River Talks

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/underwater-mapping-expands-knowledge-spanning-from-the-st-louis-river-to-the-great-lakes/

Muskies and the St. Louis River

On: April 1, 2024

In: Keith Okeson, Lake Superior Chapter of Muskies Inc, muskies, River Talks

Keith Okeson. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The next River Talk will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, with “Muskies and the St. Louis River,” an in-person presentation by Keith Okeson with Lake Superior Chapter of Muskies Inc.. His talk will be held at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.). Refreshments will be provided.

Okeson has been a board member of Muskies Inc. for over two decades. He’ll offer an angler’s perspective on efforts to restore and manage this sport fish species in the St. Louis River, including information about stocking, numbers of muskie in the river and how the resource has recovered. He will be joined by two other members of Muskies Inc. who will talk about fishing the river for muskie.

For accessibility accommodations related to sound, language and translation, mobility or anything else to make engagement possible, please contact Luciana at 715-399-4085 or Luciana.Ranelli@wisc.edu, as soon as possible.

This is the final River Talk of the season. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

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https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/muskies-and-the-st-louis-river/

In: Brandon Krumwiede, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, River Talks, underwater mapping St. Louis River

What Lies Below? Underwater Mapping

On: March 4, 2024

A map of the underwater substrate near the Superior Harbor Entry with Wisconsin Point in the middle, western Lake Superior. Image by Brandon Krumwiede, NOAA.

The next River Talk will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, with “What Lies Below? Underwater Mapping Near and in the St. Louis River Estuary,” an in-person and virtual presentation by Brandon Krumwiede with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. His talk will be held at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.). Refreshments will be provided.

Brandon Krumwiede. Image credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Krumwiede’s work as a Great Lakes geospatial coordinator is varied and interesting. One day, he might analyze satellite data, the next, he might give a public presentation like River Talks. Krumwiede enjoys finding the connections between people, the land and the water. In his talk, Krumwiede will describe current efforts and technologies used to improve understanding of the underwater world near and in the estuary and its importance in coastal natural resources management.

To join by Zoom, please pre-register at this link:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvcumrrj8vGNer4dHKwdZpxEoIVief60nR

The final River Talk of the season will be held April 10. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post What Lies Below? Underwater Mapping first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/what-lies-below-underwater-mapping/

Understanding harmful algal blooms in the St. Louis River Estuary presents challenges

On: December 7, 2023

In: Euan Reavie, harmful algal blooms, Natural Resources Research Institute, River Talks, St. Louis River

Euan Reavie presents at River Talks. Image credit: Michael Anderson

Harmful algal blooms are becoming more of a concern in the St. Louis River Estuary and Lake Superior. The reasons behind this were described during the November River Talk by Euan Reavie, senior research associate at the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute.

Harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, appear as mats of bright green algae that float on the surface of the water or sometimes lay on the bottoms of large rivers or lakes. Not all algal blooms are toxic, but some are, and scientists are looking into what triggers the release of toxins in the blooms.

“Based on anecdotal and real observations, it does seem to be something that’s getting worse in Western Lake Superior,” Reavie said. “Whoever thought we’d be getting algal blooms out in the nutrient-poor waters of Lake Superior, making their way all the way up to the Apostle Islands?”

Water quality in the St. Louis River has improved over the years thanks to sanitary sewer districts coming online in Duluth and Superior in the 1970s, environmental regulations, and cleanup efforts. However, excess nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen are still of concern and are a focus of attention from management agencies.

Reavie’s research team came into the picture in the early 2010s when they were asked to research nutrient levels in hopes of confirming that they were decreasing. They collected sediment samples (cores) to reconstruct the history of nutrients in the estuary. The scientists analyzed the samples for different types of fossil algae, which offer signals about what types of nutrients were available in the past because different algae species prefer different levels of nutrients.

Diatoms are the most abundant type of algae in the Western Lake Superior system. Reavie showed how the assemblages of these species changed after European settlement and after water cleanup efforts in the 1970s.

Over the past several years, algae blooms have been noted along the shore of Lake Superior near Cornucopia, Wisconsin, and in the estuary at Barker’s Island and Allouez Bay. Reavie said that sediment samples from the present day in sheltered bays like Allouez Bay show diatom species that like high levels of nutrients. He said the data show a “fairly consistent” increase in phosphorus in the system. “Not good news for the bays in the estuary,” he said.

The team also found cyanopigments in the samples, which indicate recent increases in algae. “There appear to be some new problems in these nearshore areas despite the fact that we’ve reduced the flux of nutrients into the system. Something new is going on here,” Reavie said.

One culprit could be more intense storms due to climate change. Storms wash a lot of nutrients from the land into the water and then the currents carry them through the estuary and harbor, and out into Lake Superior along its South Shore.

“Just knowing that the blooms tend to follow storms is not enough. There’s probably a seasonal aspect to all this, as well,” he said. Warmth is one factor, but Reavie said there have also been algae blooms under the ice. Low dissolved oxygen levels in water could be another factor, resulting in a chemical reaction that releases stored nutrients in sediments.

His team has begun developing an early warning system to sort out what is going on. It involves incorporating weather data, water quality data and algae data from eight stations in the estuary. They hope to offer initial findings at the March 2024 St. Louis River Summit.

For more information, visit the team’s website.

The next River Talk is scheduled for March 13, 2024. Brandon Krumwide with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will present, “What Lies Below? Underwater Mapping of the Great Lakes,” at 6:30 p.m. in the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Drive, Superior, Wisconsin).

The post Understanding harmful algal blooms in the St. Louis River Estuary presents challenges first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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Lost Industries on the St. Louis River

On: October 31, 2023

In: Duluth's Lost Industries, fur trading, grain shipping, industrial history of the St. Louis River, iron ore, Jay Cooke, Lily Cartier, logging, Ojibwe, railroads, River Talks, shipbuilding, Tony Dierkins

By Lily Cartier, University of Minnesota Duluth

Tony Dierckins shared his knowledge of the history of the industries surrounding the waterways of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, for the October River Talk. He focused on businesses that have been lost or changed along the way.

Tony Dierckins. Image credit: Michael Anderson

Dierckins began his talk with the disclaimer that he is not a scientist or an environmentalist, but a writer. He is currently working on a book about the railways of Duluth and Superior.

The Ojibwe people in the area based their economy on fur trading with the French during the 16th and 17thcenturies. But by the mid-1800s, the fur trade died, and with it came the collapse of the Ojibwe economy.

The year 1856 marked the establishment of Duluth; a great vision for a shipping center and copper mines. This was followed closely by the economic panic of 1857, however. The search for copper was unsuccessful and most of the population moved away. It wasn’t until 1869 that the population began to boom again with the establishment of the first “lost” industry: the railway.

These railways, sponsored by Jay Cooke, brought a construction boom to the Duluth area that lasted almost thirty years. Even throughout the boom and busts that fluctuated throughout this century, the railways continued to thrive and connect this northern area. Railroads continued to spread and grow, becoming the peak industry bringing in money and a larger population to Duluth and Superior. This industry continued to thrive until the 1970s.

The railways created a commerce division in Duluth and Superior. Through the late 1980s, industries continued to pop up along the shore of Lake Superior. Leather tanneries, wholesalers and slaughterhouses are just a few of the many industries that moved the economy along.

These railroads were fueled by the coal industry, which was making great headway in this area throughout this century. It is from this industry that we are able to see today how the east and west divide of Duluth formed. Those who were poorer were forced to continue to live in the coal-polluted area where the factories were, while the rich moved east to escape the smoke and particulate matter in the air.

Individuals around the area were displaced due to the growing number of industries and a lack of space. The Ojibwe people took the hardest hit. Since European settlement, Dierckins said there has never been a larger percentage than two percent of Ojibwe people in the population.

The next lost industry was lumber milling, which came closely after the making of the railways. As trees were not a quickly renewed resource, industries in the east United States moved to Duluth to find lumber after cutting over their supplies. Duluth and Superior became the center of this industry until the early twentieth century, when the equipment was sent to the West Coast to continue the pursuit of big lumber. The legacy of this industry can be found in piles of waste wood lining the bottom of the St. Louis River, which has been the focus of several habitat restoration projects.

The next lost industry of Duluth and Superior that Dierckins discussed was the grain shipping industry. At its peak, Duluth was home to around 24 grain elevators and the first-ever concrete grain silo. Though there is not much pollution from grain production itself, the coal that was used to manufacture the products created immense emissions.

The grain shipping industry made way for the shipping of iron ore and taconite out of local harbors. Ore docks were built all around Lake Superior, each bigger than the last.

Shipping cannot be done without boats. The shipbuilding industry was a wartime creation, shipping boats and different metals to various places in the country to support WWI and WWII efforts. This created many jobs for the local economy but also created a plethora of pollutants such as carbon monoxide and the “icky stew” of slag runoff into the water.

Most of these industries were boom and bust, moving on with the depletion of natural resources. Today, Duluth and Superior’s economies have turned to environmentalism and tourism. Millions of dollars have been spent to clean up the river from the legacies of the past.

The next River Talk will be held on Nov. 8. Euan Reavie with the Natural Resources Research Institute will talk about harmful algal blooms in the estuary.

The post Lost Industries on the St. Louis River first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/lost-industries-on-the-st-louis-river/

Making Sense of Algal Blooms

On: October 30, 2023

In: Euan Reavie, harmful algal blooms, Natural Resources Research Institute, River Talks

The next River Talk will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, with “Making Sense of Algal Blooms in the St. Louis River Estuary,” an in-person presentation by Euan Reavie with the Natural Resources Research Institute. His talk will be held at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.). Refreshments will be provided.

Euan Reavie. Image credit: Natural Resources Research Institute

Reavie will present what’s known so far about the evolving situation with algae and algal blooms in the river and harbor. He’ll also describe plans for a collaborative monitoring strategy with the Lake Superior Reserve to address current and future problems.

In an abbreviation of the season, other River Talks will be held in 2024 on March 13 and April 10. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Making Sense of Algal Blooms first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/making-sense-of-algal-blooms/

River Talks resume with “Duluth’s Lost Industries”

On: September 28, 2023

In: Duluth's Lost Industries, River Talks, St. Louis River, Tony Dierckins

The River Talks, a series of informal science presentations, returns at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, for the season with “Duluth’s Lost Industries Along the St. Louis River,” an in-person presentation by local historian and author, Tony Dierckins. His talk will be held at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.). Refreshments will be provided.

The shores of the lower St. Louis River were once lined with ore and coal docks, grain terminals, flour and lumber mills, steel plants, shipyards and dozens of other manufacturers. From the brownstone quarries of Fond du Lac to Gary New Duluth’s giant Minnesota Steel Plant, this presentation explains the rise and demise of the industries that both built the Zenith City and altered and contaminated Lake Superior’s largest tributary.

Tony Dierckins has written over two dozen books, many of which celebrate historic Duluth, Minnesota. He is a three-time recipient of the Northeast Minnesota Book Award, a past recipient of the Duluth Depot Foundation’s Historic Preservation and Interpretation Award, and the publisher of Zenith City Press.

Other River Talks will be held Nov. 8, 2023, and Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 13, April 10 and May 18, 2024. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

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https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-resume-with-duluths-lost-industries/

Where to find birds in the St. Louis River Estuary

On: June 15, 2023

In: American bitterns, American white pelicans, birding, Bonaparte's gulls, common terns, Natural Resources Research Institute, nighthawks, Parasitic jaegers, River Talks, River Walks, rusty blackbirds, Steve Kolbe, trumpeter swans

Steve Kolbe on Hawk Ridge in Duluth, Minnesota. Image Credit: Natural Resources Research Institute

The final talk of the 2022-23 River Talk season took place in early May. Steve Kolbe, an avian ecologist with the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute, gave a presentation about where to find birds in the St. Louis River Estuary and led attendees on a short bird walk on Barker’s Island in Superior near the Lake Superior Estuarium.

“The reason I live in this area is because of birds, specifically because of bird migration,” Kolbe said. “This is an amazing part of the world, both in the fall and in the spring. Birding isn’t just a hobby for me. It’s not just a job. It’s sort of like an obsession.”

Spring

Kolbe began his talk with the snowy owl. They’re often seen in winter on Barker’s Island and the Superior Airport and surrounding area. Their preferred habitat is the Arctic tundra, so they like the open spaces that the airport provides.

An American white pelican files over the St. Louis River at Chambers Grove. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov

Trumpeter swans are some of the first birds to migrate through in the spring after ice-out. Kolbe often finds them in Rask Bay on the St. Louis River.

American white pelicans stage in groups in the spring in Chambers Grove along the river. “For whatever reason, they like the little island in the middle of the river. They hang out there for almost a month before heading farther north,” Kolbe said.

Bonaparte’s gulls can be found in Lake Superior off Lafayette Square on Park Point en masse. “This is one of my all-time favorite birds and an area specialty. The first week in May, these beautiful, vocal and awesome-looking small gulls with a black head and a silver back with red legs stage on Lake Superior. They hang out for a day or two and then leave in a huge flock,” he said.

Summer

American bitterns breed in Mud Lake and Allouez Bay in wetlands.

Common terns breed on Interstate Island – the sandy island that can be seen off the Blatnik Bridge. Kolbe said they winter in Peru, so they “put on a lot of miles.” The island is protected, so people can’t visit it without a permit. The best place to see them from the mainland is at Rice’s Point boat launch in Duluth with binoculars or a spotting scope.

Fall

For work, Kolbe studies rusty blackbirds. He said this wetland species likes to spend time in North Bay on the river and on many of the islands below the Fond du Lac Dam. Unlike most fall migrants, these blackbirds stay in the area for an extend time – two or three weeks. He suspects they may be using that time to molt their feathers. “Whatever they’re doing, it’s obviously a really important spot,” Kolbe said.

River Talk participants view birds on Barker’s Island. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Parasitic jaegers migrate along Wisconsin Point in September. These birds are known for their feeding style, which involves stealing food from gulls. “They look like a gull mixed with a peregrine falcon,” Kolbe said. “It’s certainly not a bird that you see many places. They nest in the high Arctic and winter at sea. So, it’s cool to be able to see them in Duluth and Superior.”

