Time for Public to Weigh in on Popular Program

By Beckie Gaskill January 21, 2024- The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program has provided grants to nonprofits and local governments and has awarded hundreds of grants to fund any number of conservation land purchases as well as to fund recreational development across Wisconsin. Grants through this program have been used in a variety of ways including purchasing land, creating recreational trails, campground and boat launches. One of those land purchases recently, however, the Pelican River Easement, was threatened by a statute that mandated involvement of the state’s Joint Finance Committee in certain land purchased, but only in a particular part of the state, and only if that purchase required a certain amount of money.

In the case of the 56,000-acre acquisition in the Pelican Lake Forest, $4 million was needed, coupled with $11.4 million in Federal dollars. One member of the Joint Finance Committee 9JFC) moved to block that purchase. It was originally done anonymously, but eventually Senator Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) came forward to say that she was the one who objected, stating that many of her constituents were against the acquisition and that it would take away from possible future tax rolls of the small Town of Monico, among other things.

At that point, recreational enthusiasts as well as hunting and fishing organizations and individual stakeholders banned together in an attempt to see the state’s largest land acquisition go through to keep that land from being developed in perpetuity.

After this, the JFC’s involvement in any Knowles-Nelson was called into question. Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the law allowing JFC’s ability to anonymously veto a Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program project. The opinion was authored by Justice Rebecca Bradley, according to Gathering Waters, an alliance for land trusts that supports more than 40 land trusts statewide in Wisconsin. This caused some ire in the legislature and there is now a push to eliminate Knowles-Nelson funding. Gathering Waters opposes this elimination, as do other organizations and individuals in the state.

To learn more about Knowles-Nelson and to see an interactive map of the projects funded through the program, visit: https://knowlesnelson.org/an-interactive-map-of-knowles-nelson-grants/

For Wisconsin residents who may want to contact their legislators to show their support for Knowles-Nelson, simply click this link:  Take Action – Knowles Nelson Stewardship 

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 at Midwest Conservation by Beckie Gaskill | Substack 

OCCWA Commentary: To easily send a postcard to your legislator supporting the Knowles Nelson Program go to link  Take Action – Send a Postcard to Your Legislator – Knowles Nelson Stewardship  A few minutes of you time is all it takes!

To read Tom Wiensch's OCCWA article on local Knowles Nelson projects, see his October 10th post below on our Home Page.

By Tom Wiensch October 10, 2024-

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program Facts and History

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (“KNP”) exists to allow Wisconsin to preserve natural areas and wildlife habitat, protect water quality and fisheries, and create opportunities for outdoor recreation.  Created 35 years ago, the program was named after two notable Wisconsin conservationists:  Warren Knowles (R) Governor of Wisconsin 1965-17, and Gaylord Nelson (D) U.S. Senator from Wisconsin 1964-81.

  Sometimes thought of as a land acquisition fund, the KNP is much more than that, having been used to acquire lands and easements, but also to develop and support recreational infrastructure such as local parks, boat landings, campsites, beaches, and recreational trails.

KNP has helped fund dozens of projects in Oneida County, including:

• The Minocqua boat landing
• The Town of Sugar Camp Lion’s Park (Play equipment, basketball courts, bleachers etc.)
• The Brandy Lake Beach in the Town of Arbor Vitae (Play equipment, wood fiber base, timbers & access pad)
• Renovation of the City of Rhinelander Hodag Park Public Boat Landing
• The Oneida County Perch Lake Park and Trails (Shelter, restroom & equipment storage)
• Fredrick’s Public Boat Landing on the Wisconsin River near McNaughton
• The Bearskin State Trail (Snowmobiling, biking, and walking) Aquisition
• Minocqua-Kawaguesaga Lakes chemical treatment of invasive Eurasian water milfoil
• Acquisition of land for the Northern Highland – American Legion State Forest
• Road, parking lot, shelter, water system, toilet, and picnic area at the Town of Newbold Wooden Bridge Park
• Lake Tomahawk Boat Launch restroom facilities
• City of Rhinelander Boyce Drive Boat landing

  An interactive map of KNP projects can be seen here - https://knowlesnelson.org/an-interactive-map-of-knowles-nelson-grants/ 

  The KNP funds are budgeted by the Wisconsin Legislature, and it is currently funded through 2026.  A few legislators have called into question whether it should be funded in the future.  Among Wisconsin residents, though, KN is very popular.  A 2023 survey paid for by The Nature Conservancy and conducted by the nationally recognized bipartisan research team of FM3 Research (D) and New Bridge Strategy (R) found that, although many residents did not know about the KNP, once they were informed about it, an overwhelming majority favored it.  More detailed results of the survey can be viewed here - https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/2023-Polling-on-Stew-Fund-Results-Press.pdf

  The Increasing Veto of Stewardship Projects by Members of the Joint Finance Committee

 For much of the history of the Fund, the small Joint Committee of Finance has played a large role in deciding which projects the fund should contribute money to.  Under the statutes, any single member of that committee could anonymously stop funding for any project that had a cost of over $250,000 and, more recently that was located north of Highway 64.  

  In recent years, that Committee has been dominated by Republicans.  The Committee currently has 16 members, 12 of whom are Republicans and 4 of whom are Democrats.

Recently, over a period of approximately four years, the Republican controlled Committee blocked 27 projects, or about 1/3 of those that were submitted for approval.  In previous years, the anonymous “pocket veto” had been used more sparingly.

Examples of recent blocked projects include:

• The Pelican River Forest Conservation Easement (2023.) 
• A Lake Superior boat launch in the City of Ashland (2024.)
• The conservation of the Cedar Gorge along Lake Michigan in Ozaukee County (2022.)
• A boardwalk rehabilitation project near the City of Appleton’s airport (2022.)
• Acquisition of 93 acres of land in the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area (2021.)

