’d take a burger fried up in cast iron over open fire over a microwave burrito anyway. If we simply borrow from the permaculture playbook, we can build homes and landscapes that work toward cooling themselves. In the face of climate change, that’s not just sustainable. That’s survival.

You can view more of Beckie's work at MIdwest Conservation on Substack:

https://substack.com/@beckiegaskill

Nostalgia is One Thing; Poisoning Loons is Another

How to Save our Loons: Toss your Lead Sinkers and Lures!

By Wendy Kraly July 25, 2025- Our Northwoods symbol, named 2025 ABA Bird of the Year: Common Loon. Why are we losing them? The number one killer is lead poisoning. How simple is it to change? Can’t we just throw away our lead sinkers and lures? I went to three fishing tackle and bait shops in Minocqua and they all have non-poisonous alternatives that cost just a few dollars more. But as one shop attendant told me, they still sell lead “100 to 1”.

On the 2025 Spring Wisconsin Conservation Congress State-wide survey, there was a resolution to ‘Eliminate lead ammunition and tackle’. Did it pass? No! With just over 9,000 respondents across the State, only a third responded ‘yes’. Half of our WI counties said yes, yet when the resolution was presented at the WCC conference, it did not pass. My understanding is that this resolution will ‘never pass in our lifetime’. It was further explained to me that everyone wants to use ‘Grandpa’s fishing tackle’. I have a solution: display Grandpa’s fishing tackle on the wall.

Do people realize that the fish they are catching have lead poisoning, which means we humans are also being poisoned? If eagles or other birds of prey eat poisoned fish, they die. Any other scavengers die as well. Loons pick up pebbles from the bottom of the lake to help with digestion, and they easily mistake a lead sinker for a pebble. If a loon swallows just one lead sinker, he or she will endure a painful death.

Loons with Lead Poisoning will exhibit the following Behavioral Changes:

Early signs of lead poisoning include neurological abnormal behavior such as head tilting, staying close to shore and/or under piers/docks for long periods of time.
The poisoning progresses to diarrhea, weakness, tremors, gasping and muscle paralysis.
Loons with late-stage lead poisoning will exhibit tremors, gasping, inability to fly, and will eventually pull themselves up on shore.
A loon will die within 2-4 weeks of ingesting lead fishing tackle.

Other reported cause of loon deaths around the state this summer:

Severe injuries from shooting fireworks over/into the water: Embers land on loons and cause deathly burns.
Electrocution as a result of stray voltage from shore stations: Underwater electric current exposes loons to irreversible brain trauma.
Fishing line entanglement.

We need to continue to spread the word across our communities through education. One way is through hosting/attending wildlife programs like Minocqua Winter Park’s Walk on the Wildside Summer Wildlife Series, where people from all walks of life and across the state have been showing up to learn more about our wolves, loons, bears and birds of prey. Check it out if you have time: Walk on the Wild Side: Summer Wildlife Series – Minocqua Winter Park

Please share this with others and ask them to toss their lead sinkers and tackle. One action will save many lives and will help keep our water clean for our wildlife and our families.

Suspect a loon is injured or in distress?

There are two excellent options for assistance in the Northwoods.

Loon Rescue- Kevin and Linda Grenzer out of Tomahawk do a spectacular job of rescuing injured birds. You can contact them at 715 966-5415 or on their Facebook page Loon rescue | Facebook

Raptor Education Group Inc.- REGI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of injured or orphaned native bird species and public education of wildlife issues. Led by Director Marge Gibson, REGI is a group of compassionate and skilled avian rehabilitators second to none, and right here in Antigo. REGI provides a FAQ page Contact Us — Raptor Education Group, Inc. to help you determine if you truly have an emergency and contact information if you do.

Independent Coalition Getting a Handle on PFAS

OCCWA is one small contributor to a large non-profit coalition addressing PFAS in Wisconsin.

By Eric Rempala July 17, 2025- OCCWA's involvement in Wisconsin's PFAS problem was born of our members dedication to protecting clean water and following our Mission Statement.

"OCCWA advocates non-partisan responsible representation at the local and state government levels for protecting our greatest in the Northwoods: our pristine waters, wetlands, forests and clean air."

The History

When I first came to be a member of Oneida County Clean Waters Action (OCCWA) in 2019, the group did not cover PFAS contamination. OCCWA at the time was fledgling organization with its roots firmly planted in metallic mining issues of the day, namely the Lynne Deposit. At that time the only known PFAS contamination in Oneida County was that of the City of Rhinelander's municipal wells. Honestly, it was a relief to our group that there was a Facebook group Water Action Team of Rhinelander (WATR) that was tracking the Rhinelander problem as we were in no position to be of much help, but always in the back of my mind I wondered if we should dive in.

Well things settled down, Rhinelander closed the contaminated wells and provided water from their remaining 3 wells. Of course, reducing well capacity by 40% was a story as well as where did the PFAS come from, but PFAS was at least removed from the system. The WATR Facebook page slowly became less active as several years passed with the Facebook page's last meaningful post made in July of 2022.

Suddenly, in December of 2022 high concentrations of PFAS were discovered by the WDNR in the town of Stella and everything changed for the town, the county, and OCCWA. Despite having a small membership and accepting no money, we knew we could not ignore this ominous issue and remain true to our mission statement. So, we jumped in headfirst and did our best to get up to speed and provide as much information to affected residents. PFAS research was done, other groups with more PFAS experience were contacted, and many conversations with DNR personnel were had. We also leaned heavily in our education process on non-profit environmental organizations, also known as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's).

The Present

Fast forward 3 years which included a very steep learning curve and many formal and informal meetings, our members put OCCWA in a position to be invited to a statewide coalition addressing PFAS. On June 5th our organization participated in a PFAS summit meeting hoping to share and learn and advocate for our county's residents affected by PFAS. This coalition is a most effective combination of Wisconsin Environmental Groups, local community groups, and citizens. We are proud to work with these dedicated people and thank them for all their efforts on this important issue. Wisconsin's Greenfire, a member of this coalition, provided their report of the summit. (See Photo)

"On June 4-5, 2025, Wisconsin’s Green Fire participated in the first in-person summit of the statewide PFAS coalition. As you may know, PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These “forever chemicals” are common in many household and industrial products but are known to contaminate drinking water in some areas of Wisconsin. This coalition of groups working on PFAS typically meets virtually each week. It includes many conservation organizations including WGF, advocacy groups, faith groups, and others from around Wisconsin. The representatives from WGF at the summit were John Robinson, Chair of our Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) Work Group, and Paul Heinen, WGF’s Policy Director.