Flocks of sanderlings and a few piping plovers can be found on area beaches in fall and spring.

Kolbe studied the common nighthawk for his master’s degree. They are another species that migrates en masse along the shore of Lake Superior during fall. “In the second half of August, if you get a really warm day with light winds, go outside in the evening and look up. If you’re lucky, you’ll see something on the order of 15,000 of these birds,” Kolbe said. He’s been counting the birds during their migration for the past 15 years. He uses the information to develop population trend information for the species. “They seem to be doing OK,” he said.

Hawk Ridge in Duluth is a great place to see hawks and other birds in the spring and fall. Bald eagles are a common species of interest who are here year-round. “It’s really a success story that we’re able to enjoy them so readily and easily around here,” said Kolbe.

During a walk around Barker’s Island, the group saw a mix of birds: buffleheads, a horned grebe, red-winged blackbirds, mallards, a rock pigeon, a common merganser, a song sparrow, ruddy ducks and herring gulls.

River Talks will begin again for its 11th season next fall. In the meantime, there’s a new spinoff series that the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve has begun for summer, called River Walks. Find more info about it here.

The post Where to find birds in the St. Louis River Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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Art as a Voice for Science

On: May 4, 2023

In: Adam Swanson, Antarctica, art and science, Blue Heron, endangered animals, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division Laboratory, Large Lakes Observatory, pollinators, Research Vessel Falkor, River Talks, Schmidt Ocean Institute, tardigrades, Trout Lake Research Station

Adam Swanson discussed the intersections between art and science at the April River Talks. He also showed some of his artworks. Image credit: Michael Anderson

Local environmental science painter and muralist Adam Swanson described how he mixes art and science for the April River Talk, held at the Lake Superior Estuarium in Superior.

After he graduated from art school at the University of Minnesota Duluth, he got a job as a carpenter in Antarctica. He worked there periodically for a decade, helping research teams with their carpentry needs, including on their research vessels.

“In 2001, there were all these scientists doing amazing work that I had never heard of before. For instance, I didn’t realize that climate change was caused by human activity but everyone in Antarctica knew that,” Swanson said.

That really struck him. He was “just a working guy” but he admired the scientists’ focus and determination to see their projects through. When he returned to Minnesota, Swanson would paint “little snapshots” of Antarctica when he wasn’t working for pay. “They weren’t really informed by anything real – they were more imaginative or pretty.”

Eventually, he decided to start painting more seriously. “That’s when I started thinking more about the responsibility of scientists to communicate. When I thought about what I wanted to paint, I thought about my time in Antarctica and decided I wanted to be a bridge between scientists and the public,” Swanson said.

He discovered many local projects that deal with climate change, including one in Bovey, Minnesota. He wrote a grant to volunteer time there and paint what he experienced. For his artworks, Swanson takes photos and paints from those.

Swanson has also had the opportunity to visit the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division Laboratory in Duluth and other local research facilities.

“I was flying by the seat of my pants. I knew there were people (scientists) who would let me into their space because I was polite.” He also went aboard the Blue Heron research vessel, owned by the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Large Lakes Observatory. “I basically just wandered around on board. I wasn’t trying to be an expert. Just like in Antarctica,” Swanson said.

In 2008, Swanson was chosen for an artist residency for two weeks on the Research Vessel Falkor, which is operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute and travels all around the world. They were studying organisms that live on methane and sulfur in thermal vents. His goal was to capture what was happening on the ship. His tiny studio was in the ship’s wet lab. “I would often have to move all my stuff if someone needed to pipette one thing into another thing,” he said.

Last summer Swanson mentored an artist at the University of Wisconsin’s Trout Lake Research Station in northern Wisconsin. “My student intern was from the Lac du Flambeau Tribe and my science partner worked for the department of natural resources. It was an awesome experience!”

He also paints on commission from photos, paints murals, and applies for grants for art experiences. Recently, he’s been working on a series of paintings of endangered animals in Minnesota. He juxtaposes them with images of people or human activities to show their interconnections and impacts.

“One reason art is a good communicator for science is because it can play around with different ways for people to connect with science. Maybe the moth doesn’t have the right number of legs, or the colors aren’t exactly right. But the artist has that prerogative. I’m not doing scientific illustration. I’m looking for art to push boundaries – push ideas around.”

Adam Swanson stands in front of one of his murals that feature tardigrades. Submitted image.

Swanson has completed several murals with school children, taking their input on the subject matter and having them help with the painting. Other murals are on buildings in Superior, Duluth and Minneapolis. One is inside the Estuarium. Another, about wild rice restoration, is in West Duluth.

Tardigrades are one of Swanson’s recent favorite subjects. These microscopic animals live in diverse environments and are extremely durable. They are also known as water bears or moss piglets. Swanson said, “After coming off the endangered animal series, I wanted something more resilient.”

Swanson paints about 100 works per year. He tries not to make them too loaded with meaning. “I roll through ideas. I take some cool, interesting stuff, do as much research as I can, and then put it together.”

Currently, Swanson is working on a series of 10 large-scale pollinator paintings, which he plans to exhibit from 5-7 p.m., May 10, at the Duluth Art Institute (Lincoln Building).

Make a night of it — attend his open reception early, then come to the next River Talk, which will be held from 6-8 p.m., May 10, in-person at the Lake Superior Estuarium. Steve Kolbe with the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute will discuss, “How and Where to Find Birds in the St. Louis River Estuary.”

The post Art as a Voice for Science first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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How and where to find birds in the Estuary

On: May 1, 2023

In: birding in the St. Louis River Estuary, Natural Resources Research Institute, River Talks, Steve Kolbe

Birding is the topic of the final River Talk of this season. The series will resume in fall. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The River Talks will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 10 with “How and Where to Find Birds in the St. Louis River Estuary,” an in-person presentation at the Lake Superior Estuarium Confluence Room (3 Marina Drive, Barker’s Island in Superior) given by Steve Kolbe with the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI).

Come learn about where good locations are to see birds in the estuary. Participants will have the chance to view birds on Barker’s Island. Binoculars will be available for those who don’t have some to bring.

This will be the final River Talks of the season until the series begins again in fall. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post How and where to find birds in the Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/how-and-where-to-find-birds-in-the-estuary/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-and-where-to-find-birds-in-the-estuary

Art as a Voice for Science

On: March 29, 2023

In: Adam Swanson, art and science, River Talks

Adam Swanson stands in front of one of his murals. Submitted image.

The River Talks will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 with “Art as a Voice for Science,” an in-person and virtual presentation at the Lake Superior Estuarium Confluence Room (3 Marina Drive, Barker’s Island in Superior) given by Adam Swanson, local muralist and environmental artist whose work has been exhibited internationally.

Science and art are both attempts to understand and describe the world. Understanding and communicating abstract ideas are important in the modern merging of the two disciplines. Swanson will discuss how he integrates science topics into his artwork, he’ll describe some of his science/art residencies and he will overview other science-based artists he’s met. Refreshments will be provided.

To join by Zoom, please pre-register at this link: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEtd-2vpz8tGd25-1MKz4NAeH5uBroYdAR6

The final River Talks of the season will be held May 10. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Art as a Voice for Science first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/art-as-a-voice-for-science/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=art-as-a-voice-for-science

History of Fond du Lac and winter Ojibwe stories shared at River Talks

On: March 21, 2023

In: Christine Carlson, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa., Fond du Lac MN, Mark McConnell, Ojibwe stories, River Talks

Christine Carlson and Mark McConnell. Image credit: Anna Martineau Merrit

Two speakers shared their wealth of knowledge with a large audience for the March River Talk, held at the Lake Superior Estuarium in Superior. The evening began with Christine Carlson, a historian and columnist for the Fond du Lac Tribe’s newspaper.

The talk was held on March 8, which was International Women’s Day. In honor of this, Carlson highlighted Sophie Bruin, a woman who lived on an island in the St. Louis River between Gary and New Duluth in a one-room cabin with her eight children. Her granddaughter Bea Bruin was in the audience. Newspaper accounts detailed their rescue by rowboat in 1897 when the island flooded. Sophie earned money by selling milk from her four cows. She also had a vegetable garden and hay field off the island.

“She was an incredible woman and that’s why I wanted to highlight Sophie Bruin,” Carlson said.

She then provided the audience with copies of her self-published book, “Wa ye kwaa gichi gamiing: Fond du Lac, End of Great Body of Water & a Visual Feast,” which contains history of the area and many photos.

Carlson grew up in Fond du Lac, which was a settlement for the Dakota and Ojibwe peoples and a fur trading post — precursor to the city of Duluth. When the Fond du Lac Reservation was established in 1854, many Native people moved there, but some stayed in the town of Fond du Lac. Carlson described the lives of some of the families that stayed, including the Charettes, LeGardes and Durfees. She also described how Fond du Lac was a popular tourist destination beginning in the late 1800s. Riverboats from Duluth would ferry people to the spot.

“Some of those boats had a thousand people in them. They’d come for picnics – huge picnics in Chambers Grove – the Elks, the newsboys, the police officers. The riverboats docked at 133rd Avenue West, Nekuk Island, and a third location,” Carlson said. The Montauk was perhaps the longest-running riverboat. It sported slot machines, not allowed on land, and offered dancing.

Later, a ski jump called Ojibwe Bowl, a fish hatchery, and an arboretum were built in the community. Carlson recalls sliding down the ski jump hill once competitions were over. “We didn’t have sleds back then. We just had cardboard. It was a big climb and then we’d slide down that hill. What a ride that was, I tell ya,” she said.

The second speaker was Mark McConnell, an Elder with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. His family used to live on Wisconsin Point and like those who Carlson mentioned, did not move to the reservation.

He related seven stories, which are usually only told during winter. He began with a water-based tale about how the loon got its necklace, or the patterning around its neck. His next described why making maple syrup is so labor-intensive. “Everything that we do in our culture for gathering – be it sugar bush, ricing, netting fish – takes a lot of work. I think it gives people more appreciation for the end product,” McConnell said.

His third story described why the black bear’s tail is so short. Others were about how porcupines got their quills, why turtles don’t migrate, and how the Apostle Islands were formed (which involved a giant beaver). His final story dealt with a lost deer hunter who, after falling into a lake, took shelter overnight in winter with a hibernating bear.

McConnell also discussed how fire fits into Ojibwe culture to encourage the growth of blueberries and to honor the dead. It’s nice to see fire coming back,” he said. “It’s not a bad thing if handled carefully.”

The next River Talk will be held on April 12 in-person at the Lake Superior Estuarium and by Zoom. It will feature local environmental science painter and muralist Adam Swanson who will describe how he mixes art and science.

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https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/history-of-fond-du-lac-and-winter-ojibwe-stories-shared-at-river-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=history-of-fond-du-lac-and-winter-ojibwe-stories-shared-at-river-talks

River History and Winter Stories

On: February 23, 2023

In: Christine Carlson, Fond du Lac, history and stories, Mark McConnell, River Talks

The River Talks will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 with “History of the Upper Estuary and Fond du Lac Neighborhood: River History and Winter Stories,” an in-person presentation at the Lake Superior Estuarium Confluence Room (3 Marina Drive, Barker’s Island in Superior) given by Christine Carlson, historian and for 13 years, author of a popular column in the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa newspaper “Nagaajiwanaang Dibaajimowinan,” and Mark McConnell, an Elder with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and collaborator with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve education program. Carlson will share historic insights about the Fond du Lac neighborhood of Duluth and McConnell will share traditional winter stories.

This talk is an evening program held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. Summit registration is not required to attend, and the public is welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. Weather dependent, the stories may be told outside the Estuarium around a fire.

Other River Talks will be held April 12 and May 10, 2023. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River History and Winter Stories first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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We’ve got fleas!

On: January 30, 2023

In: Douglas County, Fond du Lac Natural Resource Management Division, Kelsey Taylor, River Talks, Spiny Waterflea, Stop Spiny, Zach Stewart

The River Talks will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 with “We’ve Got Fleas! Invaders and Nonlocal Beings on Water and Land,” a Zoom-only presentation given by Kelsey Taylor with Fond du Lac Natural Resource Management Division and Zach Stewart with Douglas County. Taylor will share information about invasive species, or nonlocal beings, present in our region and how they impact the environment. Stewart will discuss the biology, lifecycle and ecological impacts of the invasive spiny waterflea and share information about how to get involved with the “Stop Spiny” prevention program.

In a change from past events, pre-registration is required. Access it via this link.

Other River Talks will be held March 8, April 12 and May 10, 2023. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post We’ve got fleas! first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/weve-got-fleas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=weve-got-fleas

Why people love the St. Louis River

On: January 5, 2023

In: Abbey Watt, Cooper Elementary School, Cultural Ecosystem Services, Deanna Erickson, Jace Ludwig, Leah Gavin, Molly Wick, River Talks, Superior High School, Tom Nicodemus, Waterway Benefits Study

The November River Talk featured a researcher and a youth panel who spoke to the theme: “Tell us what you Love About the River.” Molly Wick, a Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve Margaret A. Davidson Fellow, described a study she designed to help environmental managers understand how the community benefits from local lakes, rivers and streams and how this work could help make those benefits more accessible to everyone. Afterward, a panel of three young people rounded out the discussion with their personal stories about why the St. Louis River is important to them.

Molly Wick. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The Waterway Benefits study Wick is doing for her doctorate at the University of Minnesota Duluth is in the form of an online survey. Simply, she’s studying why people love the river. “That’s the simple version of it,” Wick said. “Of course, there’s a jargon term for it, too: Cultural Ecosystem Services.”

Wick said that Cultural Ecosystem Services is based on the same framework as Ecosystem Services, which is a method of quantifying dollar values on the benefits that people receive from nature. Examples would be how much money is saved by cities that have a healthy flood plain or how much money is saved by having trees that provide shade to homes instead of the homes needing air conditioning.

