2013 Annual Report. Wisconsin Chapter February 20, 2014 Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

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1 2013 Annual Report Wisconsin Chapter February 20, 2014 Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

2 2013 SWCS President s Report Ryan Gerlich, Darlington, WI As my time in office draws to a close I want to update you on what the Wisconsin SWCS was up to in Similar to today, we began our year with the annual conference in Stevens Point. Our topic, Impact on Conservation with Increasing Commodity Pressures, was modestly attended. We had some great presenters from a broad spectrum of private sector, non-government organizations, and federal and state agencies. In April I staffed a SWCS booth at the National Collegiate Soils Competition banquet in Potosi, WI. Around 100 college students and coaches attended. I met and spent time with students from across the country. Most questions were about the landforms and streams, crop rotations, and basic conservation practices they could see: Contouring, crop rotation, grazing practices and stream habitat. In August we hosted a summer tour in the southwest driftless area. We showcased the native herbaceous and cold water stream ecology and what is being done to protect what is left of these beautiful gems. 20 people boarded the bus and traveled with our tour guides Armund Bartz, John Kussmaul, Joe Schmelz, Bradd Sims, and Jeff Hastings. We toured 2 prairie sites and 1 cold water stream restoration where we saw a wild trout shocking demonstration. It was a day so hot that it is hard to even imagine what that is like during this polar winter. In 2013 we mailed out 2 newsletters to our members, and in the spirit of partnership invited like-minded organizations to submit newsworthy articles of interest. With the 2013 annual conference we made WI SWCS history by crossing over to the modern era and utilized our revamped website for online event registration. A special thanks to Amanda Crowe for being an exceptional newsletter editor, website designer, our go-to technology liaison with a can-do attitude. Another thank you to the chapter board members. We met face-to-face once this year, and utilized teleconferencing for other meetings. Our round-table discussions of what is happening in each district is always educational, sometimes dark with what is happening to the landscape in places, but mostly upbeat and inspiring. I hope in 2014 you get time to work on that pet conservation project of yours; be it reducing your carbon footprint, decreasing storm water runoff from your land, helping with a neighborhood clean up, or educating the youth.

3 WI Chapter SWCS Membership Report In 2013 we added 7 new members to the Wisconsin Chapter. Ben Brown of Platteville Bruce Hall of Stevens Point Hallett Harris of DePere Jenna Klink of Madison Robert Wayne of Eau Galle Pamela Weller of River Falls Monica Zachay of St. Croix Falls Welcome to our new members! Overall we had a decline in membership and are sitting at a total of 138 members. Our membership comes from a spectrum of active and retired members of non-government organizations, academia, students, federal, state and county agency staff. If you know of interested members, please contact the Members Chair, Andy Holschbach, (262)

4 WISCONSIN CHAPTER SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY 2013 Officer and Committee Contacts President: Jon Field (608) , ext LaCrosse Street, Mauston, WI President Elect: Matt Komiskey (1 st Vice President) 8505 Research Way Middleton, WI nd Vice-President: OPEN Past President: Ryan Gerlich (608) , ext Ervin Johnson Dr, Darlington, WI Secretary: Barry Bubolz (715) , ext C Lakeland Road, Shawano, WI Treasurer: Gene Hausner (608) N. Worcester Street, Spring Green, WI Newsletter: Amanda Crowe (608) Industrial Drive, Ste 3., Sparta, WI Region 1 Rep: Michael Stinebrink (715) N1545 County Road W, Merrill, WI michael.stinebrink@wi.usda.gov Region 2 Rep: Christine Bouzek (715) Dewey Street, PO Box 645, Whitehall, WI christine.bouzek@wi.usda.gov Region 3 Rep: Lisa Neuenfeldt (715) C Royalton St. Waupaca, WI lisa.neuenfeldt@wi.usda.gov

5 Region 4 Rep: Chris Miller (608) , ext Broadway, Ste 232, Baraboo, WI chris.miller@wi.usda.gov Region 5 Rep: Gary Korb (262) PO Box 1607, Waukesha, WI gkorb@sewrpc.org Region 6 Rep: Joe Smedberg (920) Court Street, Chilton, WI joe.smedberg@wi.usda.gov Committee Chairs Awards: Pat Murphy (608) , ext Excelsior Drive, Suite 200, Madison, WI pat.murphy@wi.usda.gov Finance: Gene Hausner (608) N. Worcester Street, Spring Green, WI hausnergp@frontier.com Advocacy: Pete Nowak (608) UW-Madison, Ag Hall, Room 346D, Madison, WI pnowak@facstaff.wisc.edu Membership: Andy Holschbach (262) PO Box 994, Port Washington, WI aholschbach@co.ozaukee.wi.us Nominations: Tyrone Larson (715) W Brewster St., Appleton, WI tyrone.larson@wi.usda.gov Chapter Development: Ryan Gerlich (608) , ext Ervin Johnson Dr, Darlington, WI ryan.gerlich@wi.usda.gov WI Conservation Milo Harpstead - (715) Hall of Fame: 612 Fieldcrest Avenue, Stevens Point, WI milohrp@voyager.net

6 Student Chapters University of Wisconsin-Platteville Chris Baxter, Advisor (608) University Plaza, BILSA Room 310, Platteville, WI baxterch@uwplatt.edu University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Steven Levine, Advisor (715) Main Street, CNR, Room 278, Stevens Point, WI slevine@uwsp.edu West North Central Pete Nowak (608) Region SWCS Director UW-Madison, Ag Hall, Room 346D, Madison, WI pnowak@facstaff.wisc.edu International Office SWCS (515) or (800) THE-SOIL ( ) 945 SW Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA swcs@swcs.org or

The site is a former pasture on mostly shallow to bedrock soils.