Attendees came from Marinette to La Crosse, Peshtigo to Stella, and many other cities, towns and villages. We convened at Rib Mountain State Park to share experiences and stories of the work to clean up PFAS in their communities. Some are local officials, some are heads of local citizens groups and other are moms and dads with kids who need clean water to drink.

Many of the attendees have been working for seven or more years to get the needed funding for their hometown’s cleanups. In the meantime, they are drinking bottled water and teaching their children to avoid the taps in their homes. They have been working with a cadre of lobbyists, including Paul Heinen, to convince the Legislature to write protective standards covering this forever pollutant and have come to Madison numerous times to tell their story and lobby their representatives.

Wisconsin’s Green Fire’s CEC Work Group has been supplying the statewide group with the science, regulatory and policy information needed to address the PFAS problem. We will continue to work together until we solve the problem of PFAS in Wisconsin for all people living, working and visiting Wisconsin."

Why NGOs are important

The most prominent NGOs involved in this PFAS coalition are Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Wisconsin's Greenfire, River Alliance of Wisconsin, and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. These groups provide so much to organizations such as us at OCCWA, but also to affected communities like Stella, Marinette, French Island, Madison and Milwaukee.

These NGOs with financial resources from donors provide environmental studies and help organize and educate citizens and lesser funded local groups. They employ lawyers to help understand legal issues including state legislation. They also lobby in Madison emphasizing environmental issues. Rember, Industries spend millions lobbying on their behalf, but who's there for the little guy? Though many expect our elected officials to represent our concerns in Madison, too often poor public canvasing and partisan politics get in the way. NGOs provide expertise on specific issues and are another path to educate and influence decisionmakers in the state. This kind of work is not financially possible for groups such as OCCWA.

Smaller Groups matter too

OCCWA falls into the smaller group category along with groups such Save Our Water (SOH2O), Citizens for Clean Water Around Badger, and Clean Water Action Council of NE Wisconsin. These groups, along with affected citizens share a local perspective with the coalition. No two PFAS contaminations are identical. It's important to share ideas, experiences and information for the coalition to be more effective.

One Group in particular, SOH2O from Marinette/Peshtigo have been dealing with PFAS for over seven years now. With that kind of time invested and no solution yet in sight frustration builds, but also expertise grows. SOH2O's website is incredible! So much information! Information that all affected communities can use. Information that OCCWA would love to supply on our website but lack the resources to do. This is where this coalition pays another of its many, dividends.

SOH2O's website provides links and resources to look for help and get more information. They explain the many forms of PFAS contamination and provide excellent answers to health questions. They offer tool kits, DNR links, guides on filtration systems and more. More importantly they welcome anyone interested to visit their site and take advantage of all they offer for free!

Visit Save Our Water at: S.O.H2O | PFAS advocacy group

Conclusion

For all the reasons mentioned above and many more, we at OCCWA are proud to be a small part of this coalition. We want to let those affected in our county know that there are people outside of elected officials, that are working for them. We hope that with these combined efforts, that the State of Wisconsin will move forward with a plan to ensure no citizen will have to drink and bathe in PFAS contaminated water.

For more NGO information see Tom Wiensch's July 15th post below.

NGO is Non-Governmental Organization

Which NGOs in Wisconsin protect the public's right to clean water and a clean environment?

By Tom Wiensch July 15, 2025- Threats to the surface and groundwater in our part of the State come from many directions: mining, climate change, point and non-point pollution (including PFAS contamination), irresponsible use of waterways, and more.

A number of organizations work on clean water issues in the area. This article contains a brief rundown on some of the organizations people can contribute to, join, or volunteer with. These organizations serve broader areas than Oneida County, but all have done significant work that relates to water issues facing our area.

GATHERING WATERS, INC. - https://gatheringwaters.org/

Gathering Waters acts as an Alliance for more than 40 land trusts in Wisconsin. As such it advocates for and provides support to land trusts around the State. In addition to supporting land trusts, GW has actively worked on conservation issues. That work has included advocacy for the Pelican River Forest Easement, participation in litigation which led to the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturning the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee’s secretive pocket veto of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Funds projects, and advocacy for funding of the Knowles-Nelson Fund.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WISCONSIN, INC. https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin

LWV is a non-partisan organization that encourages understanding of policy issues and participation in government. The organization educates and advocates to influence public policy. LWV has taken policy positions on such issues as water quality and climate change and has advocated against PFAS contamination.

MIDWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES, INC. https://midwestadvocates.org/

MEA is a non-profit law group that was formed after the State Office of the State Public Intervenor was eliminated in the 1990’s. MEA litigates environmental issues in Wisconsin, works on policy issues, and provides education. Among other things, MEA has advocated for state-wide groundwater PFAS standards, taken legal action to ensure access to public records concerning PFAS contamination, and represented clients in a Wisconsin Supreme Court Case that overturned the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee’s pocket veto on Knowles-Nelson Stewardship projects.

NORTHWOODS LAND TRUST, INC. https://northwoodslandtrust.org/about-us/shoreland-protection-initiative/

The Northwoods Land Trust conserves land and resources, including shorelands in Oneida County and six other northern counties. The Land Trust has undertaken a shoreland protection initiative and a climate conservation solutions initiative. Among the lands conserved by the Land Trust are the Holmboe Conifer Forest, The Yawkey Forest Reserve, and the Thunder Lake Wildlife Conservation Area, all in Oneida County.

THE RIVER ALLIANCE OF WISCONSIN, INC. https://wisconsinrivers.org/

The River Alliance works with others to protect and restore water resources in Wisconsin. Often working in support of local groups, The River Alliance has worked to protect Wisconsin Waters from threats such as sulfide mining, obsolete dams, aquatic invasive species, degradation of manoomin (wild rice) beds, and polluted runoff. Recently The River Alliance and others represented by Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a friend of the court brief in a lawsuit filed by the industry sponsored lobbying group Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and others that sought to undermine Wisconsin’s “Spills Law.” The River Alliance and the others opposing the industry group were successful at the Wisconsin Supreme Court level, and the law was found not to be limited in the way that Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce had asserted.

SIERRA CLUB WISCONSIN CHAPTER https://www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin

The Sierra Club has worked on a number of water and conservation issues, including advocating for PFAS standards in drinking water, and against unsafe sulfide mining, and has litigated a variety of environmental issues in Wisconsin courts.