She emphasized that Cultural Ecosystem Services differs from Ecosystem Services in that it incorporates all the things that are impossible to put a dollar value on, for example, the feelings that nature gives people.

Wick grew up in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, a town on Green Bay on Lake Michigan that she categorizes as having a lot of water around it. Her family had a tradition of going camping most weekends. They traveled to many Wisconsin state parks and “Basically spent our days hanging out by the lakes.”

They swam, canoed, built sandcastles and foraged for wild foods. Wick said she even had her first romantic kiss on a beach, which is an example of an emotional benefit.

Audience members shared their favorite water experiences or benefits. Reserve Director Deanna Erickson said she lived near the Fox River near Oshkosh as a child. Her neighbor would catch gar fish and bring them over in a bucket for Erickson to see. “As a four- or five-year-old, I thought they were so cool!” she said.

Tom Nicodemus shared his memories of a heron rookery that used to be on Pokegama Bay in Superior.

The goal of Wick’s Waterways Benefits Survey is to help measure the benefits of habitat project investments made in the river to help inform future decision making.

“One of the things I hope to do with the data that I collect is be able to look at how different groups of people have different or similar experiences so that managers can use that information to make better decisions and make access to the water more equitable, as well. I don’t want to put different values on these experiences but raise awareness about what values people hold. Protecting these resources depends on having a better understanding and really getting some information about why we love the river into managers’ hands,” Wick said.

The youth panel was composed of Abbey Watt (ninth grader, Superior High School); Leah Gavin (ninth grader, Superior High School); and Jace Ludwig (fifth grader, Cooper Elementary). They added spirited emotion and energy to the room, which included support of their families and some teachers and friends. Their stories of river connection included humor, home, views of the estuary from bridges and “extra” benefits from activities like ice fishing—family time, eagle sightings and mishaps. All added emphasis with their voice, laugh or things they said that they didn’t initially write down. To get a flavor of the energy in the room as these young people contributed to the River Talk, the essays they read are below:

The St. Louis River
By Abbey Watt

Abbey Watt (right), gives her talk as part of the youth panel while Jace Ludwig preps for his. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

There are so many ways that the St. Louis River has impacted my life, whether from seeing its wild waters on my way to and from school or boating through them during the summertime. It connects me and my mom, it connects me and my dad, it connected me and my grandpa, just as it connects to Lake Superior, and I hope it will connect me and my children, though my mom says not for at least 10 years.

This past couple summers my mom and I have spent countless hours exploring and enjoying all the wonders the river has to offer. We would always make a day of it and pack snacks and lots of extra sunscreen. It is easy for us to lose track of time when relaxed by the rocking of the boat and the sound of the waves splashing against the sides.

When you’re on the boat, it transports you to a world where nothing really matters – whether you have an exam coming up, whether you have papers due, or just the stress of everyday life – none of that matters when you’re out on the lake or even near it.

My grandfather had been a big fan of fishing on the river, as well as boating, he would troll around just waiting for a fish to bite. Whether the sun was shining or it was super cloudy, it was always a great day to be on the water. Just spending time on the water was a gift in itself.

Every time we drive over the bridge, I take a minute to check up on the river and see how it’s doing that day. Some days the waves topped with white, other days I see only the gentle ripple of the current as the river flows to the lake. It is always a conversation-starter between me and my dad. My favorite view is early in the morning when the fog is still rolling over the bridge and the heat of the river is rising and swirling around. When we drive over the bridge and it is engulfed in fog, it makes me feel like I am in a movie. No matter what the weather is like, the river always glows with elegance and perfection.

Though the river is forever changing, it still feels the same to me. Whenever I come back from a trip, I always look out the window and try to catch a glimpse of the water. That’s how I know I am home.

Many of us, myself included, take our proximity to the river and the lake for granted. We have such an amazing abundance of fresh water running right through our back yard and it is our normal, but for some it is a dream waiting just out of reach. It is a wonder to be able to enjoy time at the beaches, smell the fresh scent of the water, and hear the crashing of waves.

Some ships pass through the river on the way to deliver cargo. It’s amazing to watch the go by, although it can take a while. Many species of animals rely on its clean water, and the fish depend on the bays and smaller streams to feed and seek shelter.

I feel like the river is something that connects us all. And Lake Superior is something that connects not only us but people around the world because my father, when he lived all the way across the ocean in Scotland, wrote a paper about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Little did he know he would end up here on our very own Lake Superior. I feel like the water around is just something that connects everything.

Leah Gavin

Leah Gavin. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

As someone who has lived in Superior their entire life, I have been around the St. Louis River a lot. But it wasn’t until recently when I was asked to think about it that I realized just how much the river actually means to me.

When I think of the St. Louis River, I think of the hot summer days spent out on my aunt and uncle’s boat. Cruising through the water, relaxing in the sunshine, parking to eat lunch as we listen to the water splash gently against the side of the boat, swimming when we get too warm from the sun, and wrapping up in our towels when we get too cold from the water. I look forward to days like those all year long.

I think of looking out over the river as we drive across the Bong Bridge, and the feeling of pure serenity the view gives me. I think of biking to Billings Park with my friends, taking pictures of each other as though we are professional photographers before sitting at the water’s edge to talk about everything and nothing, spilling our deepest thoughts to the river. I think of taking my younger cousins to the path alongside the water, attempting (and failing) to teach them how to skip stones, watching their curiosity, and trying to answer all of their questions about the world around them. I think of sitting by the river after my grandparents passed away, talking to them as though they could still hear me. And perhaps they could. I think of the early spring and keeping a close eye on the ice, making bets with my mother as to when it will finish melting. I think of leaving for road trips in the early morning, and watching the sun rise over the river, seeing its oranges, pinks, and yellows reflect on the water. Looking out and not being able to tell where the water ends and the sky begins.

What I love about the St. Louis is the peace it brings. The reassurance that no matter what happens it will be there tomorrow. I love the memories it holds, both big and small. I love the beauty of it. But most of all I love the fact that it is and always will be a part of my home.

Jace Ludwig

Jace Ludwig illustrated his talk about the river with photos. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

My family and I enjoy ice fishing on the river. We have made many trips out there over the years. We usually go to Kimball’s Bay. Sometimes we use our snowmobile to get onto the ice, and sometimes we make the long walk. We try to pick up any litter that we see on the trail and also on the ice. We don’t want that stuff to get into the river or lake. We also pick it up because once we saw an eagle eating bait that someone dumped out and we thought about how we didn’t want the eagle to eat garbage. We see eagles down there a lot. Once, one flew over our heads and landed on a tree right next to us.

We usually don’t set up our ice house when we fish there. We like to put up tip-ups so we can run around and play. My dad likes to jig for fish while we have snowball fights and go on adventures. Once, during a snowball fight, I stepped right into a hole all the way up to my knee. My boot filled with water and I was pretty soaked. Good thing it was a warm sunny day, or our day would’ve ended right away.

We like to explore different paths and trails around the water’s edge. And we really like to find big hills to use our sleds on. It isn’t fun to walk up the big hills, but it is fun to have a contest on who can make it out onto the ice the furthest. And we do all this while my dad catches perch and crappies. We love that we have this area to make great family memories.

Jace showed images after his talk, including the place where he stepped into the watery ice hole, a sledding hill, and the eagle he mentioned in his story.

The next River Talk will be, “Nimaawanji’idimin Giiwitaashkodeng: Working with Fire to Heal the Land on Wisconsin and Minnesota Points.” It will be an in-person and Zoom presentation by Evan Larson, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and Melonee Montano, Red Cliff tribal member and University of Minnesota graduate student. They will describe a collaborative project that is bringing information from tree rings and oral history together to understand how the Anishinaabeg people used fire to tend the landscape and how the return of fire can contribute to both cultural and ecological restoration. Refreshments will be provided.

Here is the Zoom information:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/92832940429?pwd=TUpJQWhucHB5cUxVQWxXQVF5b1ZIUT09

Meeting ID: 928 3294 0429
Passcode: 916352
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,92832940429# US (New York)
+13017158592,,92832940429# US (Washington DC)

Other River Talks will be held Feb. 8, March 8, April 12 and May 10, 2023.

The post Why people love the St. Louis River first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/why-people-love-the-st-louis-river/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-people-love-the-st-louis-river

River Talks: Using fire to heal the land

On: December 28, 2022

In: Evan Larson, Melonee Montano, Nimaawanji'idimin Giiwitaashkodeng, River Talks, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

The “Nimaawanji’idimin Giiwitaashkodeng” research project team at work on Wisconsin Point. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The River Talks will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.), with “Nimaawanji’idimin Giiwitaashkodeng: Working with Fire to Heal the Land on Wisconsin and Minnesota Points,” an in-person and Zoom presentation by Evan Larson, University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Melonee Montano, Red Cliff tribal member and University of Minnesota graduate student. They will describe a collaborative project that is bringing information from tree rings and oral history together to understand how the Anishinaabeg people used fire to tend the landscape and how the return of fire can contribute to both cultural and ecological restoration. Refreshments will be provided.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/92832940429?pwd=TUpJQWhucHB5cUxVQWxXQVF5b1ZIUT09

Meeting ID: 928 3294 0429
Passcode: 916352
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,92832940429# US (New York)
+13017158592,,92832940429# US (Washington DC)

Other River Talks will be held Feb. 8, March 8, April 12 and May 10, 2023. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks: Using fire to heal the land first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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River Talks: Tell us what you love about the river

On: October 27, 2022

In: Molly Wick, River Talks, St. Louis River, waterway benefit survey

Molly Wick. Submitted photo.

The River Talks will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.), with “Tell us What you Love About the River,” an in-person presentation by Molly Wick, Lake Superior Reserve Margaret A. Davidson Fellow, who will describe a study she designed to help environmental managers understand how the community benefits from local lakes, rivers and streams and how this work could help make those benefits more accessible to everyone. Wick will invite everyone to take the waterway benefit survey, found here: z.umn.edu/waterwaybenefits. A youth panel will round out the discussion with their stories about why the St. Louis River is important to them. Refreshments will be provided.

Other River Talks will be held Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8, April 12 and May 10, 2023. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks: Tell us what you love about the river first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-tell-us-what-you-love-about-the-river/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-tell-us-what-you-love-about-the-river

River Talks resume with “Wild Stories”

On: September 30, 2022

In: Martha Minchak, River Talks, Wild stories, Wisconsin Science Festival

The River Talks, a series of informal science presentations, returns at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, for the season with “Wild Stories of Wildlife on the St. Louis River,” an in-person and Zoom presentation by Martha Minchak, former assistant area wildlife manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Her talk will be held at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wis.).

Minchak will regale with tales of her work for 22 years as “the face of Minnesota DNR Wildlife in Duluth,” which included the St. Louis River Estuary. She will discuss changes in the Estuary over her career and her unique experiences with wildlife and people. Refreshments will be provided.

Zoom link:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/92250886702?pwd=clQ2M051Y2FmTjRWTm1LVjNjdmVOdz09
Meeting ID: 922 5088 6702
Passcode: 754792

This River Talk is being held as part of Wisconsin Science Festival Week. Held virtually and in-person throughout the state on October 10-16, the festival welcomes people of all ages for hands-on science, performances, demonstrations and conversations with leading researchers and creative thinkers. Unleash your curiosity!

Other River Talks will be held Nov. 9, 2022, and Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 1, April 12 and May 10, 2023. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit and the date may change. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks resume with “Wild Stories” first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-resume-with-wild-stories/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-resume-with-wild-stories

Let there be cake! Sea Grant celebrates 50 years at River Talks

On: June 27, 2022

In: Anders Andren, Deanna Erickson, James Hurley, Jenny Van Sickle, Jim Hurley, Joel Hoffman, River Talks, Robert Ragotzkie, Wisconsin Sea Grant 50th anniversary

Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The final River Talk for the 2021-22 season was held in May at the Lake Superior Estuarium and online. Jim Hurley, director of Wisconsin Sea Grant, presented, “Sea Grant at 50: Looking Back, Moving Forward,” examining the formation of this science-based organization devoted to sustainable use and protection of Great Lakes resources. He also discussed Sea Grant’s current work and where it is headed as it looks forward to the next 50 years.

Jim Hurley, Wisconsin Sea Grant Director. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Hurley is also a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research interests include the cycling of mercury in the Great Lakes. He is the third director in Wisconsin Sea Grant’s history, having taken the helm in 2012. From 2017 to 2019, he also served as president of the national Sea Grant Association.

Hurley began by saying, “I’m darn proud to be able to give this talk and to be a part of an organization that I have so much respect for and that’s surrounded by so many great people.” He continued by describing the federal legislative history of Sea Grant’s founding and then went on to describe the accomplishments of the other Wisconsin Sea Grant directors before him.

He noted Robert Ragotzkie (director from 1968-1991) for thinking thematically about the areas that Wisconsin Sea Grant concentrates on for its research and outreach programs. “Also, Bob talked about Lake Superior’s circulation. He was thinking about Lake Superior in oceanographic terms and how that affected pollution distribution,” Hurley said. Ragotzkie also conducted climate research at this early stage.

Ragotskie gathered the program’s first cadre of extension agents and formed partnerships with other organizations. Hurley credited this start as the basis for the more than 240 partner organizations that Sea Grant works with today. Ragotskie’s strength was putting together teams of partners to study issues such as PCB pollution in the Fox River near Green Bay. He also established the program’s first communications team, which led to the formation of the popular Earthwatch Radio program, which was used by stations across the county.

Anders Andren (director from 1991-2012) took Ragotskie’s thematic area idea and brought it to Sea Grant at the national level through his work with the Sea Grant Association, which is made up of directors from all of the Sea Grant programs across the country. Hurley said Andren did that to, “get people in New Jersey Sea Grant that were doing the same thing as Florida Sea Grant or Oregon Sea Grant together to talk about similar types of issues, and then try to aggregate the results.”

