Monthly Board of Directors’ Meeting, 9:00 AM in the lower level of the Crandon Public Library. The public is welcome to attend.
Monthly Board of Directors Meeting, 9:00 AM in the lower level of the Crandon Public Library. Open to the public
Six students are checking out the bat cave during ‘Gone Batty At the Lake’.
On July 13, 2011 ‘Gone Batty at the Lake’ drew several inquisitive
children and parents to the Crandon Public Library for a two hour interactive program on bats. The event was sponsored by Forest County Association of Lakes and planed by board member Roxanne Sprehe. Everyone enjoyed the bat cave while listening and learning about bat facts. There were several activities to choose from: word-finds, crossword puzzles, finger puppets, a bat puzzle and a book nook filled with bat books. A message was well learned during a play titled, “Bone Batty at the Lake”, we learned that if we find a bat on the ground we should let an adult know. Because the bat might be sick so you shouldn’t touch it with your bare hands. If you build a bat house and hang it in just the right spot, it might draw up helpful mosquito eaters to your yard. Bats eat more than 600 mosquitos in one hour. How do they find insects at night? Echolocation! Echolocation! Echolocation! To find out more about bats
visit: http://www.batcow.org/
Join us for a great day of fun on July 30 at the Forest County courthouse! The Lumberjack Aquatic Invasive Species booth will join us with an fascinating display. Not a member of FCAL? Join that day and receive a gift.
FOREST COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF LAKES
MINUTES FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING 6-17 -11
Members Present: Bruce Court, Larry Sommer, Barb McCraw, Quentin Velicer, Harry Resch, Mike Henderson, Roxanne Sprehe, Jim Hausinger, Dick Jahnke, Les Schramm, Stu MacPherson, Lee Lamers, Vi Lamers
Members Absent: Peg Hollmann, Carol Tomasi, Dennis Koshere, Gary Mueller, John McCulloch
Guests: Carol Court, Ron Krueger, Del Baumgartner, Al Schroeder, Wendy MacPherson, Sally McClelland
The meeting opened at 10: 35 following the NR 115 public hearing meeting. A quorum was present.
A motion was made by Jim Hausinger to accept the agenda, seconded by Larry Sommer.
One change was made to the secretary’s minutes. Harry Resch’s name has been changed to “Excused” A motion was made by Harry Resch, seconded by Barb McCraw to accept the minutes as changed. Motion passed. A motion to change the bylaws was made by Harry Resch to eliminate the wording about “unexcused absences”, seconded by Barb McCraw. Motion passed.
Treasurer Peg Hollmann was absent but her report was presented as sent by e-mail. A motion was made by Mike Henderson, seconded by Quentin Velicer to accept the treasurer’s report as printed. Motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
A motion was made by Jim Hausinger, seconded by Les Schramm to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Vi Lamers, Secretary
Changed – NEXT MEETING: July 15, 9:00 at the Crandon Library.
Website content discussion and user training. Barry DeWall, the site developer will be attending to explain the inner workings of the new webite and content that can be added.
Wisconsin bait dealers are aware of the risks associated with aquatic invasive species, and they are taking steps to help address the problem, a new University of Wisconsin-Madison study indicates.
That’s good news, because bait shops are on the front lines in the battle to stop the spread of invasive plants, animals and diseases in Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers, says Bret Shaw, an Extension environmental communication specialist and assistant professor in the UW-Madison life sciences communication department.
“Bait business owners and employees are important partners in helping spread the word, because they interact with these anglers and boaters on a daily basis and understand the damage that invasive species can cause to lakes in the state,” Shaw says.
The researchers explored the possible role that Wisconsin bait businesses play in communicating to anglers and boaters about aquatic invasive species and fish diseases like viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS).
More than 20 species of non-native plants and animals threaten Wisconsin’s lake and river systems. These newcomers disrupt ecosystems to the detriment of native species and decrease the economic value of the state’s surface waters.
According to the study, about 68 percent of bait business owners said that they had heard a lot about the problem in Wisconsin, and 59 percent said they believe that aquatic invasive species are a serious threat to Wisconsin’s fisheries.
But there still seems to be a significant knowledge gap. Only about 45 percent of the bait shop owners consider themselves to be very knowledgeable about the spread of aquatic invasives, and they felt even less confident in their customer’s understanding of the issue. Only 14 percent said that their clientele knew “quite a bit” or “very much” about the spread of invasive species in Wisconsin waterways.
The bait industry seems more than willing to do its part. About 71 percent of the respondents believe that they can play an important role in the prevention of invasive species and VHS, and more than 70 percent said that they display educational materials about these problems in their stores.
Asked about the best way to inform anglers, the bait dealers’ first suggestion was to make use of fishing organizations and websites. They also suggested reaching people through conversations at boat landings, at their bait stores and through the media. As for their own participation, bait shop owners’ first preference was to put up signs and posters, followed by handing out literature and selling bait containers with aquatic invasive species laws printed on them.
The dealers’ ideas will be a big help in fine-tuning efforts spread the word, says Dominique Brossard, co-investigator on the study and associate professor in the life sciences communication department.