WISCONSIN CONSERVATION VOTERS, INC. https://conservationvoters.org/

Wisconsin Conservation Voters advocates for sound environmental laws and policies and works to elect pro-conservation candidates. The organization tracks the votes of Wisconsin’s Governor and legislators and scores them on how they vote on conservation related bills. Wisconsin Conservation Voters has also advocated on clean water issues including PFAS contamination.

WISCONSIN’S GREEN FIRE, INCORPORATED https://wigreenfire.org/about/

Wisconsin’s Green Fire works to promote science-based policy relating to conservation issues. The Green Fire Website provides educational resources such as tracking of environmental legislation in the state, and a collection of stories about the real-world impacts of climate change in Wisconsin. Green Fire has also provided training to lake association leaders in Oneida and Vilas County, and has advocated for funding of conservation projects, and for clean drinking water.

WISCONSIN LAKES https://wisconsinlakes.org/

Wisconsin Lakes works to protect the lakes of Wisconsin from degradation. The organization’s work includes legislative advocacy, development and support of statewide and local lake protection rules, and providing educational and technical support for others, including government officials and lake associations.

Meeting Highlights Importance of Citizen Involvement

Six County Lakes and Rivers Meeting draws lake lovers from across the Northwoods.

By Beckie Gaskill July 7, 2025 (Photo credit Tommy Burrell)

The 15th annual Six County Lakes and Rivers Meeting took place at Nicolet College in Rhinelander on Friday, July 11, 2025. There were several speaker presentations as well as a panel discussion on aquatic plant management. Attendees also had time to stop by the exhibitor booths and chat with local land and water staff during and after the half-day event.

The morning started out with a legislative update from Bob Schell from Wisconsin Lakes. Ted Rulseh of OCLRA gave a presentation about a new initiative of the association’s – the Lake Steward Program.

The Moen Lake Chain east of Rhinelander will be the pilot lake association for the program, which brings shoreline health to top-of-mind for riparian owners. Land owners who have best practices in place on their shoreline and landscape can receive a Lake Steward sign to post on their property.

Michelle Nault from WDNR presented information about Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM), ways to combat it, and the differences between native, Eurasian, and hybrid milfoil. She was also a member of the panel discussion later in the morning.

Gina LaLiberte, who many know as the “algae lady” from DNR talked about blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria. She gave many examples of what harmful algae could look like but warned that sight alone could not determine with an algae bloom contained toxins and, as such, it was better to steer clear of any blooms.

John Richter of Last Wilderness Alliance spoke on the water’s hottest topic: enhanced wakes. Over 50 municipalities have enacted enhanced wake ordinances, he said, and the alliance is working with another 50 currently. The statewide wake sports coalition currently sits at over 80 businesses and organizations. This group is pushing for statewide regulation, which may be an uphill battle.

Michele Sadauskas and I presented information about grant opportunities for riparian owners. Michele spoke about how the county can help with grants and could even be the grant holder, in some cases, for a group or individual that may not otherwise qualify.

I spoke about Lumberjack Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council, a grant opportunity I felt as though many did not realize was available. Lumberjack offers grants of up to $10,000 for various conservation projects.

Both Michele and I stressed the importance of partnerships. Groups that work together with other entities often have an easier time finding funding, and their projects often have higher odds of success.

The latter part of the morning consisted of our aquatic plant management panel. Besides Michelle Nault, Eddie Heath from Onterra was there as was Dave Mueller from the Eagle River Chain of Lakes Association (ERCLA). Esiban Parent from Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and Andre Birden from the Lac du Flambeau Tribe gave a Native American perspective on aquatic plants and aquatic plant management. People seemed to embrace that perspective and had several questions for Esiban and Andre about their management techniques.

The recording of the entire meeting will be available within the next week, with a link posted to the OCLRA Facebook page as well as on the website. Slide decks from the presenters will also be made available in the coming weeks.

Governor and Legislature Fail Knowles Nelson

Failure to fund Knowles Nelson Program in state budget means last hope is stand-alone legislation.

By Beckie Gaskill July 3, 2025- Don’t Let Knowles-Nelson Slip Away: Why Wisconsin’s Outdoors Needs You Now. Photo Credit Nettie Lewis

If you’ve ever hiked a wooded trail, dropped a line into a clear Northwoods lake, or hunted in the hush of a state natural area, chances are you’ve already benefited from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Even if you’ve never heard the name.

Named after two conservation-minded Wisconsin governors — Warren Knowles (a Republican) and Gaylord Nelson (a Democrat and the founder of Earth Day) — the program has, for more than three decades, quietly safeguarded the wild, open, and fishable spaces that make Wisconsin what it is. It’s been the backbone of funding for public land acquisitions, easements, and conservation projects across the state. You know, the kind of things that keep the “wild” in wilderness.

But here’s the rub: the Knowles-Nelson program is at risk. Again.

Despite bipartisan roots and overwhelming public support, it’s been tied up in legislative gridlock for years — hamstrung by red tape, political games, and repeated attempts to raid or restrict its funding. Now, in 2025, there’s a glimmer of hope in the form of new stand-alone legislation aimed at protecting and fully funding the program. But it won’t get far without a serious show of support from the people who use and love the land.

That means us.

Whether you’re a hunter waiting for November’s quiet stillness in the woods, a paddler chasing solitude on the Wisconsin River, a forager filling your basket with chanterelles, or just someone who believes in leaving a legacy for the next generation — this is your moment to stand up.

And here’s why it matters:

Access: Knowles-Nelson has opened up tens of thousands of acres of land for hunting, fishing, hiking, and paddling. Without it, those opportunities could dry up faster than a trout stream in August.
Stewardship: It helps private landowners partner with the state to manage forests, restore habitat, and protect shorelines. This isn’t government overreach — it’s government getting it right.
Tradition: Conservation is part of Wisconsin’s identity. Aldo Leopold would probably have something to say if we let this slip through the cracks.

The new stand-alone bill would allow the Knowles-Nelson program to operate on its own merits — with fewer delays and less interference. It’s a chance to return to a time when conservation wasn’t political, it was just the right thing to do.

Representative Tony Kurtz and Senator Pat Testin, Vice-Chairs of the Joint Finance Committee and co-authors of standalone legislation to renew Knowles-Nelson, issued the following statement:

"Today, the Joint Finance Committee will be taking action on the budget for the Department of Natural Resources, but we will not be including the reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program in those actions. After discussions with our caucuses and several stakeholder groups, we feel it is best to focus on the reauthorization of Knowles-Nelson separately from the budget. We are committed to getting something done and not taking action today gives us the best opportunity to ensure the bill for the program has the time and attention it needs for future success. We look forward to continuing the conversations throughout the next several weeks."

