Goby Reported By Angler near Bowen Street Fishing Pier in Oshkosh We need your help! We ask anglers to be on the lookout for any round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) in the Winnebago System and to report any catches or sightings of these invasive fish. Round gobies are an aggressive invasive fish that reproduces quickly and [...]

The post Reminder – Report Catches of Round Goby in Winnebago System appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/07/01/reminder-report-catches-of-round-goby-in-winnebago-system/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reminder-report-catches-of-round-goby-in-winnebago-system

Chris Acy

Join Fox-Wolf, WI-DNR, and More Partners Statewide To Protect Your Lakes Story Written In Partnership with WI DNR The annual Drain Campaign, June 6th-8th, focuses on the importance for boaters and anglers to always drain their livewells and fish buckets before leaving boat launches and fishing access points. Boat inspectors from Clean Boats, Clean [...]

The post Annual Drain Campaign Returns This Weekend – Reminder to Drain All Water at the Launch appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/06/05/annual-drain-campaign-returns-this-weekend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=annual-drain-campaign-returns-this-weekend

Chris Acy

Volunteers Raising Beetles to Deal with Troublesome Plant There are so many ways that people are helping out our waters. People are picking up trash, planting rain gardens, and growing cover crops in their farm fields (just to name a few). This time of year, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is starting up the annual Purple [...]

The post Volunteer Shoutout – Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/05/16/volunteer-shoutout-purple-loosestrife-biocontrol/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=volunteer-shoutout-purple-loosestrife-biocontrol

Chris Acy

Original story: Melinda Myers Invasive plants can escape the boundaries of our landscape, moving into natural spaces and waterways. They outcompete and displace native plants, degrading natural habitats, increasing the risk of soil erosion, negatively impacting water quality, and so much more. Invasive plants, like this garlic mustard, outcompete and displace native plants, [...]

The post Plan Ahead: Know What to Do to Limit Invasive Plants this Spring appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/04/21/plan-ahead-know-what-to-do-to-limit-invasive-plants-this-spring/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=plan-ahead-know-what-to-do-to-limit-invasive-plants-this-spring

Chris Acy

No Matter the Time of Year, AIS Prevention Helps Your Waters Original Story: WI DNR The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and partners ask anglers to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species while fishing this winter. Even in harsh winter conditions, anglers can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species [...]

The post Battle on Bago & Beyond – Protect Your Waters from Invasive Species appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/02/14/battle-on-bago-beyond-protect-your-waters-from-invasive-species/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=battle-on-bago-beyond-protect-your-waters-from-invasive-species

Chris Acy

Invasive Species? Horticultrist Melinda Myers Can Help! Managing invasive plants on your property can be overwhelming. We will discuss various strategies to help you manage these unwanted plants. Preventing their introduction into your landscape is the best place to start. Then slow the spread of those present by cutting back the plants or mowing [...]

The post Free Webinar: Strategies to Manage Invasive Species on Your Property appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/02/14/free-webinar-strategies-to-manage-invasive-species-on-your-property/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-webinar-strategies-to-manage-invasive-species-on-your-property

Chris Acy

Help Protect Our Waters: Fox-Wolf’s Chloride Monitoring Program Did you know that just one teaspoon of salt can permanently pollute five gallons of freshwater? Unlike other pollutants, chloride from road salt doesn’t break down—it stays in our waterways, impacting aquatic life and even our drinking water. That’s why the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is continuing [...]

The post Protecting Our Waters: Fox-Wolf’s Chloride Monitoring Program appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/01/31/chloride-monitoring/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chloride-monitoring

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Startup Company Finding Ways to Deal with Invasive Plant Original Story: Tom Page, CNN Lake Naivasha, northwest of Nairobi, Kenya is becoming increasingly unnavigable. Water hyacinth, the world’s most widespread invasive species, is blanketing the lake, choking its fish and leaving people stranded. “Sometimes it becomes very serious,” says Simon Macharia, a local fisherman, [...]

The post Water Hyacinth Instead of Plastic Bags? Invasive Species Used to Regrow Forests appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/01/17/water-hyacinth-instead-of-plastic-bags-invasive-species-used-to-regrow-forests/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=water-hyacinth-instead-of-plastic-bags-invasive-species-used-to-regrow-forests

Chris Acy

All Too Clear - Award Winning Documentary Team To Hold Event in Our Backyard TVO Original, All Too Clear uses cutting-edge underwater drones to explore how quadrillions of tiny invasive mussels, known as quaggas, are re-engineering the ecosystem of the Great Lakes at a scale not seen since the glaciers. To capture this epic change, [...]

The post Re-Engineering the Great Lakes Ecosystem – Free Event to Glimpse Into the Great Lakes appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/01/10/re-engineering-the-great-lakes-ecosystem-free-event-to-see-beneath-the-waves/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=re-engineering-the-great-lakes-ecosystem-free-event-to-see-beneath-the-waves

Chris Acy

In Wisconsin, winter means snow, ice, and inevitably, salt. De-icing salt is a common sight on sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways, helping to prevent slips and falls during the coldest months. However, this winter staple comes with an environmental cost: our local rivers, lakes, and streams are suffering from the overuse of salt. Why [...]

The post The Hidden Cost of Winter Salt: Protecting Wisconsin’s Waterways appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/12/19/the-skinny-on-salt-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-skinny-on-salt-2

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Winter Sowing for a Healthier Fox-Wolf Watershed

We’re thrilled to share our latest video: Winter Sowing Hack: Grow Native Plants and Protect Water Quality! It’s your guide to making a meaningful impact on water quality and supporting local ecosystems—all from the comfort of your backyard.

Winter sowing is an easy and beginner-friendly method for growing native plants during the colder months. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this approach is perfect for all skill levels.

Here’s what you’ll learn in the video:

The Power of Native Plants
Discover why native plants are vital for clean water, pollinator health, and thriving ecosystems.

Step-by-Step Winter Sowing Guide
We’ll walk you through how to start your seeds using simple materials like milk jugs and markers.

Best Native Plants for Wisconsin and the Fox-Wolf Watershed
Get our top recommendations for plants that are perfect for our local environment.

By adding native plants to your garden, you’re creating a ripple effect that benefits pollinators, enhances natural beauty, and protects water quality across the Fox-Wolf Watershed.

Together, we can make a difference—one milk jug at a time.

👉 Watch the video here!

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more ways to protect and sustain our waters. Let’s sow the seeds for a healthier future!

The post New Video: Winter Sowing for Native Plants and Cleaner Waters appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/12/05/winter-sowing-wisconsin-native-plants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=winter-sowing-wisconsin-native-plants

Dan Beckwith

Celebrate Wisconsin’s Lakes and Rivers with These Thoughtful Gifts

Know someone whose heart belongs to Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers? Whether they’re paddling down the Wolf River, fishing on Lake Winnebago, or simply soaking up the peace of a quiet shoreline, this guide is packed with thoughtful, water-inspired gifts they’ll love. And the best part? Many of these ideas also support the health of the waterways we all treasure.

Let’s dive in!

For the Adventurer: Gifts for the Active and Outdoorsy

1. Underwater Drone

Let’s start off with the coolest (and most expensive) item on our list! Imagine exploring beneath the surface of Lake Winnebago or capturing the beauty of aquatic life in the Wolf River. An underwater drone lets the freshwater fan in your life see the water from an entirely new perspective, making their next trip to the water unforgettable.

a yellow submersible drone
a lifestraw against a green background

2. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

For the camper, hiker, or paddler, this lightweight filter is a lifesaver. It ensures access to clean drinking water anywhere—as long as there’s water nearby.

Pair the Lifestraw with a Wisconsin trails map for the ultimate adventurer’s gift!

3. Inflatable Kayak

Perfect for paddling enthusiasts who love exploring waterways like the Little Wolf River or Shawano Lake. Inflatable kayaks are easy to transport, set up, and store—ideal for spontaneous adventures.

Paddling Wisconsin: A Guide to the State’s Best Paddling Routes goes great with this gift!

a yellow inflatable kayak with oars in front of a light blue background

For the Home: Relaxation and Freshwater-Inspired Decor

a wisconsin lake candle in front of a blue background

4. Wisconsin Lakes Candle

Bring the outdoors inside with a candle inspired by the calming scents of Wisconsin’s iconic lakes. Whether they’re reminiscing about a peaceful day on the Waupaca Chain or a day at Bay Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan, this gift is sure to spark warm memories.

5. Wisconsin Lakes Depth Map

This intricate 3D map of your favorite Wisconsin lake is more than just decor—it’s a stunning celebration of Wisconsin’s freshwater connections. A perfect gift for someone who cherishes the beauty of Lake Winnebago, Wilson Lake, and beyond!

a depth map of Lake Winnebago
a custom lake sign sign reading lake Martin with coordinates

6. Custom Lake Name Sign

Celebrate a favorite lake with a beautifully crafted wood sign featuring its name and coordinates. Whether it’s Lake Butte des Morts or Partridge Lake, this keepsake is a heartfelt way to honor their connection to the water.

7. Personalized Wisconsin Fishing Journal

For anglers who love casting a line in the Fox River or Shawano Lake, this journal lets them log their best catches and memorable days on the water.

a leather journal in front of a blue background

For the Watershed: Eco-Friendly and Impactful Gifts

the few-wolf watershed alliance logo

8. Donation to the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Give the gift of clean, thriving waters by donating to the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance in their name. This thoughtful gesture supports conservation efforts in beloved waterways like the Wolf River, Fox River, and Lake Winnebago.

Better yet – why not get them a Fox-Wolf membership?

9. Shower Flower

For the water lover who has everything – get them a show flower! Help them save water with this unique product that collects shower water while it warms up. Perfect for watering plants or household tasks, it’s an easy way to conserve and reduce waste!

a shower flower against a green background

Stocking Stuffers and Budget-Friendly Finds

A Lake Winnebago coaster

10. Wisconsin Lake Map Coasters

For the water lover who has everything – get them a show flower! Help them save water with this unique product that collects shower water while it warms up. Perfect for watering plants or household tasks, it’s an easy way to conserve and reduce waste!

11. Wisconsin Native Fish Species Poster

Brighten up their home with a colorful, educational print that highlights fish species found in Lake Winnebago and nearby waterways. It’s perfect for anglers or nature enthusiasts.

a wisconsin native species fish poster
a rain barrel spigot

12. DIY Rain Barrel Kit

Help them make the most of nature’s resources with a rain barrel kit. Ideal for gardeners who want to collect rainwater, especially in areas near Oshkosh or Fond du Lac, close to Lake Winnebago.

Celebrate and Protect Wisconsin’s Waters

From the calm beauty of Lake Butte des Morts to the rushing currents of the Fox River, our waterways bring joy, adventure, and connection to so many. This holiday season, give gifts that reflect your loved one’s passion for freshwater—and support the critical work of the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance in protecting these beautiful resources.

Get Involved!