“Feedback from bait business owners is essential in creating effective messages,” Brossard says. “With their help, we are more likely to encourage behavior change among anglers and boaters and will be more successful in protecting Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers.”
Brossard and Shaw have been working closely with the state Department of Natural Resources and UW-Extension to research how to communicate more effectively in the state to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin.
“Protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources is a shared responsibility,” says Shaw. “We are fortunate that many bait businesses are doing their part to make a difference.”
The research was conducted by the Department of Life Sciences Communication by Shaw and Brossard and graduate students Kajsa Dalrymple and Allison Howell at UW-Madison, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and UW-Extension.
Credits: This article is a relay post and was published by Bob Mitchell, University of Wisconsin http://www.news.wisc.edu/19376
MADISON – Surveys at boat landings across Wisconsin in summer 2010 show that 96 percent of people say they are following a new law to prevent the spread of Eurasian water-milfoil and other aquatic invasive species. But a few are leaving boat landings with aquatic plants attached, potentially putting scores of lakes and rivers at risk.
From May through late July, 182 people were observed arriving at boat launches with aquatic plants hanging off their boat trailers or boats, or driving away from boat launches at the end of the day with invasive plants attached, according to statewide reports entered through July 25 by boat inspectors and DNR Water Guards. Boat inspectors advise the boaters of the law and how to comply, but they do not have authority to issue warnings or citations. Survey results are available on the Department of Natural Resources website.
Chief Conservation Warden Randy Stark says that such numbers will spur conservation wardens and Water Guards to shift from educating boaters about the new law, to enforcing it. “Given the extensive media coverage and boater surveys at the landings showing high public awareness of the new law, we’ll begin transitioning to enforcing the law by issuing citations to those individuals who, by not complying, can erase the excellent efforts of the vast majority of boaters.”
The vast majority of Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers are free from the most problematic aquatic invasive species; a case over the July 4th weekend in Vilas County illustrates the threat such waters face from boaters who do not follow laws to prevent spreading aquatic invasive species or fish diseases.
DNR Water Guard John Preuss checked the public launch at pristine Allequash Lake in Vilas County and found a trailer with Eurasian water milfoil and zebra mussels hanging from it. When the boater returned to the launch, he told Preuss he was aware of aquatic species law but launched anyway with weeds attached. The man had fished earlier that week in Shawano Lake in Shawano County, which has aquatic invasives including Eurasian water-milfoil, rusty crayfish and zebra mussels. Preuss cited the man for launching a boat in state waters with invasive plants attached, which carries a penalty of $389.50 for a first time offense.
“The Vilas County AIS Partnership is very happy that (Water Guard) John Preuss chose to visit the landing that day and was vigilant in following through on the incident and issuing a citation,” says Ted Ritter, who coordinates invasive species efforts for Vilas County. He adds that the UW Trout Lake Center for Limnology has agreed to monitor Allequash Lake carefully to see if either zebra mussels or Eurasian water-milfoil get established in the lake from the incident, Ritter says.
Aquatic invasive species officials and public awareness campaigns have stressed to boaters the need to inspect their boats and remove any aquatic plants for the last 15-20 years. It’s illegal to launch or leave boat launches and drive on public roads with aquatic plants and animals attached, according to Bob Wakeman, who coordinates aquatic invasive species prevention and control for the DNR.
DNR conservation wardens, Water Guards, and the paid and volunteer watercraft inspectors statewide made a concerted push in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July holiday, the busiest boating weekend of the year, to educate people about the laws. The effort netted extensive media coverage and wardens and Water Guards statewide issued dozens of warnings to boaters about the transport law, regional warden supervisors reported.
“Awareness of AIS is very high thanks to the efforts of many individuals and groups around the state that see this as a potential threat to the quality of the lakes in the state,” Stark says. “Enforcement of this new law will help support their work, and the good job most boaters are doing to remove aquatic plants and animals from their boats and trailers. We need everybody to do it, however, and hope the enforcement stick can get those last few boaters to comply.”
People can find additional information invasive species and control efforts in a new, user-friendly aquatic invasives database available on the Department of Natural Resources website.
Web users can find statewide statistics, as well as by county. The site provides data on boat inspection efforts, boater compliance and special projects to prevent or control invasive species. The information is displayed in easy to read pie charts and bar graphs, and it’s updated every 15 minutes to reflect the reports as they’re filed by more than 1,000 boat inspectors, both paid and volunteer, and by DNR Water Guards, according to Jennifer Filbert, who is developing the database and pages.
The site is a work in progress, and more features may be added in coming months, including more information about local projects to prevent or control the spread of aquatic invasive species, and interactive maps.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Wakeman (262) 574-2149; Greg Stacey (608) 576-9123; Jennifer Filbert, for questions on the database, (608) 264-8533
Credits: This article is a relay post and was published by the Wisconsin DNR Central Office http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_article_Lookup.asp?id=1484
MADISON – People who enjoy swimming, fishing and boating in Wisconsin will want to take a look at plans that summarize the health and condition — and recommendations for improving both — for lakes and rivers within 23 watersheds in the state, state water quality officials say.