What You Can Do (Because Complaining Around the Campfire Isn’t Enough)

Contact your legislators. Let them know this issue matters to you — not as a partisan fight, but as a Wisconsinite who values land, water, and wildlife.
Talk about it. Mention it at the bait shop. Bring it up at deer camp. Slip it into conversation with your hiking buddies. Awareness spreads one conversation at a time.
Sign and share petitions. Conservation organizations around the state are organizing support — find them, sign on, and share with your networks.

Because here’s the truth: the outdoors can’t speak for itself. But we can.

Let’s make sure the places we love — the backwoods deer stand, the spring-fed lake, the tucked-away trout stream — are still here for the next generation of sportsmen, women, and wild-hearted wanderers.

Knowles-Nelson is worth fighting for. And the fight is now.

Midwest Conservation by Beckie Gaskill is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Upgrade to paid

Legal Victory for PFAS Affected Communities

Years of legal wrangling ends up defending the DNR's ability to hold polluters responsible.

By Eric Rempala June 25, 2025- In a January 2023 Town of Stella PFAS meeting OCCWA posed a question. The question asked at the meeting of Senator Felzkowski was "What effect the current litigation by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) might have in limiting the states authority to address PFAS contamination under Wisconsin's Spills Law? Senator Felzkowski chose to not answer citing as a reason "that until the litigation was complete it would be only speculation as to the effects" Of course we at OCCWA were well aware a victory in court for WMC would be devastating to the Wisconsin Spills Law and the Wisconsin's DNR's ability to hold polluters responsible.

Fast forward two years and five months. After years of litigation, one stay, and a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling, we have an answer to that January 2023 question. The answer to that question is, no limiting of the state's/DNR's authority to address PFAS contaminations. The answer became clear due to the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision ruling that the DNR can force responsible parties to clean up pollutants even if they have not yet been officially designated as hazardous.

A case summary from Midwest Environmental Advocates is offered for clarification.

"This case began in 2021 when Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Leather Rich, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to limit the agency’s ability to investigate environmental contamination and require responsible parties to clean up contaminated sites. The lawsuit threatened to fundamentally undermine the Spills Law, a bedrock environmental and public health protection that has protected the people of Wisconsin for more than 40 years.

WMC’s lawsuit could have removed the only meaningful public health protection we have to address PFAS contamination in Wisconsin. Under the Spills Law, DNR is providing critical assistance to people in Marinette, Peshtigo, La Crosse and other communities devastated by PFAS contamination.

For more than four years, MEA fought to make sure WMC didn’t succeed in gutting the Spills Law. Between 2021 and 2025, MEA attorneys filed five amicus briefs in the case.

In 2022, a Waukesha County circuit court judge sided with WMC, though he agreed to place a stay on the decision pending final resolution of the case. The stay prevented the decision from taking effect and allowed the DNR to continue cleaning up PFAS contamination and providing bottled water to families whose drinking water has been contaminated. In March 2024, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals upheld the lower court ruling. MEA subsequently filed an amicus brief urging the State Supreme Court to take the case.

The State Supreme Court heard oral arguments on January 14, 2025. Afterward, MEA held a press conference to explain what’s at stake and how public health and the environment would be harmed if Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce succeeds in undermining the Spills Law.

Legal Victory!

On June 24, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a decision rejecting WMC’s reckless attempt to undermine the Spills Law. The decision is a victory for the health and wellbeing of the people of Wisconsin."

So, what does this mean for Oneida County and the Town of Stella?

Well, it may mean that paper mills, and other businesses (Sludge producers) who used PFAS may be forced to pay some portion of the remediation/cleanup costs. This would lessen the taxpayer's burden of cleaning up after them. Of course, our state legislators have done a pretty good job of lessening that burden due to partisan nonsense and their inability to release monies designated for PFAS relief. For the past two years our legislators have had money designated for PFAS relief but chose to use the Spills Law lawsuit as a reason to not release it. With the suit now settled, can we count on them to do their job? I would not bet on it!

What it shouldn't mean is innocent landowners such as farmers (Sludge receivers) who had DNR permitted sludge applications on their fields being held responsible. The DNR has been adamant that those farmers would not be held responsible for clean-up. The DNR in fact stated as much in a 2024 Memo on Enforcement. The memo states:

"The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has long recognized the importance of supporting our farmers and agricultural community, and in working together to prevent and reduce the burden of contamination to our land and water.

The U.S. EPA recently released a PFAS Enforcement Discretion Policy under CERCLA which states that the EPA does not intend to pursue response actions or costs from farmers whose property has been impacted by PFAS because of land spreading.

The DNR also has not and does not intend to pursue farmers who own agricultural land for response actions or costs related to unintentional PFAS contamination resulting from permitted land spreading.

The DNR will continue to work with communities and stakeholders to determine whether and how additional enforcement discretion may be applied."

What's Next?

Of course, getting industry to clean up their mess isn't going to happen overnight if ever. In the meantime, the state needs to designate and release PFAS relief/remediation money immediately. To that point, in our April 24th article we made two requests for the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) to approve two of the Governor's budget recommendations. Those recommendations were as follows:

1) Budget proposal.
Support $725.9 million in revenue bonds that will fund state match requirements and expand loan opportunities through the Drinking Water Loan Program and the Clean Water Fund Program. This critical investment will support much-needed drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure across Wisconsin.

2) Budget Proposal.
$143.6 million for the DNR to support PFAS monitoring and remediation across Wisconsin. This will provide support for sampling, research, public health interventions, emergency response, and disposal activities.

Well, the good news is that half that request has come true. In a June 6th WPR article Legislature's budget-writing committee boosts borrowing by $732M for water programs - WPR the details were shared.

"The Joint Committee on Finance voted Thursday to increase borrowing by $732.2 million under the state’s Environmental Improvement Fund, which includes the clean water fund and safe drinking water loan programs.
The fund is supported by federal grants that require a 20 percent state match that generally needs to be in hand prior to receiving federal funds. Lawmakers voted to increase borrowing by $73.6 million to meet the required state match for four years.
The committee also approved a $658.5 million increase to fund about 87 percent of anticipated financial need among communities. The state projects they will seek around $1.6 billion in loans for clean water and safe drinking water projects under the next two-year state budget, as well as nearly $1.3 billion in the 2027-29 biennium."

