WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

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1 WCP NEWS Volume 3 September 2015 WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT MONTHLY NEWSLETTER MONARCH WATCH ANNOUNCES BRING BACK THE MONARCHS CAMPAIGN In real estate it s location, location, location and for monarchs and other wildlife it s habitat, habitat, habitat, said Chip Taylor, Director of Monarch Watch. Monarch Watch ( started in 1992 as an outreach program dedicated to engaging the public in studies of monarchs and is now concentrating its efforts on monarch conservation. We have a lot of habitat in this country but we are losing it at a rapid pace. Development is consuming 6,000 acres a day, a loss of 2.2 million acres per year. Further, the overuse of herbicides along roadsides and elsewhere is turning diverse areas that support monarchs, pollinators, and other wildlife into grass-filled landscapes that support few species. The adoption of genetically modified soybeans and corn have further reduced monarch habitat. If these trends continue, monarchs are certain to decline, threatening the very existence of their magnificent migration, said Taylor. To address these changes and restore habitats for monarchs, pollinators, and other wildlife, Monarch Watch is initiating a nationwide landscape restoration program called Bring Back The Monarchs. The goals of this program are to restore 20 milkweed species, used by monarch caterpillars as food, to their native ranges throughout the United States and to encourage the planting of nectarproducing native flowers that support adult monarchs and other pollinators. This program is an outgrowth of the Monarch Waystation Program started by Monarch Watch in There are now over 5,000 certified Monarch Waystations mostly habitats created in home gardens, schoolyards, parks, and commercial landscaping. While these sites contribute to monarch conservation, it is clear that to save the monarch migration we need to do more, Taylor said. We need to think on a bigger scale and we need to think ahead, to anticipate how things are going to change as a result of population growth, development, changes in agriculture, and most of all, changes in the climate, said Taylor. According to Taylor we need a comprehensive plan on how to manage the fragmented edges and marginal areas created by development and agriculture since it is these edges that support monarchs, many of our pollinators, and the many forms of wildlife that are sustained by the seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, and foliage that result from pollination. In effect, Taylor argues, we need a new conservation ethic, one dealing with edges and marginal areas that addresses the changes of the recent past and anticipates those of the future. For info on how you can help go to: MonarchWatch.org Inside this issue: What s Up With?... 2 Selfie Promotion 3 Spotlight On: Leadership & Exercise 5 Event Calendar 6

2 VOLUME 3 Page 2 CHECK LIST STEP #1 create shared use path away from vehicle traffic for nature study STEP #2 Install sustainable, educational, habitat for threatened and other species* Shelter #1 Shelter #2 Section of Shared Use Path between Shelters #1 & #2 in Winnebago County Community Park the future Natural Way.

3 VOLUME 3 Valley Christian Academy is partnering with the Parks Department to develop and maintain the Monarch habitat. Thanks Kids! Page 3 *Monsanto Corporation is providing grants for creating Monarch butterfly habitat to local non-profit groups who want to restore natural nectar food source plots lost to development. Through the group MonarchWatch.org we have applied to partner with local schools and conservation groups to install free milkweed plants provided through these grants, along the new shared use path throughout what is planned to become The Natural Way. Monarch butterflies have become threatened as noted in the article on page one. The National Recreation and Parks Association is helping to connect local parks and conservationists to help save these beautiful and unique creatures. We welcome volunteers to help out with the project in May of 2016 and will continue updates on grant approval. What s Up with With? Slowly but surely we re getting the signage installed, finishing up the basic landscaping and planting trees within the Community Park. As things slow down in the fall we ll get to repainting shelters, putting in grass seed and all of those little things. We re very pleased with how the project turned out and we hope you are too! PARKS PERSONNEL PROFILE: The elusive Dave, Parks Caretaker Extraordinaire, moves faster than the speed of sound. You don t always see him but you know he s been there, because downed trees get cleaned up, broken dock boards get replaced, bridges get installed, pot holes get filled, grass gets mowed, signs get put up, trash gets picked up need we say more? Dave is truly our VIP, without him we d be lost with no signage, up a creek with no dock, trapped under a fallen limb, stuck in a pot hole Thank You Dave for taking such good care of our Parks!