  The Pelican River Forest project would have involved the purchase of a conservation easement to ensure that the forest would be available for logging and open to public recreation, a sort of project that would almost certainly enjoyed bi-partisan support in the not-too-distant past.  That project was ultimately completed using other funds.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down JFC Members Veto Power

In 2023, Governor Tony Evers brought a legal action concerning the pocket veto.  The matter was heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and in 2024, the court ruled that the power of anonymous individual members of the Joint Finance Committee to veto Stewardship spending violated the Wisconsin Constitution.  The court’s majority opinion was written by conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley, who wrote “Maintaining the separation of powers between the branches is essential for the preservation of liberty and a government accountable to the people . . .”  The court ruled that, once the Legislature budgets money for the KNP, it is a duty of the executive, rather than the legislative branch to determine how that money is be spent.  Under this ruling, the DNR (part of the executive branch), and its professional scientists and land managers, rather than individual members of the legislature will carry out the details of how KNP funds are spent.

DNR Budget Request

In September of 2024, the DNR made its budget request for the next two-year budget period.  Out of a total agency budget request of 1.2 billion dollars, the DNR has requested $100 million per year for the KNP.

The Reaction of Born and Felzkowsi

Wisconsin Public Radio reported that, after the State Supreme Court handed down its opinion, Republican Representative Mark Born stated:

   "It’s unfortunate that Governor Evers’ lawsuit removed all accountability (emphasis added) of the Stewardship program, which helped ensure local voices were heard and that taxpayer resources were spent wisely . . .”  Born, who is the co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee also said, “The entire program is now in jeopardy.”

  These comments are curious on two levels.  First, there is still accountability for KNP expenditures.  The Wisconsin Statutes place a number of restrictions on how Stewardship funds can be spent.  Also, the DNR is charged with administering the program in accordance with the statutes.  In addition, people, including those who live near where projects may take place have the ability to communicate their opinions to the DNR.

Second, it’s unclear why Mr. Born says that the entire KNP is in Jeopardy.  There is nothing innate in the court’s ruling that puts the program in Jeopardy.  One interpretation of Representative Born’s words could be that he and/or other members of the Republican controlled Wisconsin Legislature may wish to refuse to adequately fund the program now that individual members of the Joint Finance Committee can no longer anonymously veto stewardship projects.  

In its report, Wisconsin Public Radio noted that, Republican State Senator Mary Felzkowski, speaking in response to the DNR’s budget Request, and noting that the DNR has been without a secretary for over a year said:

   “The likelihood of an agency of this size, that creates so much frustration throughout the     state, receiving big increases without an executive head taking accountability is, in my opinion, low . . .”

Ever's Response

Governor Evers has said that he is having a difficult time finding someone willing to act as the DNR Secretary, due to the Republican Held legislature having fired so many of his appointees.  The last DNR secretary, Adam Payne served for ten months before resigning, without the legislature ever having confirmed his appointment.  On March 12 of 2024, CBS News reported that the Legislature had fired eight more of Evers’ appointees, bringing the total fired by the Legislature since Evers took office in 2019 to 21.  The CBS News report indicates that, among those fired were:

  “. . . two Universities of Wisconsin regents who voted against a deal that limited campus diversity and four judicial watchdogs who wouldn't commit to punishing liberal state Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz.”

The Future of Public Lands, Parks, and Recreational Facilities

The extent to which the KNP will be funded in the future remains to be seen.  In the meantime, there seems to be strong support for conservation and recreation as a whole, and the KNP specifically.  For example, The Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s website currently contains an article that originally appeared in 2020, supporting KNP funding.

That piece, authored by its executive director included the following statements:

• “Now more than ever, outdoor spaces are important to Wisconsinites.”
• “But Knowles-Nelson does more than pay for land purchases.  It funds trail building, campground development, trails signs, boat launches, and more. We have to take care of the land we have protected, and Stewardship helps us do that.”
• “The K-N Stewardship program costs each Wisconsin resident about $15 / year. That’s a really good deal.
• “We must be careful with state dollars, but Stewardship is a tiny fraction of Wisconsin’s debt, only 2%. The Stewardship program is an investment in Wisconsin’s future.”

The entire article can be viewed here - https://www.wisducks.org/things-to-know-about-the-knowles-nelson-stewardship-program/ 

The Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation also posted a piece in support of KNP funding on its website on October 7 of this year.  That piece, titled “Key Public Land Acquisition Fund Faces Reauthorization in Wisconsin” indicates that the CSF, along with partners, conducted meetings in Madison with members of the Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to stress the importance of the KNP.  The CSF site may be viewed here:  https://congressionalsportsmen.org/news/key-public-land-acquisition-fund-faces-reauthorization-in-wisconsin/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=bc42c3d2-5e45-484b-bba0-75be2842b4ad 

Additionally, the following organizations have expressed support for or otherwise acknowledged the importance of the KNP:

• The Wisconsin Bike Federation 
• Ice Age Trail Alliance 
• Wisconsin Green Fire 
• The Wisconsin Audubon Council and nine Wisconsin chapters 
• The Mississippi Valley Conservancy 
• Pheasants Forever 
• The Sierra Club 
• Driftless Area Land Conservancy 
• The Ruffed Grouse Society 

Additionally, “Team Knowles-Nelson”, lists on its website a plethora of organizations as its partners or sponsoring partners.  A sampling of those organizations includes:

• Gathering Waters Conservancy
• Ducks Unlimited
• The Conservation Fund
• The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
• American Trails
• League of Wisconsin Municipalities
• The Nature Conservancy
• Rails to Trails Conservancy
• Wisconsin Trout Unlimited
• Wisconsin Counties Association
• Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

These many organizations, along with a large majority of Wisconsin residents support the Knowles-Nelson program.  The question is now, whether the Republican controlled state legislature will respect the will of the majority and adequately fund the program.