Now true enough there is much to be excited about. Monies for city and town infrastructure such as public water filtration systems, wastewater treatment plant facilities and more will become more readily available. Perhaps the City of Rhinelander could access these monies to address their PFAS issues? Maybe drill some wells? Possible, but the question one has to ask is, what about private well owners? What about the people in the town of Stella? Where's the money for them?

Those answers have yet to be addressed. Those answers are in the second budget request mentioned but not approved as of yet by the JFC. The $143.6 million for the DNR to support PFAS monitoring and remediation across Wisconsin that will provide support for sampling, research, public health interventions, emergency response, and disposal activities. Yes, that request would address private well owners and all the issues that come along with contaminated soil and aquifers.

Make no mistake, $146 million is only a drop in the bucket, but it is a start. A start that the JFC and our local legislators should not deny. Hopefully, crossed fingers, and some gentle nudging will secure some relief for those who drink from their own well. We at OCCWA have begun our nudging at the recent Oneida County Conservation Committee. We asked the committee to consider urging state legislators to support the budget request. If you would like to do some nudging of your own?

Nudge here it only takes a few minutes:

Senator Felzkowski Contacts
Email Sen.Felzkowski@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone # (608) 266-2509

Representative Swearingen Contacts
rep.swearingen@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone # (608) 266-7141

Big Beautiful Land Sale?

Federal legislation questioned for being environmentally unfriendly.

By Kathleen Cooper June 25, 2025- One of the greatest assets of the United States of America is our vast natural spaces - the public land that we Americans are so proud of. It is beautiful, for one thing, but there are many other important reasons for us to value, treasure, and keep our public lands. Public lands act as natural filters, improving air and water quality. They provide habitats for diverse plant and animal species, including many that are threatened or endangered. Public lands help maintain healthy ecosystems, which are vital for biodiversity and climate change mitigation.

Public lands also are profitable, they attract visitors, support local businesses and create jobs in the tourism and recreation industries. They also provide timber, minerals, grazing land, and other resources that contribute to the economy. Recreating on public land is good for our physical and mental health. These lands also preserve cultural and historical sites, as well as foster a sense of community by providing gathering places and opportunities for social interaction.

So, everyone loves public land and agrees that public land is important, right? Apparently not. The Big Beautiful Bill calls for selling 250 million acres of the US’s 640 million acres of public land, and some of our Republican leadership thinks that is a great idea. It’s all a part of Project 2025, and the Big Beautiful Bill is the way to bring Project 2025 into reality. In fact, American Stewards of Liberty an admitted contributor to Project 2025 has already been successful in influencing the Oneida County P&D Committee's proposed Comprehensive Plan.

Project 2025 calls for increased resource extraction, such as oil, gas, minerals, and timber. It also advocates reduced federal land protection. It calls for weakened environmental regulations, and weakening protections for wildlife, including iconic Western species like grizzly bears and gray wolves. It also includes proposals to block federal support for conservation easements and give state and local politicians veto power over the use of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ln other words, it would give extractive industries nearly unfettered access to public lands, severely restrict the power of the Endangered Species Act, open up millions of acres of Alaska wilderness to drilling, mining, and logging. It would also roll back protections for spectacular landscapes like Oregon’s Cascade Siskiyou National Monument and seek to revitalize the dying coal industry in the West by restarting coal leasing in Wyoming and Montana.

The only ones who will profit from this desecration of our public lands are the oil, gas, mining, and timber companies. Afterwards we will be stuck living in a barren wasteland, devoid of trees, greenery, or any semblance of natural life. Once we desecrate our beautiful land, air, and water, we will never get it back.

Please let your voices be heard. Call your elected representatives, protest, write letters. Our beautiful American wilderness, second to none of the world, depends on it.

Setting Knowles Nelson Record Straight

Gathering Waters, Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts provides facts on Knowles Nelson Program.

Posted June 20, 2025,

Setting the Record Straight: A Response to Claims About the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program

Wisconsin's Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been a cornerstone of our state's conservation efforts for over three decades, protecting precious natural resources while providing outdoor recreation opportunities for all Wisconsinites. If you hunt, fish, hike, ride bikes, or just enjoy a picnic outside, Knowles-Nelson has worked for you. And that’s why more than nine out of ten voters support continuing the program. Recently, Senate President Mary Felzkowski, in a Facebook video, made several claims about the program that deserve a close look. Policy debates should always be grounded in accurate information.

The cost of Knowles-Nelson

Senator Felzkowski claims that Wisconsin spends "over 1.5 million per week" on the stewardship program, presenting this figure as cause for alarm. First, this exaggerates the actual cost by approximately 20%. The weekly debt service for Knowles-Nelson is actually about $1.23 million.

More importantly, this figure lacks context. When we break down the true cost, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program costs each Wisconsin resident less than $11 per year—just 21 cents per person per week. This modest investment has yielded extraordinary returns in protected lands, clean water, and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Knowles-Nelson costs pale in comparison to other debts the state carries. For example, Wisconsin's debt service for transportation infrastructure costs $1.21 million per day—nearly six times more than our weekly investment in conservation.

Bonding is how governments finance long-term purchases, just like when one of us buys a house. If an investment has a high upfront cost but provides benefits for a long time (think paving roads, building schools, or purchasing land), then it makes sense to spread the cost out over the life of the investment. That’s what bonding does.

Most importantly, Wisconsin is in excellent financial condition, carrying less debt than at any time in the past 25 years. There are no legitimate concerns about our state's debt load that would justify scaling back this successful program.

Wisconsin's Public Land: Behind the Curve, Not Ahead

Senator Felzkowski suggests that Wisconsin already has plenty of public land, claiming that "approximately 20% of all land in Wisconsin is publicly owned." This figure is inflated. The actual percentage of public land in Wisconsin is just under 17% and includes federal land as well as conservation lands owned by the state, local governments, and nonprofits. The difference between 17 and 20 percent is bigger than it may seem at first. Three percent of Wisconsin’s land is more than one million acres. Less than that has been conserved in the entire 35 years of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Far from having "enough" public land, Wisconsin actually trails behind both the national average of 25% and our neighbors Michigan and Minnesota. Wisconsin's conservation efforts have been comparatively modest, making continued investment in the Knowles-Nelson program all the more important.

Restoring, Not Eroding, Checks and Balances

Perhaps most concerning is Senator Felzkowski's characterization of the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision in the case Evers v. Marklein. She claims that Governor Evers' lawsuit "seriously damaged the relationship between the legislature and the stewardship program" and resulted in "an erosion of checks and balances."