What’s your favorite memory from Wisconsin’s lakes or rivers? Share it on social media using #FoxWolf #WorthProtecting. Let’s celebrate the places that bring us peace and joy—and work together to protect them for future generations.

Happy holidays, and thank you for making waves with your gift-giving this year!

The post The Ultimate Gift Guide for Freshwater Fans appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/11/26/freshwater-gift-guide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=freshwater-gift-guide

Dan Beckwith

FREE Salt Watch kit available from at the training thanks to the Izaak Walton League!

The training will cover monitoring process. However, for more information, check out this video explaining the monitoring process from the Izaak Walton League:

The post Join Fox-Wolf and Help Monitor for Chlorides(Salt) appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/10/28/join-fox-wolf-and-help-monitor-for-chloridessalt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=join-fox-wolf-and-help-monitor-for-chloridessalt

Alyssa Reinke

Meet the Monsters Haunting the Waters of the Fox Valley and Green Bay

Forget Michael Myers—the real monsters this Halloween are lurking beneath the surface of the Fox-Wolf Watershed! As you plan your spooky adventures, whether you’re trick-or-treating in the Fox Valley or Green Bay, meet the environmental threats that haunt our lakes and rivers. These villains won’t be defeated with a hockey mask or kitchen knife, but with a little teamwork, we can keep our waters monster-free and Halloween fun watershed-friendly. 🎃

Just as Michael Myers stalks Laurie Strode, these environmental villains silently threaten our waterways. From slimy algae to invasive zebra mussels, these monsters might be out of sight, but they’re dangerously real. Let’s meet them—and learn how to fight back!

The Phosphorist

“Possessing Waters, Spewing Green Goo!”

Where It Strikes: Fox River, Lake Winnebago, Green Bay

The Phosphorist is here—an evil force that takes control of lakes and rivers, just like a demonic possession in The Exorcist. It uses phosphorus from fertilizers, grass clippings, and animal waste as its unholy fuel, spreading thick, green algae blooms that choke the life out of every waterway it touches. Under the Phosphorist’s grip, fish gasp for oxygen, plants wilt, and the once-beautiful waters are transformed into slimy, stinking nightmares.

Like a possessed soul, the lake becomes corrupted—its clear waters replaced by murky, algae-filled sludge. And just like an exorcism gone wrong, the Phosphorist keeps returning after every storm, bringing new blooms and foul odors. Unless the right steps are taken, this toxic force will haunt our rivers and lakes forever.

How to Fight It:

  • Use fertilizers only when necessary, and keep grass clippings away from storm drains.
  • Support watershed-friendly practices with help from the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Clingers

The horde just keeps coming!

Where It Strikes: Lake Winnebago, Fox River, Wolf River

Clingers are like the Clickers from The Last of Us—unstoppable, relentless, and spreading wherever they can latch on. These zombie-like zebra mussels invade lakes and rivers, clinging to boats, docks, and water pipes with an iron grip. Once they infest a waterway, they multiply fast, draining the nutrients that fish and plants need to survive. With fewer native species thriving, the water becomes too clear—making the perfect environment for harmful algae to grow.

Just like in a post-apocalyptic world, the Clingers creep silently from lake to lake, hitching rides on boats and fishing gear. Their jagged shells litter beaches, cutting into bare feet, while colonies clog water pipes and infrastructure. Without action, the Clingers will spread through the Fox-Wolf Watershed, turning vibrant ecosystems into lifeless wastelands faster than a horde of Clickers on the move.

How to Fight It:

Lampires

The Bloodsuckers of the Watershed

Where They Strike: Great Lakes, Rivers, and Streams near Green Bay

Beware the Lampire—a sea lamprey terror lurking in rivers and lakes, feeding on fish like a vampire of the deep. With its suction-cup mouth full of sharp teeth, it clamps onto its prey and drains their blood, leaving them too weak to survive. This invasive creature has slithered into the Great Lakes and waterways near Green Bay, turning once-thriving ecosystems into watery graveyards. Just like the infamous Nosferatu, it sneaks in silently, looking creepy and leaving destruction in its wake—making it harder for native fish to survive.

How to Fight It:

  • Back programs like the Great Lakes Fishery Commission that work to manage the sea lamprey invasion.
  • Follow fishing rules—some fish species help control the spread by feeding on lamprey larvae.
  • Get involved in watershed conservation efforts to stop these aquatic vampires from expanding their reach.

Floody Krueger

A Nightmare on Every Street!

Where It Strikes: Parking Lots, Streets, and Sidewalks

Freddy haunts dreams with terror, Floody haunts streets and waterways with polluted runoff. As rain pours down, stormwater gathers oil, fertilizer, pet waste, and trash, sweeping it all into nearby rivers and lakes. Fish and plants suffer in his toxic nightmare, while algae thrive on the chaos. If this waterborne slasher isn’t stopped, his sludge-filled trail will make rivers too dangerous for swimming and fishing—turning every trip to the lake into a horror story.

How to Fight It:

Trashenstein

“It’s ALLLITTER!”

Where It Strikes: Beaches, Parks, and Shorelines

Like Frankenstein’s monster, Trashenstein is cobbled together from every discarded bottle, wrapper, and bag. With every piece of trash, it surges back to life—“It’s aliiive!”—growing larger and more destructive. Trashenstein clogs rivers, traps animals in plastic, and turns parks into horror scenes that even Victor Frankenstein would fear. The more litter left behind, the harder it is to stop this monster from rampaging across shorelines and waterways.

How to Fight It:

  • Don’t litter—cut off Trashenstein’s lifeline.
  • Join area clean-up efforts to dismantle the monster bit by bit.

Tips for Fox-Wolf Friendly Trick-or-Treating in the Fox Valley and Green Bay

Halloween is about more than costumes and candy—it’s also a chance to protect the environment! As you head out for trick-or-treating in Green Bay or the Fox Valley, follow these simple tips to keep the fun Fox-Wolf friendly.

1. Use Reusable Trick-or-Treat Bags

Swap plastic bags for reusable ones that can hold more candy and last longer. Plus, no more worrying about your bag ripping halfway through the night! Using reusable bags also keeps stray plastic out of the environment. Win-win!

2. Stick to Neighborhood Routes

Staying close to home isn’t just more fun—it helps the environment, too! Driving less means fewer pollutants like oil, gas, and tire particles washing into rivers and lakes when it rains. Bonus: It’s a great way to meet neighbors and see more decorations!

3. Walk, Bike, or Scoot

Why take the car when you can stroll, pedal, or roll? Walking or biking with friends means fewer emissions, cleaner air, and more candy time! And the best part? The adventure is just as sweet as the treats.

4. Bring a Cleanup Bag for Litter

Keep the streets looking great by bringing along a small bag to pick up any stray wrappers or bottles you find. A cleaner neighborhood means less litter ending up in storm drains—and cleaner rivers and lakes for everyone to enjoy.

5. Spread the Word

Share these simple tips with friends, family, and neighbors. When everyone pitches in, the impact really adds up! A small effort from each of us makes our water cleaner and our Halloween so sustainable-it’s scary!

Keep Our Watershed Safe and Monster-Free This Halloween

Whether you’re trick-or-treating in the Fox Valley or Green Bay, Halloween can be about more than just spooky fun. Every action you take—from picking up trash to planting rain gardens—helps protect the Fox-Wolf Watershed from real environmental monsters.

Together, we can banish Flooddy Krueger, Trashenstein, and all the other monsters from our rivers and lakes. This Halloween, let’s enjoy the fun while making a difference for the environment. 🎃

Photo Credit: Yuliya Karshirina, Kelly Reyer, T. Lawrence (NOAA)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance on our Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Facebook page or @fox_wolf_watershed_alliance on Instagram! You can also sign-up for email updates at fwwa.org.

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

This Halloween, let’s have fun while doing a little good for the watershed! With just a few small changes, you can enjoy trick-or-treating and help protect our beautiful rivers, lakes, and parks. Here’s how you and your friends can make a difference:

The post Trick or Treating in the Fox Valley & Green Bay: Beware the Monsters Threatening Our Watershed appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/10/18/trick-or-treating-fox-valley-green-bay-monsters-watershed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trick-or-treating-fox-valley-green-bay-monsters-watershed

Chris Acy

Help Stop The Spread Of Aquatic Invasive Species During Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons

Original Story: WI DNR

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds migratory bird hunters that they are essential partners in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species in hunting areas and Wisconsin’s waterways. The steps hunters take before leaving a boat launch or access point are vital for protecting hunting habitat.

Invasives can hide in some of the most unsuspected places. Mud on your anchor can hide seeds, eggs or the larvae of tiny species, such as spiny water fleas. Water that collects in boats and decoys can carry diseases, and insects, snails and seeds can also collect under the vests of a hunting dog. Consider giving your dog a rinse with a jug of clean water or scrubbing them off with a brush while they go for a quick swim to prevent invasive species from hitching a ride to the next hunting spot.

Of particular concern to hunters is the Faucet snail. These snails carry parasites that can kill ducks if they eat them. Learn more about how hunters can help prevent the spread of invasive species and minimize these risks on the DNR’s Invasive Species Prevention webpage or by visiting the “Hunter Resources” tab on the Waterfowl Hunting webpage.

Members of Wisconsin’s Aquatic Invasive Species Partnership may be available in your area to provide presentations and other outreach for hunt clubs and other organizations. They and your Regional DNR Aquatic Invasive Species Biologist can answer specific questions about any aquatic invasive species where you plan to hunt.

Find your county Aquatic Invasive Species contact on the DNR’s website. Many of these folks will visit boat launches during the hunting season to provide on-the-spot education, boat towels and boot brushes.

Just a few minutes of preventative action can protect our hunting tradition for generations to come. Before launching into and leaving a water body, hunters should:

  • Inspect waders, boats, trailers, motors and hunting equipment, including boots, blinds and dogs, before leaving a boat launch or access point.
  • Remove all plants, animals and mud to the best of your ability. A special consideration for waterfowl hunters is to remove all seed heads and roots when using vegetation to conceal duck blinds. It is also important to note that it is illegal to use phragmites for camouflage in counties where the plant is prohibited by NR40. In general, these counties include the western half of the state.
  • Drain all water from decoys, boats, motors and other hunting equipment.
  • Never move plants or live fish away from a water body.

For more information about aquatic invasive species, including where they are prohibited and restricted in Wisconsin, visit the DNR’s Invasive Species webpage.

Photo Credit: Chris Acy, Wisconsin DNR

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance on our Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Facebook page or @fox_wolf_watershed_alliance on Instagram! You can also sign-up for email updates at fwwa.org.

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Waterfowl Hunters: What You Need to Know about Invasive Species appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/09/28/waterfowl-hunters-what-you-need-to-know-about-invasive-species/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=waterfowl-hunters-what-you-need-to-know-about-invasive-species

Chris Acy

Gardeners Create Beautiful Landscapes Free of Invasive Plants

Original Story: Melina Myers

We are finding more and more people are interested in learning about invasive plants and you have an important role in sharing the information they need. This year with the support of the UW-Madison Extension Aquatic Invasive Outreach and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, we were able to connect with over 1,100 people in the two webinars they sponsored. To me, this indicates a significant interest in making a difference as it relates to managing invasive plants in our environment. For those of you who were able to attend, we appreciate you taking the time and your efforts to share your knowledge and passion on this subject.

