DNR Weekly News Update for November 7, 2017
Wisconsin DNR adds Instagram to bring hikers, bikers, anglers, hunters and many more closer to our great natural resources
MADISON -Wisconsin's beautiful state parks, bountiful wildlife and hunting opportunities and world-class fisheries are on full display on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources new Instagram account.
The Instagram account, titled @wi_dnr, gives followers an inside look at what makes Wisconsin one of the premiere outdoor destinations in the country. While many posts will showcase work done by DNR staff in the field, amateur photographers and outdoor enthusiasts of all types are encouraged to submit photos and videos to be shared on the page.
The new DNR Instagram account will feature photos like this six-lined racerunner scurrying around and enjoying life in Wisconsin this summer.
Photo Credit: Rich Staffen
"Social media gives DNR staff an opportunity to interact directly with the public and also creates a venue to share stories and experiences with others from all over the world," said Erik Barber, DNR social media coordinator. "At the click of a button, we can promote our projects and help our users understand what we do each day to improve their time in the outdoors. Wild Wisconsin, which gives viewers an inside look at deer management, has already been seen more than 80,000 times - we see social media as the future of communicating with the public."
The DNR will regularly upload new photos to the Instagram account of people enjoying Wisconsin's state parks, forests trails and recreation areas as well as hunters and anglers out in the field. You'll also find photos of the state's abundant natural resources. People can view the DNR's Instagram page at www.instagram.com/wi_dnr/ (all social media links exit DNR).
For a more interactive experience, the DNR Facebook page, which recently surpassed 100,000 likes, features hunting, fishing and state park posts throughout the week, with an opportunity to interact directly with DNR staff.
For people who like to get their news on the go, Twitter provides bite-sized updates for a number of DNR programs and events. Check out the DNR Twitter account.
YouTube
For a closer look at some of the department's most interesting projects and programs, the DNR YouTube channel provides an inside look at everything from tips for deer season to environmental success stories. The department's most recent video series, Wild Wisconsin, is uploaded there on the featured playlist. Wild Wisconsin provides deer hunters with all the information they need to know before heading to the woods with an exciting web series and information-packed podcasts.
The DNR LinkedIn page allows the department to distribute job openings to over 5,000 followers at a time. If you're having trouble finding the ideal candidate for a position, try promoting it here. This platform is filled with job seekers looking for exciting and challenging opportunities.
Stay connected with the Wisconsin DNR and the outdoors by checking out any and all of the Wisconsin DNR social media platforms.
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Efforts to aid monarch butterflies take off in Wisconsin
MADISON -- Wisconsin efforts to help conserve monarchs are taking off as the iconic butterflies fly to their wintering grounds in Mexico.
The Department of Natural Resources recently learned its Natural Heritage Conservation program has won a $69,800 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore and enhance critical monarch butterfly habitat along the Mississippi River.
The grant and matching funds contributed by NHC, county conservation departments and non-profit conservation groups totaling $109,785 will be used to restore and enhance 700 public and private acres at well-known places including Brady's Bluff Prairie State Natural Area in Perrot State Park and Hogback Prairie State Natural Area in Crawford County.
"Monarchs have declined by 90 percent since the 1990s and need whatever help they can get from government agencies, private industries, universities, property owners, and volunteers," says Drew Feldkirchner, who leads DNR's Natural Heritage Conservation program.
"We're excited this grant will help us restore habitat on the ground and advance our partnerships to help monarchs and many other species."
SLIDE SHOW | 8 photosHabitat help for monarchs
Habitat loss throughout the monarch's breeding range, which includes Wisconsin, is considered the primary cause of the monarch population's crash, Feldkirchner says.
Many Wisconsin organizations and individuals are taking steps to reduce the monarch's dramatic decline and increase its chances for future recovery, says Owen Boyle, Natural Heritage Conservation species management section chief. Other recent NHC monarch work includes:
- Managing and restoring monarch and pollinator habitat on tens of thousands of acres, including numerous State Natural Areas.
- Joining the Monarch Joint Venture, a partnership of more than 50 conservation, education, and research organizations from across the United States working together to conserve the monarch migration. Membership increases funding and networking opportunities.
- Participating in a partnership with 15 other states to create a regional conservation plan for monarchs.
- Co-organizing the Wisconsin Monarch Summit in May 2017 with the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Pheasants Forever, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, and Sand County Foundation. This day-long gathering brought together more than 60 stakeholders from government agencies, universities, conservation organizations, and the utility, transportation and agricultural sectors to lay the foundation for a statewide monarch conservation strategy for Wisconsin.