WTMJ Television Coverage  Conservation program in jeopardy as DNR asks to triple funding (tmj4.com) 

By Kathleen Cooper October 15, 2024-  I know we are all worried about the upcoming election, the huge storms and wildfires ravaging our country, and wars around the globe, so I will give you something different to worry about neonicotinoids in our groundwater, otherwise known as neonics. You’re welcome, but don’t thank me, thank the EPA and our legislators for looking out for the interests of corporations and big agriculture rather than the health and well-being of the people, ecosystems, and our most precious resource, water.

  Neonicotinoids are a class of water-soluble chemicals used to target insects by being absorbed through a plant’s roots, leaves, and fruit. These chemicals cause extensive environmental damage and pose a risk to human health. They are linked to birth defects and hormonal dysregulation, as well as food and water contamination. Children are at the greatest risk, mostly from eating nonorganic food. As a result, children are three times more likely to develop cancer than adults when exposed to these pesticides.

  Aside from poisoning our children and ourselves, neonics are killing our pollinating insects, such as bees and butterflies. Birds and aquatic life are also affected. These chemicals are highly persistent and remain present in plant tissues long after applied. Research also shows neonicotinoids can persist in the soil several years after the last application, affecting plants that were not the original targets, and leaching through the soil into our groundwater and private wells. Since neonics remain active in the soil for years, rain or irrigation water can easily carry them long distances to contaminate new soil, plant life, and water supplies. Given neonic’s widespread use, the result has been vast ecosystem contamination, which we notice most often in water. A 2015 study by the US Geological Survey found neonic pollution in more than half of the streams it sampled nationwide. The state of Wisconsin estimates around 43% of 800,000 private wells tested positive for pesticides, and more than half of the pesticides detected aren’t regulated by the state or federal governments. Unfortunately, traditional chlorination treatment typically fails to remove them from tap water, and chlorination actually has the potential to combine with neonics to form even more toxic compounds in tap water.

  Despite the threat to our environment, nothing has slowed the widespread application of these insecticides. Neonics are most often used “prophylactically,” or in other words, whether they are needed or not. So, the vast majority of neonic applications- covering hundreds of millions of acres- are treating pest problems that don’t exist. When they do, neonics can actually make those pest problems worse for farmers by killing off beneficial bugs and soil microbes that improve crop health, resiliency, and output.  There is some good news regarding the problem of neonic contamination in our water and our food, however. The European Union has completely banned outdoor neonic use in an effort to protect pollinators, water, and the European people, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec require a prescription before neonics can be used to coat crop seeds, which has drastically reduced their use. The bad news is that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which assesses the human health risks of pesticide ingredients and sets corresponding limits, is failing us. Industry influence has led to underregulating and even deregulation of many pesticides, including those that are banned in other countries. It is virtually left up to the states and civic minded individuals. There are now 11 states that have banned neonics for residential use. These states are California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, and Vermont. This is a good first step for regulation of these poisons.

  There is also good news locally. Lake Tomahawk is considering crafting an ordinance that would prohibit the use of commercial mosquito spray on lawns in Lake Tomahawk, and possibly other insecticides that contain neonics. Commercial mosquito sprays generally do not contain neonics but do contain pyrethroids and pyrethrins. These chemicals not only kill mosquitoes, but also kill insects beneficial to our survival and our ecosystem, such as pollinators and food sources for our birds, wildlife, and aquatic life. They are toxic to pets and humans as well, with our children being the most vulnerable. With so many households locally spraying their yards, the cumulative effect of these chemicals will lead to major contamination in our private wells and waterways. Lake Tomahawk is setting an excellent example of a town that is truly concerned about its citizens and its natural environment. We at OCCWA commend Lake Tom for their insight and encourage other towns and counties to explore this issue.

How to identify neonics? Here is a helpful link from Environment America   How to avoid bee-killing pesticides (environmentamerica.org) 

How can you create a perfect pollinator garden? Well, the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department (OCLW) has a guide here  THE PERFECT POLLINATOR GARDEN - Oneida County Land and Water Conservation (oclw.org) Just one example of your county tax dollars devoted to conservation.

By Tom Wiensch July 30, 2024-

Photo credit Len Hyke

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF WISCONSIN AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION: The changing landscape and species of the Northwoods

  Global warming and the climate change that it causes have been topics of serious discussion in America and around the world for over 20 years. In Wisconsin and other parts of the Upper Great Lakes Region, climate change seems to be reducing the range and abundance of a number of species of animals and reducing the clarity of lakes. Examples of affected species include walleye, brook trout, loons, flying squirrels, and snowshoe hares in Wisconsin and moose in neighboring Michigan and Minnesota. It also appears that, if climate change continues, the composition of our forests will change.

  The remainder of this article will discuss the effects of climate change on these species and the habitat in which they live.

WALLEYE

Walleyes are one of the most popular fish among Wisconsinites. Sadly, a 2018 study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Species has demonstrated that walleye numbers in Wisconsin waters are declining. i

There may be multiple factors affecting the number of walleyes in Wisconsin waters. For instance, a 2018 study published by the National Academy of Sciences showed that walleye were being overharvested.ii Importantly though, that study showed that the reason for overharvest was that bag limits were set based on walleye abundance, without properly considering walleye productivity.

