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In: aquatic, Butte des Morts, ecosystem, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, fresh water, habitat, hummingbirds, katie reed, Lake, Lake Winneconne, lakes, lamprey, native plant, Outreach and Education, plant, pollinator, pollinator habitat, Poygan, shoreline, shoreline erosion, species, species spotlight, Water quality, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways

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

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

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

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

H. Zell; CC BY-SA 3.0

Article written by Katie Reed, Winnebago Waterways Coordinator: katherine@fwwa.org 
 Featured Image Credit: SB Johnny; CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Additional Image Credit 1: Aaron Carlson, wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu; CC BY-SA 3.0
Additional Image Credit 2: H.Zell, NC Extension Gardner Plant Toolbox; CC BY-SA 3.0

 Sources:
Wisconsin Pollinators – Plant Details – Great Blue Lobelia
USDA Plants – Great Blue Lobelia
Wisconsin Herbarium – Great Blue Lobelia
North Carolina Extension Gardener – Plant Toolbox – Lobelia siphilitica

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

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

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

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

Katie Reed

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In: conservation, erosion, Event - FWWA, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, Healthy Lakes, healthy lakes and rivers, Lake Winnebago, menasha, Outreach, Outreach and Education, shoreline, shoreline property, shoreline property tour, Shoreline Restoration, Shoreline Tour, soil, tour, watershed, watershed recovery, WDNR, WI DNR, Winnebago Waterways
Sign up by clicking here!

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

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

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

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

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

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

Katie Reed

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In: Butte des Morts, columbia park, cost share, county, demo site, diversions, fish sticks, Fond du Lac County, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, grant, habitat, Healthy Lakes, katie reed, korin doering, Lake Management, lakes, lakeshore, lwcd, native plantings, Poygan, rain gardens, restoration, shoreland, shoreline, Watershed Project, WI DNR, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, Wisconsin, Wolf River

Visitors to Marble Park in Winneconne, Winnebago County can soon stop by three native plant beds to enjoy beautiful native plants! Installation is scheduled to start on August 22, 2023. We anticipate needing volunteers to help the remainder of the week (Aug 22-23). If you are interested in volunteering to help install and plant these beds, please fill out the following form and select “Shoreline Planting/Work Crew”. We look forward to seeing you at the park!

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance partnered with the Village of Winneconne to install the native plant beds. The goal of this project is to increase the adoption and installation of native shoreline plantings around the Winnebago System. We are excited to see the project come together and watch the plants grow!

Shoreline property owners are eligible to receive reimbursement of up to $1000 to install this type of best management practice through a Wisconsin DNR Healthy Lakes and Rivers grant by partnering with Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Come check out what this shoreline best management practice looks like, what the requirements are for the Healthy Lakes and Rivers Grant, and what shoreline property owners can expect from the process of planning, installing, and maintaining the native plant beds.

Under a Healthy Lakes and Rivers grant, native plantings must:

  • Total 350 contiguous square feet,
  • Be at least 10 feet wide in any direction,
  • Be adjacent to the shore,
  • Follow the Healthy Lakes requirement for number of native plants and species.

A Healthy Lakes native planting project can augment an existing area of shoreline vegetation under certain circumstances.

The demonstration site at Marble Park will meet all of these requirements, and is intended to give shoreline property owners a good idea of what to expect from their native plantings, while also educating visitors about how native plantings can improve wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and decrease runoff into the Wolf River.

The Demonstration Site will showcase three different plant lists: a low-growing bed showcasing species that grow <5 ft tall, a shoreline edge bed with species that thrive close to the water and a pollinator bed which will showcase species specifically intended to attract pollinators.

If you have any questions or are interested in installing a Healthy Lakes native plant bed on your shoreline property, please contact Katie Reed at katherine@fwwa.org or 920-851-6472.

Funding for this project was provided by the Winnebago Waterways Program at Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the WI Department of Natural Resources. Project partners include the Winnebago Waterways Program at Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the Village of Winneconne.

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

The post Volunteers Needed! Shoreline Buffer Demonstration Site Set To Be Installed at Marble Park, Winneconne appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/08/09/marble-park-demo-site/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=marble-park-demo-site

Katie Reed

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In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, History and Culture, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, Shipping and Ports, shipwrecks, shoreline, The Catch, Tourism
The Catch: Shoreline shipwrecks

This month of The Catch features a look at shoreline shipwrecks in Michigan.