- Funding four monarch citizen science trainings throughout the state in 2017 with the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin and The Blue Mounds Area Project. Sixty-five volunteers were trained to collect information on monarchs, with more to come in 2018.
Find more information about monarchs and other native pollinators and how you can help them on DNR's Native Pollinator webpage, as well as sign up to receive periodic email or text updates about monarchs. Visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword "pollinators."
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Plant seeds now to help monarchs and other pollinators next year
MADISON - As temperatures begin to drop throughout Wisconsin, state conservation biologists urge people to keep monarchs and other pollinators in mind by taking steps now to benefit pollinators.
Now is the time to plant native seeds that pollinators can depend on for food and shelter next year.
Photo Credit: DNR
"Fall is the perfect time of year to maintain habitat and plant native seeds that pollinators can depend on for food and shelter next year," says Eva Lewandowski, a conservation biologist for the Department of Natural Resources' Natural Heritage Conservation program. "While many of our butterflies, bees, and other native pollinators have migrated out of the state or hunkered down for the winter, we can still help them."
The seeds of most plants native to Wisconsin need to go through cold stratification, meaning a period of prolonged cold, to grow successfully in the spring. The simplest way to accomplish that is for the seeds to be planted in the fall and exposed to cold winter weather, Lewandowski says. By planting native seeds this fall, people will be creating habitat in the spring for species like the monarch butterfly and the endangered rusty patched bumble bee, she says.
April through October is when most pollinators are active in Wisconsin, so planting native plants that bloom at different times can ensure that food is available when the pollinators need it, says Jay Watson, NHC conservation biologist and insect expert. Native milkweed species are the only plants monarch caterpillars can eat, while adult monarchs can use a variety of nectar plants like Joe-Pye-weed, coneflowers and asters.
Wisconsin residents also can help pollinator populations by leaving some fallen leaves in place, rather than raking or leaf-blowing and then disposing of all the leaves, Watson says.
Fallen leaves form a layer of leaf litter to house and protect pollinators during the winter. Some butterflies, bumble bees, and other beneficial pollinators burrow into the leaf litter or a few inches into the ground below it, and are insulated and sheltered until spring, he says.
"Pollinators play a critical role in supporting our native landscapes, agricultural systems, and gardens," Watson says. "Landowners can help ensure they have food and shelter here in Wisconsin."
Find a list of native plant nurseries, guides to native plants, and other useful information by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keyword, "pollinators," where people also can sign up to receive periodic email or text updates about monarch or other pollinator conservation news in Wisconsin.
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Landowner Incentive Program accepting proposals for Driftless Area private lands restoration
MADISON - Private landowners, conservation organizations, and land trusts can now apply for funding and technical help through the Landowner Incentive Program to create and manage habitat for rare plants and animals in Wisconsin's Driftless Area.
"We're very pleased to be able to help property owners benefit rare and declining plant and animal species on their lands," says Drew Feldkirchner, who leads the DNR's Natural Heritage Conservation Program that runs the Landowner Incentive Program.
"Landowners play a key role in helping conserve our natural heritage for future generations. We appreciate that the work is not easy but brings great benefits to all of us."
Such LIP grants have helped improve more than 12,000 acres of habitat for more than 240 at-risk species, including red-headed woodpeckers, monarch butterflies, rusty patched bumble bees, and gophersnakes.
The program is competitive, and landowners should visit the Landowner Incentive Program website to review details of the application process, project ranking criteria, and eligible work. Search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for "LIP."
Lee Swanson and other owners of the Swamplovers' Nature Preserve in Dane County are restoring habitat to benefit rare species with the help of a LIP grant. Read their story in the June 2016 Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine [PDF].
Photo Credit: Michael Kienitz
Who is eligible and how to apply
Applicants who have received funding from the Landowner Incentive Program in the past can contact DNR program staff directly to receive a project application, while new applicants must first submit a pre-proposal application. A site visit by a biologist also may be required to assess the project proposal. If the pre-proposal is approved, landowners are invited to submit a more detailed full project proposal, according to Dawn Hinebaugh, who coordinates the program.
Any privately-owned land located within the Driftless Area is eligible, including traditional private parcels and land trust holdings. Projects must clearly provide benefits to at-risk species and their habitat, but projects benefit other species as well.
Eligible work includes, but is not limited to, prescribed burns, planting native vegetation, and invasive and woody species removal, Hinebaugh says.