 Another study published in February 2024 in the Journal of Limnology and Oceanography Letters has shown that changing ice-out dates are affecting the ability of young walleye to survive.iii It used to be that ice left Wisconsin lakes at approximately the same time each year. Now, as air temperatures have increased, the ice-out dates are highly variable, often happening much earlier than they used to.Walleye are one of the most popular fish among Wisconsinites. Sadly, a 2018 study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Species has demonstrated that walleye numbers in Wisconsin waters are declining. 

  The study has shown that walleye used to spawn shortly after ice-out, which meant that when the eggs hatched and young walleye began feeding, zooplankton were present as an abundant food source. Although walleye have begun spawning slightly earlier than they used to, they still spawn later than the new ice out times, often meaning that many young walleye starve to death due to the lack of zooplankton to eat.

BROOK TROUT

Although perhaps not as popular among anglers as walleye, brook trout are the only stream trout native to Wisconsin. Many anglers consider brook trout to be among the most beautiful of fish.

Non-native brown trout from Europe and rainbow trout from the West Coast have been stocked in some Wisconsin streams and in some streams these trout, especially browns, have established breeding populations. A number of streams, especially in the driftless area of Wisconsin, contain large numbers of brown trout and in many cases, few if any brook trout.

Brook trout require colder water than do brown and rainbow trout. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has found that the number of brook trout in Wisconsin has been declining, especially since 2006.iv The DNR has also found that higher summer temperatures have benefited brown trout at the expense of brook trout.v So far, most of the impact on brook trout has occurred in Southern Wisconsin.

The Upper Wolf River, Wisconsin’s largest trout river offers an example of what warming temperatures do to trout. Until its character was changed by early logging, the Wolf was a brook trout stream.vi While it still contains some brook trout, the Upper Wolf now contains brown trout, many of which are stocked and many smallmouth bass.vii Increased warming is likely to further reduce the ability of the Wolf to support trout.

LOONS

Loons are one of the most beloved bird species in Northern Wisconsin and across the northern lakes of the United States. Their numbers have been substantially declining in recent years. A study has shown that the loon population in Wisconsin has decreased by 22% over the 27 years leading up to 2020.viii

The study found that loon chick body mass, and the number of loon chicks had fallen dramatically, such that the number of immature (not yet breeding) loons had declined by 46% in 27 years.

A study published in the journal “Ecology” has shown that loon populations in Northern Wisconsin are declining due to a decrease in water clarity caused by an increase in heavy summer rains, which in turn have been caused by climate change.ix The heavier summer rains cause more material to wash into lakes, making the water murkier. Loons are sight-predators, and decreased water quality makes it more difficult for them to catch fish for themselves and their young. This has led to underweight, unhealthy loon chicks, many of which die before reaching adulthood.

FLYING SQUIRRELS

There are two distinct species of flying squirrels in Wisconsin – Northern Flying Squirrels and Southern Flying Squirrels.

A 2020 study by the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Minnesota – Duluth has shown that the northern end of the range of southern flying squirrels is moving north by as much as 12 miles per year.x Meanwhile, the northern flying squirrels are being driven north, and are now listed as a “species of concern” by the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.xi

SNOWSHOE HARES

Snowshoe hares are also known as “northern varying hares.” These relatively large hares reside in Northern Wisconsin and other northern states. The Pauli Lab of the University of Wisconsin – Madison reports that the southern end of the range of the snowshoe hare in Wisconsin has receded north by over 18 miles since 1980 and that this range reduction has been caused by a lack of snow cover.xii Snowshoe hares are brown colored in the summer, and white in the winter. As the snow season decreases, they are increasingly left with

white coats at a time when they need to be brown to be camouflaged to avoid excess predation. This has led to a reduction in numbers in the southern part of their range.

MOOSE

Moose are present in Minnesota and Upper Michigan and are occasionally seen in Wisconsin. The reintroduction of 59 moose to the Upper Peninsula in the 1980’s spurred hope that the species might become plentiful in the U.P. again. Some hoped that moose would migrate south and redevelop a permanent herd in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, the moose population in Michigan seems to have topped out in the range of 400-500 animals, with the population not having increased from 2019 to 2023.xiii It is not entirely clear why the Michigan moose population has plateaued and why not enough moose have migrated to Wisconsin to establish a stable population here. The situation involving moose in Minnesota, however, may be instructive regarding the moose in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The moose of Minnesota have been in serious decline, and that decline has been studied. Between 2006 and 2017, the moose population of Minnesota declined by 58%.xiv There are two distinct populations of moose in Minnesota, one in the northeast and one in the northwest. The population in the Northwest has declined from a one-time 4000 animals to 100 animals by the year 2000.xv Although there are multiple reasons for the decline of moose in Minnesota, one of the causes is an over-abundance of ticks, caused by warmer winters and longer summers.xvi Colder weather used to kill ticks. Warmer temperatures mean that many more survive the winter to become parasites on moose and other animals. A study in the State of New Hampshire found that 70% of moose calves there were dying, with most deaths being caused by ticks.xvii

PLANT POPULATIONS

The contiguous 48 United States is divided into 12 plant hardiness zones. The United States Department of Agriculture develops maps showing the zones.

These temperature-based maps allow gardeners and others to determine what plants they will be able to grow.

The 1990 pant hardiness map, based on data from 1974-1986, placed Rhinelander Wisconsin in hardiness zone 3.xviii In 2012, Rhinelander Wisconsin was in hardiness zone 4a, with average coldest winter temperatures of between -30 and -25 degrees Fahrenheit. By 2023, Rhinelander became part of hardiness zone 4b, with average coldest winter temperatures between -25and -20 Fahrenheit.xix

If this trend continues, the make-up of the plant communities of Northern Wisconsin will likely change. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a bulletin titled “What Climate Change Means for Wisconsin.”xx That bulletin indicates:

“Changing the climate is likely to shift the ranges of plants and

animals. For example, rising temperatures could change the

composition of Wisconsin’s forests. As the climate warms, the

populations of paper birch, quaking aspen, balsam fir, and black

spruce may decline in the North Woods, while oak, hickory, and

pine trees may become more numerous.”