Under Andren’s technological leadership, Wisconsin Sea Grant developed a website and an online submission system for research proposal submissions and reviews. Also during his tenure, the university’s Water Resources Institute’s management combined with Sea Grant under one umbrella organization known as the Aquatic Sciences Center.

“Another thing that occurred during Anders’ term is that the Great Lakes came together better, I think, than any other network in the county,” Hurley said. This has led to cooperative regional research and outreach projects. “It gives you such a great network, such a community of practice that can interact.”

The program also began concentrating on coastal community issues, providing funding for shipwreck research and working on harbor and recreation projects.

Hurley has continued the thematic area tradition. He’s also been emphasizing actionable science, which he classifies as research projects “that people can use.” He is also encouraging integration of science communications and social science into research. “The most successful projects are those developed with stakeholders at the table,” Hurley said. “We’re starting to see more of those.”

Since 2016, Wisconsin Sea Grant has also enlarged the number of postgraduate fellowships offered, with the help of Associate Director Jennifer Hauxwell and half a dozen partner organizations. Hurley rounded out the subject of accomplishments under his watch by discussing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) research. He said the impetus began in Superior, Wisconsin, with the Huskey Refinery fire, which was doused with firefighting foam that contains PFAS. Staff at the National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve requested help from Sea Grant to analyze water samples from a local creek.

“There was only one lab in the state that was certified to analyze the water for PFAS. We knew that had to change. We had some extra funding available. We were able to aid the State Laboratory of Hygiene, which is the state’s environmental research lab and its public health lab to build capacity to analyze for PFAS in water,” Hurley said. Now, the State Laboratory of Hygiene has opened a Center for PAFS Research. Sea Grant has also hired an emerging contaminants specialist (Gavin Dehnert) who focuses on PFAS and was active in proposing PFAS drinking water standards for the state.

Wisconsin Sea Grant continues to have a strong communications program that has moved from the era of radio into podcasting, video and blogging. “Communications has also changed with the times and I really feel it’s ahead of the curve,” Hurley said.

Other issues of focus include climate change, Great Lakes water level changes and encouraging diversity, equity, inclusion and environmental justice in programs. Sea Grant has hired a consultant and is in the process of becoming more inclusive as an organization. One of the first areas to benefit has been Sea Grant’s fellows program and undergraduate internships.

The program ended with testimonials from several partners. These included Jenny Van Sickle, president of the Superior City Council; Deanna Erickson, director of the National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve; Joel Hoffman, acting chief, ecosystems branch for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Gene Clark, retired Sea Grant coastal engineer; and Alex Frei, research and fellowship coordinator, Minnesota Sea Grant. Here’s a sampling of their kind words.

Jenny Van Sickle, City of Superior City Council:

For someone like me, who grew up in a lot of turmoil and violence, being near the water was free and it was fun. I’m thankful to the educators who took us out of the classroom on onto the beach. There are a lot of people who make sure our water is clean, free and accessible. I just want you to know that it really matters. I want to thank Sea Grant and wish you a happy birthday. We’ve been close partners for a long time.

Deanna Erickson, National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve:

Something that’s really been remarkable to me from the very beginning of the Reserve’s formation . . . is how we were different yet complementary. That’s what makes a good relationship. The Reserve focuses on the St. Louis River Estuary and along Lake Superior, but Sea Grant gets to have this awesome statewide perspective. So, the Sea Grant folks that share our office space and share our community, bring that to us and help make us part of that, too. They also bring expertise that the National Estuarine Research Reserves don’t really have.

Joel Hoffman, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

Again and again, Sea Grant has set the gold standard on how to protect our coastal natural resources and our coastal communities. I’m really excited to see what you’re going to do in the next 50 years.

Watch the video of this talk on the Reserve’s YouTube site.

River Talks is taking a hiatus during the summer but will return in the fall for another season of talks focused on the St. Louis River and the organizations that help us understand it.

The post Let there be cake! Sea Grant celebrates 50 years at River Talks first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/let-there-be-cake-sea-grant-celebrates-50-years-at-river-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=let-there-be-cake-sea-grant-celebrates-50-years-at-river-talks

A comprehensive look into the future of black ash and birds from a conservation perspective

On: April 28, 2022

In: Alexis Grinde, black ash trees, Cole Wilson, emerald ash borer, Natural Resources Research Institute, River Talks, St. Louis River Estuary

An ovenbird rests on a branch in the St. Louis River Estuary. Image credit: National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve

On April 13, River Talks featured Alexis Grinde from the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute and Cole Wilson from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Together, they presented “Black Ash and Birds: Conserving Critical Habitat in the St. Louis River Estuary.” This River Talk gave an in-depth look into the duo’s research and conservation efforts.

Grinde spoke first, highlighting her particular interest in black ash, a tree species abundant in Minnesota, and the organisms that interact with black ash. “At a global scale, we are in the midst of massive losses of biodiversity,” said Grinde. She explained that as we lose biodiversity in different ecosystems, those ecosystems begin to function differently, which in turn causes their resilience to decrease.

This decrease in biodiversity can be attributed to factors like habitat degradation and invasive species. A specific invasive species Grinde mentioned is the emerald ash borer, a wood-boring beetle that attacks native black ash trees. “Because this is an invasive species, all of our ash trees in North America have no defense against this emerald ash borer,” said Grinde, “If an emerald ash borer gets into a tree here in North America, it’s basically a 100% mortality rate.”

Grinde warned of a bleak future for black ash trees. She noted that since 2002, the emerald ash borer has spread across North America and wiped out the majority of black ash trees. A method of minimizing this issue is to enact quarantines that prohibit the movement of trees or firewood into an area that is home to these trees. This would hopefully reduce the spread of invasive species like the emerald ash borer but has not been very successful thus far.

In Minnesota, where there are nearly 1 million acres of black ash forests, this issue is especially relevant. While emerald ash borers were first found in southern Minnesota, they are migrating north where the majority of the black ash forests are located. This could result in extreme consequences since black ash is a foundational species. This means it regulates ecosystem processes and isn’t easily replaced.

While the black ash population has a multitude of effects on neighboring species in its ecosystem, Wilson decided to delve into the impacts on breeding birds in the St. Louis River Estuary. Wilson focused on both species richness and abundance of birds in black ash forests, planning to use his data to determine the best mode of land management for the future.

“What we know is that the black ash are inevitably going to die off,” Wilson said, “What can we take from these studies to apply to future management and restoration efforts?”

Wilson used 10-minute point counts to characterize breeding bird communities. This means that he and his team occupied a certain space for 10 minutes at a time and recorded everything they observed and heard. In addition, they also recorded vegetation, black ash dominance, and canopy cover. The sites Wilson researched ranged from 50% black ash dominance to over 90% black ash dominance.

The results from the study asserted there is a positive correlation between the abundance of black ash trees in a given area and the total number of bird species observed. “Black ash are these really important species ecologically and they provide habitat for a wide range of birds,” said Wilson.

Looking forward, Wilson emphasized the importance of recognizing invasive species as a threat to black ash, as well as finding a new species suitable to replace them when they inevitably die out. However, black ash trees are not just important to ecosystem function, but also to Indigenous culture.

“It’s important that we include Indigenous knowledge into choosing a replacement species,” Wilson said. He mentioned that black ash trees have been a part of Ojibwe culture for many years.

All in all, supporting black ash communities and conductivity are essential for proper ecosystem function. Determining a viable replacement species for black ash is imperative for a variety of people and wildlife, and both Alexis Grinde and Cole Wilson’s work will help achieve these goals.

To watch a video of this presentation, visit the Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve’s YouTube site. The final River Talk of the season will feature a celebration of Wisconsin Sea Grant’s 50th anniversary and will be held May 11. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The post A comprehensive look into the future of black ash and birds from a conservation perspective first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/a-comprehensive-look-into-the-future-of-black-ash-and-birds-from-a-conservation-perspective/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-comprehensive-look-into-the-future-of-black-ash-and-birds-from-a-conservation-perspective

Eva Ryan

River Talk series ends season with exploration of Sea Grant’s past and future

On: April 26, 2022

In: James Hurley, River Talks, Wisconsin Sea Grant 50th anniversary

The final River Talk for this season turns its focus to series partner Wisconsin Sea Grant, as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary year.

On Wednesday, May 11, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in person at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wisconsin) and from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom, Sea Grant Director Jim Hurley will present, “Sea Grant at 50: Looking Back, Moving Forward,” examining the formation of this science-based organization devoted to the sustainable use and protection of Great Lakes resources. He’ll also discuss Sea Grant’s current work and where it is headed as it looks ahead to the next 50 years.

The in-person event will begin with social time featuring cake and refreshments. Hurley’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m. and will be available virtually (see Zoom link below).

“I’m fortunate to be able to build on the foundation laid by my predecessors, founding director Bob Ragotzkie and Anders Andren,” Hurley said. “As the Sea Grant program was being created on the national level in the 1960s, Ragotzkie really stood up for the Great Lakes to ensure that these inland seas were a part of the program, and not just our ocean coasts. We are still reaping the benefits of his vision. We’re also actively considering how we can best serve the people of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes in our present moment and moving forward.”

Wisconsin Sea Grant works in many areas, from commercial fisheries and aquaculture, to aquatic invasive species, to dealing with emerging contaminants in our water. It is a program of the University of Wisconsin System, with headquarters on the Madison campus and additional staff at field offices around the state, including Superior, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Milwaukee and Kenosha County.

The organization also funds a robust portfolio of Great Lakes- and water-related research conducted at campuses around the state.

Zoom link:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/95345823876?pwd=QlplY1o3TnJDbXBGRG40U1o3UW1idz09
Meeting ID: 953 4582 3876
Passcode: 306955
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,95345823876# US (Washington DC)
+13126266799,,95345823876# US (Chicago)

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talk series ends season with exploration of Sea Grant’s past and future first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talk-series-ends-season-with-exploration-of-sea-grants-past-and-future/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talk-series-ends-season-with-exploration-of-sea-grants-past-and-future

Black ash and birds featured at River Talks

On: April 4, 2022

In: Alexis Grinde, birds, black ash tree wetlands, Cole Wilson, River Talks

An ovenbird rests on a branch in the St. Louis River Estuary. Image credit: National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve

The next River Talk will take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 13, via Zoom. Alexis Grinde with the Natural Resources Research Institute and Cole Wilson with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will present, “Black ash and birds: conserving critical habitat in the St. Louis River Estuary.”

Black ash tree wetlands in the St. Louis River Estuary are unique forests that support diverse bird species. Grinde and Wilson will discuss current research revealing how birds use these habitats and the possible impacts of ash tree death caused by the invasive emerald ash borer.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/94381805869?pwd=QXJ6SzZaelpEVVFKdFdUSEhDaUVCUT09
Meeting ID: 943 8180 5869
Passcode: 582749
One tap mobile
+19292056099,94381805869# US (New York)
+13017158592,94381805869# US (Washington DC)

The event will last an hour and will include time for comments and questions. The talk will be recorded and posted afterward on the Reserve’s Facebook page and YouTube. A summary will also be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog.

The remaining River Talk for this season will be held on May 11. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Black ash and birds featured at River Talks first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/black-ash-and-birds-featured-at-river-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=black-ash-and-birds-featured-at-river-talks

A River Knock

On: March 28, 2022

In: Marne Kaeske, Michael Anderson1854 Treaty Authority, River Talks, wild rice knockers, wild rice sticks

A River Talk participant forms a wild rice knocker into shape during the March talk. Image credit: Michael Anderson

The River Talk for March was held as an evening in-person event during the 12th annual St. Louis River Summit at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

This particular talk required hands-on participation. Marne Kaeske, cultural preservation specialist with the 1854 Treaty Authority, led an activity where attendees constructed their own wild rice harvesting sticks, called, “Bawa’iganaakoog” in Ojibwe. Wild rice is a grass that can grow to reach 8 feet tall.

River Talkers use the wall to brace their work on wild rice knocking sticks. Image credit: Michael Anderson

Kaeske explained that she learned to make rice knockers from cedar because the wood is lightweight. Rice is harvested by two people. One paddles or push-poles the canoe through the wild rice (manoomin) beds found in wetlands while the other uses the sticks to bend the rice over the canoe, tapping the wild rice seeds into it. Hand-harvesting wild rice can be time-consuming, so the lighter the sticks, the less tired a ricer’s arms will get.

Different resource management agencies have different requirements for the length of wild rice sticks. Kaeske said current 1854 Treaty Authority Ceded Territory Code regulations call for “round, smooth cedar, no longer than 32-inch” sticks. In Wisconsin, they can be 38 inches.

One problem in efforts to preserve wild rice beds comes from people harvesting the rice too early. “We live by the clock and the calendar nowadays instead of by waiting and living on the rice lake until it’s time to rice,” Kaeske said. When people harvest the rice before it is mature, it lessens the good seed for the next year’s crop and can damage the plants.

“When you harvest wild rice, you’re also reseeding the lake,” Kaeske said. “Rice is an annual plant.”

Rice knockers aren’t something a person can buy in a store. Kaeske showed the audience how she learned to do it. After a short introduction, she offered the tools needed (measuring tape, planers and an ax) and let participants “go to town” on the wood she provided.

She explained that all the bark needs to be removed as well as any rotten wood. The sticks are usually tapered, larger where the hand grips and smaller on the ends.

By the end of the class, everyone had sticks to take home and they were ready for ricing season, which usually occurs in late summer or early fall.

The remaining River Talks for this season will be held April 13 and May 11. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The post A River Knock first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/a-river-knock/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-river-knock

Construct wild rice knockers at River Talks

On: February 21, 2022

In: 1854 Treaty Authority, Marne Kaeske, River Talks, St. Louis River Summit, wild rice knockers

The next River Talk will take place at 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, in person in room 203 at the University of Wisconsin Yellowjacket Union (1605 Catlin Ave., Superior) as part of the St. Louis River Summit. Marne Kaeske with the 1854 Treaty Authority, will present, “Bawa’iganaakoog (Wild Rice Harvesting Sticks).”