If you missed the webinars, the recordings are still available to watch. Here is the link to the Helping Gardeners Create a Landscape Free of Invasive Plants webinar (enter Passcode: C4UKDz!y) and download the handout. Please share this information with other influencers in your group and other organizations that may be interested in learning more.

The second webinar recording Create a Beautiful Landscape Free of Invasive Plants is housed on the Milwaukee Public Library YouTube Channel and you can download the handout. This is geared toward the general public, so please feel free to share this with anyone who wants to learn more on this subject. You can also find links to both webinars and handouts on www.MelindaMyers.com by going to the On Demand Webinars page.

This increase in interest in invasive species provides us with an opportunity to reach new gardeners and those who are unfamiliar with this problem. Many of you, like me, have been talking about invasive species for years but as you know, like any subject, it may be new to people reaching out to you for gardening and environmental information.

A recent survey showed many new and young gardeners are shopping for plants online. Although regulations for the sale, purchase, and possession of invasive species are in place, some online sellers are not aware, up-to-date, or concerned with following existing state and federal regulations. Just because the plant can be purchased does not mean it is allowed in Wisconsin. We have an opportunity to help gardeners make informed purchases to avoid creating problems in their landscapes and our natural spaces and waterways here in Wisconsin. Encourage them to visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website before placing their online plant order.

When you meet with gardeners and discover any invasive plants in their landscape, start by making a connection. Keep in mind that many gardeners are not aware the plant is a problem. Let them know why management is important and how to properly dispose of the invasive plant.

Do the same when enjoying the outdoors. Watch for and report any invasive plant infestations you spot in public green spaces and natural areas to the Wisconsin DNR by emailing invasive.species@wisconsin.gov. Visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/report.html where you’ll find tips for documenting and reporting as well as links to other resources.

Thanks for all you do and together we can make a difference!

Photo Credit: Chris Acy

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance on our Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Facebook page or @fox_wolf_watershed_alliance on Instagram! You can also sign-up for email updates at fwwa.org.

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Landscape Plants, Gardens and Invasive Species appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/08/23/landscape-plants-gardens-and-invasive-species/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=landscape-plants-gardens-and-invasive-species

Chris Acy

Double Check Those Lamprey; Wisconsin has Native Lamprey Too

Many Wisconsin anglers are catching fish left, right, and center as we near mid-summer. But sometimes with those fish, there are reports of sea lamprey attached to fish. Even in places where the sea lamprey isn’t known to have reached, including Lake Winnebago. But anglers are often surprised to hear that Wisconsin waters play host to native lamprey. Take a minute to learn how to identify our native lamprey so next time you catch a fish with a lamprey, you’ll know if it’s native or invasive.

Native Lamprey vs. Sea Lamprey

There are four native freshwater lamprey that can be found in Wisconsin. Of these four, two are parasitic and might be on your next fish. Each species of lamprey have different physical characteristics that can help you figure the lamprey you’re seeing. Check out the chart below to see how our native species differ from the invasive sea lamprey.

Click the image to enlarge

If you’re looking for key characteristics to determine if you’ve caught a sea lamprey, take a look at the top fin of the lamprey. If the long fin on the back of the lamprey is split into two (two dorsal fins), there’s a good chance you’ve caught a sea lamprey.

The most common lamprey in the Winnbeago lake system is the native Chestnut Lamprey. To learn more about this native lamprey, check out this Fox-Wolf Species Spotlight article.

To learn more about the invasive sea lamprey, Fox-Wolf’s AIS Spotlight has the info you’ll need!

Photo Credit: Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Surely a Sea Lamprey….right? appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/07/17/surely-a-sea-lamprey-right/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=surely-a-sea-lamprey-right

Chris Acy

4th of July and Aquatic Invasive Species

Happy 4th of July!

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is joining the international effort to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species this July 4th weekend! The annual Landing Blitz campaign runs June 26th – July 6th, 2024. Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) boat inspectors and educators will meet boaters at lake and river launches to remind them that by taking simple prevention steps, we all play a vital role stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) like zebra mussels.

Joining with the Great Lakes Landing Blitz, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance joins all the Great Lakes states and provinces to educate boaters that simple clean up steps and draining water from the boat and live wells can help to prevent the spread of AIS. Many boaters will be greeted at landings and access points by volunteers and regional aquatic invasive species prevention partners sharing the simple but powerful message: YOU can protect lakes and rivers form aquatic invasive species impacts.

“It only takes a minute to remove plants, animals, mud or debris from boats, trailers and equipment and to drain all water from bilges, livewells and bait buckets,” said Erin McFarlane, the Statewide CBCW Educator with Extension Lakes. “These simple steps help keep invasive species from hitching a ride from one lake or river to another.”

No matter where you launch, always remember before you leave the launch to:

  • Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
  • Remove all attached plants or animals
  • Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment
  • Never move live fish away from a waterbody (out of water = dead)
  • Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
  • Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer
  • Only use leftover minnows when either 1) fishing with them on the same body of water or 2) on other waters if no lake/river water or other fish have been added to the container.

Following these steps ensures boaters comply with Wisconsin state law, which prohibits the transport of aquatic invasive species.

Have a safe holiday weekend and thanks for helping protect our waterways!

Photo Credit: Sophia Koch

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Landing Blitz: Protecting our Waters appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/07/02/landing-blitz-protecting-our-waters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=landing-blitz-protecting-our-waters

Chris Acy

Over 70 Exotic Pets Surrendered, To Be Rehomed

Seventy animals were turned in at an exotic pet surrender event in Kimberly, Wisconsin, on Sunday.  Thirty seven people attended and there was a Facebook Reach of 13,000 people.  Included in the surrenders were a four parakeets, a ferret, three red eared sliders, and a 13 foot reticulated python!

The Exotic Pet Surrender Event was held March 18th, 2024 between 9 AM and 1 PM at the Kimberly Public Library.  J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue was accepting fish, invertebrates, reptiles, pet birds, small mammals, and plants — no questions asked.

In some areas, there are no rehoming options for exotic animals such as fish, birds, and reptiles. Some pet owners that are unable to care for their pet may think that releasing the animal is the right thing to do, however, releasing a pet is harmful for the animal and the environment.

This event brought together a collection of rehoming partners that provide responsible alternatives to release for exotic pet owners who are no longer able to care for their pets. J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue (JRAAR) hosted the event with help from another area organization; the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Questions regarding the Exotic Pet Surrender Event or about future surrenders or events can be directed to John Moyles of J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue. He can be reached at adoptions@jraar.org

For information on future pet surrender events happening across the state of Wisconsin, visit https://www.jraar.org/

Photo Credit: Chris Acy, J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Exotic Pet Surrender in Kimberly Gives Pet Owners Options appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/05/20/exotic-pet-surrender-in-kimberly-gives-pet-owners-options/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=exotic-pet-surrender-in-kimberly-gives-pet-owners-options

Chris Acy

Article provided by: Wisconsin AIS Partnership

One of the many challenges facing a healthy waterbody is how to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to protect the ecological, social, and economic benefits that we so greatly cherish in Wisconsin. Prevention of AIS is key to the long-term sustainability of ‘lake life’ and needs to be at the forefront of any protection strategy. Simply put, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But if only it were just that simple. The variables and situations that can impact a waterbody may seem so limitless that it can be daunting to know where to start. As a lake resident, you might consider questions such as:

Does the boat launch near my house have an AIS prevention sign?
What if a new AIS is documented in our lake?
What are people doing upstream that could impact our lake?
Do they follow AIS prevention laws?
Where will the next visiting boat come from and will they have taken prevention steps?
What if they didn’t? What then? What next?…

The problem can feel overwhelming. The important thing is that each of us can do something. Big or small. Simple or complex. New or old. Every action counts and every action matters. As a lake resident, you are in a unique stakeholder position to do something particularly powerful and that is to flex your consumer power when it comes to services that you might need as part of your lake life. These might be services such as dock and lift installation/maintenance, shoreline construction work, etc. Any activity that involves installing, removing, operating, and transporting water-related equipment, structures, and gear presents a high risk of inadvertently transporting and spreading AIS without proper decontamination. While everyone is required to “inspect, remove, and drain” per Wisconsin State Statutes NR40, these steps might not always be 100% effective especially for high-risk users such as service providers who are often working on multiple lakes in a single day and interacting with lake water and sediment in ways that recreational users are not. These kinds of service providers need to follow the same prevention steps that we all do, but they are not required to take the extended steps, such as spraying equipment with a bleach solution, making it all the more important for consumers to advocate for their lake.

To flex your consumer muscle, here are some simple ideas to consider –

• Ask your existing or prospective provider what AIS prevention steps they take.
• Build ‘decontamination’ into the service contract. Ask that the provider implement at least one decontamination option (see figure) and provide you with documentation such as a video, logbook, or arrange to witness it in-person.
• Talk with your neighbor or lake group to discuss the possibility of hiring the same provider to reduce the number of providers coming to the lake throughout the season.

Thank you for being a steward of your lake!

Photo Credit: Steph Boismenue, McGhiever

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post How Lake Stewardship & Consumer Power Can Help Prevent the Spread of AIS appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/05/20/how-lake-stewardship-consumer-power-can-help-prevent-the-spread-of-ais/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-lake-stewardship-consumer-power-can-help-prevent-the-spread-of-ais

Chris Acy

April Ends with Four Additional Launches Adopted

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Adopt a Launch Program is off to its fastest start in years! As we end the month of April, we have had four new launches be adopted across the watershed.

  • Fred Miller Park Boat Launch, City of Omro – Girl Scout Troop 2147
  • Telulah Park Kayak Launch, City of Appleton – Valley New School
  • Lutz Park Boat Launch, City of Appleton – Fox River Academy
  • 1000 Islands Kayak Launch, City of Kaukauna – Julie Eddy & Linda Olson

With several more launch adoptions underway, 2024 is shaping to be one of the largest increases in boat launches adopted in the Program’s history. The Fox-Wolf Adopt-a-Launch Program works to improve and clean up the lakes and rivers by engaging community members through volunteer efforts at boat launches. Volunteers are helping to identify new introductions of aquatic invasive species (AIS), prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by removing plant and debris at launch sites, improve and protect habitat and water quality by removing garbage, help ensure recreational boating facilities are maintained by reporting issues, and develop a sense of pride and ownership for the waterways. Want to get involved? Here’s how to join our amazing volunteers!