Anticipating the disappearance of its northern boreal forests within 50 years, the State of Minnesota has been planting tree species that previously thrived 150 miles south of where they are now being planted.xxi

SUMMARY

Wisconsin was once home to moose, caribou, and lynx. Those animals were extirpated from our state long ago. Extirpated animals can be reintroduced, but only if the habitat is amenable to their existence. If the warming trend continues, will it ever be possible to reintroduce caribou, moose, or lynx to our state? The answer is quite likely “no.”

Worse, if temperatures keep increasing at the current rate, will we even be able to maintain populations of the plants and animals that now occupy Northern Wisconsin?

What will Northern Wisconsin look like in 50 or 100 years? Will there still be black spruce swamps or stands of birch and aspen? Or will we have forests similar to those that currently exist in Southern Wisconsin?

Will our streams still contain the beautiful brook trout? Or will they have been replaced by non-native brown trout or bass? And in the streams not amenable to brown trout spawning, will trout populations have to be maintained through the expensive stocking of inferior hatchery-raised trout?

Will we have lakes with abundant self-sustaining walleye populations where we can hear the cries of loons in the evening? Or will there be silence as the sun sets on lakes devoid of wild walleye? Will the walleye population even be able to be sustained by the use of expensive fish hatcheries?

Will there still be occasional moose sittings in Wisconsin? Will we still see northern flying squirrels? Will we still have snowshoe hares, or will the Northwoods be strictly cottontail rabbit country?

Hopefully it is not inevitable that Wisconsin’s north will change so that our forests will become unrecognizable, our lakes will become murky, and the iconic fish and other animals of the North will be only a fading memory. Time will tell.

i https://blog.limnology.wisc.edu/2018/04/12/study-confirms-walleye-populations-are-in-decline/ 

ii https://limnology.wisc.edu/news-events/newsletters/study-says-hidden-overharvest-from-fishing-plays-a-role-in-wisconsin-walleye-declines/#:~:text=Embke%20was%20the%20lead%20author,currently%20use%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20says. 

iii https://news.wisc.edu/walleye-struggle-with-changes-to-timing-of-spring-thaw/ 

iv https://www.wpr.org/animals/study-climate-change-boosting-some-wisconsin-trout-hurting-others#:~:text=Warmer%20summers%20hurt%20brook%20trout,for%20both%20species%20of%20trout. 

 vi https://wi101.wisc.edu/wolf-river/ 

vii https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Lands/FisheriesAreas/2740upperwolfriver.html 

viii https://tomahawkleader.com/2024/05/09/northwoods-loon-population-in-decline/ ix https://abcnews.go.com/General/climate-change-threatens-loon-population-new-study-shows/story?id=109092273 

x https://nrri.umn.edu/news/flying-squirrels 

xi https://www.lccmr.mn.gov/projects/2023/approved_work_plans/2023-090_approved_workplan.pdf 

xii https://pauli.russell.wisc.edu/climate-change-and-snowshoe-hares/ 

xiii https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/19/michigan-moose-population-down-dnr-does-not-recommend-hunting/70335766007/ 

xiv https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/new-research-u-m-sheds-light-decline-minnesotas-moose-population#:~:text=Minnesota's%20moose%20population-,New%20research%20from%20the%20U%20of%20M%20sheds%20light,decline%20of%20Minnesota's%20moose%20population&text=Minnesota%20saw%20a%2058%25%20decline,state%20between%202006%20and%202017. 

xv https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2023/08/whats-behind-minnesotas-moose-population-decline  

xviii https://www.motherjones.com/food/2012/01/long-overdue-plant-hardiness-map-hothouse/ 

xix https://apps.npr.org/plant-hardiness-garden-map/ 

xx https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-wi.pdf 

xxi https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesotas-northwoods-on-the-brink-heres-whats-being-done-about-it/

By Tom Wiensch June 6, 2024- I grew up in Southern Wisconsin and never heard a loon call until I was a teenager. I remember swimming in the pea green waters of Lake Monona in Madison in the 1970’s. There are historical accounts of loons having nested on Southern Wisconsin Lakes. By the 1970’s though, there were certainly no loons spending the summer on the degraded waters of Lake Monona.

  I’ll always remember hearing a loon for the first time on a summer vacation in Northern Minnesota. What animal is more of an icon of the Northwoods than the loon? Black bears? Whitetail deer? Maybe or maybe not. Loons have captured the hearts of Northwoods residents and visitors for a very long time. Their images decorate everything from paintings to sweatshirts.

  Now, loon numbers are declining in Northern Wisconsin. A recent study has shown that decreasing water clarity caused by climate change is making it harder for loons to thrive. (“Climate Change-Associated Declines in Water Clarity Impair Feeding by Common Loons” Walter H. Piper, Max R. Glines & Kevin C. Rose, Journal of the Ecology Society of America, March 31, 2024; https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.4291

)

 The study used satellite imagery to calculate water quality on 127 lakes in Oneida, Vilas, and Lincoln Counties from 1995 to 2021, examined weather conditions, and looked at the body mass of loons.

 The conclusion of the study was that climate change is causing decreasing lake clarity which, in turn, is making it more difficult for loons, to find food. The result is that loons can’t put on the weight necessary to survive. The authors of the study stressed that decreased water clarity in July is especially tough on loon chicks, as they are too young to fly to clearer lakes to get food. Mother loons may leave to find food, but in the face of feeding difficulties likely aren’t able to find enough to feed their chicks.