Wooden wild rice knockers rest atop a pile of wild rice they were used to harvest. Image credit: Deanna Erickson, National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve

Construct wild rice knocking sticks and get prepared to hit the rice bed during Manoomike-giizis (the wild ricing moon). All materials and instruction included. Registration in advance is required and capacity is limited to 15 people. Face coverings are required inside the building.

To attend, please sign up using this form: https://forms.gle/trdxExKZfi169XAG8. The form will close when the event limit has been reached.

For questions about this River Talk, please contact Luciana Ranelli at 715-399-4085 or luciana.ranelli@wisc.edu.

Remaining River Talks will be held April 13 and May 11. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Construct wild rice knockers at River Talks first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/construct-wild-rice-knockers-at-river-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=construct-wild-rice-knockers-at-river-talks

Ojibwe Stories of Spirit Island

On: January 31, 2022

In: Jeff Savage, Martin Defoe, Ojibwe migration story, River Talks, seven fires prophesy, Spirit Island

Between Wisconsin and Minnesota runs the St. Louis River. Along the river, a widening exists between the Fond du Lac neighborhood and the Duluth Harbor; here lies Spirit Lake. At the center of Spirit Lake is Spirit Island, a place rich in cultural history and a former home to the Ojibwe people.

Martin Defoe (left) and Jeff Savage. Image credit: National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve

This past Jan. 12, Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve’s River Talk featured Jeff Savage, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Cultural Center and Veteran’s Museum director, and Marvin Defoe, an elder with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. They shared their memories and stories of Spirit Island.

Savage said that thousands of years ago, the migration of the Anishinaabe to continental America began with the journey through the Bering Strait, down to the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. As they traveled east, they met a variety of people who were already settled, and faced bouts of both conflict and kindness along the way. Eventually, the Anishinaabe made their way to the Eastern Coast of America, or rather, in the words of Savage, “the land where the sun comes up.” They spread along the coast creating homes and prospering in peace.

“While there, there were seven prophets,” said Savage, “They call these prophets the Seven Fires. The first prophet came and told the people all the knowledge to create a healthy and everlasting life.”

The second prophet warned that the Anishinaabe people would forget this knowledge as time went by, but eventually, a young boy would be born and help the tribes remember what was forgotten.

“The third prophet came and told them that there was a chosen ground in the west and that they must move their families to where the food grows on the water,” said Savage. The Anishinaabe people were also told that they would find a path to their chosen ground.

Several generations of traveling ensued due to the Seven Fires Prophecy. The journey took the Anishinaabe through many places, including modern-day Montreal, New York and Detroit, searching for an island shaped like a turtle.

The tribe was split up in this process, but eventually, Anishinaabe people from the north and south sides of Lake Superior were reunited. “We knew that we were the same people because we still had the same songs,” Savage said.

And so, they finally came across Spirit Island, the island that resembled a turtle’s back sticking out of the water and home to a cornucopia of food, including wild rice, a food that “grows on the water.”

Spirit Island. Image credit: David Bowman

The long history and deep-rooted traditions of the Anishinaabe carry on today as elders pass down the story of Spirit Island to younger generations. Defoe recalled watching his family harvest wild rice as a young boy and reminisced about oral traditions that he learned as a child.

“We told stories, we talked. Just like what we’re doing here, telling stories,” said Defoe.

Despite these long-standing traditions, it is important to note that things have changed regarding the lives of the Anishinaabe. Defoe noted that he has viewed the decline of wild rice crops since his childhood. These declines are concerning because it is possible that one day no one will have access to these resources. Defoe gave some insight into an Anishinaabe belief that “there was a time that all people–I don’t care what race they were–all people had a connection to the Earth.”

To watch a video of this presentation, visit the Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve’s YouTube site.

Other River Talks will be held Feb. 9, March 8, April 13 and May 11, 2022. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The post Ojibwe Stories of Spirit Island first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/ojibwe-stories-of-spirit-island/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ojibwe-stories-of-spirit-island

Eva Ryan

River Talks Offers Update on Spirit Lake Project

On: January 27, 2022

In: epa, Mark Loomis, River Talks, Spirit Lake project

Current activities at the Spirit Lake Great Lakes Legacy Act cleanup site. Image credit: U. S, Environmental Protection Agency

The next River Talk will take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, February 9, via Zoom. Mark Loomis, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Great Lakes National Program Office, will present, “Update on the Spirit Lake Great Lakes Legacy Act Project.”

The EPA continues work at the Spirit Lake site under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. Loomis will provide technical updates on progress to-date and the plan for remediating the Spirit Lake project area.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/93995368994?pwd=UElHcHlybGZmRUdLRG5xU3oyQ3ZmZz09
Meeting ID: 939 9536 8994
Passcode: 206104
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,93995368994# US (Chicago)
+19292056099,,93995368994# US (New York)

Remaining River Talks will be held March 8, April 13 and May 11, 2022. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks Offers Update on Spirit Lake Project first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-offers-update-on-spirit-lake-project/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-offers-update-on-spirit-lake-project

River Talks to Feature Stories of Spirit Island

On: December 28, 2021

In: Jeff Savage, River Talks, Spirit Island

The next River Talk will take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, January 12, in person at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, Wisconsin). Jeff Savage, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa cultural center and museum director, will share, “Stories of Spirit Island.”

Spirit Island. Image credit: David Bowman

On the Minnesota side of the St. Louis River in a widening called Spirit Lake, lies Spirit Island. This small island is of spiritual and cultural significance to the Ojibwe people and was the second-to-last stop on their migration to this area from the East Coast. The Fond du Lac Band bought the island from a private seller in 2011 and it’s an important site of stories, both past and present.

The event will last an hour and will include time for comments and questions. Refreshments will be provided. Use of facial masks is required for safety. The talk summary will be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog. In case of inclement weather or pandemic-related shutdowns, this event will shift to virtual. Watch the Reserve’s or Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Facebook pages for further information.

Other River Talks will be held Feb. 9, March 8, April 13 and May 11, 2022. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks to Feature Stories of Spirit Island first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-to-feature-stories-of-spirit-island/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-to-feature-stories-of-spirit-island

Interpreting the Marten Trail

On: December 13, 2021

In: Duluth, River Talks, Sam Geer, The Marten Trail, Urban Ecosystems

The November River Talks featured Samuel Geer, president of Urban Ecosystems, presenting, “Revealing the Invisible: Experiencing and Interpreting the St. Louis River Along Waabizheshikana (The Marten Trail).” Through his landscape architecture practice, Geer was the lead designer of the interpretive plan for the trail, which was formerly known as the Western Waterfront Trail in Duluth, Minnesota.

The trail was renamed during the previous year to better reflect the history of the area and because plans were in place by the city of Duluth to change and lengthen the trail. Although currently over 3 miles, once completed, the trail will stretch from the community of Fond du Lac neighborhood at the western end to near Indian Point and Kingsbury Bay, over 10 miles to the north. Geer shared the process his team began in 2020 to gain public input about ways to celebrate the people, animals, plants and landscapes along the St. Louis River waterfront.

Sam Geer. Image credit: Submitted photo

“One of the stated goals of the process was to incorporate Native American languages and worldviews into the plan and the whole process,” Geer said. “This spot – the estuary – is just crawling with life and has an abundance of natural beauty and character that really makes people want to spend time there. The trail plan preserves the activities of the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad that’s currently there, plus provides opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians to explore the waterfront.”

Geer said the trail interpretive elements celebrate Duluth’s industrial history but also acknowledges the damage that industry has had on the environment. He described their interpretive approach like this, “In order for people to appreciate this place, they need to be able to access it and get down to the waterfront regardless of age or ability to explore the place and be comfortable in the process of doing it. Ultimately, the goal is to have people develop a sense of connection and caring toward this landscape and an appreciation for how diverse and multilayered it is.”

The team chose natural colors for their color palette. Signage will take the form of freestanding signs and “story poles,” 10-foot-tall metal rectangles that honor the iron ore and steelmaking legacy of the area. They will contain interpretive panels that feature Ojibwe words and laser-cut stainless-steel animal sculptures. Eight segments of the trail will each be “branded” with different animals visitors could encounter along that stretch. They will also feature portrayals of the various ways people have made a living from the estuary, be it wild ricing or a lumber mill. Cairns made from local rock material will mark trail spurs.

Sarah Agaton Howes, a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, created much of the animal artwork. Historian Christine Carlson provided text, and John Koepke, Ojibwe landscape architect, provided illustrations.

Geer said they emphasized including diverse and often overlooked perspectives into the interpretive plan, such as women’s and African American stories.

“You know, Jay Cooke paid for a railroad and only came here one time, yet he has a state park named after him,” Geer said. “There were many people who spent their entire lives in this area who offered up a lot more meaningful things in terms of their personal contributions and life experiences. If you’re not oriented to these types of things, they’re invisible but if you can open up a view into some intimate aspect of the history of the place or someone who lived there, I think it creates a powerful connection to the place in a way you don’t get from a big elaborate installation.”

The plan is not on-the-ground yet. It’s being included in a grant proposal to the state of Minnesota, which will request money to pay for interpretation and construction.

To watch a video of Geer’s presentation, visit the Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve’s YouTube site.

The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

Other River Talks will be held Jan. 12, Feb. 19, March 8, April 13 and May 11, 2022. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The post Interpreting the Marten Trail first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/interpreting-the-marten-trail/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=interpreting-the-marten-trail

Greener and Cleaner: How a Marina Takes Big Strides Toward Cleaner Water

On: November 3, 2021

In: Barker's Island Marina, Eric Thomas, Michael Crick, River Talks, Theresa Qualls, Wisconsin Clean Marina Program

The revamped stormwater pond at Barker’s Island Marina. Before the improvements, the pond often used to flood after storms. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Greener and Cleaner: How a Marina Takes Big Strides Toward Cleaner Water

The new season of River Talks began in October with three speakers who described projects designed to control stormwater runoff and prevent pollution at the marina on Barker’s Island in Superior, Wisconsin.

Theresa Qualls with the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program, Eric Thomas with Barker’s Island Marina and Michael Krick with the city of Superior gave in-person presentations in the Lake Superior Estuarium. Their talk was originally scheduled to be an outdoors tour, but inclement weather changed plans.

Barker’s Island Marina has been working for several years on certification to become a Wisconsin Clean Marina. These clean marinas voluntarily go the extra mile to adopt measures to reduce pollution from their marina, boatyards and recreational boats. Designated clean marinas are recognized as environmentally responsible businesses.

Qualls began the presentation by providing information about the clean marina program. “Clean lakes and rivers are good for business. Boaters really care about the water resource,” said Qualls, coordinator of the program. “In addition, it creates a safer and healthier place to work and recreate, and it really can enhance the image of the marina among the community and among boaters.”

The new boat wash station at Barker’s Island Marina. It better controls wash water that could potentially carry toxic boat paint residue. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

She said marinas are in a unique position to improve water quality because of their location near water. Earlier that day, she met with Barker’s Island Marina staff to finalize a plan for their certification. Once approved by a technical team and certified, Barker’s Island Marina will join 22 other clean marinas in the state. She said most of those are coastal marinas, but they are working to encourage more inland lake marinas to pursue certification.

Thomas said his marina wanted to be in the clean marina program because, “We have a ton of boats. We have a ton of machinery. All these boats are full of machines, engines, oil, grease – all kinds of yucky stuff . . . As somebody who has been on the Great Lakes all my life, and in the water my whole life, it’s so easy to make mess — we have to work really hard not to. But the rewards are huge.”

One thing the marina did to control stormwater runoff is to let native plants along the shoreline grow instead of continuously cutting them down. This also deters geese from walking onshore and defecating on sidewalks.

At the far end of the marina is a new boat wash station. When boats are lifted out of the water at the end of the season, the power wash water is collected in tub, filtered and sent to the sewage treatment plant. This keeps toxic boat paint residue from entering the lake. They also regraded the boat washing pavement so that rainwater drains into a new engineered wetland constructed by the city of Superior.

Krick described the construction process for the wetland, which contains a forebay and several cells to slow down stormwater and treat it via native plant processes. The outlet drains into the harbor. “It was really hard to grow anything this year, everyone’s aware of the lack of rain we had,” Krick said of the process to plant the wetland vegetation. “But the last month has been very nice in terms of getting vegetation established before winter. I’m fairly happy with the way it looks.”

Thomas added, “We’re able to treat an inch or inch-and-a-half of rain through the wetland effectively. So, when we get one of these good soakers, we’re not releasing anything immediately into the lake. It’s all getting filtered through this.”

The new engineered wetland at Barker’s Island Marina. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The wetland project was funded by the Great Lakes Protection Fund and engineered by The Ohio State University. Staff at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve monitor conditions at the wetland and stormwater pond to ensure they are working properly.

The last improvement discussed was the marina’s stormwater pond, which is near the road. Because it had no outlet, the pond would often flood the marina parking lot during heavy rains, creating hazardous conditions.

The pond was retrofitted with a forebay to catch and treat the water, allowing sediment to settle. A pipe allows the water to flow into the bay once it gets high enough.

Barker’s Island Marina is one of three marinas in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio chosen for installation of green stormwater infrastructure practices.

For more information about Barker’s Island environmental projects, visit this blog story.

The Nov. 10 River Talk will feature Samuel Geer, president of Urban Ecosystems, presenting, “Revealing the Invisible: Experiencing and Interpreting the St. Louis River along Waabizheshikana (The Marten Trail).” His talk will be via Zoom at 7 p.m.:

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97648986592?pwd=THZIU1JBYTZRdzg3V1hkdUZOSExuUT09
Meeting ID: 976 4898 6592
Passcode: 924675

Other River Talks will be held Jan. 12, Feb. 19, March 9, April 13 and May 11, 2022. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit and the date may change. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Greener and Cleaner: How a Marina Takes Big Strides Toward Cleaner Water first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/greener-and-cleaner-how-a-marina-takes-big-strides-toward-cleaner-water/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=greener-and-cleaner-how-a-marina-takes-big-strides-toward-cleaner-water

River Talks to feature Marten Trail plan

On: November 1, 2021

In: River Talks, Samuel Geer, The Marten Trail, Urban Ecosystems, Waabizheshikana

Sam Geer. Image credit: Submitted photo

The next River Talk will take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, November 10 via Zoom. Samuel Geer will present, “Revealing the Invisible: Experiencing and Interpreting the St. Louis River along Waabizheshikana (The Marten Trail).”