Photo Credit: Chris Acy

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Adopt a Launch Program Flourishes Early in 2024 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/05/01/adopt-a-launch-program-flourishes-early-in-2024/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=adopt-a-launch-program-flourishes-early-in-2024

Chris Acy

Oshkosh, Neenah Play Host Exotic Pet Surrender Events

Original Story: John Moyles, J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue

In an effort to address the challenges of rehoming exotic pets and discourage the harmful practice of releasing them into the wild, J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue hosted several successful Exotic Pet Surrender Events on January 13th and March 2nd, 2024. The event, held at the organization’s rescue center in Neenah, aimed to provide responsible alternatives and a judgement-free environment for pet owners who can no longer care for their exotic animals.

A staggering 460 animals, ranging from fish and reptiles to pet birds and small mammals, found their way to new beginnings through the event. Among the surrendered animals were fish, lizards, snakes, and even a colony of roaches, highlighting the diverse range of creatures in need of assistance.

The event was not only about surrendering pets but also about education and advocacy. Attendees had the opportunity to meet Animal Ambassadors and learn about their unique stories, reinforcing the message of responsible pet ownership. A photobooth with rescued pets allowed for cherished memories to be captured and shared, further fostering a sense of community and compassion.

Collaborating with regional rehoming partners such as Reptile Rescue of Wisconsin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Pet Advocacy Network, and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant/Water Resources Institutes, J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue facilitated the surrender of four animals, including fish, a tortoise, and birds. This collaborative effort ensures that these animals are given proper care and attention.

All surrendered pets undergo a brief quarantine and evaluation period to ensure their health and well-being before becoming available for adoption. This meticulous process reflects the commitment of the organizers to find suitable homes for these animals and prevent any negative impact on the local ecosystem.

For those who missed the event, J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue reminds the public that they can surrender pets at their Rescue Center in Neenah or find information about upcoming Surrender Events on their website: https://www.jraar.org/exoticpetsurrenderevents. With 29 events planned for the year there are ample opportunities for pet owners to seek assistance in rehoming their animals.

The success of the Exotic Pet Surrender Event was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Ship Your Reptiles, Chemipure, Jellyfish Art, Reef Aquaria Design, and Festival Foods. Their support enables J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue to continue providing valuable services to the community and promoting responsible exotic pet ownership.

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post 400+ Exotic Pets Rehomed, Mitigating Potential Releases Into Waterways appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/03/13/400-exotic-pets-rehomed-mitigating-potential-releases-into-waterways/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=400-exotic-pets-rehomed-mitigating-potential-releases-into-waterways

Chris Acy

New Study Finds Negative Emotions Drive Preference for Herbicide Treatments

 

A new study published by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers is the first to explore what drives lakeshore property owners’ preferences for herbicide treatments of aquatic invasive plants over other management options, even if those treatments may harm native plants and animals. The study found that negative emotions and believing that aquatic invasive species are present in the lake where a property owner lives were the strongest predictors for preferring herbicide treatments. Surprisingly, perceived impacts of aquatic invasive species did not affect preferences for herbicidal treatment of aquatic invasive species.

These results provide an opportunity for natural resource managers to educate lakeshore property owners about alternative methods for managing aquatic invasive plants while still leaving options open for herbicide treatment, if needed. Other management options include manual and mechanical removal as well as simply monitoring, since non-native plants can often co-exist with other native plants in a lake without taking over and becoming a nuisance.

“People can develop negative emotions about a subject either through lived experiences or through communications about the subject,” said Bret Shaw, lead author and a Division of Extension environmental communications specialist and Department of Life Science Communication professor. “Given that the perceived impact of invasive species is not driving preference for using herbicides, it is possible that fear-based aquatic invasive species prevention messages may influence higher risk perceptions that cause property owners to seek herbicidal treatment first. Considering other approaches and messaging strategies, too, may help lake organizations achieve better outcomes with their management efforts.”

Aquatic invasive plants in Wisconsin lakes can negatively impact recreation and property values. Many organizations offer education and outreach programs for boaters and anglers to prevent invasive species spread. However, some lakes already have non-native species that can become invasive, and new

EWM growing in lake

introductions can occur despite widespread prevention efforts. While there are many ways to manage aquatic invasive plants, lakeshore property owners and lake associations often seek permits to use chemical herbicides even though herbicides themselves can carry a potential risk of ecological harm to the treated lake, which is why herbicides may not necessarily be an appropriate as a first course of action in some waterbodies.

Aquatic invasive species are a concern both globally and in Wisconsin, with the Great Lakes on Wisconsin’s borders and another 15,000 inland lakes within them. While the most problematic invasive species aren’t present in most lakes, where they are located, they can reach high densities that can impede boating, negatively affect fishing and alter the ecological functions of a lake. More than $5 million is spent each year in Wisconsin on aquatic invasive species management. However, even with this annual investment and the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species, very little effort has been spent understanding how waterfront property owners feel and think about invasive species management.

“This research is among the first to understand the opinions and beliefs of waterfront property owners about aquatic invasive species management,” said Tim Campbell, the aquatic invasive species program manager for Wisconsin Sea Grant and co-author of the study. “The results of this research will help us create invasive species management education tools and programs that balance efforts to reduce the unwanted impacts of invasive species while protecting the ecological integrity of our lakes.”

Other co-authors include Dominique Brossard, Professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication (LSC) as well as recent LSC graduate students, Richard Heinrich (LSC Ph.D. ‘23) and Theresa Vander Woude (LSC and Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, M.S. ‘21). The full study can be found in the journal Biological Invasions here (https://rdcu.be/dvWb9). Alternatively, email tim.campbell@wisc.edu for a copy of the study.

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Herbicide Treatments: Property Owners Preferences Study appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/02/15/herbicide-treatments-property-owners-preferences-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=herbicide-treatments-property-owners-preferences-study

Chris Acy

Horticulturist, author, and speaker Melinda Myers will discuss key invasive plants in Wisconsin, share tips on identification, provide ways to control some of the more common problem plants, and suggest alternative plants foSee attached a recent article that Bret Shaw, myself, and other collaborators recently had published in Biological Invasions. Below and attached is some text that helps explain the results of the paper that you can feel free to use in any newsletters you all provide content for. Also attached is factsheet we produced as part of this project a few years ago that covers some of the other recommendations from this project.r your landscape.  We hope you can join Melinda to learn more about this important issue.

Webinar: February 28th, 2024 6:30pm

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Free Webinar: Create a Beautiful Landscape Free of Invasive Plants appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/02/15/free-webinar-create-a-beautiful-landscape-free-of-invasive-plants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-webinar-create-a-beautiful-landscape-free-of-invasive-plants

Chris Acy

This fall, travelers along the Highway 41 cooridor in Brown County were greeted with a conservation message flashing on digital billboards along their route:

At Fox-Wolf, we’re invested in making impacts to water quality from all sources – residential, commercial, municipal, and agricultural.  We partner with people and organizations from across all these sources to reduce the amount of the phosphorus and sediment that’s delivered to our local waters and downstream through the Fox River and into the bay of Green Bay.  Collectively, these impacts lessen the “green” (algae) in Green Bay.

That’s why education and outreach is key!  Each of us has an opportunity to contribute in our own way.  By sharing how our local farmers are investing in water quality by adopting conservation practices, our communities can see how agriculture is doing its part as well.

Cover crops planted in the fall keep soil in place throughout the winter

Cover Crops Keep Fields Green in the Fall and Water Blue in the Spring

As you drive by the many agricultural fields in the greater Fox Cities area, you may notice a variety of colors peeking out from the snow.  Some fields are still have green bits of vegetation, some have bits of corn stalks left poking from the ground, and some are bare soil.  In traditional farming, after the fall harvest of row crops, such as corn or soybeans, the soil surface of a field will be left bare until the next crop is planted and a new plant canopy is established. Here in Wisconsin, that next planting may be 5-7 months away. That’s a long time for the bare soil to be vulnerable to erosion caused by rainfall, snowmelt, or wind. For that reason, conservation-minded farmers utilize cover crops to have vegetation established and growing in the fall months and remain in place during the winter.

In the spring, cover crops are terminated and left on the surface as residue for conservation tillage or are incorporated into the soil.  Properly planned and executed, cover crops will protect soil during this vulnerable period. This topsoil is full of nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen, so by keeping soil in place, these nutrients are kept on the land where they benefit crops and prevented from running into waterways where they contribute to degraded water conditions and algal blooms.  Keeping soil in place also keeps pesticides, herbicides, and manure out of nearby streams, rivers, and lakes.

Cover crops do more than just improve water quality.  As a benefit to the farmer, cover crops can also:

  • Slow runoff from rainfall and snowmelt, reducing soil loss due to erosion
  • Increase soil organic matter, leading to improvements in soil structure that benefits plant growth
  • Increase soil quality by improving the biological, chemical, and physical soil properties
  • Store nutrients from manure until the following years’ crop can utilize them
  • Reduce or mitigate soil compaction as deep tap roots are able to grow in fall and spring
  • Provide a natural means of suppressing soil diseases and pests and serve as a mulch to assist in suppressing weeds
  • Provide high-quality material for grazing livestockand can provide food and habitat for wildlife, beneficial insects, and pollinators

Thank you conservation farmers!

The post Billboard Campaign Educates on Cover Crops appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/26/kof_billboard/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kof_billboard

Katie Woodrow

Creating Landscapes Free of Invasive Plants Webinar; January 31st 2024 6:30 PM

Attention Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, Garden Club Members and others advising home gardeners; this webinar is for you! Representatives from UWEX and DNR will join Melinda Myers to talk about current threats, available resources and ways we can all work together to manage invasive plants. To register for the free webinar, click the button below!

Melinda Myers is the author of numerous gardening books, including The Garden Book for Wisconsin, Small Space Gardening and The Midwest Gardeners Handbook. She hosts the “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. She offers free gardening webinars on her website at www.MelindaMyers.com.

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Invasive Plants in Your Yard? Here’s What To Do appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/16/invasive-plants-in-your-yard-heres-what-to-do/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=invasive-plants-in-your-yard-heres-what-to-do

Chris Acy

Released Goldfish Grow to Monstrous Size, Destroy Habitat

Original Story: Livia Albeck-Ripka, The New York Times

Inside a fishbowl, the goldfish — a species of carp native to East Asia, bred for aesthetic delight and traditionally believed to bring good fortune — is hardly more than home décor. Usually just a few inches long, it is among the easiest of pets to keep.

But released into the wild, the seemingly humble goldfish, freed from glass boundaries and no longer limited to meager meals of flakes, can grow to monstrous proportions. They can even kill off native marine wildlife and help destroy fragile and economically valuable ecosystems.

“They can eat anything and everything,” said Christine Boston, an aquatic research biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Over the past several years, Ms. Boston and her colleagues have been tracking invasive goldfish in Hamilton Harbour, which is on the western tip of Lake Ontario, about 35 miles southwest of Toronto. The bay has been decimated by industrial and urban development as well as by invasive species — making it among the most environmentally degraded areas of the Great Lakes.