  In addition to working to combat climate change generally, there are a number of other things that we can do to help maintain the clear, clean lakes that have

been so loved in Northern Wisconsin, and to help loons thrive. Here are some ideas:

 1. Maintain Natural Shorelines

 Lakeside landowners can work to prevent runoff and soil erosion. This can be done by not clearcutting lake lots, by minimizing the creation of impervious surfaces, and by maintaining natural vegetation along lake shores. Healthy, natural vegetation slows runoff and helps prevent bank erosion and deposition of soil into lakes. Viewing corridors should be made in accordance with zoning regulations, and natural vegetation should be allowed to thrive on lake properties. This will preserve loons and will also maintain the natural beauty of shorelines.

2. Limit Wakes

Boaters can be careful to limit their wakes in near-shore areas, including areas near islands. Wisconsin law generally prohibits boaters from operating boats at speeds above “slow-no-wake” within 100 feet of any shoreline. The law also generally prohibits operators of personal watercraft from operating at speeds above “slow-no-wake” within 200 feet of shorelines. Creating wakes too close to shorelines has the potential to cause shoreline erosion and can also cause loon eggs to float out of nests. Wake boats pose a unique risk, as they are designed to create large waves/wakes. Consider whether and where to use these boats and operate them with extreme caution. In addition to causing shoreline erosion, studies and modeling have shown that wake boats have the capacity to churn up lake bottoms in at least 15’ and likely in 33’ of water. Obviously, this decreases water clarity. A number of Wisconsin towns have passed ordinances regulating wake boats, and the Wisconsin Legislature may pass a state law regulating them in the near future. Always follow the law and remember that there is nothing wrong with exercising even more caution than the law requires.

3. Avoid Nesting Areas

 Respect prohibitions on landing on islands during loon nesting season, and generally avoid going on islands or other loon nesting areas from ice-out through the month of July. Nesting

time is an especially sensitive time for loons, and human presence can impair successful breeding.

4. Carefully Choose and Properly Discard Fishing Tackle

  Loons have been found to have been poisoned by ingesting sinkers and lead jigs. Tin sinkers are now readily available. Non-lead jigs are not so easy to find, but hopefully that will change. Please consider non-lead options. Also, please dispose of old fishing line properly. I was recently teaching a great-nephew to fish on a lake in another state. We didn’t catch anything out of the murky lake water, but I did find and pick up several balls of snarled fish line that had been left on the ground. Loons and other birds and animals can become hopelessly entangled in discarded line. Please dispose of used tackle properly.

The clean lakes of Northern Wisconsin, and the beautiful loons that grace the waters are not something to be taken for granted. Many lakes in many parts of the country carry a heavy load of sediments and nutrients that are unappealing and can’t support loons. The lakes of the Northwoods are really something special. With some reasonable action, we can work to maintain the lakes, and the loons for generations to come.

OCCWA Note: (See photo) Loon Rescue Loon rescue | Facebook is a phenomenal group headed by Kevin and Linda Grentzer. They in concert with Marge Gibson's Raptor Education Group INC. Raptor Education Group, Inc.  do a fantastic and unheralded job of rescuing loons as well as other Northwoods birds. Give their sites a gander!

From Loon Rescue Facebook page- " Loon rescue is about saving the world one loon at a time. We do many loon rescues ourselves, and we can also recommend techniques to guide you through a loon rescue. Call 715-966-5415 or 715-453-4916"  

  By Kathleen Cooper February 13, 2024-Have you ever seen the “Hunger Games” movies? They depict the US taken over by exploitative forces that divide the country into twelve “sacrifice zones”, or districts. Each district has a specialty, such as agriculture, manufacturing, lumber harvesting, mining, etc. This dystopian future for America is not as fictional and far-fetched as you may think, if the American Stewards of Liberty, Tom Tiffany, and Mary Felzkoski have their way. 

  The American Stewards of Liberty are a Texas-based group that is against land and water conservation, and advocates for natural resource exploitation. They promote mineral mining, increased grazing, timber cutting, for-profit commercial and industrial development, and oil and gas drilling on Federal lands. They spin their message as being about freedom and personal choice, about confronting the “radical environmental movement,” when their true motives are about extracting natural resources. Their goals are extremely unpopular, since 80% of voters nationwide support land conservation.

  Our own Tom Tiffany was one of the keynote speakers at the American Stewards for Liberty’s 30x30 summit in September 2023. Tiffany is also bringing the America Stewards for Liberty’s agenda to Wisconsin and attempting to stall or halt the Federal funding for the purchase of the conservation easements in the Pelican River Forest. They did not succeed…this time. Tiffany has also suggested that local governments work with Margaret Byfield, the executive director of the American Stewards for Liberty, while updating their Comprehensive Land Use Plans, on which the Oneida County Planning and Development Committee is now working.

  Preserving our environment is extremely popular with the people of Oneida County. We realize how fortunate we are to live in a place where there is clean air, forestland, clear lakes, rivers, and streams. The proposed Lynne mine was defeated in 2018 by 64% of the voters. The county board knows what the people of Oneida want, they just choose to ignore our wishes, and are considering changing the Comprehensive Land Use Plan from using our public lands for recreation and forestry to using it for development of extractive industries (mining) and other industrial development.

  Please don’t let this Texas group have a say about land use in northern Wisconsin. Contact your county board supervisor, by phone or email, and tell him/her that you want clean air, clean water, and forests to be left alone in Oneida County, and open to the public. Your children and grandchildren will thank you. 

For more coverage on this issue- 

See our January posts by Joe Hovel and Kathleen Cooper.