Geer is president of Urban Ecosystems, a Twin Cities-based landscape architecture practice. He was lead designer for the interpretive plan for Waabizheshikana (formerly the Western Waterfront Trail in Duluth) and will share the process by which the team sought to celebrate the plants, animals and landscapes along the waterfront. The plan collects stories of noteworthy people, river places and lost landmarks that are revealed to visitors by a constellation of interpretive elements.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97648986592?pwd=THZIU1JBYTZRdzg3V1hkdUZOSExuUT09

Meeting ID: 976 4898 6592
Passcode: 924675
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,97648986592# US (New York)
+13017158592,,97648986592# US (Washington DC)

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks to feature Marten Trail plan first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-to-feature-marten-trail-plan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-to-feature-marten-trail-plan

River Talks to feature Marten Trail plan

On: November 1, 2021

In: River Talks, Samuel Geer, The Marten Trail, Urban Ecosystems, Waabizheshikana

Sam Geer. Image credit: Submitted photo

Here is the Zoom link and info:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97648986592?pwd=THZIU1JBYTZRdzg3V1hkdUZOSExuUT09

Meeting ID: 976 4898 6592
Passcode: 924675
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,97648986592# US (New York)
+13017158592,,97648986592# US (Washington DC)

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks to feature Marten Trail plan first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-to-feature-marten-trail-plan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-to-feature-marten-trail-plan

River Talks resume with Barker’s Island tour

On: September 30, 2021

In: Barker's Island green infrastructure improvements, Barker's Island Marina, Eric Thomas, Michael Krick, River Talks, Theresa Qualls, Wisconsin Clean Marina Program

The revamped stormwater pond at Barker’s Island Marina. Before the improvements, the pond often used to flood. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The River Talks, a series of informal science presentations, returns for the season with “Greener and Cleaner: How a Marina Takes Big Strides Toward Cleaner Water,” an in-person tour of environmental improvements on Barker’s Island in Superior.

Three speakers –Theresa Qualls with the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program, Eric Thomas with Barker’s Island Marina and Michael Krick with the city of Superior – will describe new projects designed to control stormwater runoff and prevent pollution on the island at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13.

Marinas attract customers who care deeply about sustaining water quality. With support from the Clean Marina Program, the city of Superior and many partners, Barker’s Island Marina has taken great strides over the past few years to install an engineered wetland and a large boat wash station. Tour participants will visit these innovative projects and learn more about the Clean Marina Program.

Meet at the marina’s Ship Store. Parking for this can be found in the northwest corner of the Barker’s Inn Resort parking lot (see map below). The tour will involve a round-trip walk on easy, paved surfaces from the Ship Store to the service center (three-fourths of a mile). It will last until 6 p.m. and will include time for Q&A.

In case of rain, the presentations will be held in the Lake Superior Estuarium on Barker’s Island (3 Marina Dr.).

Other River Talks will be held Nov. 10, 2021, and Jan. 12, Feb. 19, March 9, April 13 and May 10, 2022. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit and the date may change. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post River Talks resume with Barker’s Island tour first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/river-talks-resume-with-barkers-island-tour/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=river-talks-resume-with-barkers-island-tour

“A River of Poems” Book Spans the World

On: July 22, 2021

In: A River of Poems, Derold Sligh, Heather Dobbins, Lorraine Lamey, poetry publications, River Talks, Ron Riekki

It’s a thin volume with a worldwide span. In 2020, we sent out a call for river poems for The River Talks speaker series we hold with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve. Poets were offered the opportunity to read their poems via Zoom during one of the River Talk monthly presentations.

Poets from across the world responded. With help from a judging committee, we narrowed the pool to a dozen poets, who read their works in March 2021 in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. The event was so moving, and the poems so well received, we created a publication to showcase them. “A River of Poems,” is now available as a free download.

In “I Held Us on for 36 Hours After the Levee Broke to Hell,” Heather Dobbins tells the story of a family who spends the night atop a phone pole to escape a raging river.

In “Catching Your Drift,” Lorraine Lamey highlights the subtle humor in natural resource regulations for a river in Montana.

Poet Ron Riekki shares how water can be an antidote for PTSD from war in “It Took a Long Time to Discover.”

A river in Detroit burns in Derold Sligh’s “Rouge River” poem, heralding a cry for environmental and social justice.

Download the book here.

The post “A River of Poems” Book Spans the World first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/a-river-of-poems-book-spans-the-world/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-river-of-poems-book-spans-the-world

Ojibwe history on Wisconsin Point is complicated, painful, beautiful

On: May 21, 2021

In: Ojibwe burial ground, Ojibwe history Wisconsin Point, River Talks, Thomas Howes

People gathered on Wisconsin Point to learn about the Ojibwe history of the area. Image credit: Michael Anderson

With the cool blue of Lake Superior and soft sloshing waves as a background, The River Talks season ended on a Wisconsin Point beach after a year of virtual presentations. Thomas Howes, natural resources manager with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa presented, “Ojibwe connection to Wisconsin Point: Past, present and future,” to an audience of about 75, who enjoyed a warm evening.

Howes said the circumstances that brought the Ojibwe to Wisconsin Point were complicated. “This place has been important to who we are as Fond du Lac people, but also this region was important to expansion of trade. You couldn’t get to the Mississippi River very easily in those days. This was Highway 35 back then. All the goods coming from out East came through the lake, through here and up the river,” he said.

Thomas Howes. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Howes described how the Ojibwe fought with the Dakota people over this area because of its strategic location. White settlers and business owners also coveted Wisconsin Point. According to the “Duluth News Tribune,” the federal government owned the end of the point since 1901, when it condemned nearly 45 acres. In 1918, the Ojibwe lost more land on the point in a legal dispute with the Interstate Railroad Co., when a small village was forcibly moved and a nearby Ojibwe burial ground was bulldozed, with remains reburied at a Superior cemetery.

“A lot of painful things happened here,” Howes said. “A lot of beautiful things, too. This place is taking care of us. All of us who are from here, it’s all part of you. All the fish that came from here, all the berries, maple syrup, manoomin, all that is part of us.”

Thirteen acres at the end of the point where the Superior Entry connects the harbor with Lake Superior, became available when the U.S. Army declared it surplus property in 2002. Howes said the tribe received the property in 2017. It includes structures previously used by the University of Wisconsin-Superior as research facilities and by the Coast Guard.

“It needs some work. The whole area just needs some love. It’s overrun and has way too many chain-link fences. There’s a lot of opportunity there. It’s a huge thing to regain that territory; it’s symbolic,” Howes said.

He recently completed a project for his master’s degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he developed a stewardship plan for the 13-acre parcel. When asked what ideas are in his plan he joked, “There won’t be any casinos!” But he did mention development of some sort of visitation center, efforts to manage invasive plants and to restore the ecology. He said he has handed the plan over to the tribal government for consideration.

His plan’s main goal is for the area to remain intact and natural. “The fact that it’s stayed this way is pretty amazing,” Howes said.

He also thinks the tribe should own the Ojibwe Cemetery land so that it can protect it. He cited a recent incident where people involved in a medallion hunt dug in the burial grounds while on their search.

He also said the band is interested in having “the area from the lake all the way up the river to the reservation to be considered a cultural corridor. Because it is. When there are undertakings that are significant, they should be monitored for archeological resources and reasons. This is a really rich region archeologically and it should be respected.”

The River Talks series will be taking a break for the summer. Look for talks to begin again in fall. To receive email notifications about the series, please contact organizer Marie Zhuikov at mzhuikov@aqua.wisc.edu.

The lighthouse on Wisconsin Point. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The post Ojibwe history on Wisconsin Point is complicated, painful, beautiful first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/ojibwe-history-on-wisconsin-point-is-complicated-painful-beautiful/

Wisconsin Point field trip wraps up the River Talk season

On: May 3, 2021

In: River Talks, Thomas Howes, Wisconsin Point

The lighthouse at Wisconsin Point. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The River Talk series wraps up for the season with a field trip on Wisconsin Point at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 12. Participants will meet at parking lot #5 at the far end of the point near the shipping canal and lighthouse. Thomas Howes, natural resources manager for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, will lead the outing entitled, “Ojibwe connection to Wisconsin Point: Past, present and future.” Howes will discuss events that brought the Ojibwe to Wisconsin Point, what occurred from that time to the present, how the Ojibwe use the area currently and what the future vision is for Fond du Lac-owned lands on the point.

The event will last an hour and will include time for comments and questions. Use of masks is encouraged for safety. Bring a folding chair. A summary will be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog. In case of rain, the talk will be held a week later on May 19 at 7 p.m. in the same location.

The River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Wisconsin Point field trip wraps up the River Talk season first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsin-point-field-trip-wraps-up-the-river-talk-season/

St. Louis River tourism and new water trail talk

On: April 3, 2021

In: Kris Eilers, Nikky Farmakes, River Talk, River Talks, St. Louis River tourism, St. Louis River Water Trail

Nikky Farmakes, Superior-Douglas County Chamber of Commerce and Travel Superior

The next River Talk will take place via Zoom at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 14. “Discovering the magic of the estuary: Bringing tourists to the St. Louis River,” will feature Nikky Farmakes, director of marketing and social media for the Superior-Douglas County Chamber of Commerce and Travel Superior, and Kris Eilers, executive director of the St. Louis River Alliance. Farmakes will provide an overview of tourism and outdoor recreation in the St. Louis River Estuary followed by Eilers who will talk about the recent St. Louis River Water Trail designation.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/93108563539?pwd=bzV3OUNaUk8ydFJjKzNmdkxOUmF5UT09

Meeting ID: 931 0856 3539
Passcode: 176009
One tap mobile
+19292056099,93108563539# US (New York)
+13017158592,93108563539# US (Washington DC)

Kris Eilers, St. Louis River Alliance

The remaining River Talk of the season will be held on May 12. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post St. Louis River tourism and new water trail talk first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/st-louis-river-tourism-and-new-water-trail-talk/

A “River of Poems” spans the world

On: March 19, 2021

In: A River of Poems, River Talks

We expected only a few local poets would be interested. We thought they’d offer poems about the St. Louis River. That was our mindset when the River Talk planning team first developed the theme for the public poetry reading to be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit as an evening program in March. We were mistaken, but in the best possible way.

In reality, our call for river poems through the literary submission management platform Submittable garnered interest from 76 poets from across the U.S. and around the world. They submitted 148 poems for consideration.

“As it turns out, a lot of people like to write about rivers. That’s because they are really important in our communities and in our lives,” said Deanna Erickson, director of the National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve, which co-sponsors the River Talk series with Wisconsin Sea Grant.

We quickly realized we were going to need more judges. In the end, we gathered six who represented a good cross-section of the audience we expected to attend the summit.

We’d like to thank judges Hannah Ramage, monitoring coordinator with the Lake Superior Reserve; Julie O’Leary, director of the University of Superior’s (UWS) Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Program; Kari Jacobson-Hedin, watershed specialist with the Fond du Lac Tribe; Nick Danz, dean of academic affairs for UWS; Russ Maron, poetry appreciator; and myself (Marie Zhuikov), a poet and a science communicator for Wisconsin Sea Grant.

The judging was “blind,” which means the poets’ names were not associated with their poems. After two rounds, the judges narrowed the number of poems down to a dozen, with a few for backup in case any of the chosen poets could not be reached.

Although communication was sometimes a challenge, all 12 poets were enthusiastic about participating in the reading. They represented a wide diversity of ages and ethnicities.

The River Talk was several days ago, but the warm fuzzy feelings it engendered remain with me. I could use many adjectives to describe it: powerful, beautiful, stark, raw, funny — but it’s really best if you listen to the poems and feel all the feels for yourselves. The reading drew 85 Zoomers, a record attendance.

The Lake Superior Reserve, our partner in the talks, recorded the reading and it’s available on their YouTube channel. Here’s a list of the poets (in the order they read) and the names of their poems:

Tyler Dettloff (Michigan) “My Stars”
Heather Dobbins (Arkansas) “I Held us on for 36 Hours after the Levee Broke to hell”
Ben Green (New Mexico) “Immersion: A Prayer of Intent”
Lorraine Lamey (Michigan) “Catching Your Drift”
Joan Macintosh (Newfoundland) “The Current Feels”
Kate Meyer-Currey (England) “Timberscombe”
Rebecca Nelson (California) “Of the St. Louis River”
Stephanie Niu (New York) “To the Beaver’s Eyes”
Diana Randolph (Wisconsin) “Knowing the Way”
Ron Riekki (Florida) “It Took a Long Time to Discover”
Derold Sligh (South Korea) “Rouge River”
Lucy Tyrrell (Wisconsin) “Talking Water”

Ironically, the one poem specifically about the St. Louis River was written by someone who had never visited it. Rebecca Nelson said her poem, “Of the St. Louis River” was inspired by the spiritual experiences she’s had while watching water. She grew up in the Midwest and said she wrote the poem thinking of the rivers she knew from childhood. “I would love to visit sometime after the pandemic!” Nelson said.

Barb Huberty, St. Louis River Area of Concern coordinator for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, offered this comment in the Zoom chat, “I never knew that poetry could unite people across the globe.”

Sharon Moen, Eat Wisconsin Fish outreach specialist for Wisconsin Sea Grant, offered, “Thank you to all the poets and organizers! I am inspired by the depth of your thoughts and stories.”

Remaining River Talks will be held on April 14 and May 12. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

The post A “River of Poems” spans the world first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/a-river-of-poems-spans-the-world/

A free visit to the Great Lakes Aquarium!