Their study, published last month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, could help pinpoint goldfish populations for culling, said Ms. Boston, who is the lead author. “We found out where they are before they start spawning,” she said. “That’s a good opportunity to get rid of them.”

The fast-growing female goldfish, Ms. Boston noted, can also reproduce several times in one season. “They have the resources,” she added, “and they can take advantage of them.”

Goldfish were first spotted in Hamilton Harbour in the 1960s, but largely died off in the 1970s because of industrial contamination. In the early 2000s, their population appeared to recover. Goldfish can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures, reach sexual maturation quickly, and can eat nearly anything, including algae, aquatic plants, eggs and invertebrates, Ms. Boston said.

The feral goldfish are also destructive, uprooting and consuming plants that are home to native species. They help spawn harmful algal blooms by consuming the algae and expelling nutrients that promote its growth, Ms. Boston said, creating conditions that are intolerable to native fish.

To track the goldfish, the researchers captured and sedated 19 of the larger adults and surgically implanted tags the size of AA batteries into their bellies. The tags, which sent signals to acoustic receivers around the bay, provided researchers with a map of their locations.

Eight of the fish died, but the remaining 11 led Ms. Boston and her colleagues to find that the fish tended to spend the winter in deep waters and moved to shallower habitats by spring, where they prepared to spawn.

Some options for removing the goldfish, she said, include capturing them with specialized nets deployed beneath winter ice, or using “electro fishing,” which involves stunning the fish with an electrical current and scooping them from the water. Both techniques, she added, would avoid killing the native fish.

Nicholas Mandrak, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, said that while goldfish were introduced to North America in the late 1800s, the wild population had begun to “dramatically increase” in the past two decades. Their spawning explosion, he said, resulted partly from people in densely-populated areas releasing pets in urban ponds.

Climate change may play a role, because of the goldfish’s capacity to adapt to warming and poorly oxygenated waters, he added.

“There are literally millions of goldfish in the Great Lakes, if not tens of millions,” Dr. Mandrak said.

Despite the threat, he added, environmental managers tend to forget the goldfish. “They just assume, ‘It’s been there for 150 years — there’s nothing we can do about it.’”

The problem is not unique to Canada. In Australia, a handful of unwanted pet goldfish and their offspring took over a river in the country’s southwest. Feral goldfish have flooded waterways in the United Kingdom, and, in Burnsville, Minn., the discovery of football-size creatures in a lake in 2021 led officials to beg their constituents: “Please don’t release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!”

People wrongly believe that because goldfish are “small and cute” they won’t pose a problem when released into the wild, said Dr. Ricciardi. “It’s the ‘Free Willy’ syndrome.”

Goldfish, he added, are just a small part of a vast invasion of non-native species whose outcomes can be unpredictable, and in some cases, are worsened by climate change.

“Under human influence, beasts are moving faster farther in greater numbers, reaching parts of the planet they could never reach before,” he said. “We’re talking about the redistribution of life on Earth.”

Anthony Ricciardi, a professor of invasion ecology at McGill University in Montreal, noted that not all invasive goldfish become supersized, but even the small ones are problematic, outpacing native fish populations and damaging the environment.

Their football-shaped bodies can swell to a size that makes them too large a meal for predators — up to about 16 inches long. “A fish would have to have a really big mouth to eat it,” she said.

Photo Credit: Vincent Tullo (New York Times), Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Once They Were Pets. Now Giant Goldfish Are Menacing the Great Lakes. appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/16/once-they-were-pets-now-giant-goldfish-are-menacing-the-great-lakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=once-they-were-pets-now-giant-goldfish-are-menacing-the-great-lakes

Chris Acy

Twenty-four animals were turned in at an exotic pet surrender event at the Ledgeview Nature Center in Calumet County on Sunday December 3rd. Included in the surrenders were a blue-tongue skink, two bearded dragons, 18 guinea pigs, a chameleon and two yellow bellied sliders!

Area organizations were on hand accepting fish, invertebrates, reptiles, pet birds, small mammals, and plants — no questions asked.

In some areas, there are no rehoming options for exotic animals such as fish, birds, and reptiles. Some pet owners that are unable to care for their pet may think that releasing the animal is the right thing to do, however, releasing a pet is harmful for the animal and the environment. Pet Surrender events are now being held across Wisconsin help provide an avenue to pet owners to rehome pets without harming the pet or the environment.

There are multiple places that are currently tackling issues from illegally released domestic and exotic animals. The most well known example are the Burmese pythons that have had an enormous impact on the Everglades in Florida. However, multiple cases of released pets causing problems in our waters occur every year including an alligator found on the shores of Lake Michigan just a few weeks ago! Released pets can easily become nuisance or invasive species if they start a breeding population.

The Pet Surrender event brought together a collection of area rehoming partners that provide responsible alternatives to release for exotic pet owners who are no longer able to care for their pets. J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue (JRAAR) hosted the December 3rd th event with help from the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant/Water Resources Institutes.

Want to learn more about the Pet Surrender Network? Visit the J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue website at www.jraar.org.

Photo Credit: J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post 24 Exotic Pets Rehomed Following Event in Chilton appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/12/04/24-exotic-pets-rehomed-following-event-in-chilton/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=24-exotic-pets-rehomed-following-event-in-chilton

Chris Acy

South Milwaukee Police find Gator in Grant Park

Original Story: We Are Green Bay

Alligators are native to the southern portion of the United States, which has officials questioning how one ended up on a beach in Wisconsin. According to the South Milwaukee Police Department, officers took a report of an alligator on Lake Michigan Beach in Grant Park.

The Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) was also called to the scene to assist in taking the alligator into custody safely. Officer Lewison with the South Milwaukee Police Department was able to locate and take the alligator into custody safely. The gator is now in the hands of MADACC.

It’s been quite the last few months for Wisconsin’s lakeshore, as just two months ago in September, five flamingos showed up at a Port Washington beach. Additionally in August, an ultra-rare Roseate Spoonbill was spotted in Green Bay for the first time in 178 years.

Judging from the size of the alligator, it looks like it was an illegal pet release. While folks may not know what to do with pets that they are no longer able to care for, pets should never be released into the wild. Places like the J&R Aquatic Area Animal Rescue can help rehome your pet at no cost. Make sure your pet isn’t the next one on the evening news!

Photo Credit: South Milwaukee Police

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Alligator Found on Lake Michigan Beach appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/11/17/alligator-found-on-lake-michigan-beach/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=alligator-found-on-lake-michigan-beach

Chris Acy

The species spotlighted this month is Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)! Also known as Blue Cardinal Flower, Great Blue Lobelia is a perennial wildflower native to Wisconsin that grows well along streams, springs, swamps, meadows and other places with sufficient moisture. This species grows up to 4 feet tall, with a leafy stalk on which blue/purple tubular flowers bloom in July – October. Great Blue Lobelia requires moist to wet soil and partial to full sun, and is resistant to deer browsing. This plant has a wide distribution in North America, found in wet ground from Main to Colorado and into Canada, and south to North Carolina and Texas.

The seedlings of Great Blue Lobelia are very tiny at first, before growing into the clump forming wildflower. This plant usually blooms in its first year. Seeds in October – November and in optimal conditions, this plant may self-seed, but is not overly prolific. It is not very drought tolerant, and requires moist soil.

Great Blue Lobelia is a great plant for shoreline plantings. Along with other native species, its roots are great for capturing and slowing down stormwater runoff, and for holding on to soil which helps prevent erosion. In addition, Great Blue Lobelia attacks hummingbirds and native bee species!

Image Credit: Aaron Carlson; www.wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu; CC BY-SA 3.0

H. Zell; CC BY-SA 3.0

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Species Spotlight: Great Blue Lobelia appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/10/27/species-spotlight-great-blue-lobelia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=species-spotlight-great-blue-lobelia

Katie Reed

Take 5 Minutes Each Hunt for Invasive Species Prevention

Original Story: WDNR

Invasive species are nonnative plants, animals and diseases that cause great ecological, environmental or economic harm. Some have already been found in Wisconsin, while others pose a large risk of surviving and causing problems if they are introduced and become established here.

Just a few minutes of preventative action can help preserve and protect hunting lands for generations to come.

Before launching into and leaving a waterbody, waterfowl hunters should:

– Inspect waders, boats, trailers, motors and hunting equipment, including boots, blinds and dogs

– Remove all plants, animals and mud to the best of their ability

– Drain all water from decoys, boats, motors, livewells and other hunting equipment

– Remove all seed heads and roots when using vegetation for duck blinds

– Never move plants or live animals, such as snails, away from a water body

Lots of hunting spots have boot brush stations to help you clean off your gear (see picture). Want to have one installed at your favorite hunting spot? Contact Chris using the info below!


Learn more at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives and thank you for helping keep invasives out of our waterways!

Photo Credit: WDNR

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

 

The post Waterfowl Hunting? Protect Those Places appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/10/18/waterfowl-hunting-protect-those-places/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=waterfowl-hunting-protect-those-places

Chris Acy

Be Careful With Those Plants; Dispose but Don’t Release!

Original story: Melinda Myers

As we start see leaves drop, lots of folks are starting to prepare their homes and gardens for winter. If you’ve got a water garden, you’ll be starting to do the same thing! Water gardens make a great addition to any landscape masking unwanted noise, inviting songbirds to take a drink, and providing a beautiful oasis in any landscape. Fall is the time to prepare your water garden for winter. Tropical plants need to be moved indoors and aggressive or invasive plants should be removed and disposed of properly. Contact your local municipality for tips on disposing these and your local Department of Natural Resources for a list of invasive plants in your area that need to be removed. Eliminating invasive plants from our landscapes helps keep them out of our lakes and waterways!

With a history of popular water garden plants being released in our region, following these steps is an easy way to be a steward for your local waterways and your water garden!

Photo Credit: Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf), Melinda Myers

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Preparing Water Gardens for Winter appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/10/18/preparing-water-gardens-for-winter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preparing-water-gardens-for-winter

Chris Acy

When making conservation plans, producers and conservation professionals alike want to know the impact that farm practices have on our local water.  Through work funded by Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and Outagamie County have developed a Farm Progress Report to tell the story of conservation, one farm at a time.

The Farm Progress Report utilizes data from SNAP+, a program widely used by Wisconsin farmers, to generate modeled soil and phosphorus loss on each field based on soil type, phosphorus test results, and field management (tillage, manure management, crop cycle, etc).

This information is then compiled to create per field and per farm loss data, which is compared to the local conservation goal of 1 lb per acre per year of phosphorus loss and 0.5 tons per acre per year of soil loss.  This information is visualized in the Farm Progress Report through simple to read graphs that include the annual average compared to the community goal as well as tables that list the top ten fields to improve.