This turns the court's ruling on its head. The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 6-1 decision that crossed ideological lines, ruled that the legislature had grossly overstepped its constitutional authority. The court found that anonymous objections by individual legislators violated the separation of powers enshrined in our state constitution.

The court recognized that once the full legislature appropriates funds through the budget process, individual legislators cannot anonymously block those expenditures. This decision restored constitutional governance, not damaged it.

Oversight Remains Strong

Senator Felzkowski's claim that stewardship funds now constitute "a blank check for Governor Evers" is simply false. The Department of Natural Resources operates under extensive statutes and administrative rules that govern Knowles-Nelson. Rigorous applications, appraisals, and strict limits on the kinds of projects that can be funded all direct the DNR’s work. And the legislature retains full authority to modify these rules at any time through the normal legislative process.

Senator Pat Testin and Representative Tony Kurtz, recently introduced a bill to update the Knowles-Nelson statutes and provide new guidance for the program. The bill has not received a committee hearing in the senate. As Senate President, Senator Felzkowski is uniquely empowered to advance such legislation and restructure the program.

The Truth About "Vanishing" Acres

The claim that "120,000 acres of stewardship land has literally vanished from the DNR records" is misleading. No land nor records have vanished. What happened was a significant, but correctable, administrative error on the part of the Department of Natural Resources.

The Department of Natural Resources discovered that it had incorrectly attributed some land acquisitions to the Knowles-Nelson program when those purchases were actually funded through other sources. All public lands remain protected. The issue is how those purchases are coded in the DNR database.

It's worth noting that years of legislative budget cuts have forced the DNR to operate with antiquated computer systems, contributing to such record-keeping challenges. This doesn't excuse the error, but it highlights the importance of adequate funding for basic administrative functions.

Rhetoric vs Legislative Record

Senator Felzkowski states that she is "focused on maintaining the public land Wisconsin currently has." However, her actions suggest otherwise. During her tenure, the legislature has consistently underfunded state parks and land management accounts, creating an enormous backlog of maintenance needs. The very Knowles-Nelson program she criticizes would provide crucial funding for maintaining and improving our existing public lands under the bill introduced by Rep. Kurtz and Sen. Testin.

Legislators who prioritize maintaining our public lands should support robust funding for the programs that make such maintenance possible.

Moving Forward Together

Wisconsin's natural resources are indeed a critical asset, as Senator Felzkowski correctly notes. Our forests, lakes, trails, and parks support a thriving outdoor recreation economy worth more than $11 billion annually.. They provide hunting, fishing, hiking, and countless other opportunities that enrich the lives of Wisconsin families.

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been remarkably successful for over 30 years, enjoying broad bipartisan support throughout its history. Rather than mischaracterizing its costs and operations, we should be working together to ensure this vital program continues to serve Wisconsin's conservation needs.

Charlie Carlin

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts

“Stand strong and demand that some Knowles-Nelson funding be included in the state budget. Compromise is fine, but we cannot accept zero funding for Knowles-Nelson.”

Take Action – Knowles Nelson Stewardship

Concern for Federal Funding of Forests

Wisconsin Council on Forestry crafts letter in response to potential federal forestry actions.

By Eric Rempala June 2, 2025- In response to questions about federal budget threats, the Wisconsin Council on Forestry sent an advisory letter to Governor Tony Evers, Senator Romaine Quinn, Chair - Senate Committee on Rural Issues and Forestry and, Representative Jeff Mursau, Chair - Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation.

In the letter which can be viewed here: COF_Federal Impacts Final.pdf the Council addressed many issues including their deep concerns about federal funding and staff cuts. The excerpt below highlights those concerns.

"The Wisconsin Council on Forestry continues its focus on recommending and promoting efforts to support healthy, resilient, and productive forests amid increasing threats. We recognize and appreciate the acknowledgement of the Council's work, and the essential budgetary considerations needed to support these endeavors in the 2025-’27 Executive Biennial Budget. While the federal policy and budget mechanisms are very much in flux, we are deeply concerned about how funding and staff cuts will impact Wisconsin’s ability to support our forests and the vast environmental, social, and economic benefits they provide."

A year ago, OCCWA had the honor of being invited by the Council to share our experiences promoting the Pelican River Forest Project. At that meeting we found the Council led by Chairman Tom Hittle and Vice-Chair Matt Dallman to be extremely focused and capable of managing the states forests in a sustainable manner. Hopefully federal funding will continue supporting their efforts.

We also found it interesting that the Council in their letter shared the Wisconsin's Green Fire paper, "Forests at Risk". In fact, they went so far as to include the link WGF_2024_OppsNow_Forests_final.pdf to the paper in their letter. This is not hard to understand though, as Green Fire has been and continues to be a leader in non-profit environmental resource analysis in our state.

What is the impetus for the state's and councils' concerns?

Well concerns of the Trump administration fast-tracking reviews of logging projects in Wisconsin seems to be at least one of the motivating factors. In an April 10th article from WPR Trump administration will fast-track reviews to ramp up logging in Wisconsin - WPR reports that the Trump Administration will be speeding up environmental reviews on projects in the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest (CNNF). An excerpt from the article states:

"The Trump administration is speeding up environmental reviews of logging projects on more than half of the country’s national forests, including parts of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin."

There are questions if speeding up the process is even necessary considering that the current process seems to be working while protecting Northwoods values. A quote in the article from Ron Eckstein a Northwoods resident and forester states:

"Ron Eckstein is the co-chair of the public lands and forestry work group for Wisconsin’s Green Fire. He said he doesn’t think existing federal regulations are too burdensome for loggers. “We can produce the timber we need to produce. We can protect against wildfire using the (National Environmental Policy Act) process and Endangered Species Act and still produce forest products yet, protecting all the other values of the national forests, like wildlife, watershed, recreation, including timber,” he said. Eckstein noted the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is already one of the top timber-producing national forests in the country. The forest sold around 125 million board feet in fiscal year 2024. The Forest Service sells an average of 3 billion board feet each year nationwide."

This is a situation that bears monitoring. Hopefully current protections in place for woods, water, wildlife, and way of life will not be diminished. The CNNF is a source for many clean watersheds in Wisconsin. It is incumbent on Northern Wisconsin residents to continue to practice responsible stewardship.

PFAS, Wave Boats, and Moving Away from Northwoods Lifestyle

Legislators listening session has few answers other than supporting County's pro-development.

