Lakeshore Protection

Past Conservation Corner Articles, Conservation News, Conservation Videos, 2020

  Boaters and other recreators learn about the risks of spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS) at public and private boating access sites across the Great Lakes region every summer. The Great Lakes AIS “Landing Blitz” events take place over a two-week period, emphasizing the need to Clean, Drain, Dry boats whenever they come out of the water, and Dispose of any unwanted bait in the trash.

I had a property owner from the North end of Forest County call the other day and inform me of a Spruce Beetle infestation.  Bark beetles are found throughout Wisconsin. Their ranges vary with each beetle species and its preferred host tree(s).  Common conifer bark beetle species include:pine engraver (Ips pini), red turpentine beetle (Dendroctonus valens), chestnut-brown bark beetle (Pityogenes hopkinsi), spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis), eastern larch beetle (Dendroctonus simplex), and balsam fir bark beetle (Pityokteines sparsus).

In my yard I have a massive old maple tree. There’s a hole in this tree that gets bigger every year. My wife and I are waiting for the tree to fall and looks like it will land in a place that won’t damage too much. Visitors to our place always ask how it’s still alive with such a big hole in it.

Next week, Conservationists across the State will be participating in a Roadside Blitz. We will be out traveling our respective county roads looking for terrestrial invasive species. As I’ve been traveling, I want to say we are lucky to be in a state with great native wildflowers.

ATV/UTV has become a popular sport in Wisconsin over the past few years. While a fun, popular sport, it can also be dangerous.  It’s important to take safety classes, know safety laws, and practice safety while riding. 

COVID-19 presents us with a unique, new set of challenges.
​What’s left on the shelves of your local grocery store? How will you continue to feed your family? 
Watch Back to Eden to learn how to grow your own food! 

https://www.backtoedenfilm.com/watchfreeorganicgardeningmovie.html 

This time of year, many of you are probably thinking of closing down and cleaning up your gardens. There are many reasons NOT to clean up your garden in the fall. What we do in them every autumn can either enhance or inhibit that role. Here are some reasons to ‘leave the mess’ in fall and wait until spring to tidy your gardens 

As you head out to the Woodlot this Fall, watch out for these 2020 Fall Invasive Pests.

Most landowners are familiar with the garden-variety pollinators – the most common, of course, is the honeybee. But, did you know there are many other pollinators? Woodland owners are starting to learn about the benefits of broadening the pollinator profile.

With all of the high water and flooding on and around our Forest County Lakes this summer, I’d like to offer the following guidelines and advice for people with Septic Systems. 

Lately, people have been asking, ‘Where are my Orioles or the Redwing Blackbirds? Did you know that even though it's summer, birds have already begun their fall migration? Fall migration starts as early as June and lasts until early January, with peak times running from August to mid-October. 

Boaters in Wisconsin have long had to cut back on speed near docks, rafts, piers and restricted areas. Did you also know that the slow, no-wake rule also applies to the full lake shoreline on all lakes in the state?