The Farm Progress Report has two purposes:

  1. Farm Knowledge: For farmers to understand the impact of their current farm practices on water quality, the goals for the community, and how they can make changes on their farm to improve their phosphorus and soil loss
  2. Communication: Farmers can utilize the Farm Progress Report to communicate with their local communities to show the positive impact they are having as well as to their processors to show that they have adopted conservation practices that may meet the processor’s environmental standards

A Farm Progress report was generated for each producer participating in the GLRI grant project and Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and Outagamie County LWCD met with each farm, along with their agronomist.  The Farm Progress Report was presented to each farm with an explanation of where the data was derived from, the community goal, and where their current farm practices compared to the goal.  Feedback was solicited from the producer and their agronomist on the information presented and the response was positive.  Producers understood the how the data was derived, how their on-field practices generated that data, and were interested in the potential of using the Farm Progress Report to communicate the great work they are doing to meet conservation goals in their watershed.

Further work will need to be done to streamline the data collection and input process and to ensure that the SNAP+ system is used consistently across the basin.  Overall, the Farm Progress Report was well received by farmers and they expressed interest in continuing to use it to watch their progress toward improving water quality.  Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance intends to continue developing the report and promoting its widespread adoption to producers outside of this project.

Questions? Contact us:

Basin Agriculture Coordinator: Justin Loehrke, 920.841-6938 or justin@fwwwa.org

Climate Smart Agriculture Project Manager: Katie Woodrow, 920.915.5767 or katie@fwwa.org

To receive periodic updates on these projects as well as many others, please subscribe to our newsletters: CLICK HERE

The post Farm Progress Report – A Tool to Tell the Conservation Story appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/29/farm-progress-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=farm-progress-report

Katie Woodrow

For the second year, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance has partnered with 1000 Islands Environmental Center for their Focus on the Fox event. Focus on the Fox is a family-friendly event that celebrates World Rivers Day and the Fox River. Activities offered during the event include guided crayfish and critter hunting, guided nature hikes along the Fox River, fishing instructions for children with the KHS Fishing Team, Fox Lock demonstrations – Lock #3 with shuttle available, paper making, photo scavenger hunt, viewing of “The Power of the River” documentary, and river cleanup with Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf’s Trash Free Waters program began recruiting cleanup volunteers for the event back in July and we were excited to see that registration filled during the week prior to the event. Amcor employees made up a majority of the group, along with a Boy Scout troup and other conservation-minded volunteers.

During the cleanup from 10 a.m. to noon, volunteers worked hard cleaning up trash and debris from sites within 1000 Islands and nearby locations in downtown Kaukauna. In total, volunteers removed 27 bags of trash, 1,034 cigarette butts, 130 plastic bags, and 53 straws. After weighing up all of the trash, the total was 134 pounds of trash and debris! Other interesting finds include: a tire with rim, orange cone, metal trash can lid, fireworks, baseball, tarp, and a container with two hard-boiled eggs from Costco. Check out the infographic!

All of us at Fox-Wolf appreciate the continued partnership with 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna. To learn more about 1000 Islands, visit https://1000islandsenvironmentalcenter.org/

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Volunteers Remove Over 100 Pounds of Trash During Focus on the Fox Event in Kaukauna appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/26/onhs-students-improve-water-quality-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=onhs-students-improve-water-quality-2

Kelly Reyer

Original Story: J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue

Eight animals were turned in at an exotic pet surrender event at the Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve in Brown County on Sunday September 24th. Included in the surrenders were fish and two yellow bellied sliders!

Area organizations were on hand accepting fish, invertebrates, reptiles, pet birds, small mammals, and plants — no questions asked.

In some areas, there are no rehoming options for exotic animals such as fish, birds, and reptiles. Some pet owners that are unable to care for their pet may think that releasing the animal is the right thing to do, however, releasing a pet is harmful for the animal and the environment. Pet Surrender events are now being held across Wisconsin help provide an avenue to pet owners to rehome pets without harming the pet or the environment.

There are multiple places that are currently tackling issues from illegally released domestic and exotic animals. The most well known example are the Burmese pythons that have had an enormous impact on the Everglades in Florida. However, multiple cases of released pets causing problems in our waters occur every year including an alligator found in Long Lake in Summer 2022! Released pets can easily become nuisance or invasive species if they start a breeding population.

The Pet Surrender event brought together a collection of area rehoming partners that provide responsible alternatives to release for exotic pet owners who are no longer able to care for their pets. J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue (JRAAR) hosted the October 30th event with help from several other area organizations including Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant/Water Resources Institutes.

Want to learn more about the Pet Surrender Network? Visit the J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue website at www.jraar.org.

Photo Credit: Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf), Marissa Kososki (J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Pet Rehoming Event in Green Bay Sees Eight Exotic Pets appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/25/pet-rehoming-event-in-green-bay-sees-eight-exotic-pets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pet-rehoming-event-in-green-bay-sees-eight-exotic-pets

Chris Acy

For seven years, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance has partnered with Oshkosh North High School Communities for their 9/11 Day of Service event. This is an event where students take on a variety of hands-on projects to make a difference in their community. NBC-26 news coverage interviewed one of the high school teachers that participated and led student volunteers, Brad Weber. “Although he says it pales in comparison with what they faced that day, Weber says he thinks giving back through service is a good way to honor those who risked their lives on 9/11 and helps bring something good, out of a great tragedy.” (Seth Humeniuk, NBC-26)

(Photo credit: NBC-26)

For this year’s event, Fox-Wolf’s Trash Free Waters and shoreline restoration programs each hosted student groups for watershed projects. Fox-Wolf’s Katie Reed had students fully engaged in Menominee Park’s largest shoreline restoration projects, having students trim plants, remove invasive species, and collect seeds from native flowers. Additionally, students learned about the benefits of shoreline restoration projects including erosion prevention, water infiltration, and ideal pollinator habitat.

At the same time, students were nearby cleaning up trash and debris from Miller’s Bay–on Lake Winnebago’s west shore. Fox-Wolf’s Kelly Reyer paddled alongside Oshkosh North High School students and staff cleaning up a total of 23 pounds of trash. Included in this total was one large cooking pot, a slimy yellow bucket, a fishing pole, and lots of plastic bags and wrappers.

All of us at Fox-Wolf appreciate the continued partnership with the Oshkosh North High School Communities team, and the hard work of all the dedicated students. To learn more about ONHS Communities, visit www.communitiesonhs.org

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Oshkosh Students Tackle Watershed Projects for 9/11 Day of Service appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/12/onhs-students-improve-water-quality/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=onhs-students-improve-water-quality

Kelly Reyer

Fox-Wolf’s Trash Free Waters program partnered with Foth in De Pere to host a day of conservation, education, and team-building at Voyageur Park along the Fox River. Team-building events are a new opportunity offered by the Trash Free Waters program that strengthens employee relations, allow for employee connect outside the office, and makes an impact by protecting our water resources. The event took place on Wednesday, August 30th, will Foth volunteers meeting at Voyageur Park and learning about Fox-Wolf’s efforts in the basin. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention coordinator, Chris Acy, discussed his work in the watershed, highlighting both nusiance plants and animals in the area, efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species, and different ways volunteers can get involved in this work going forward. The group then traversed to the park’s south side fishing island to identify and properly remove more purple loosetrife plants along the banks of the Fox River. Foth volunteers worked in small teams and efficiently removed over 20 purple loosetrife plants!

After a quick snack, the group learned about how chloride from deicing salts end up in the environment, and the impacts to our freshwater ecosystems and area infrastructure. They learned about Fox-Wolf’s partnership with the Izaak Walton League’s Salt Watch program, and were given Salt Watch kits, containers, maps, and instructions for monitoring along the riverbank. Volunteers grabbed their water samples and used the Quantab test strips to get the chloride reading for their respective monitoring locations. The chloride results were all between 1.2 and 1.4 Quantab units, which is 31ppm(mg/L) or less. As expected, the chloride levels were relatively low as it was August and the Fox River is large which results in the dillution of chloride. Five Foth team members signed up to volunteer for the upcoming Salt Watch season.

Next, volunteers learned about the importance of native plants for their benefits of increased water infiltration, erosion prevention, aesthetics, and pollinator food source. With shovels in hand, volunteers made their way to a native planting on the park’s east side to remove nusiance plants, allowing the native plants more room to grow. You can see what a difference they made from the photo below:

Heading back to the park pavilion, Foth volunteers continued with the native plant topic by making seed balls using compost, clay, water, and native seeds. Each volunteer made several seed balls that, once completely dried, can be thrown to easily grow native plants in their desired location. Before lunch, the group played two rounds of “pair-up” where they each had one word taped to their backs and used their communication skills to find their match. For example, the person with “salt” on their back had to figure out their word and find the person with “pepper” on their back, all without talking.

After lunch, the Foth team was divided into pairs for a team-bonding activity called “blind drawing”. In each pair, one teammate was blindfolded and given a pen and a clipboard with blank paper. The non-blindfolded team member was given an image of a skeleton key and had to use their communication skills to describe how to draw the image without saying what the image was. This activity produced a wide variety of drawings and lots of laughter. We discussed what methods of communication resulted in drawings that most closely matched the provided skeleton key image.

Finally, our last event for the day was doing a park cleanup. Spreading out with supplies in hand, the group cleaned up the park and along the Fox River Recreation Trail for over two hours, and removed 116 pounds of trash! Specifically, the Foth crew cleaned up 22 bags of trash, 727 cigarette butts, 76 platic bags, and 38 straws. Additionally, three volunteers won awards for “heaviest haul”, “weirdest item found”, and “largest item found”.  The Foth environmental team did an outstanding job of improving the park and protecting our waterways.

If you are interested in learning more about Team-Building events, hosted by Trash Free Waters, vist: www.trashfreewaters.org.

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Foth Volunteers Make a Difference Along the Fox River appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/05/foth-team-building-in-de-pere/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foth-team-building-in-de-pere

Kelly Reyer

Thanks to a generous shoreline property owner, we will be touring a shoreline planting on his property in Menasha on September 9, 2023 starting at 9am. Interested in attending? Click here to learn more and sign-up! Please provide your contact info if you plan on joining us so we can keep you updated on any changes due to weather. Thank you!

Tom Mace, longtime supporter of the Winnebago Waterways Program and of Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, has generously offered his property for a tour for interested visitors to learn about native shoreline plantings! Meet us at the property to learn about a shoreline planting seeded with native plants in fall, with growth seen in the following spring. The property also features an upland prairie planting that is very effective at attracting all sorts of pollinators. The property combines the native plantings with a more formal garden and a few orchard trees. Learn about the process of preparing, installing and maintaining these plantings and about the benefits to the property and water quality!

We expect the tour will last about an hour. If you plan on joining us, please dress for the weather and let us know to expect you by clicking the image below!

The post Shoreline Planting Tour in Menasha on Sept. 9, 2023 at 9am! appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/08/28/shoreline-tour-sept_9_2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shoreline-tour-sept_9_2023

Katie Reed

This month’s species spotlight shines light on a native lamprey species of the Winnebago System: Chestnut Lampreys (Ichthyomyzon castaneus). There are other native species of lamprey in the Winnebago System too. These are the Silver, American Brook, and Northern Brook lampreys. Chestnut and silver lampreys are parasitic as adults, feeding on fish. However, this usually does not kill the fish. Despite the scary looking sucker disks, native lampreys are an important part of the ecosystem.