By Kathleen Cooper May 26, 2025- Wisconsin State Senator Mary Felzkowski and Assemblyman Rob Swearingen held a series of "listening sessions" during this past month. The sessions were well attended and covered many issues affecting the residents of Northern Wisconsin. At the Rhinelander session on May 6th, it became apparent that the Senator's vision for the future of the Northwoods, and what the people who live and work here want, may be two very different things.

The first topic discussed was the PFAS crisis in the Northwoods, particularly in Stella, but also in Rhinelander. $125 million was budgeted 2 years ago by the Wisconsin Legislature to aide in remediation, but that money has not yet been released by the Joint Finance Committee. A dispute between the Governor and the Republican Party about who is an innocent landowner and the DNR's ability to hold those not innocent accountable is the cause of the money not being distributed. When asked about this, Senator Felzkowski blamed Governor Evers for vetoing Republican authored bills that he thought would not allow the DNR to hold industry polluters responsible. The Senator also shifted blame to the DNR for continuing to allow sludge to be spread on fields in Oneida County.

In the listening session, it was brought to the legislator's attention that though she and State Representative Swearingen did attend the initial town of Stella/DNR PFAS meeting, they failed to attend either of the two following meetings. Since the discovery of PFAS in Stella, the Wisconsin DNR has provided folks with bottled water, helped pay for well-replacements, and filter installations to help people get clean drinking water, but there have been drawbacks. Newly elected Stella Town Chairperson Casey Crump told Felzkowski and Swearingen that some of the new wells are testing positive for PFAS and maintenance on the in-home PFAS filters can cost up to $600 every few months. In a quote from WXPR article Wake boats, housing, and PFAS among top concerns brought up in Northwoods listening session | WXPR Chaiman Crump stated:

“They can't sell their homes, obviously, because they don't have clean water, so nobody's going to buy it. They're living off the bottled water. How long will that last? Who knows. When you live your life around this, bottles for brushing my teeth, this bottles for this, this bottle for this, it's pretty tough. I've got quite a few citizens out there that have some real concerns,” said Crump.

Another hot topic was Wake Boats. Senator Felzkowski contends that if a bill is introduced with wake boat restrictions that protect the lakes in northern Wisconsin, it would cause an increase in traffic on the state's southern lakes. Therefore, any bill to protect our lakes, she stated, won't get the votes needed to pass from downstate legislators. It seemed like the interests of wake boaters and wake boat manufacturers were more important to her than the science behind the recommended restrictions to keep our northern lakes healthy.

It was during a discussion about the lack of public-school funding in Northern Wisconsin that we saw the Senator's true vision of the future of the Northwoods. She said that the problematic state formula for funding Wisconsin public schools was not the problem. Rather, declining enrollments were the cause of the funding crisis in Northwood schools. She dismissed placing any blame on the dilution of public-school funds by private school vouchers. Instead, she said that we need to "economically reinvest" in the Northwoods to bring in young families and increase enrollments in the schools. In a quote from the shared WXPR above Senator Felzkowski stated:

“That means you're going to have an influx of business. You're going to have an influx of people, and you're going to kind of lose the pristine Northwoods, to a certain extent. Your zoning cannot be one house every 40 acres. It cannot be one house every 10 acres. And those are harsh realities,” said Felzkowski."

One has to question the Senator's vision of a developed Northwoods, where the natural resources that we know, love, and enjoy are exploited and replaced with sulfide mines and urban sprawl with smaller lot sizes. Our water is clean, our air is clean, and our forests provide sources of income and well-being to our residents. A thriving economy depends on industry, but it should not come at the expense of our natural resources. If all our land is privatized and developed, we will be just like anywhere else, only colder, and we will lose what makes this place special. We will also lose our tourism dollars- the $291 million in yearly visitor spending, the $381 million in economic impact and the support of over 2,100 jobs, and the $1,459,500 in sales taxes from visitor direct spending (21% of the total sales tax collected by Oneida County).

Our forests and bodies of water provide so much more than income. Living in a natural setting like ours is a gift that people in urban areas don't have. The physical benefits of living here include improved cardiovascular health, increased physical activity, boosted immune systems, better sleep quality, and faster recovery from illness. The mental health benefits are reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood and emotional well-being, enhanced cognitive function, and reduced risk of psychiatric disorders. Maybe our "Wisconsin nice" is because we have so much access to nature here. I'd like to think it is.

What do you think? How would you like to see the Northwoods 20 years from now? Would you like to see mines razing our forestlands and polluting our water? Public lands sold off and developed, driving off wildlife? Budget problems solved by exploiting nature while holding back money already designated to help? Or do you want to continue to fish, hunt, hike, ATV, snowmobile, boat, and bike? When you look out your windows do you want to see forests and lakes, or see subdivisions, Cul de sacs, clear cuts, and barrenness? At night, do you want to see the stars or light pollution? Humans have a tendency not to appreciate what they have until after it's gone, and when our water and forests are destroyed, we will never get them back. Please step outside, take a breath, and look around. It doesn't get much better than this.

Public Land Liquidation Sale?

Congressional Republicans work to sell off thousands of acres of our lands.

By Tom Wiensch May 15, 2025- Where have you gone Teddy Roosevelt? Our nation turns its tired eyes to you. With apologies to Paul Simon, where has the spirit of President Theodore Roosevelt gone, and who in the Republican Party will step up and assume his role as American conservationist during a time when it seems like nearly everything is for sale?

I write these words a few days after returning from a visit to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The park, in Western North Dakota, is a fitting tribute to one of America’s greatest conservationists. The Little Missouri River runs through the park and past the site of Roosevelt’s ranch. All of this is set a beautiful landscape of hills, sagebrush, and cottonwood and juniper forests. The Park itself is set in the Little Missouri National Grassland, and together they contain immense opportunities for recreation.

In 1907, President Roosevelt (R) said

“The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others.”

He was right. If we don’t protect the air, water, and land that we depend on, nothing else will really matter.

During his presidency, Roosevelt played a major role in the creation of the U.S. Forest Service, and signed into law the creation of five national parks. He was also instrumental in establishing 150 national forests as well as bird and game reserves. Using executive orders he protected about 150 million acres of land.

The national parks may be the crown jewels of our national lands, but the National Forests and Bureau of Land Management lands make up a larger portion of our national treasure. Those lands provide recreational opportunities such as camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and many others for millions of Americans. They also provide land for logging and grazing. Together, those recreational and other activities pump an untold amount of money into local and regional economies – FOREVER.

At least most of us thought it was forever. After all, who would want to rid us of the treasured lands that provide such recreational and economic benefit? Well, as it turns out, maybe a committee ruled by members of Teddy Roosevelt’s former party wish to do just that.

