Lake Superior Basin Update
Saving What We Have
By Dorothy Lagerroos, J.D., Professor of Government and Environmental Studies, Northland College
Watershed groups in the western
Lake Superior Region are busy
protecting the relatively pristine
waters and woods of the region. The
Bad River Watershed Association
(BRWA) continues to monitor water
quality to establish base line information,
since state and federal agencies have not yet gotten
around to that. Five years of carefully collected base line data
will help protect the region when development increases or
industrial activities occur.
Bad River Watershed Association
The Bad River Watershed Association
grew out of activities of the Ashland
Bayfield County League of Women
Voters, with assistance from
GLAHNF. The BRWA also collects
data on the more than 1,000 road
crossings in the watershed. The
group aims to prioritize culverts
needing replacement or repair.
Finding funding for repair is part of
the plan to restore water quality.
Helping towns obtain training and
using that training during normal
road maintenance is another part of
the equation. New statewide rules
governing town activities in waterways will be the subject of
an upcoming educational effort, jointly conducted by
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and
BRWA.
Activities of the BRWA attracted the attention of River Alliance
of Wisconsin, a statewide umbrella group for river activists.
BRWA and four other groups out of 165 were chosen “top tier”
groups, earning themselves River Alliance’s focused attention
for training and capacity building. River Alliance, with funding
from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, also made
available scholarships to the national River Rally in Keystone,
Colorado. BRWA is sending a delegation of three members to
River Network’s annual training event. Thanks,WDNR!
Friends of the White River
Friends of the White River organized themselves to protect the
only remaining stretch of this high quality trout stream not yet
in public ownership. Landowners showed such strong support
for protection that the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources stepped in and designated the area suitable for
public acquisition as land becomes available from willing
sellers. But the Friends aren't done yet. Now they plan to let
landowners know of various conservation actions they can
take, from selling to the DNR when they are ready, to drafting
conservation easements. Bayfield Regional Conservancy, a local
land trust, advises the Friends, who are associated with the
BRWA, since the White River is within
the larger Bad River watershed.
Kayak Symposium
The Inland Sea Society is counting
down to its sixteenth annual
Kayak Symposium, June 16-19, in
Washburn, Wisconsin. The event
features on-water instruction,
Apostle Island paddle tours,
seminars and entertainment, all
promoting “stewardship through
recreation.” Contact Inland Sea
Society and 715-682-8188.
Sustainable Chequamegon
But the real buzz around the Chequamegon Bay these days is
the enormous support that a totally new kind of effort is
generating. Torbjorn Lahti, from Sweden, explained the
Swedish model of Eco Communities, engaging more than 200
residents, including city and tribal officials, at a planning
session in late February. About 75 people continue to plan for
“Sustainable Chequamegon.” Information sessions on
sustainable energy, sustainable business, and sustainable
housing promote the idea using The Natural Step to guide
development. These new activities join existing sustainabilitypromoting
endeavors, including several community supported
agriculture operations, many organic farms, the Living Forest
Cooperative, Clear Water Folk School, and the Black Cat, an
organic, vegetarian, made-from-scratch coffee house. All are
working to save what we have for the future’s children.
Disclaimer:
The interpretations and conclusions presented in this newsletter represent the opinions of the individual authors. They in no way represent the views of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, the C.S. Mott Foundation, subscribers, donors, or any organization mentioned in this publication.
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