Author and editorial director of MichiganTrailMaps.com Jim DuFresne published a “Landlubbers Guide to Shoreline Shipwrecks,” and takes Great Lakes Now on a virtual tour of some of his favorites which include wrecks on the shores of Sleeping Bear Dunes and Isle Royale National Park.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/06/the-catch-shoreline-shipwrecks/

GLN Editor

On:
In: benton harbor, great lakes now, great lakes now update, indiana dunes national park, Lake Michigan, shoreline, The Catch
The Catch: Benton Harbor, Indiana Dunes National Park, shoreline armoring

Great Lakes Now introduced a new segment in Episode 2203 – The Catch.

In it, we take you around the region to hear bite-sized updates from reporters about the issues they’re covering and how it impacts our environment and the people who live around it.

In the premiere segment, we look at a range of Lake Michigan stories from reporters Leonard Fleming, Joseph S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/03/the-catch-benton-harbor-indiana-dunes-shoreline-armoring/

GLN Editor

On:
In: Feature Homepage, flood damage, flooding, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, shoreline, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Lower Rates: New flood risk assessment will reduce insurance rates in the Great Lakes region

Approximately 85,000 homeowners in the Great Lakes region will see rate reductions for the first time because of the National Flood Insurance Program’s new risk rating system, experts say.

The flood insurance program is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It provides coverage to property owners, renters and businesses to help them recover from floods faster.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/flood-risk-assessment-reduce-insurance-rates/

Taylor Haelterman

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, contamination, detroit river, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, shoreline, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Another seawall collapse due to gravel pile stored too close to Detroit River

By Michigan Radio

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/seawall-collapse-gravel-detroit-river/

Michigan Radio

On:
In: AP, Michigan, News, Research, Science, Technology, Research, shoreline, water levels, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
MSU researchers collecting data on Great Lakes shoreline

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Researchers at Michigan State University are collecting data on how Great Lakes shoreline, including how residents view coastlines and the impact of high water levels.

Assistant professor Erin Bunting said the goal is to empower local communities, which is important to the future of the lakeshores and future research.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/ap-msu-researchers-data-great-lakes-shoreline/

The Associated Press

On:
In: birds, conservation, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, Lorraine Boissoneault, Michigan, News, recovery, Science, Technology, Research, shoreline
Piping Plovers: Despite new challenges, the birds make their comeback

When biologist Jillian Farkas stepped into the position of piping plover coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in January 2020, there was no way she could have predicted just how unprecedented the coming season would be.

Her role involves coordinating dozens of scientists and volunteers across six states, two tribes and multiple government agencies—all to help preserve the endangered Great Lakes population of piping plovers.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/piping-plovers-recovery-population/

Lorraine Boissoneault

On:
In: Chicago, environmental contamination, Environmental Justice, Floods, reconnection, shoreline, water shutoffs, wind turbines

May 29, 2020

TThis week: Floodwaters Mix with Chemicals After Dam Failures + Some Residents of Chicago May Find Relief from Lack of Running Water + Funding for Lakewalk in Duluth Approved + Wind Turbines in Lake Erie Moves Forward with Limitations + Our Own Alicia Smith Receives “Urban Waters Learning Network Award”

Floodwaters Mix with Chemicals After Dam Failures

Two dams failed in mid-Michigan after 4.7 inches fell on mid-Michigan in 48 hours after several previous days of rain. The flooding surrounded Dow Chemical, headquartered in Midland. Levees designed to protect the plant from external forces were infiltrated causing floodwaters to comingle with dangerous chemicals within the plant creating potential environmental contamination.

Some Residents of Chicago May Find Relief from Lack of Running Water

Many cities in the Great Lakes region are scrambling to reconnect their water customers with service in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.  In Chicago, residents fear having to pay past bills before they can have their water restored.  Relief may be in sight for those who qualify, as the City has announced a Utility Billing Relief Program featuring reduced rates, no late penalties or debt collection, and debt forgiveness with on-time payments for 12 months.

Funding for Lakewalk in Duluth Approved

A popular seven-mile trail that follows the Lake Superior shoreline in Duluth received funding approval from City Council to rebuild the Canal Park section.  High waters and storms damaged the trail.  Federal and state funding will cover 75% of the improvements and City funds will be used for the remainder.

Wind Turbines in Lake Erie Moves Forward with Limitations

A pilot project for six-offshore wind turbines in Lake Erie, which would be the first of its kind in North America, took one step forward.  The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation received approval from the siting board with 33 conditions including no nighttime operations from March through October to reduce impacts to bats and birds.  The energy company stated that the conditions could kill the project. Opponents are concerned that the environmental assessment did not adequately address all the potential impacts.

Our Own Alicia Smith Receives “Urban Waters Learning Network Award”

A huge congratulations to our Community and Policy Director, Alicia Smith for receiving the Urban Waters Learning Network Award, presented at the Virtual River Rally for her work with the amazing Junction Coalition in Toledo, Ohio.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-may-29-2020/

Leslie Burk