Also, listen to 30-minute Radio interview on Pelican River Forest with Charlie Carlin of Gathering Waters covering the whole process including the recent controversy.  [AUDIO] Pelican River Forest Conservation Efforts Run Into Political Hurdle | WHBY 

Also see Texas Observer coverage Conservatives Against Conservation (texasobserver.org) 

 By Tom Wiensch April 25, 2024- This spring the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced that a new aquatic invasive species (AIS) has been found in Wisconsin.  The microscopic parasite Myxobolus cerebralis was confirmed to be present in Elton Creek in Langlade County.  Elton Creek is a Class I trout stream that feeds the Evergreen River, which in turn feeds the Wolf River.  

  The DNR reports that the parasite has been found both in Elton Creek proper, and in a private fish hatchery on that stream.  It is unclear what the source of the parasite was. The DNR reports that it may be spread by people depositing live or dead fish in streams, or moving tubifex worms, mud, aquatic plants, or even water from one waterbody to another. 

  Myxobolus cerebralis is infamous for having caused whirling disease in many rivers and streams in the Rocky Mountains and elsewhere. Whirling disease causes spinal and other deformities in young trout, causing them to swim in an abnormal “whirling” pattern.  The disease has a fatality rate of up to 90%.  Whirling disease has lowered populations of rainbow trout in some Rocky Mountain streams by 90%.  The Wisconsin DNR reports that rainbow trout and brook trout are thought to be the trout species most susceptible to whirling disease. 

  Wisconsin has native brook trout and lake trout, and self-sustaining populations of non-native brown and rainbow trout.  Brown trout are native only to Eurasia, and rainbow trout are native only to Pacific Ocean tributaries.  

 While not being native, brown and rainbow trout have created popular fisheries in Wisconsin, in some cases in streams that are no longer suitable for native brook trout.  Popular brown trout streams exist in much of Wisconsin, particularly in the Driftless Area, Central Sands Region, and the Northwoods.  Self-sustaining populations of stream-resident rainbow trout occur in only a handful of streams in Wisconsin.  Wild steelhead (migratory rainbow trout) though, occur in many tributaries to Lake Superior. Native brook trout are the most common trout species in the Northwoods, and they also occur in many other areas of the State, including the Driftless Area and the Central Sands Region. 

  Whirling disease was first reported in non-native rainbow trout in Germany in 1893. The disease seems to be less damaging to brown trout, likely because they evolved with the parasite. The parasite made its way to America by at least 1956 when it was found in Pennsylvania.  It has since spread to a number of other states.   

  At first whirling disease was believed to only be a problem in fish hatcheries. Then, in the 1990’s, it began decimating rainbow trout populations in such famous western trout rivers as Montana’s Madison and Colorado’s Gunnison.  The Wisconsin DNR reports that, for some reason, some states that have the parasite have not experienced whirling disease and the fish population declines that come with it.  

 It is unclear what effect this new invasive species will have in Wisconsin.  Will it decimate our native brook trout or our nativized rainbows and steelhead?  If we aren’t careful, time may tell. 

 Anglers and other river users are encouraged to avoid spreading the disease by wearing rubber rather than felt soled boots, and by thoroughly cleaning boots, waders, and boats etc. after leaving a river or stream to avoid moving mud, tubifex worms, or plant material to other waterbodies.  Of course, neither live nor dead fish, nor water should be moved from one water body to another. 

 In addition to helping to prevent the spread of whirling disease, the cleaning of equipment can help prevent the spread of other stream-inhabiting invasive species, such as New Zealand mud Snails, which have been found in Black Earth Creek in Dane County as well as Superior’s Duluth-Superior Harbor and the Waukegan Harbor of Lake Michigan in Illinois.  Cleaning equipment can also help avoid the spread of Didymosphenia geminate, commonly known as “Didymo” or “Rock Snot.”  Didymo has been found in Lake Superior for decades, and in 2021 was found in seven Minnesota tributaries of Lake Superior.  Like whirling disease, these invasives could have devastating effects on Wisconsin’s streams and rivers and their fish populations. 

 Of course, anglers and others using lakes should be equally cautious in order to avoid transporting AIS from one body of water to another. In addition to the whirling disease parasite, New Zealand mud snails, and didymo, many other invasive species have been spread to Wisconsin’s waters.   

 Other invasive aquatic plants and animals in Wisconsin include Eurasian water milfoil, zebra mussels, quagga mussels, rusty crayfish, red swamp crayfish, four species of carp, and many more.   

 The waters of Wisconsin belong to all of us.  Many of us have seen the damage done to beautiful lakes that are now infested with enormous mats of Eurasian water milfoil.  Please do the best you can to avoid transporting the whirling disease parasite and other AIS to any of our waters.  In the case of the whirling disease parasite, once it is in a body of water it may be there forever, as there is currently no way to remove it. 

  For more information on Invasive Species please visit the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department website - https://www.oclw.org/  The staff of that Department work very hard in the fight to stop Aquatic Invasive Species. 

By Beckie Gaskill April 23, 2024- April means a great deal of things. It brings Tax Day. It is the start of spring. It brings some of the migratory birds back. It means Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention, most of all!

  I attend probably an obnoxious number of conferences each year: The Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC), International Invasive Species and Climate      Change Conference (IISCCC), The North American Invasive Species Management Association Conference (NAISMA), the PFAS Summit, and the Wisconsin Wetland Science Conference were all on my list this year. But honestly, Lakes and Rivers Conference always winds up to be my favorite. The content of the conference itself is always a draw. But getting to spend a few days with like-minded people means more than anything.