On: March 2, 2021

In: Alexis Berke, Great Lakes Aquarium, River Talks

The February River Talk featured Alexis Berke with the Great Lakes Aquarium presenting, “A virtual visit: Explore the St. Louis River exhibits and animals at the Great Lakes Aquarium.” Berke, director of learning and engagement, offered a mini-guided tour of the St. Louis River exhibits at the aquarium designed for all ages. Along the way, she spotlighted some of the estuary residents and highlighted ways aquarium staff members work to make visits to their facility an inclusive experience.

Alexis Berke. Submitted photo.

“Each of the exhibits we’ll be visiting today are designed for animal care purposes,” Berke explained. “None of these animals exist alone – in nature, the ecosystem is not as separate as we’re going to see here today. Each of the animals, each of the plants, each of the people all work together to make this really rich landscape along the St. Louis River.”

Her energetic tour started with skunks, worked its way to turtles and ended with sturgeon. Berke gave viewers an inside look at the skunks’ log home. The animals did not much care for the intrusion – one of them started to raise its tail. Berke assured viewers that the skunks’ sulfurous scent glands had been removed.

“Skunks don’t really have that bad of a smell. It’s the chemistry of our noses that amplifies it,” Berke said. “Skunks are good neighbors. They tend to keep populations of unwanted pests under control – grubs, ant eggs and mites.”

The St. Louis River exhibit is home to several species of turtles, including painted turtles, a Blanding’s turtle and snapping turtles. One of Berke’s favorites is “Crush,” a 50-pound snapping turtle. He’s lived in the aquarium for seven years. Berke explained how snapping turtles are better adapted to life in the water than on land. For instance, they have developed long necks to help them reach the surface of the water to breathe air. Berke has never seen Crush on land in his exhibit.

“The St. Louis River has a really rich fishery. Human activities have impacted spawning areas and hatcheries, but restoration projects have brought back some of those habitats,” Berke said. Sturgeon are one such success story. Their numbers have begun to recover, and they have successfully spawned in the river during the past decade.

Berke said sturgeon are large and long-lived. They can grow up to eight feet long and females can live to 150 years. They don’t mature and breed until they are 20 years old. Restoration programs for them are still in play.

To make the tours accessible for all, the aquarium hired an inclusion coordinator in the past, who developed tactile tours for people with impaired vision. Berke is carrying on that work today. “What that means is we have our interpretive staff trained to use really descriptive language. We have some braille books and audio recordings people can check out from the aquarium. Some of the coolest stuff we have are props that allow visitors to understand what the animals are like without using their sense of sight,” said Berke. These props include a taxidermized wood duck, plastic models, a trout and a wood turtle. People interested in a tactile tour can call head to arrange one.

A video of Berke’s talk will be posted soon. The next River Talk will be held March 3 in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. The topic is “A River of Poems.” Poets from around the world and across the country will share their works about rivers.

The post A free visit to the Great Lakes Aquarium! first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/a-free-visit-to-the-great-lakes-aquarium/

A River of Poems

On: February 22, 2021

In: A River of Poems, Ben Green, Derold Sligh, Diana Randolph, Heather Dobbins, Joan Macintosh, Kate Meyer-Currey, Lorraine Lamey, Lucy Tyrell, Rebecca Nelson, River Talks, Ron Riekki, Stephanie Niu, Tyler Dettloff

The next River Talk will take place via Zoom at 7 p.m. (Central Time) Wednesday, March 3. During “A River of Poems,” a dozen poets from around the world and across the country will read their powerful, provocative and beautiful poems about rivers – the St. Louis River or others. This event is free and open to the public. Come experience a different perspective on waterways!

Here is the Zoom link and info:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/93264788373?pwd=amRqSWgvT1ZxNW03WFBnU2ZYclZUQT09
Meeting ID: 932 6478 8373
Passcode: 776905

The selected poets are:
Tyler Dettloff (Michigan) “My Stars”
Heather Dobbins (Arkansas) “I Held us on for 36 Hours after the Levee Broke to Hell”
Ben Green (New Mexico) “Immersion: A Prayer of Intent”
Lorraine Lamey (Michigan) “Catching Your Drift”
Joan Macintosh (Newfoundland) “The Current Feels”
Kate Meyer-Currey (England) “Timberscombe”
Rebecca Nelson (California) “Of the St. Louis River”
Stephanie Niu (New York) “To the Beaver’s Eyes”
Diana Randolph (Wisconsin) “Knowing the Way”
Ron Riekki (Florida) “It Took a Long Time to Discover”
Derold Sligh (South Korea) “Rogue River”
Lucy Tyrell (Wisconsin) “Talking Water”

Held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit, the reading will last an hour and will include time for comments and questions. The talk will be recorded and posted afterward on the Reserve’s Facebook page and YouTube. A summary will also be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog.

Remaining River Talks will be held on April 14 and May 12. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post A River of Poems first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/a-river-of-poems/

Explore the St. Louis River exhibits and animals at the Great Lakes Aquarium

On: February 1, 2021

In: Alexis Berke, Great Lakes Aquarium, River Talks, St. Louis River Exhibit

The next River Talk will take place via Zoom at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10. Alexis Berke with the Great Lakes Aquarium will present, “A virtual visit: Explore the St. Louis River exhibits and animals at the Great Lakes Aquarium.”

Alexis Berke. Submitted photo.

Berke, director of learning and engagement, will offer a mini-guided tour of the St. Louis River exhibits at the aquarium that all ages will enjoy. Along the way, she will spotlight some of the estuary residents and highlight ways the aquarium works to make visits to their facility an inclusive experience.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97039831999?pwd=NUIreTAvV0d2b2ZVbTJnNnV4aFRMZz09 Meeting ID: 970 3983 1999
Passcode: 683032

The talk will last an hour and will include time for Q&A. The talks will be recorded and posted afterward on the Reserve’s Facebook page. A summary will also be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog.

Other River Talks will be held on March 3, April 14 and May 12. The March talk will feature poets from around the country reading their river poems, held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Explore the St. Louis River exhibits and animals at the Great Lakes Aquarium first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/explore-the-st-louis-river-exhibits-and-animals-at-the-great-lakes-aquarium/

In: Dustin Haines, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, NERR sentinel site, River Talks, river water levels, st. louis river plant communities, St. Louis River wetlands research

River Talk explores wetland clashes on the St. Louis River Estuary

On: December 3, 2020

The November River Talk featured Dustin Haines, research coordinator for the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve. His Zoom talk held in cooperation with Café Scientifique Twin Ports, was titled, ““Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash of Wetlands With Lake Levels, Invasives and Humans.”

Dustin Haines

Haines described research conducted on a special site on the St. Louis River Estuary. This sentinel site on the Pokegama River, which flows into the estuary, serves as a long-term location to help researchers understand the impacts of water level fluctuations on coastal communities. “It is a sentinel of present, past and future change,” Haines said. Vegetation, weather and water quality data are collected on these sites on the Reserve and in other estuarine research reserves across the country.

From historical aerial images and Lake Superior water level data from 1938 to 2018, Reserve researchers found that, “When water levels are low, we have high amounts of emergent vegetation. And when the water level goes up, those emergent plant communities decline . . . It’s fairly clear that these emergent plant communities are correlated with these changing water levels. Biologists who study wetlands already know this, but it’s interesting to see it in this much-longer-term data set,” Haines said. Emergent plants are those with roots in the water and their tips out of the water. They form wetlands, which provide vital wildlife habitat and are a hallmark of a healthy estuary.

Then Haines turned to more recent data. During 2014-2017 and in 2020, Haines and other Reserve researchers established plots to record the types of plants found in them (emergent, submerged and floating). They also recorded water depths at the plots.

“We saw some interesting shifts in the emergent and submergent plant communities, which seem to be tied to rising water levels,” Haines said. The sites with high water depths had few emergent plants. Despite that, Haines said the submerged plant communities are doing well in those areas.

What does that mean for the health of the overall plant community in terms of diversity? The communities are changed by water level changes, but the number of species is fairly stable. The types of them just change.

“The number of species is not changing with respect to long-term changes in depth,” Haines said. “That indicates that while these communities are changing with emergent/submergent plant types, the species diversity is not drastically reduced.”

Invasive plants can outcompete native plants and can harm wetland health. Nonnative cattails and purple loosestrife are the most common alien plants found at the sentinel site. Haines did not find a correlation between the cover of invasive plants and the native plant cover on the site. “But it’s still something to pay attention to,” Haines said. “Cattails can really take over an area. They grow in monoculture, largely to the exclusion of native plants. That can be a problem.”

“This huge loss of wetland habitat from 200 years ago to now from human activities, indicates we do really need to focus on restoration efforts in the estuary to regain these neat habitats that we’ve lost over time. There’s a lot being done now, but we need to do more. Additionally, water levels are driving the system. Whatever’s happening to Lake Superior is happening to the estuary. That changes quickly, but the plant response is really quick to change, too. Restoration efforts need to take these dynamics into account,” Haines said.

If people would like to help efforts of the Reserve in the estuary, they can get involved in the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve. There are sometimes opportunities to participate in field work with the researchers.

A video of Haines’s talk is available on YouTube here. The next River Talk will be held in January (we skip December due to the holidays). Coastal wetlands will be the topic on January 13.

The post River Talk explores wetland clashes on the St. Louis River Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/river-talk-explores-wetland-clashes-on-the-st-louis-river-estuary/

River Talk explores the impact of water levels on the St. Louis River Estuary

On: November 5, 2020

In: Brandon Krumwiede, Canada geese, Hannah Burgstaler, River Talks, st. louis river estuary water levels, wild rice

The new season of River Talks began in October with two speakers who discussed the impacts of water level changes in the St. Louis River Estuary via Zoom. Brandon Krumwiede, Great Lakes geospatial coordinator with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, presented, “Water Level Change Impacts in the St. Louis River Estuary.” And Hannah Burgstaler, freshwater fellow at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, presented, “St. Louis River Estuary Water Level and Canada Geese Population Effect on Manoomin Survival Rate.”

Brandon Krumwiede. Submitted photo

Krumwiede described how water levels are changing in the Lake Superior Basin and then narrowed his scope to the estuary. “There’s been a huge step up in water levels in Lake Superior – a continual rise over the last several years, from 2007 to 2019. We’ve basically added three-and-a-half feet of water to the surface of Lake Superior,” Krumwiede said.

However, since August of 2020, levels in the basin have started to drop and are expected to continue to lower during the next six months. “Hopefully, this is that sigh of relief that everybody’s looking for with our recent exposure to high water levels,” Krumwiede said.

More locally, the estuary is sitting at or above record-high water levels. These can be exacerbated when wind from the northeast pushes water through the Wisconsin entry and the Duluth shipping canal. Krumwiede said urban stormwater runoff together with these northeast storm events can cause high water levels all the way to the Oliver Bridge (near Oliver, Wisconsin). He showed images of erosion on Allouez Bay, Wisconsin Point and Clough Island, along with inundated boat landings.

Low water levels can be problematic, too. “Often, in those new areas that are exposed, phragmites are some of the first species to take hold, so you have to deal with invasive species work,” he said. Access to the estuary for boaters can also be impeded.

For her research project, Burgstaler monitored four bays in the estuary (Allouez, Oliver-Little Pokegema, Duck Hunter South and Walleye Alley) using water pressure loggers and trail cameras, looking for the presence of geese and water levels that exceed a threshold for healthy wild rice growth. “Wild rice is at risk of completely disappearing in habitats where it once thrived. Factors contributing to its decline are fluctuating water levels, sulfide and mercury pollution, invasive species competition and waterfowl grazing,” Burgstaler said.

Hannah Burgstaler. Submitted photo

Wild rice tolerates a fluctuation range of up to six inches during the growing season and has a maximum water depth threshold of three feet. Continuous high water can “drown” the plants.

She visited the sites every one to two weeks by canoe, boat or paddleboard, to collect the camera SD cards and change batteries from June to September. She’s currently in the preliminary stages of data analysis. She’s going to compare her data with similar information collected by the Reserve and Fond du Lac Dam water release data to determine which sites are affected by seiches and water discharge from the dam. She will also compare geese counts in the different bays.

“Wild rice health is poor in the St. Louis River Estuary, but it’s still present so there’s still hope. From my preliminary data, geese may be negatively impacting wild rice survival with their browsing. Water levels in at least one bay exceeded 3 feet during the season and could impact wild rice survival. A combination of high water levels and geese may be contributing factors in the struggle of wild rice health in the St. Louis River Estuary,” Burgstaler said.

The Nov. 11 River Talk will feature Dustin Haines, research coordinator for the Reserve, who will present, “Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash of Wetlands With Lake Levels, Invasives and Humans.” His talk will also be via Zoom and held in cooperation with Café Scientifique Twin Ports. Join us at 7 pm:

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97447413031?pwd=TkN2YjN5VGl0ODJtMWYzZGxCT2llUT09
Meeting ID: 974 4741 3031
Passcode: 424987

The post River Talk explores the impact of water levels on the St. Louis River Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/river-talk-explores-the-impact-of-water-levels-on-the-st-louis-river-estuary/

Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash of Wetlands With Lake Levels, Invasives and Humans

On: November 2, 2020

In: Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports, Dustin Haines, River Talks

The River Talk series is partnering with Café Scientifique Twin Ports with a virtual talk at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, via Zoom. Dustin Haines, research coordinator with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve will present, “Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash of Wetlands With lake Levels, Invasives and Humans.”

Dustin Haines

Wetlands are an essential key to having healthy rivers and estuaries, but they are sensitive to natural and human-caused changes in the environment. This presentation will provide an overview of changes in wetland plant communities of the St. Louis River Estuary due to Lake Superior water levels, invasive non-native plants and human action, including more recent changes seen at the Reserve’s Sentinel Site.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97447413031?pwd=TkN2YjN5VGl0ODJtMWYzZGxCT2llUT09 Meeting ID: 974 4741 3031
Passcode: 424987

Other River Talks will be held in 20201 on Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 3, April 14 and May 12. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

The post Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash of Wetlands With Lake Levels, Invasives and Humans appeared first on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-the-clash-of-wetlands-with-lake-levels-invasives-and-humans/

Water levels: Erosion, wild rice and geese

On: September 30, 2020

In: Brandon Krumwiede, Hannah Burgstaler, River Talks

Quick, what do these things have in common: water level fluctuations, Canada goose populations and wild rice growth on the St. Louis River? Answer: they are all connected. Discover how they are linked during the first presentations of the season for the River Talks series.