4 Page 4 WCP NEWS Spotlight On Oshkosh Area School District, Menasha Joint School District, Neenah Joint School District, Omro School District: Are All Participants in Safe Routes to School! Active kids are healthy kids! In July 2005, Congress passed federal legislation that established a National Safe Routes to School program. The program, which was signed into law in August 2005, dedicated a total of $612 million towards SRTS from 2005 to The Federal Highway Administration administered the Safe Routes to School program funds and provided guidance and regulations about SRTS programs. Federal SRTS funds were distributed to states based on student enrollment, with no state receiving less than $1 million per year. SRTS funds could be used for both infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure activities. The legislation also required each state to have a Safe Routes to School Coordinator to serve as a central point of contact for the state. With the federal Safe Routes to School program, there was a significant increase in funds and institutional support to implement SRTS programs in states and communities across the country. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission was awarded a Safe Routes to School Grant in 2010 to provide local communities and schools the resources and the knowledge to increase the number of students walking and/or biking to school. The East Central Wisconsin Regional Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program focuses on empowering local communities and school districts with the resources and knowledge needed to implement SRTS activities. By working to make it safer and more appealing for students (grades K 8) to walk and bike to school, the Regional SRTS Program is continually making strides to improve childhood health, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and create more livable communities. The Regional Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program was started in October of At that time there were eight safe routes to school programs within East Central s ten county region. That number has expanded to 22 school districts and 86 schools. Each school has their own set of challenges within their Safe Routes to School Program, and they are working towards addressing those challenges through the Regional SRTS Program. East Central staff provides guidance and resources to implement education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation programs. The goal of this program is to empower local SRTS committees with the resources and knowledge to have a sustainable and successful SRTS Program. Source: National Safe Routes to School Center, For more info on local SRTS programs visit ReThink Winnebago or ECWRPC s web sites. Safe Routes to Play Programs are something being looked into for the future!

5 Page 5 WCP NEWS Thank you to the Oshkosh Senior Center Woodshop for making new birdhouses for our Conservation Corps nature area within the Community Park! We, and our feathered friends, really appreciate your woodworking skills! Pictured is George showing off his and fellow woodworkers handiwork. Thank You! SURVEY DUDE HERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP WITH OUR RECENT ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY! WE RE BUSY COMPILING ALL OF YOUR GREAT RESPONSES AND WILL HAVE RESULTS SOON. IF YOU DIDN T GET YOUR FREE GIFT FOR RESPONDING, MAKE SURE TO CONTACT THE PARKS OFFICE.

6 Page 6 WCP NEWS EVENT CALENDAR SUNNYVIEW EXPO CENTER EVENTS Sept. 4 Oshkosh Speed Zone final regular race of the season Sept. 7 Happy Labor Day! Sept. 12 OAHS Walk for the Animals Sept WI Hunter Jumper Assoc. horse show Sept Oshkosh Speed Zone Fall Classic Sept. 26 & 27 Oshkosh Earth Science Club Gem & Mineral Show Sept. 26 & 27 4H Horse Show WINNEBAGO COUNTY COMMUNITY PARK Last weekend of shelter rentals is Sept. 26 & 27. Restrooms will remain open until temperatures fall below freezing at night. All other park amenities will remain available and accessible until the south entrance of the park closes at the end of November. For a complete listing of Sunnyview Expo Center & Parks Department events check our website; And now a word from our sponsor... SPONSORS CORNER We're excited to announce the re-branding of our cider from Wiley Hard Cider to Lead Shot Cider. With this rebranding, we're also releasing the Lead Shot Raspberry Cider - a crisp and refreshing beverage with a delicate, sweet raspberry taste. All of our ciders are made with a blend of apples from our orchard, and the raspberry cider uses raspberries from the Prellwitz family farm. These ciders are best served chilled and shared with friends. The Lead Shot Cider name comes from Rush Lake, which is a half mile east of the winery and is the largest prairie pothole lake east of the Mississippi River. Rush Lake was once one of the premier waterfowl production areas in the Midwest. The accumulation of lead shot from years of duck hunting on Rush Lake resulted in a diminishing of the natural habitat and the duck population. Starting in the early 2000's, a lake restoration project began with a focus on bringing back the natural duck habitat, which Rush Lake is famous for. Make sure to stop by Vines and Rushes Winery for a complimentary tasting of not only our Lead Shot Cider, but all of our wines.

7 VOLUME 3 Page 7 Green Lake Greenways leads a senior ride along the Mascoutin Trail. They stopped just long enough to pose for this pic. Contact Green Lake Greenways Green Lake Greenways P.O. Box 321 Green Lake, WI GreenLakeGreenways@yahoo.com "Green Lake Greenways" Our mission is to facilitate the development of a regional network of trails and greenways that will preserve the natural beauty of our area and provide safe recreation for all... Address to download trail brochure: uploads/2014/07/trail_map_brochure.jpg To become an Official Trail Ambassador fill out an application on the Winnebago County Parks website.

8 VOLUME 3 Page 8 THEXFACTS! Doo dee doo doh- DA! Sunnyview Expo Center 25th Anniversary Fun Facts & Features After an Out of this World Experience at this year s Winnebago County Fair get ready for a Blast from the Past! Who remembers this. Well it s ba-ack stay tuned. 50 Years of NRPA Winnebago County Parks Dept. 625 E. Cty. Rd. Y #500, Oshkosh WI (920) vredlin@co.winnebago.wi.us.