7 Wisconsin SWCS Summer Tour The Wisconsin Chapter SWCS Summer Tour was held on Friday, August 9th. The group of approximately 20 met for this year s focus, Southwestern Wisconsin Prairie, Savanna, and Cold Water Stream Habitat Restoration. Our first stop was at Borah Creek State Natural Area. The site is a former pasture on mostly shallow to bedrock soils. It is in various stages of restoration by the local Prairie Enthusiasts and boasts the 3rd largest population of the Federally Endangered Prairie Bush Clover (Lespedeza leptostachya) in the state. Armund Bartz, DNR Ecologist, led the tour. Many native legumes, such as Round-headed Bush Clover, Purple and White Prairie Clover, Tick Trefoils, and Lead Plant were providing host to Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies in flight. Other notable species we saw were blazing stars, showy goldenrod, gray-leaved goldenrod, grass-leaved goldenrod, marble seed, prairie violets, and cream indigo. We also saw areas that were degraded and in the process of restoration.

There was so much in bloom that it could be hard to focus on one plant. Some notable species we saw were Dolls Eye, Sand Milkweed, Germander, and Prickly Pear cactus.

8 The next stop was at the scenic John Kussmaul property near Woodman. John s property was along the Wisconsin River and offered examples of sand prairies and upland mesic prairies, oak savanna, and oak woodlands. There was so much in bloom that it could be hard to focus on one plant. Some notable species we saw were Dolls Eye, Sand Milkweed, Germander, and Prickly Pear cactus. Through Burning, interseeding, brush management, and forest thinning John has transformed his property back into a real ecological gem that could take days to fully explore. From a soil aspect, the property was unique in having heavier soil under the aeolian sands was perching the water table so wet-mesic species were found high up on the dunes, looking peculiarly out of place. The afternoon focused on cold water stream restoration on Big Spring Creek near Highland. Joe Schmelz from the NRCS, Bradd Simms from DNR Fisheries, and Jeff Hastings from Trout Unlimited showed us the in-stream habitat that s been implemented over the past 5 and more years. The stream went through a historic flash flood this spring, so the group was able to see large rocks tossed around by the powerful river. It reminded us that nothing we install is permanent, and engineering specs are used for a reason. Bradd and his crew shocked A LOT of trout and nongame feeder fish and did some invertebrate identification with us. We saw engineered lunker structures, root wads, rock weirs, backwater refuges, and learned the importance of using local on-site materials, such as tree logs, for cheap and effective habitat. The day ended at the Big Spring that gives the stream its name. After a hot day, the cold water was a pleasant ending.

9 WI Chapter SWCS 2014 Scholarship Recipient Michelle Scarpace of West Bend, WI is a Senior and 4 year member of the Wisconsin Soil and Water Conservation Society at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point majoring in Soil and Land Management with a Wetland Certificate. While in college she has been active with the soil judging team, the Horicon Marsh Project, College Days for Kids, Student Research Fund Committee, and the Envirathon. As co-coordinator of the Student Success Center Michelle advises students that are undeclared natural resource majors. She also continues to utilize her high school life guard training by working at the Stevens Point YMCA. In the spring of 2013 she served as an ambassador of the UW-Stevens Point to address environmental issues in Beijing, China. Michelle traveled with Wisconsin DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp and former EPA Administrative Associate Rick Otis. While there they met China s Ministry of Environmental Protection and local businesses to address the importance of natural resource conservation. As a follow up, this year she led discussion on the importance of soil conservation with a group of Chinese students traveling the U.S. Michelle has also conducted an undergraduate research project under the direction of Dr. Jacob Prater. She studied the effects of bio-char and cover crops on nitrogen leaching and soil physical properties. The results were presented at the Soil Science Society of America s Annual Meeting in November To apply her education she spent time working as a technician intern for BKS Environmental in Gillette, WY. She conducted baseline measurement of mine reclamation areas by following the regulations set by the EPA and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Upon graduation she plans to continue her education and research on landscape pedology and biogeochemical cycling in soils. Her ultimate goal is to continue to educate the importance of soil conservation through government, academic, or a community-based approach and promote the status of women in the soil science field. Michelle says, It disappoints me that other people may not be able to share my enjoyment of the outdoors. I chose to study in the field of conservation to help preserve the environment so that all can appreciate the outdoors as much as I do.

10 WI Chapter SWCS Contributors Drive 2013 The Wisconsin Chapter SWCS recently completed a Contributors Drive to provide their members an opportunity to contribute above their membership dues to assist in supporting the Chapter in their scholarship and various program areas. The success of the Contributor Drive is a result of their strong support to the WI Chapter activities and functions. A financial commitment of $ by the following members, contributed to this success; Jon Field, Eugene Hausner, Ron Hensler, and Greg Wheeler. The Wisconsin Chapter SWCS appreciate the additional commitment made by these individuals to further enhance the success of the chapter's various activities. Eugene Hausner Contributor Drive Chair

Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum Educational Programs

Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum Educational Programs April 2011 to March 2012 PROGRAM SCHEDULE Twenty of My Favorite Native Trees and Shrubs Michael Yanny Thursday, April 14, 2011, 7 pm Room S240 Science