Two speakers will offer virtual talks at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, via Zoom. Brandon Krumwiede, Great Lakes geospatial coordinator with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, will present, “Water Level Change Impacts in the St. Louis River Estuary.” Over the past several years, water level changes from near-record lows to near-record highs have altered the shorelines along Lake Superior and the estuary. Krumwiede’s presentation will provide an overview of the interplay between water levels and physical changes seen along the shorelines.

Hannah Burgstaler, freshwater fellow at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, will present, “St. Louis River Estuary Water Level and Canada Geese Population Effect on Manoomin Survival Rate.” Burgstaler monitored four bays using trail cameras, looking for the presence of geese and water levels that exceed a threshold for healthy wild rice growth.

Here is the Zoom link and info:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/94136537051?pwd=OVk4QWpBODdIWUJaWkduQnYzREw0QT09
Meeting ID: 941 3653 7051
Passcode: 638298

Each talk will last one hour and include time for Q&A. The talks will be recorded and posted afterward on the Reserve’s Facebook page. A summary will also be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog.

Other River Talks will be held Nov. 11, 2020, and Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 3, April 14 and May 12, 2021. The March talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit and the date may change. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/water-levels-erosion-wild-rice-and-geese/

Deterring geese on the St. Louis River to protect wild rice

On: June 12, 2020

In: Canada geese deterrence on St. Louis River, Elise Ertl, geese and wild rice, River Talks, Sam Hansen

Canada geese swimming through wild rice on the St. Louis River. Image taken by a trail cam.

By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior

The final River Talk of the season, “Deterring Geese on the St. Louis River to Protect Wild Rice,” was presented by Sam Hansen, a former summer undergraduate research fellow with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, on May 13. The presentation was done virtually via Zoom, which allowed people to come together during the Coronavirus pandemic. It is available on YouTube.

Hansen completed his research in the summer of 2019. In his talk, he discussed the effects of low-impact kayaking on the Canada geese population in bay areas and the relationship between these geese and wild rice.

Wild rice is an important resource in our area, not only economically, but socially and culturally as well. Hansen began his talk by discussing the current situation of declining rice in the St. Louis River and what could be causing levels to drop. “There are a couple reasons for the depletion of wild rice in recent years. One is rising water levels, sulfide levels and the focus of this study, goose predation.”

Canada goose. Image credit: Sam Hansen

Canada geese were once endangered in our area, however since then, geese have replenished their population, reaching around 5 million breeding geese in 2013. Hansen says the increase in the population is likely due to the increase in agricultural grain, meaning the geese have more feeding opportunities. This includes wild rice in their diet. This increase in goose population means a decrease in wild rice.

To test whether human activity, such as low-impact kayaking, would have an effect on goose visitation in areas with wild rice, Hansen set up eight trail cameras: four on visited lakes (lakes with frequent human visitors), and four on unvisited lakes (lakes with no visitors). The trail cams took photos every ten minutes, totaling around 30,000 pictures that he had to sort through at the end of the observation period.

Hansen acquired kayakers for the visited lakes through volunteerism, Craigslist, and geocache opportunities. Geocaches are small, hidden containers that usually include a notepad and pencil or a small item inside with which people are then able to leave a small note or exchange an item of their own bringing with an item inside the container. This is something that is a unique addition to the study to attract more people that may normally not have visited the lakes otherwise. People that were not volunteers for the study, but were still present on the lake, were also taken into account.

Hansen said, “The geocaches were meant so that people would have to kayak out to find them and, therefore, deter geese. Some people, however, did just grab them from land, but fortunately, we were able to still count them as visitors.”

For his research, Hansen recorded what time of the day geese were most likely to be active and what stage of growth the wild rice was in when most geese were present. Hansen said, “There is a higher abundance of geese during the flowering leaf stages of wild rice and the bays are most frequently visited during dawn and dusk, while midday times were avoided. Kayaking or visiting the bays during morning and night will most effectively deter geese.”

Hansen’s overall results showed non-motorized water recreation could be a goose deterrence method and would be most effective in areas with more wild rice in the flowering stages.

One audience member noted that goslings are grown by the time the rice flowers, and speculated that more geese are present during the flowering stage because the young geese increase the population counts.

Another audience member asked if bringing a dog while paddling could also help deter geese. While Hansen said no further studies on goose deterrence are being conducted right now, both of these ideas could be a potential study in the future.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/deterring-geese-on-the-st-louis-river-to-protect-wild-rice/

https://uwextension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0od-ihqDIvEtQfz-vWF3bPtsPAIdk-ULYW

Deterring geese on the St. Louis River to protect wild rice

On: April 29, 2020

In: geese control and wild rice, River Talks, Sam Hansen, St. Louis River Estuary

The River Talk series is changing format for the final talk for this academic year. At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, via Zoom, Sam Hansen, former undergraduate research fellow with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, will present, “Deterring Geese on the St. Louis River to Protect Wild Rice.”

Northern wild rice, native to the St. Louis River, was once abundant. Today, it is threatened by high water levels and increased feeding pressure by Canada geese. Hansen will describe his project to determine if low-impact kayaking in wild rice bays could reduce the abundance of geese.

Registration is required to attend:

Registration will help keep the event safe and prevent unauthorized access. After registration, attendees will receive an e-mail with the link and a unique password to join the meeting. To attend a Zoom meeting, participants can access the meeting on the web and do not need to download the program to a personal device.

Hansen’s talk will be recorded and posted afterward on the Reserve’s Facebook page. A summary will also be posted on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog.

River Talks are sponsored by The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs.

For more information, visit go.wisc.edu/4uz720.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/deterring-geese-on-the-st-louis-river-to-protect-wild-rice/

Catching spirits through a lens

On: March 17, 2020

In: Akinomaage, Elise Ertl, River Talks, Vern Northrup photographer

By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior

As part of the River Talks series, Vern Northrup presented his five-year photography journey titled, “Akinomaage: Teaching from the Earth,” on March 3 at the St. Louis River Summit held at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. He explained how he was able to use photography to show connection between Earth and spirit and the relationship between sustainability, growth and fire.

“Biboon” (winter) — an image from Vern Northrup’s photography book.

Northrup got his start when he was asked five years ago to have an exhibit at Duluth’s American Indian Community Housing Organization. He was presented with his next opportunity when the Duluth Art Institute asked him to create an exhibit, which is his now photography book, “Akinomaage: Teaching from the Earth,” the first book the institute has published.

Northrup, a member of the Fond Du Lac Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa, began his talk by explaining how the tribe finds their connection with nature. “The way we look at everything out there is that everything has a spirit. Everything that has been created, the Earth, the moon, the river, the water, has a spirit, and that is how we treat them, one spirit to another.”

Having this deeper connection with nature led to the inspiration that lies behind Northrup’s photos. As he began showing the contents of his photo book, he provided the audience with insight into how these spirits have influenced the way tribal members live. Gitchi-Gami-zibi, also known as the St. Louis River, has been a major influence in their lives.

“In the water, there are mermen and mermaids. They love us so much, they want us to come live with them. Of course, we cannot, so we show our appreciation by making offerings to them, and in return, they protect us,” Northrup said.

This is only one example of many that have become integrated as a part of their lives. The sumac tree, milkweed buds and wild animals are a few more of the important integrated benefits in their lives, providing food, medicine and tools. Northrup showed one unique photo of red leaves on a tree forming a phoenix, representing a culture that is ever rising, and the adaptation that it takes to thrive.

Vern Northrup

Northrup also worked with ishkode (fire) for a number of years and was invited to Stockton Island to return fire to sustain this part of the Apostle Island National Lakeshore. Northrup said the Anishinaabe used to burn there for thousands of years for blueberries. Island blueberries became a valuable trade item because of their varying, yet close, harvest time compared to berries on the mainland.

“The indigenous people in America had over 700 uses of fire to shape their environment. For whatever reason. It could have been anything from war, to cooking bugs, to everything,” Northrup said.

He added that the purpose for fires was to attract different types of animals at certain times of the year, to encourage blueberry growth, or to add nutrients for the wild rice. “Fire is a cleanser of the land and the air,” he said. By burning the land, they were able to encourage new growth of food and plants that otherwise had not emerged in years.

Flowering wild rice — an image from Vern Northrup’s photography book.

A member of the audience asked how Northrup chooses what to photograph. His response was, “Some days I go out there, and I tell myself to sit down and listen to what’s around me to try and learn something. I enjoy taking pictures of the woods here. I’ve spent my time travelling, and now the woods are where I want to stay.”

The April River Talk, “What Tourism Means for the River,” will be postponed until a later date due to the Cornonavirus. If you’d like to get on the email list for River Talk notifications, please contact Science Communicator Marie Zhuikov at mzhuikov@aqua.wisc.edu.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/catching-spirits-through-a-lens/

The importance of cultivating manoomin in the St. Louis River

On: March 3, 2020

In: Fond du Lac wild rice health impact assessment, manoomin, Nancy Schuldt, River Talks

Nancy Schuldt holds a copy of the health impact assessment document the Fond du Lac Tribe commissioned. Image by Michael Anderson.

By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior

Nancy Schuldt delivered her River Talk, “Promoting Tribal Health by Protecting and Restoring Manoomin (Wild Rice) in the St. Louis River and Beyond,” on Feb. 12, stressing the importance of manoomin’s presence in the St. Louis River and the benefits it creates in health, wellness and wealth.

Schuldt, the water protection coordinator with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, began by noting how the tribe approached the manoomin decline. “Science simply just isn’t enough. You need policy and reform, and to start that, we decided it was best to conduct a health impact assessment.”

Manoomin provides many health benefits physically, economically and socially. Wild rice is packed with fiber and protein, measuring much higher than white and brown rice. The harvesting of wild rice, an important tradition in Native American culture, also provides a great deal of physical exercise that adds to the health benefits of wild rice. Schuldt said that economically, the manoomin harvest adds more than $20 million to the state economy each year and supports nearly 300 jobs. The growth of wild rice also promotes increased duck populations, which in turn promotes duck hunting for economic profit.

After focusing on the benefits that wild rice supports, Schuldt described what wild rice needs to grow properly and abundantly. She used a quote that was shared by a concerned tribal member, which read, “Water is necessary for not just wild rice but us as well. It has to be clean.”

Good water quality and habitat are vital to the survival of this annual grass. Sulfate is one component being investigated because of its observed effects on wild rice. Schuldt said they are pushing for enforcing the state’s existing 10-ppm maximum of sulfate in the water, which the Band also has in its approved water quality standards. However, this can be a tough goal to achieve due to cost factors that arise for companies and wastewater treatment plants in treating their effluent. A lot of emphasis has been put on costs for the companies, but Schuldt believes the benefits of wild rice outweigh the costs.

A member of the audience asked why the water body sulfate specific standards were so important when cultivating wild rice. Schuldt delved deeper into the subject by explaining how sulfate turns into sulfide in the sediments surrounding the roots of the wild rice, which, over time, becomes toxic. The seeds then become less abundant and smaller, meaning less rice grows as the sulfide accumulates.

The next River Talk will be held at 6:30 p.m. on March 3 in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. The topic will be “Akinomaage: Teaching from the Earth,” presented by photographer and Fond du Lac tribal member Vern Northrup. He will discuss how he uses photography as a tool to educate both himself and viewers about the rhythms of nature, the preservation of tradition, and the relationship between resilience and sustainability.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/the-importance-of-cultivating-manoomin-in-the-st-louis-river/

Akinomaage: Teaching From the Earth

On: February 20, 2020

In: Akinomaage, Chippewa, Ojibwe, River Talks, Vern Northrup

The River Talk series continues this month, but will be held in a different location and day of the week. At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, in the French River Room 1 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, Minnesota), Vern Northrup, member of the Fond du Lac Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa, will present “Akinomaage: Teaching From the Earth.” Northrup will discuss how he uses photography as a tool to educate both himself and viewers about the rhythms of nature, the preservation of tradition, and the relationship between resilience and sustainability.

Northrup’s talk is being held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit. River Talks are free and open to all, however, participants will need to pay a DECC parking charge. Refreshments are provided.

The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs offer this series of informal evening talks about the St. Louis River Estuary.

Other River Talks will be held on April 8 and May 13. For more information, visit go.wisc.edu/4uz720. If you miss a talk, visit Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog for a summary.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/akinomaage-teaching-from-the-earth/

Promoting tribal health by protecting and restoring manoomin (wild rice) in the St. Louis River and beyond

On: February 3, 2020

In: Fond du Lac Reservation, manoomin, Nancy Schuldt, River Talks, wild rice

The River Talk series continues at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Drive, Superior, Wisconsin). Nancy Schuldt, water protection coordinator with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, will present, “Promoting Tribal Health by Protecting and Restoring Manoomin (Wild Rice) in the St. Louis River and Beyond.”

Nancy Schuldt. Image by Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Manoomin and all the health benefits and wealth it creates are under threat from a variety of stressors. This native grain has declined substantially in its historic range on the St. Louis River and beyond. Due to the importance of manoomin to tribal health, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the state of Minnesota developed a health impact assessment to convey the importance of wild rice to Ojibwe people. Schuldt will speak on the assessment and share reflections from her career spent studying and protecting water.

The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs offer this series of informal evening talks about the St. Louis River Estuary. Everyone is invited and refreshments are provided.

Other River Talks will be held on March 3, April 8 and May 13. The March 3 talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit.

For more information, visit go.wisc.edu/4uz720. If you miss a talk, visit Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog for a summary

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/promoting-tribal-health-by-protecting-and-restoring-manoomin-wild-rice-in-the-st-louis-river-and-beyond/