 One of the biggest things I stress to everyone who will listen is that user groups have more in common than our differences. Yes, one of my biggest concerns is the environment and all of the things that fall under that umbrella. But at the same time, I am a hunter and angler. So, for me, I understand that the non-take community and the take community, also known as the “hook and bullet crowd,” have a lot more in common than most people in either group understand. Heck, people within each of those groups, but in different user groups, tend to focus more on their differences than their similarities. Hikers and bikers do not always get along. ATVers and snowmobile communities do not always get along. In the fishing community, “walleye guys” choose not to see eye to eye with “bass guys” and vice versa.

 This conference added another layer to these user groups. Honestly, it was one about which I had not thought a great deal – the producer-led watershed people.

 “You like food, don’t you?” is an easy way out and, honestly, argumentative, bringing no solutions. It could be easy to say, certainly. We charge our farmers with feeding us all, even if we are angry at those of them who may not be the most environmentally minded.

  I spent Friday’s lunch at the Lakes and Rivers Convention with a farmer. I will leave her name out, but she spoke quite a bit about the considerations and adaptations she and her husband had made at their farm, following her father-in-law's original visions for the farm.

 “You’d never even know there was a creek on our farm,” she told me and the rest of the lake lovers at the table. Her story gave me pause. As a lake lover myself, but also understanding that farmers are tasked with feeding us all somehow, I have been torn in some respects. What this person brought to light for me was the fact that there are many farmers who do think about the environment, and about water, the same way many of us do.

 One of the things I have always believed, when talking with various groups, is that there is “no one” who doesn’t want clean water, or clean air, or habitat for wildlife. And I still believe that it is true today. The difference now is that I can add producers to that group. When I say “no one,” I mean no group as a whole. When we look at a super-hot topic such as wake boats, many may believe that thought erroneous. In some cases that is true, but in other cases it is simply a lack of education.

 My point in all of this is that we all have so much more in common than we have differences. We are all living not only on the same planet, but in the same state. We all enjoy the natural resources of the state, and we all not only love, but need, our water most specifically. I would urge anyone reading to take a minute or two to reach out to someone in a different user group – perhaps someone you meet on the trail or at the lake, maybe the person behind you at the sports shop. See what it might be that you have in common. You might be surprised how small of a world in which we all live.

 Beckie Gaskill is a freelance outdoor and environmental writer as well as a content creator. She runs her own podcast as part of her media company FlaG (Fish Like a Girl) Media. She is a Master Naturalist and sits on the board of several different conservation organizations. She has also started her own digital magazine, The Wisconsin Conservationist. More information regarding that magazine can be found on her website:  The Wisconsin Conservationist Magazine – All the news that is important to you (wordpress.com)  

By Tommy Burrell November 8, 2023- "The Oneida County Planning and Development Committee is revising the County’s Comprehensive Plan.  The existing 2013 Plan includes a Public Participation Goal: “[to] inform, consult and involve the public and the communities served during each phase of the planning process.”  

At the committee’s October 18th, meeting, I offered a brief “public comment.”  In light of the public participation goal, I suggested that the Chapter 2 (“Natural Resources”) discussion of metallic mining would be the perfect place to include the Lynne Mine Referendum — as an indication of public opinion. 

  See November 2018 Referendum coverage  Local Groups (Once Again) Stand Up to Mining Threats - River Alliance of WI (wisconsinrivers.org)
 Scott Holewinski, chairmen of the committee and of the Board of Supervisors, did not think that would be appropriate because future supervisors might think that they were bound by it.  Mike Timmons, Supervisor, responded that the referendum could be included with sufficient detail.  
 Sam Wessel, Senior Planner at the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, later commented that the Lynne referendum information could be inserted in Chapter Two.  
 Each chapter of the Plan ends with “Goals, Objectives, and Policies.”  Under the existing Plan, Ch 2 (2013), the first Goal is to improve and enhance natural features such as shorelands.  The first Policy is to “Conserve and enhance shoreland areas by minimizing impacts from land-disturbing activities.”  Holewinski said, “Strike that.”  It was not clear whether he meant the policy, the goal or both.  He and Mike Roach, Supervisor, agreed that the existing wording could cause a loss of property owner control and value.
 Goal 2 of the existing plan is to “Conserve and enhance large tract woodlands and County Forests.”  The committee agreed to strike or modify this goal.  As written, they feel that it could be used in the future to stop development.  Holewinski stated that county forests are already protected.  He believes that the reason to have Managed Forest Lands is to save the land for future development.  Holewinski opined that the committee needed time to consider all the goals and discuss them further at a later meeting.   He commented, “These goals sound like they came out of a magazine.”  

  Oneida County 2013 Comprehensive Plan link- Microsoft Word - OC Element 1April 2013 (oneida.wi.us)
 As you can see, our County Board Supervisors are revamping the Comprehensive Plan to ensure and facilitate future development.  The existing plan states that the County public participation goal includes informing, consulting and involving us.  However, you feel about these issues, now is the time to let our supervisors and the public know your views.

OCCWA Helpful Reference*

Refer to Wikipedia Comprehensive Plan definition to better understand it's importance.

  "Comprehensive planning is an ordered process that determines community goals and aspirations in terms of community development. The end product is called a comprehensive plan, also known as a general plan, or master plan. This resulting document expresses and regulates public policies on transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing. Comprehensive plans typically encompass large geographical areas, a broad range of topics, and cover a long-term time horizon. The term comprehensive plan is most often used by urban planners in the United States.

Each city and county adopts and updates their plan to guide the growth and land development of their community, for both the current period and the long term. This "serious document" is then the foundation for establishing goals, purposes, zoning and activities allowed on each land parcel to provide compatibility and continuity to the entire region as well as each individual neighborhood. It has been one of the most important instruments in city and regional planning since the early twentieth century."