Funding is provided to highly ranked projects on a first-come, first-served basis, and projects generally last one year. Applicants may request up to $25,000; however, most awards are around $4,000 to $6,000. DNR reimburses a landowner up to 75 percent of the cost for on-the-ground practices. Landowners are required to contribute the remaining 25 percent share through out-of-pocket costs (cash match), or as an in-kind labor and equipment match.
The grant awards are made possible by a competitive grant DNR's Natural Heritage Conservation program recently received along with the Minnesota DNR. The $500,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's State Wildlife Grants program also will fund work to inventory and monitor priority species and manage public lands.
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Innovative environmental contractor to receive DNR Secretary's Award
LA CROSSE, Wis. -- A contractor that has won accolades for environmental work across Wisconsin -- as well as an innovative solution to barge congestion on the Mississippi River -- is the recipient of a Department of Natural Resources 2017 Secretary's Director Award.
J.F. Brennan Company, specializing in marine construction and environmental remediation, has worked all across Wisconsin, performing dredging, island restoration, dam and bridge repairs, and recently, extensive PCB remediation on the lower Fox River at Green Bay.
Brennan Marine is a sister company that provides barge management and transportation and vessel repair services on the Mississippi river. Both companies, with a history dating to 1919, are headquartered in La Crosse. Both have been tremendous assets in restoring and protecting natural resources, DNR officials said.
"From field staff to company managers, everyone at Brennan demonstrates the highest commitment to environmental integrity, communication and partnering," said Dan Baumann, DNR Secretary's Director for western Wisconsin. "It's part of the company's culture, its DNA."
Secretary's Director awards recognize an individual, company or organization that has been an outstanding partner with DNR in advancing the agency's mission.
Many of the projects Brennan works on each year directly enhance Wisconsin's water resources and help to advance DNR's mission.
Brennan Marine was instrumental in solving problems with barge traffic on the Mississippi, finding solutions that improved both commercial and recreational navigation on the river while protecting shoreline habitats. The company also has reached out with educational efforts to minimize conflicts and improve safety on the river. Moreover, Brennan Marine has participated in education workshops for teachers at multiple locations along the river, putting a human face on the commercial navigation industry.
J.F. Brennan Company has performed more than 14 restoration projects on the Mississippi, both in and adjacent to Wisconsin waters, restoring more than 12,000 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife. DNR staff said Brennan has set a benchmark for stewardship, partnership and professionalism in this field. Innovations designed by Brennan's skilled employees have advanced project planning, design and success.
For the past 12 years, 200 miles to the east, Brennan has been an invaluable partner in the historic cleanup of PCB-contaminated sediments from the Fox River, the largest such cleanup ever attempted in America.
"Brennan has a history of developing effective approaches to sediment remediation that many other consultants and contractors said could not be done," said Beth Olson, Wisconsin's project manager for oversight of the Lower Fox River PCB Cleanup Project.
DNR officials will present the award at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Brennan office on French Island in La Crosse.
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Hunters: Dead and dying ash trees may be too weak for tree stand use
MADISON - State forest health specialists caution hunters to avoid placing tree stands in or near weakened ash trees, especially in the southern half of Wisconsin and the Mississippi River counties.
DNR experts say many ash trees in southern counties are dead or dying from attack by the emerald ash borer and may unexpectedly drop large branches -- or even snap, especially under the weight of an occupied tree stand.
White ash trees may not be safe for tree stands if they have been infected with emerald ash borer.
Photo Credit: JMAR Photo-Werks
"Infested or dead ash trees are not as structurally strong as healthy trees, so they are not a good place to put a deer stand," DNR forest health specialist Bill McNee said. "At this time of year, it can be hard to tell if a tree is infested by the emerald ash borer. As a precaution, put your stand in another type of tree that will be structurally stronger."
Falls from tree stands are a leading cause of serious injury for hunters. The 2016 Wildlife Society research showed 'the most avid hunters' face a 1-in-20 risk of getting hurt in a fall from a tree stand. In addition to practicing tree stand safety rules, hunters are encouraged to check the health of a tree before assuming it is strong enough to support the hunter in a tree stand.
McNee also urges hunters to be careful around ash trees when on the ground, especially in windy conditions.
Hunters can play a role in slowing the spread of the emerald ash borer. Andrea Diss-Torrance, DNR Invasive Forest Pest Program coordinator, said: "If you're planning to have a fire at your hunting area get your firewood nearby. Wood you bring with you from a longer distance may already be infested with the ash borer, oak wilt or other harmful pests and raises the risk of spreading an infestation to healthy trees.