Chesnut Lamprey (young) Photo Source: Cal Yonce/USFWS

However, there is a non-native lamprey species to be aware of too: the sea lamprey. The sea lamprey is an aquatic invasive species has not invaded the Winnebago System, but is present in the Great Lakes. If the sea lamprey were to invade the Winnebago System, it is likely they would cause major issues for the ecosystem. We must work hard to keep this aquatic invasive species out of the Winnebago System. Though a bit creepy looking, the chestnut lamprey (and Silver, American Brook, and Northern Brook lampreys) are native to this region.

Chestnut lampreys are parasitic as adults but not as larvae. The adult chestnut lamprey attaches to a fish, then scrapes a hole in the body and sucks out blood and tissue fluids for nutrients. After feeding on a fish for several days, the lamprey drops off. Usually, the fish is not killed directly by the attack, but may die due to infections from the wound.

Chestnut lampreys have a skeleton made of cartilage with no true vertebrae. They technically do not have a jaw. This makes lampreys different from eels, which have a bony skeleton and jaws. Lamprey bodies are long and cylindrical. Chestnut lamprey adults range in length from 5-11 inches. The mouth of adult chestnut lampreys is as wide or wider than the head, and contains sharp teeth that each have two points (bicuspid). Along their back, chestnut lampreys have one continuous fin. Adults are usually dark brown, gray, or olive-green on the top, with a lighter coloration of yellow or tan on the stomach. During spawning, they can appear blue-black. Younger lampreys tend to be lighter in color.

The native range of the chestnut lamprey is as far north as the Hudson Bay in Canada and as far South as the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi and Missouri River networks help with this large range, as the lampreys move with their host fishes.

Chestnut Lamprey (bottom; native) vs. Sea Lamprey (top; non-native; NOT found in Lake Winnebago)

Photo Source: Bobbie Halchishak/USFWS

Chestnut lampreys spawn in late spring when the water temperature is about 50ۧ°F. Chestnut lampreys stay in the larval phase for 3 – 7 years. Chestnut lamprey larva do not have eyes. When they hatch, chestnut lampreys move downstream and bury themselves at the bottom of the water body they’re living in. For the next few years, they filter feed on tiny algae particles and tiny organisms before beginning to develop their sucking disk. This disk develops teeth which allows for parasitic feeding. Once Chestnut Lampreys are adults, they can suck blood and other nutrients from host fish. Chestnut lampreys can feed on many different fish species including carp, trout, pike, sturgeon, catfish, sunfish, and paddlefish. They live another one to two years as adults, for a total lifespan of about 6 – 9 years.

Chestnut lampreys are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. This is often why we don’t see them unless they are attached to fish we catch! During the day, they rest under rocks and along river banks. Adult chestnut lampreys are not known to have predators, but the larval lampreys are preyed upon by burbot and brown trout.

Though we tend to think of parasites as “bad”, they play an important role in the ecosystem including helping to remove weaker fish from the population. The lamprey population may become large when they have plenty of fish to feed on, but then decrease as host populations decrease. This cycle is normal in the ecosystem. Aquatic invasive species like the sea lamprey are a cause for concern because they interfere with normal population dynamics.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Species Spotlight: Chestnut Lamprey appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/08/25/species-spotlight-chestnut_lamprey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=species-spotlight-chestnut_lamprey

Katie Reed

Invasive Species Outreach Featured in Wings Over Wisconsin Kids Fishing Event Clip

During the summer months, our Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Chris exhibits at all sorts of events talking about Fox-Wolf’s work in the watershed as well as aquatic invasive species (AIS). Events include fishing tournaments, public festivals, expos, and kids fishing field days. At the Wings Over Wisconsin – Denmark Chapter’s annual Kids Fishing event, Chris is able to talk with over 150 fifth and sixth grade students about the importance of preventing the spread of invasive species while fishing. As part of the the event in 2023, the Larry Smith Outdoors show did a feature on the amazing event and interviewed Chris for the video. It’s absolutely incredible to work with such amazing partners in our watershed and be apart of such great events! Check out the feature below and be on the lookout for the clip with Fox Wolf’s own AIS Coordinator Chris!

Video Credit: Larry Smith Outdoors Show

Photo Credit: Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Fox-Wolf Outreach Highlighted In Larry Smith Outdoors Show appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/08/22/fox-wolf-outreach-highlighted-in-larry-smith-outdoors-show/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox-wolf-outreach-highlighted-in-larry-smith-outdoors-show

Chris Acy

Wisconsin residents invited to help search Wisconsin’s waters for invasive species on August 19th

Water lovers of all ages are invited to join the statewide search for aquatic invasive species (AIS) on August 19th, 2023. This fun, hands-on effort, known as AIS Snapshot Day, relies on participants to monitor streams, lakes, and wetlands at designated sites across the state, for signs of non-native plants and animals that pose risks to Wisconsin waterways and wildlife.  Volunteers have a choice to register at one of over twenty event locations hosted by local conservation groups.

Coordinated in partnership by UW-Madison Division of Extension, UW-Stevens Point Extension Lakes, River Alliance of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Snapshot Day is entering its’ 10th successful year. Information collected will be provided to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to inform and guide monitoring and response efforts. Volunteers are key to the success of the event.

“Projects like AIS Snapshot Day are a fun and simple way for volunteers to get engaged and for the local site leaders and DNR to collaborate” says Maureen Ferry, DNR AIS Monitoring Coordinator. “DNR has a long list of sites with suspected but unverified AIS that AIS Snapshot Day monitoring targets. This increases the chances of volunteers finding a species. Plus, each year, we make new detections.”

Last year over 150 volunteers rolled up their sleeves to monitor at more than 234 sites across the state making for a fun and safe event.

This is a free event. Recommended for ages 8 and up, minors must be accompanied by an adult.

LOCAL EVENT DETAILS:

Saturday, August 19th

8:30 am-12:30 pm

Pamperin Park, Green Bay

REGISTRATION:

Register and see all event details at: https://wateractionvolunteers.org/events/

Advance registration is requested to help Site Leaders build monitoring plans.

Photo Credit: Chris Acy (FWWA)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post *CLICK* Snapshot Day Returns August 19th, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/19/click-snapshot-day-returns-august-19th-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=click-snapshot-day-returns-august-19th-2023

Chris Acy

Wisconsin residents invited to help search Wisconsin’s waters for invasive species on August 19th

Water lovers of all ages are invited to join the statewide search for aquatic invasive species (AIS) on August 19th, 2023. This fun, hands-on effort, known as AIS Snapshot Day, relies on participants to monitor streams, lakes, and wetlands at designated sites across the state, for signs of non-native plants and animals that pose risks to Wisconsin waterways and wildlife.  Volunteers have a choice to register at one of over twenty event locations hosted by local conservation groups.

Coordinated in partnership by UW-Madison Division of Extension, UW-Stevens Point Extension Lakes, River Alliance of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Snapshot Day is entering its’ 10th successful year. Information collected will be provided to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to inform and guide monitoring and response efforts. Volunteers are key to the success of the event.

“Projects like AIS Snapshot Day are a fun and simple way for volunteers to get engaged and for the local site leaders and DNR to collaborate” says Maureen Ferry, DNR AIS Monitoring Coordinator. “DNR has a long list of sites with suspected but unverified AIS that AIS Snapshot Day monitoring targets. This increases the chances of volunteers finding a species. Plus, each year, we make new detections.”

Last year over 150 volunteers rolled up their sleeves to monitor at more than 234 sites across the state making for a fun and safe event.

This is a free event. Recommended for ages 8 and up, minors must be accompanied by an adult.

LOCAL EVENT DETAILS:

Saturday, August 19th

8:30 am-12:30 pm

Pamperin Park, Green Bay

REGISTRATION:

Register and see all event details at: https://wateractionvolunteers.org/events/

Advance registration is requested to help Site Leaders build monitoring plans.

Photo Credit: Chris Acy (FWWA)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post *CLICK* Snapshot Day Returns August 19th, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/19/click-snapshot-day-returns-august-19th-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=click-snapshot-day-returns-august-19th-2023

Chris Acy

Wisconsin residents invited to help search Wisconsin’s waters for invasive species on August 19th

Water lovers of all ages are invited to join the statewide search for aquatic invasive species (AIS) on August 19th, 2023. This fun, hands-on effort, known as AIS Snapshot Day, relies on participants to monitor streams, lakes, and wetlands at designated sites across the state, for signs of non-native plants and animals that pose risks to Wisconsin waterways and wildlife.  Volunteers have a choice to register at one of over twenty event locations hosted by local conservation groups.

Coordinated in partnership by UW-Madison Division of Extension, UW-Stevens Point Extension Lakes, River Alliance of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Snapshot Day is entering its’ 10th successful year. Information collected will be provided to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to inform and guide monitoring and response efforts. Volunteers are key to the success of the event.

“Projects like AIS Snapshot Day are a fun and simple way for volunteers to get engaged and for the local site leaders and DNR to collaborate” says Maureen Ferry, DNR AIS Monitoring Coordinator. “DNR has a long list of sites with suspected but unverified AIS that AIS Snapshot Day monitoring targets. This increases the chances of volunteers finding a species. Plus, each year, we make new detections.”

Last year over 150 volunteers rolled up their sleeves to monitor at more than 234 sites across the state making for a fun and safe event.

This is a free event. Recommended for ages 8 and up, minors must be accompanied by an adult.

LOCAL EVENT DETAILS:

Saturday, August 19th

8:30 am-12:30 pm

Pamperin Park, Green Bay

REGISTRATION:

Register and see all event details at: https://wateractionvolunteers.org/events/

Advance registration is requested to help Site Leaders build monitoring plans.

Photo Credit: Chris Acy (FWWA)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post *CLICK* Snapshot Day Returns August 19th, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/19/click-snapshot-day-returns-august-19th-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=click-snapshot-day-returns-august-19th-2023

Chris Acy

Gardener Extraordinaire Melinda Myers Gives Insight into Japanese Knotweed

During last month’s National Rivers Month, Melinda Myers took a moment to highlight the over 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams in the United States. In addition to outlining the amazing things our waters do for us (including supplying water for drinking and for irrigating crops), Melinda brought attention to a riverside invasive species; Japanese knotweed. This plant was original brought to America as an ornamental but quickly spread through much of the United States. With bamboo-like stems, this invasive plant is known to choke waterways and hasten erosion. If you are one of the folks who has Japanese knotweed growing along your shorelines, there are great control options available.