The Republican led House of Representatives has been working toward creating a budget bill. In the early morning hours of May 7th, one house committee stepped into the process, working to get approval to sell off many thousands of acres of our public land. That Committee is the House Committee on Natural Resources. It has 25 members from the Republican Party and 19 members from the Democratic Party. A member of that Committee is Wisconsin’s Representative Tom Tiffany. There are several subcommittees under that committee, including the subcommittee on Federal Lands. The website for the Committee describes the role of the subcommittee as:

“The Subcommittee on Federal Lands is responsible for all matters related to the National Park System, U.S. Forests, federal lands, and national monuments.”

There are 9 members of the subcommittee. Every one of them is a Republican. The chair of the subcommittee is Representative Tiffany. Early on May 7, members of the committee pushed forward a bill to sell nearly a half-million acres of our public lands. The Conservation Group Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) had these things to say about that move:

“(BHA) is condemning a late-night maneuver that sidestepped stakeholder engagement and ignored conservation impacts. Just before midnight, members of the House Natural Resources Committee advanced an amendment authorizing the sale of upwards of 500,000 acres of public lands in Utah and Nevada. The surprise provision was opposed by all Democratic members of the committee and Representative Jeff Hurd (R-CO).”

And

“The amendment, inserted into the reconciliation bill without adequate time for analysis or committee-wide consultation, would use the relatively minimal revenue generated from the land sales as negligible offset to a budget expected to reach almost $7 trillion – circumventing the intent of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA), a bipartisan law BHA supports and worked to make permanent.”

The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA) is a law that requires that proceeds from the sale of BLM lands be placed in a fund and used to purchase other lands which have been identified as having high conservation or recreational value. The amendment by the Committee seems to represent an attempt to dodge that bipartisan law and decrease the amount of land that belongs to all Americans.

BHA further reported that the amendment attempts to cause the following:

-Changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that could limit environmental review and weaken safeguards for public access, wildlife habitat, and water quality
-Rollbacks to land management plans affecting millions of acres across the West
-Cuts to conservation funding for federal land management agencies
-Amendments to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) that risk undermining protections for key landscapes like Alaska’s Brooks Range
-Reversal of a 20-year mineral withdrawal from the Superior National Forest in Minnesota that threatens conservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness”

Outdoor Life Magazine reported that, during the night of May 6th and the morning of May 7th, House Democrats offered many amendments to the land sale provisions. The Republicans who control the house allowed there to be debate on none of them.

Outdoor Life further reported:

“The bill, one part of the House budget reconciliation package, would require nearly every acre of federal land to be available to mineral leasing, approves a controversial mine near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, requires energy leasing in much of Alaska’s North Slope, and forbids lawsuits challenging public-land development. The bill claws back funding from land-management agencies while requiring them to approve logging, coal mining, and creation of a controversial water project in California that critics say would impair one of the state’s last free-flowing rivers.”

The magazine also reported that the ranking Democrat on the Committee, Representative Jared Huffman of California, called the bill “the most extreme, anti-environment bill in American history.”

If the House passes a budget bill with these provisions in it, many thousands of acres of our land will apparently be sold off, mining will likely be allowed to happen in many very environmentally sensitive areas such as the Superior National Forest in Minnesota, and protection of our lands and waters from polluters will be severely diminished.

Thinking of my visit to the national park named after President Theodore Roosevelt with its wild bison and magnificent landscapes, I wondered if it could be sold. I also thought about all the national parks, forests, and other public lands that I've visited and considered whether any of them might be sold. Then I asked myself, what would Teddy Roosevelt think?

Please consider contacting Representative Tiffany and letting him know that you don’t want the public lands that belong to all of us to be sold. After all, the proceeds from those sales will get quickly spent and then be gone. If we keep the land, it will provide recreation, forestry, grazing, and money for area economies – FOREVER

Congressman Tiffany contact link- Contact | Representative Tom Tiffany

Loon Watch's Final Year at Northland College

Waldo and Mercer Lake resident hope for program continuing at new venue next year.

By Wendy Kraly, May 11, 2025 - I wanted to share Waldo’s story as a part of Loon Appreciation Week. It all started around June 1st 2024, while watching our Mercer Lake resident loons Lucy and Ricky in our bay, I noticed a couple of black balls of feathers perched on Lucy’s back. I ran up to grab the binoculars, and upon zooming into a closer view, two little heads became visible. Lucy and Ricky were proud parents! It had been a few years since we had two chicks on our lake, so I decided that I was going to do all that I could to protect these little miracles on water.

I got out in my kayak almost every day during peak boating activity with my binoculars to keep eyes on the chicks at a safe distance. In mid-July, one of the chicks became a wanderer, so we started asking everyone, “Where’s Waldo?”. We named the other chick Wanda, who usually stuck with Mom or Dad, but Waldo loved to explore every inch of the lake.

At the end of the summer on a stormy August day, I spotted Waldo on his own, as per usual, and Mom with Wanda were across the lake. I paddled to viewing distance with my binoculars. Waldo swam parallel to me and glanced over. He started to run and tried to lift off, but didn’t make it, so he swam back to his starting point and began to run across the water…this time, taking off! He circled around and flew right over me, then went over Mom and Wanda, continued to circle one more time, finally ending with a smooth landing across the lake. A couple of minutes felt like a couple of hours. I was in AWE… I can’t explain it, but I felt a strong connection to Waldo, and it was as though he was giving me a beautiful message at that moment, ‘Thanks for watching over me. See I can fly! I will be okay!’

Please be on the lookout as loon chicks will hatch soon. As you venture out on the water, be watchful. Loon babies are so small that they may drown from the wake of any watercraft.

This year’s Loon Appreciation Week Poster illustrates one lucky loon’s survival from lead poisoning and fishing line entanglement. Please share his story in the hopes it will encourage more people to take a stand on protecting wildlife and cleaning up our waters. A few simple tips can be taken to prevent unnecessary and avoidable painful deaths:

Avoid using lead fishing tackle.Switch to non-poisonous alternatives such as tungsten, steel, bismuth, pewter, ceramic or tin.
Never leave fishing lines unattended and properly dispose of discarded lines.

Sadly, Northland College, the home of Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute’s Loon Watch, will be officially closing its doors at the end of this month.

However, Loon Watch is holding Loon Ranger training this weekend and will hopefully find another place soon to continue their very important work.

Welcome to Oneida County Clean Waters Action