“These watershed plans outline the conditions of waters within a watershed, where we believe resource management actions should occur, and current priorities for improving resource conditions,” says Lisa Helmuth, the water resources specialist who coordinated the effort.
“We hope people will read and get involved, including volunteering for a water quality monitoring program or advocating for needed actions to address the water quality problems identified in the report.”
Individual watershed plans are one of the state’s requirements under the federal Clean Water Act. Other requirements include assessing the condition of waters, creating a list of impaired waters that do not meet state water quality standards, developing cleanup plans for those impaired waters, and publishing a statewide assessment that also describes the states’ programs to manage its waters, as Wisconsin has done with its 2010 Water Quality Report to Congress (pdf).
A watershed is all of the land that drains to a lake or river. Wisconsin has 334 watersheds within 23 larger water management areas or “basins.” This planning effort focused DNR staff resources on creating a plan for at least one watershed in each of the state’s basins.
Such plans will be developed for other watersheds over time, Helmuth says.
The 23 individual plans present data about the condition of lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands within a specific watershed, identify whether any are considered impaired and unable to provide the swimming, fishing and other opportunities they should be able to, and current recommendations for how to improve the waters.
The plans were developed through a collaborative process with local partner groups like county land conservation departments and other stakeholders. DNR contracted with the University of Wisconsin-Extension basin educator program to facilitate development of the plans with DNR watershed managers, biologists and other resource experts.
The 23 individual plans, and the statewide assessment, are available only electronically, saving considerable costs over paper plans from past years, Helmuth says.
She encourages people to look at the statewide map showing the 23 featured watersheds and read through the 6-8 page plans for each watershed. People interested in learning more are encouraged to reserve their space for a July 13 webcast, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., on the topic. Participants will see a presentation about the historical and legal context for the updates, a summary of the results, and directions on how to provide comments and feedback to resource managers during the public review and comment period.
People also can submit comments about the plan electronically to Amanda Lederer at Amanda.Lederer@wisconsin.gov or send written comments by U.S. mail to Lederer at the DNR, WT/3, P.O. Box 7921, 101 S. Webster, Madison, WI 53707.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Helmuth (608) 266-7768; Lisa.Helmuth@wisconsin.gov
Credits: This article is a relay post and was published by the Wisconsin DNR Central Office http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_article_Lookup.asp?id=1472
MADISON – Fish consumption advice has been updated for 2010 and the few minor changes made are reflected in “Choose Wisely: A Health Guide for Eating Fish in Wisconsin [PUB-FH-824, PDF 1.25MB],” now available online and at Department of Natural Resources service centers, state fish contaminant officials say.
DNR and the Department of Health Services jointly issue the advice to help anglers and their families enjoy eating fish they catch from Wisconsin waters or purchase, while reducing their exposure to environmental contaminants.
“Everybody who eats fish, whether they’re eating what they caught or what they bought at a store or restaurant, should review the updated advice and follow it to reduce their exposure to contaminants like mercury and PCBs,” says Candy Schrank, the toxicologist who coordinates the fish consumption advisory for the Department of Natural Resources.
People who frequently eat fish should choose fish species and sizes with the lowest levels of contaminants. Panfish and younger, smaller fish are best; older, larger predator and fatty fish accumulate the highest levels of contaminants.
“Fish are an inexpensive, low-fat source of protein that offer many other health benefits,” says Dr. Henry Anderson. “People should put their fish consumption habits in context with the advice found in ‘Choose Wisely.’ Most will find they do not have to change their current fish-eating habits.”
Because fish from most waters contain mercury, statewide safe-eating guidelines provide the same advice for most inland waters, but there are special exceptions for 102 lakes where higher levels of mercury have been found in fish, and for 49 river reaches where higher levels of PCBs and other chemicals have been found.
To update the advisory for 2010, DNR and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission collected new mercury data from 58 sites and new data for PCBs and other chemicals for 31 locations, Schrank says.
These include the following lakes: Spider Lake in Iron County; Bass-Long Lake in Lincoln County; Three Lakes Chain in Oneida County; White Tail Flowage in Jackson County; and lakes Superior and Michigan. The Fox River between Little Lake Buttes des Morts and the De Pere Dam, the Milwaukee River from Grafton to Estabrook and the Estabrook Dam to the estuary on that river, and Pool 4 of the Mississippi River also have special advisories.
The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 60,000 children born each year in the United States may be at risk of neurological and learning problems because their mothers eat large amounts of mercury-contaminated fish and seafood during their pregnancy.
Studies have also found that infants and children of women who frequently ate fish contaminated with PCBs may have lower birth weights and be delayed in physical development and learning. PCBs in adults may affect reproductive function and the immune system, and are associated with cancer risk.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Candy Schrank (608) 267-7614; Dr. Henry Anderson, DHS (608) 266-1253
Credits: This article is a relay post and was published by the Wisconsin DNR Central Office http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_article_Lookup.asp?id=1447