To learn more, including control methods, check out this Japanese Knotweed brochure: https://widnr.widen.net/s/jzxjqrs867/wy0090?fbclid=IwAR2q36KUKGAJ4NJfAZ7N8S6MOeOgx-NPEV1T-LD3lzp6nMdXFvRWum-ssKQ

Photo Credit: Paul Skawinski, Melinda Myers

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Japanese Knotweed and our Rivers appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/10/japanese-knotweed-and-our-rivers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=japanese-knotweed-and-our-rivers

Chris Acy

Have you ever heard of a win-win-win? Well, scheduling a team-building cleanup with the Trash Free Waters program does just that. This private cleanup event will help to strengthen employee relations, clean up our natural environment, and support continued Trash Free Waters efforts in northeast Wisconsin. It’s lots of fun too! There are several options to choose from. Strengthen employee relations, connect outside the office, and make an impact by protecting our water resources! Let Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance host your next team building event. Click to get started!

All team-building events include:

  • Snack
  • Event Coordination
  • Team-building exercise
  • All cleanup supplies (gloves, bags, grabbers, etc.)
  • Post-event graphic to share with event attendees and on social media

Option 1
On-Land Collective Cleanup (up to 10 participants per business)
This collective option allows small groups to join a mini-cleanup. Fox-Wolf staff may partner you with up to two additional organizations.
Cost: $400 per business

Option 2
On-Land Cleanup (up to 25 participants)
Cost: $1,000

Option 3
On-Land Cleanup (up to 50 participants)
Cost: $1,500

“I was one of about 14 participants in an event to clean up our riverside parks in Neenah! It was a beautiful day, made even better by the camaraderie and good deeds for the community. Kelly was super upbeat and helpful throughout the whole event! Really enjoyed spending time with my coworkers, cleaning up the parks in the city I call home.”

Team-Building Cleanup Volunteer, Plexus Corporation

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Team-Building Mini Cleanups are a Win-Win-Win appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/10/volunteers-play-cleanup-bingo-at-23-walleye-weekend-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=volunteers-play-cleanup-bingo-at-23-walleye-weekend-2

Kelly Reyer

Our wonderful water quality monitoring volunteers have kicked off the 2023 monitoring season!

Volunteers are monitoring sites located throughout the Winnebago Waterways Recovery Area. During the growing season, volunteers monitor once a month for physical, chemical, and biological data as part of the Winnebago Waterways Water Quality Monitoring Program. Their hard work and effort results in data that allows us to monitor the water quality from month to month and year to year. Already this season, they’ve faced dry, rainy, and smoky/hazy conditions. Thank you for all you do water quality monitoring volunteers!!

Read more about the Winnebago Waterways Water Quality Monitoring Program by clicking here!

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Water Quality Monitoring Season off to a good start! appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/06/29/ww-wq-volunteers-2023-season-start/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ww-wq-volunteers-2023-season-start

Katie Reed

This month’s species spotlight highlights Wisconsin’s largest and only aquatic salamander: the mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)! This brown or grayish salamander typically has dark spots and deep red, feathery gills. These salamanders have a finned tail too. Mudpuppies can grow up to 16 inches (1.33 feet) long!

Mudpuppy – USFWS National Digital Library

The skin of mudpuppies is very slimy, though the rumors that mudpuppies are poisonous are not true. It is still best to avoid touching them and leave them be if you find one because they have sensitive, permeable skin.

Habitat & Diet

Mudpuppies live their whole lives in the water of lakes and rivers. They prefer areas with large flat docks and will live in underwater holes. Mudpuppies eat aquatic invertebrates (animals in the water without a backbone) such as worms and insect larvae. They will also eat small fish and other amphibians.

Behavior & Population Info

Mudpuppies breed in late fall and spawn in June. Eggs hatch in July or August. It is estimated mudpuppies can live up to 20 years old.

Mudpuppies are typically nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. They may be more active during the day if the live in murky/muddy water but are tricky to spot and study. Currently, Wisconsin’s mudpuppy populations have not been extensively studied, so it is unknown how the species’ population is faring in Wisconsin. Their status is listed as common, but have recently been listed as a species of special concern in Minnesota, and are threatened in Iowa and Illinois. It is known that mudpuppies in Wisconsin are the only host of the Salamander Mussel, a state threatened species. In the winter, mudpuppies may be a common bycatch during the ice-fishing season, and in 2022 the Wisconsin DNR asked for help documenting mudpuppy observations. Mudpuppies are active year round, even under winter ice!

Mudpuppy – iNaturalist – thismia – CC BY-SA 4.0

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Species Spotlight: Mudpuppy appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/06/28/species-spotlight-mudpuppy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=species-spotlight-mudpuppy

Katie Reed

Wisconsin’s Busiest Boating Holiday; Help Prevent Invasive Species This July 4th

Every year, tens of thousands of Wisconsinites and visitors take to the water in early July to celebrate summer and the 4th of July, the state’s busiest boating holiday. Starting this summer, our long running Clean Boats Clean Waters Landing Blitz has been fulling incorporated into the Great Lakes Landing Blitz, joining all of the Great Lakes states and provinces in the effort to educate boaters that simple clean up steps and draining water from the boat and live wells can help to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).

In Wisconsin, from June 30-July 9, many boaters will be greeted at landings and access points by volunteers and regional aquatic invasive species prevention partners sharing the simple but powerful message: YOU can protect lakes and rivers form aquatic invasive species impacts. Clean Boats Clean Waters boat inspectors will give out a brand new red, white, and blue boat trailer sticker with a boat graphic showing people all the places where plants, tiny animals and potentially contaminated water can hide.

“It only takes a minute to remove plants, animals, mud or debris from boats, trailers and equipment and to drain all water from bilges, livewells and bait buckets,” said Erin McFarlane, the Statewide CBCW Educator with Extension Lakes. “These simple steps help keep invasive species from hitching a ride from one lake or river to another.”

Do your part to keep Wisconsin waters healthy and stop the spread of AIS by following these easy steps:

  • Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
  • Remove all attached plants or animals and mud
  • Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment.
  • Never move live fish away from a waterbody.
  • Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
  • Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer.

Following these steps helps boaters comply with Wisconsin state law which prohibits the transport of aquatic invasive species. To learn more about invasive species and their impacts to Wisconsin’s waters and economy, visit the DNR’s Aquatic Invasive Species Efforts webpage.

Photo Credit: Alyssa Reinke (FWWA)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Ready for the Blitz? 2023 Great Lakes Landing Blitz June 29-July 9 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/06/20/ready-for-the-blitz-2023-great-lakes-landing-blitz-june-29-july-9/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ready-for-the-blitz-2023-great-lakes-landing-blitz-june-29-july-9

Chris Acy

It’s May in the Winnebago area, which means everyone’s favorite mother’s day tradition is back: Lake Flies (Chironomids)! These non-biting midges typically hatch around Mother’s Day in late May, though this time frame can shift depending on winter conditions. A second, smaller hatch of lake flies often occurs in late summer.

Lake flies seen around Lake Winnebago are a collection of different midge species, the most numerous likely Chironomus plumosus, also known as the buzzer midge. During the large May hatch, you can easily tell how this species got their common name – there is a low hum from the sheer number of the midges.

Alexsuchy - CC BY-SA 4.0

These flies have wing lengths around 6 mm, and bodies as long as 13 mm. When they emerge to create mating swarms, adults live for only 3 – 11 days. Since they do not have functional mouthparts, they do not bite or even eat! The location and size of swarms are highly dependent on the wind, and are often concentrated on areas that contrast with the background. Females lay masses of eggs on the water surface, which then absorb water and sink to the lake bottom. These eggs hatch shortly after and become midge larvae. The larvae undergo 4 stages, the first of which is free swimming. During the following three stages, the larvae make and live in a tube, collecting food at the bottom of the lake. Then the lake flies emerge in May or late summer and start the cycle over again.

Many species eat lake fly larvae and adults are therefore very important for the food web in Lake Winnebago. In fact, lake fly larvae help support the sturgeon population and contribute to our large self-sustaining lake sturgeon population. Other fish species eat the larvae stages and birds including purple martins and warblers eat the flying adults. Though the large hatching event can be a nuisance for us, they are critical for the food webs of the Winnebago Lakes. Remember, though they can be very annoying, they only last about 2 weeks! Their impact on the rest of the system lasts for much longer.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

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Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/05/25/species-spotlight-american-white-pelican-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=species-spotlight-american-white-pelican-2

Katie Reed

Education Team Welcomes You to the Boat Launches

Every summer, the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and partner organizations across the state welcome new hires to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.  These new staff members help with the Clean Boats, Clean Waters Program and talk with water users at local boat launches. Thanks to a contract from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance was able to grow our aquatic invasive species program in the Winnebago Waterways by hiring five educators for Summer 2023! Take a minute to learn more about the seasonal team that is working directly to protect your local waters!

Tim – CBCW Coordinator

Tim joins the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance doing the Clean Boats, Clean Waters project as the project Coordinator. He is a junior at UW-Oshkosh majoring in Environmental Studies, with a minor in Geography. He loves to be in his garden and outside; plants are kind of his thing! In addition to being at the boat launches this summer, Tim will be coordinating the CBCW Program including making schedules, checking in on with the Educators, and getting our data uploaded correctly!

Leah – AIS Educator

Leah is joining the CBCW crew as an AIS educator for her first year. She is a senior at the University of Wisconsin and is studying to finish a degree in Environmental Studies with a Geology minor. She has always loved being outside in nature. Growing up, she went camping and hiking a lot with her my mom and she would always pick up garbage. She is now dedicating her life to advocating for the needs of the Earth and for all other beings. She is thrilled to start her position with the Clean Boats, Clean Waters Program to help conserve our local waters.

Mikayla – AIS Educator

Mikayla returns for her second year with the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance as an Aquatic Invasive Species Educator. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a Biology Degree. She is excited to be back this summer and meet some new boaters! Mikayla also works at a local YMCA as the Building Supervisor!

Lisa – AIS Educator

Lisa joins the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the Clean Boats Clean Waters Program team as a first year Educator! Originally from New York City, Lisa has called Wisconsin home for over 30 years! For the past two years, she’s been located on a canal on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh. Lisa ran her own Chiropractic office for 27 years. She is looking forward to working to protect her favorite place; the great outdoors!

Steve – AIS Educator

Steve Berholtz is working on his fifth year (!!) as a summer AIS employee with the main job of informing and educating boaters at various boat landings. Steve graduated in 1974 from UW-Oshkosh with a BS in Mathematics and a minor in Economics. He worked for 40 years for Canteen Vending and also put in 34 years in the Army Reserves. He loves to hunt pheasants in South Dakota and Wisconsin with his hunting dog, Skye. Steve wants to help improve and protect the Winnebago System for future generations!

If you’re a boater or angler, make sure to say hello if you see our team at your favorite boat launch!

Photo Credit: Tim Burns, Leah Fleury, Mikayla Wing, Steve Berholtz, Lisa Roth, Alyssa Reinke (Fox-Wolf), Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Meet Your 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Education Team! appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/05/24/meet-your-2023-aquatic-invasive-species-education-team-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=meet-your-2023-aquatic-invasive-species-education-team-2

Chris Acy