Giving thanks
Near noon on Thanksgiving, the aroma of roasting turkey fills the house. The bird needs three more hours in the oven, and outside under a gray sky and light fog, the newly frozen lake beckons. I lace up my walking boots, slip on the winter jacket and head down to the lakefront. Conditions there have changed…
A barrier to invasive species: Full-time landing inspection
A few lake groups have taken full charge of boat inspection at landings, leaving almost nothing to chance. In Wisconsin, for example, the Black Oak Lake Preservation Foundation posts paid boat inspectors at the lake’s only landing from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, from the fishing season opener on the first…
Darkness at night: What a concept! The case against dusk-to-dawn outdoor lighting
I remember the first time I really appreciated the stars above a Northwoods lake, about 40 years ago. It was around midnight. The lake was remote enough not to receive light from any city or village. It was sparsely developed so that there was no light from houses or cabins. And the moon was just…
Need ideas for keeping lakes and shorelines natural? Here’s a great resource.
If you’re wondering how to create or maintain a natural shoreline for your lake’s protection, you now have a single repository for finding answers. Patrick Goggin, a natural landscape expert and a lake specialist with the University of Wisconsin Extension Lakes, compiled this excellent electronic document, “Building a natural shoreline from the ground up.” For…
Wisconsin’s Green Fire holds webinar on imbalance of power in conserving resources and protecting the environment
Wisconsin’s Green Fire held a webinar on October 19 dealing with issues presented in its recent paper about state legislative actions, court rulings, and political practices that have undermined democratic processes and profoundly changed the way state government operates. “Today, instead of a robust balancing of public interests among stakeholders, a small number of groups representing…
A writer offers an intimate look at life on and around a Wisconsin lake
Some of us lucky souls don’t have to wonder what it’s like to live on a small lake in Wisconsin. Those who do not enjoy such settings (and even some of us who do) will likely enjoy a new book released earlier this year by Wisconsin Historical Society Press. “Here on Lake Hallie,” by Patti See,…
Michigan Lakes and Streams Association Conference set for May 5-6. Mark your calendar now!
One of the highlights of spring is reuniting with lake lovers and lake advocates at our annual state lake conventions. I’m from the Badger State and so each year attend the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention, which will be held April 19-21 in Stevens Point. If you’re from our neighboring Wolverine State, you’ll want to…
Get the latest on invasive species in the Upper Midwest
The 2022 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference will be held October 25-27 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. It’s a hybrid conference with in-person and online attendance options, built around the theme, “Meeting Challenges, Facing the Future…Together!” You can find out more at http://www.umisc.net/. This biennial conference addresses all types of invasive species.…
Every Wisconsin waterway has a story. You can read them here.
People are always more interesting if you know their back story. The same is true of the lakes and streams we love. Now author Scott Spoolman has brought us the back stories of our state’s lake, rivers, waterfalls and wetlands. His book, Wisconsin Waters (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2022) presents a tour of the geologic, natural…