The bane of woodlands!!! This non-native plant can quickly overrun a woodland or savanna with a “take no prisoners” approach. When we purchased our land in 2005, the remnant oak-hickory woodland was a garlic mustard monoculture. We began in earnest to remove it.
[Read more…] about Garlic Mustard (Allaria petiolata)Blog
Poison Ivy – Live and Let Live
I haven’t thought about poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) in a very long time. When a friend sent two photos of it for ID confirmation last week, it became a highlight of my week. As we discussed this plant, the initial response was to get rid of it. Yet it’s native and wildlife depend on native plants. How many depend on this “unpopular” plant? I had to know. [Read more…] about Poison Ivy – Live and Let Live
Aquatic Insects as Indicators of Water Quality
Author: Dr. Hope Q. Liu (Biology)
Aquatic insects, also called benthic macroinvertebrates, are ideal bioindicators of water quality. What the heck is a benthic macroinvertebrate? Benthic means “bottom of a body of water” and macroinvertebrate means you can see the insect with your eye and insect has no backbone. Benthic macroinvertebrates are used as bioindicators of water quality because they are sensitive to environmental changes and its presence or lack thereof determines clean water or polluted water. [Read more…] about Aquatic Insects as Indicators of Water Quality
Confluence, our Water Ways in art
The Blanchardville Public Library’s summer theme is “Library’s Rock” which makes the art exhibit depicting the hydrologic cycle perfect. Ten community artists came together (confluence) to create a beautiful and educational exhibit illustrating elements of the hydrologic cycle — our “water ways.” [Read more…] about Confluence, our Water Ways in art
Gypsy Moth Treatment
Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) treatment is happening in Lafayette County, beginning mid-May through August. The day before receiving this announcement, I discovered a rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) on our property, a federally endangered insect. While this was a new find, our land supports a number of classified insects (endangered, threatened, and special concern, also referred to as T&E), along with herptiles and birds. Needless to say, I was concerned and had to nail down the details. [Read more…] about Gypsy Moth Treatment
BugGuide.net
By Marci Hess and MJ Hatfield
BugGuide. net is a website worth exploring on the fly! Many of us are interested in the biota living in the ecosystems we work hard to save and protect; learning about them enhances our work and enriches our lives. While I did not set out to work with insects, I suppose it’s serendipitous that during the course of my ecosystem restoration work, insects began to intrigue me. My mom tells me I’ve always liked them –eating them instead of dirt! Once I had cataloged the mammals, birds, and herptiles on our land the next logical step was insects. This curiosity turned into a passion. [Read more…] about BugGuide.net
Restoring and Managing Habitat with Amphibians and Reptiles
Restoring and managing habitat for amphibians and reptiles requires knowledge beyond plants. In bringing the health back to our lands we are regenerating habitat and reestablishing ecosystems. This is not a linear process and involves more than plants. It involves using a variety of management techniques in differing seasons and tailored to various species. It’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all plan. When you read these guidelines by Rebecca Christoffel, it becomes clear the special needs of our herptiles. [Read more…] about Restoring and Managing Habitat with Amphibians and Reptiles
LepidopterART
In 2017, our local librarian wanted some artwork for the library. Heidi and I put our heads together and with her fabulous artistic talent, this exhibit was born!! The following text is from the booklet at the library for self-guided tours. I have added, where the whole moth isn’t obvious in the art, the photos that were the inspiration. We are excited to have 2 other libraries interested in this exhibit. Who knew this would turn into a travelling exhibit. Thank you, Heidi, for coordinating this. [Read more…] about LepidopterART
Lafayette County Well Testing Results
This year the Lafayette County Commissioners voted to subsidize well water testing for the county. They decided to begin with 2 townships at a time. The first of these were Wiota and Seymour. Testing was conducted by UW-Stevens Point Extension and in late August, Kevin Masarik with the Center for Watershed Science and Education presented the findings to a group of interested citizens. [Read more…] about Lafayette County Well Testing Results
Lafayette County Rivers, Streams, and Watersheds
Lafayette County has some great water features. Not only for the county, but some rank excellent in relation to the whole United States!! This according to Bradd Sims, the Lafayette County Fishery Biologist for the Wisconsin DNR, who presented the following information to the Lafayette County Conservation Committee. [Read more…] about Lafayette County Rivers, Streams, and Watersheds
