Natural resources students learn while helping preserve one of Wisconsin’s treasured resources
By: Trish Ossmann, DNR social media specialist
APPLETON, Wis. -- Gently flowing and quietly winding through several parts of our state are true gems, often passed by without a second glance, cutting their way through wooded hills and valleys. They are high quality, cold-water trout streams and they are nothing short of a treasure.
Shawn Sullivan, DNR fisheries operations team supervisor, takes a stream bank reading while students work their way across the stream. DNR photo by Trish Ossmann
Fisheries staff with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources work to preserve these streams, which are home to native brook trout, naturally-producing brown trout, and in some cases, rainbow trout. Making sure they maintain the integrity of these waterways for years to come is a constant work in progress. But it’s not just the DNR working to keep these streams in mint condition. Numerous groups help with restoration projects throughout the year.
One of those groups is made up of students from the Natural Resources Technician Program at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton. They are taking learning to a whole new level, while helping the DNR with natural resource projects, like trout stream restoration.
“These students are working toward an associate degree in natural resources through our school,” explained Paul Groell, an instructor at FVTC in the Natural Resources program. “Every Friday students go out into the field for a day of hands-on experience where they can learn fieldwork techniques and procedures from DNR and industry contacts, as well as their instructors.”
Fox Valley Tech student, Danyelle DeBoer, alongside instructor Paul Groell, takes measurements in Chaffee Creek. DNR photo by Trish Ossmann
On a recent day, five students joined Groell to use survey-grade GPS units to conduct a topographic survey of Chaffee Creek in Marquette County, near Wautoma. This is one of the waterways in the state known as a Class 1 trout stream. That means trout are naturally-reproducing and no stocking is necessary. Chaffee Creek is also one of only a handful of streams in Wisconsin that support a naturally-reproducing population of rainbow trout. The group walks the creek, recording location and elevation data along the corridor, including stream banks, water level and stream bed characteristics. They will use the information to establish a baseline map showing existing creek conditions.
“What we will do with the information then is use it as a guide in planning habitat and creek restoration,” explained Shawn Sullivan, operations team supervisor in the DNR fisheries program. “This data is critical not only for use now, but for future generations doing stream and creek monitoring. It will help show the creek’s progression and changes over decades.”
Students in the FVTC program do more than GPS mapping. They also work with a wide variety of DNR programs from forestry and fisheries to wildlife and wastewater. Some graduates of the program go on to work in a variety of DNR programs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Shawn Sullivan, 920-622-3595 or Trish Ossmann, 920- 662-5122.