For information about known emerald ash borer infestations, moving firewood and identifying ash trees, visit datcpservices.wisconsin.gov/eab/index.jsp (exit DNR).
To review tree stand safety tips, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for treestand."
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Hunters reminded registering deer in the correct zone still mandatory for the ongoing and upcoming deer seasons
MADISON - Tagging rules have changed, but registration requirements have not. Lucky hunters are still required to register their harvested deer electronically by 5 p.m. the day after being recovered. The GameReg system is simple, fast and convenient for hunters.
"Since its launch in 2014, most hunters have adjusted well to using the electronic registration options," says Kevin Wallenfang, big game ecologist for the DNR. "The simplicity and convenience has resulted in high compliance of registration requirements, but we also continue to offer walk-in registration opportunities at hundreds of locations around the state."
Hunters have three options for registering:
- online at GameReg.Wi.gov (fastest and easiest option);
- by phone at 1-844-426-3734 (1-844-GAME-REG); or
- at a walk-in registration site where the process will be completed electronically. A full list of registration sites can be found on the department web site.
The GameReg system will prompt hunters to answer a series of questions, beginning with the deer tag number and the hunter's date of birth.
For more information regarding electronic game registration, search "GameReg."
Deer Tags
Even with the recent elimination of the requirement to carry paper deer carcass tags, hunters are still required to carry proof of their deer tags, and fill those tags only within the deer management unit and zone designated on the tag. Hunters have several options as to how they carry proof of their deer tags including paper copies, a DNR issued Conservation Card, a GoWild validated Wisconsin driver's license, or a GoWild digital file as proof of tags. The deer tag number is an important component of registering their deer.
Hunters also no longer are required to validate their tag, attach the tag to their deer or keep their used deer tag after the animal is processed.
The new tag number is an important component of registering deer.
Photo Credit: DNR
All previously issued deer carcass tags are still valid as an authorization to hunt within the assigned or designated location. Hunters making additional purchases throughout the remainder of this year's hunting seasons will be issued products that will not include the usual validation and attachment language.
For updated regulations materials, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword, "hunt." You'll be able to find key updates and official regulations under the "Know" tab.
Wild Wisconsin
Easy access to information is the key to a successful hunt, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is excited to announce the launch of a new podcast and web series - Wild Wisconsin.
Whether you prefer to watch all segments at once, catch one or two on the move, or listen to podcasts during your commute, Wild Wisconsin has it all. Topics range from public land hunting strategies to CWD and what it means for Wisconsin's deer herd.
In Episode 7, titled "Handling the Harvest Pt. 1," hunters can learn more about registration and what to do after harvesting a deer.
For more information regarding electronic registration, search keyword "GameReg." For more information regarding deer hunting in Wisconsin, search keyword "deer."
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Funding available to assist in promoting safe ATV operation in Wisconsin
MADISON - Organizations interested in assisting the Department of Natural Resources in the recruitment and training of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety instructors and volunteer trail ambassadors may apply for funding through a 2 year program to promote the safe operation of ATVs and UTVs in the state. The program funding is for up to $297,000 for each year.
Grants are available to assist in recruiting and training of ATV safety instructors and volunteer trail ambassadors.
Photo Credit: Wisconsin Dept. of Tourism
Eligible organizations must provide documentation that they are registered with the Wisconsin Secretary of State's office as non-profit organizations and have an established board of directors. Funding applicants must create and provide a business plan detailing the methods and approaches the organization will use to accomplish a number of requirements that will promote the operation of ATVs and UTVs that is safe and responsible, does not harm the environment and does not conflict with laws, rules and department policies.
Among these requirements are:
- assisting the DNR in recruiting, assisting and providing support to volunteer safety instructors ATV/UTV clubs and organizations and promoting the ATV safety education program;
- assist the DNR and Tourism in creating an outreach program to inform local communities about appropriate ATV/UTV use in their communities; the economic benefits that may be gained from promoting tourism to attract ATV/UTV enthusiasts:
- techniques the organization will use to recruit, train and manage volunteer trail patrol ambassadors to monitor the recreational operation of ATVs/UTVs on public trails; and
- improve and maintain its relationship with the DNR, Tourism, ATV/UTV dealers, manufactures, recreation partners and off-highway motorcycle clubs
Additional requirements apply and the organization that receives the funding must be able to provide supporting documents showing objectives have been met through the use of reports, receipts and audits.
Organizations interested in applying for the funds should visit the DNR website.
Applications must be postmarked no later than Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.