WSNetwork News

Action Alerts

Joint Finance Committee Continues Environmental Assault

On Thursday, May 12, there were several actions taken by the Joint Finance Committee of the Legislature that have direct and indirect impacts on our rivers, and more are coming next week. Here�s what we know so far:

On May 12, the JFC:

Voted to repeal the Smart Growth Act and cut the $2M annually granted to communities to help them develop their plans. Sprawl and unchecked development impacts our rivers; the repeal removes all incentive for communities to work together to carefully plan their growth and set aside lands for lower-impact development.
Adopted a bill requiring the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to sell all 77,755 acres of their holdings to the DNR, and requiring the DNR to use the Stewardship Fund to pay for it. Most of the BCPL lands are forested lands in northern Wisconsin, managed for forestry with an eye to prevent fragmentation of northern forests, and are open to the public. This would gut the Stewardship Fund, which has been used to purchase land and conservation easements on the most vulnerable and environmentally significant lands throughout the state. In other words, the Stewardship Fund would be used up with no net gain in protected lands.

Beginning next Tuesday, May 18, JFC will begin three days of sessions. An �omnibus� bill, which is still in development and has not been seen by anyone in DNR or the conservation community, threatens to include:

A significant general revenue cut directed at DNR management and staff in the Division of Water; and
Potential cuts to programs we all depend upon to regulate and monitor our rivers. Funding for implementation of the nonpoint runoff rule (assistance to farmers to conduct Best Management Practices) will be part of the mix as well.

Citizens from throughout the state, including those who have already dedicated significant time and effort to develop their Smart Growth plans, are mobilizing in opposition to the Smart Growth repeal, and calling for a revote. Land conservancy organizations and the many communities that have benefited from the Stewardship Fund are also mobilizing to stop the raid. Without knowing the content of the threatened omnibus bill, it�s difficult to know what to ask of the JFC members. Until we know the details, the best we can do is ask our representatives to do the right thing.

For more information, contact information for JFC and announcement of press conferences on May 23-24:
Read the article from Wisconsin River Alliance

Recent media coverage of JFC action on Smart Growth

Welcome to Dumb Growth Wisconsin - May 13, 2005 FightingBob

Budget panel votes to kill 'Smart Growth': Legislators to decide whether to keep mandate - May 11, 2005 MJS

1000 Friends of Wisconsin: Local governments and public take another hit (JFC repeal of Smart Growth) - May 12, 2005 WR (PDF)

Birdwatchers: Share your bird counts online at BirdSource

BirdSource at www.birdsource.org calls itself a partnership between citizens and scientists. The National Audubon Society and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology manage the site. It encourages bird watchers to share their counts of birds online both with other enthusiasts and with scientists. The data they contribute helps scientists and conservationists define bird ranges, populations, migration pathways and habitat needs and could figure prominently in programs to save the birds.

Legendary outdoors writer Don L Johnson inducted into Freshwater Fish Hall of Fame

Surrounded by friends from Menomonie and across the state, Don L. Johnson was inducted into the Freshwater Fish Hall of Fame, Friday May 6, during ceremonies at the Dunn County Fish and Game clubhouse in Wakanda Park.

Making the presentation was Bill Gautsche, a director of the Freshwater Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward.

In making the presentation, Gautsche called Johnson, a former outdoors writer from the Milwaukee Sentinel and a noted author now living in Menomonie with his wife, Lorraine, a "true artist of the pen, where the picture was never completed until it was perfect."

Read the complete article at Dunn County Online

Milwaukee home to 100-year-old elm tree

Bruce Allison, author of of �Wisconsin�s Champion Trees,� says the life of a Siberian elm is usually 85 or 90 years. But one elm on Milwaukee�s south side, is over 100 years old, he says. With a trunk circumberence of 200 inches and height of 89 feet, Allison believes the elm is the largest in Wisconsin.

Read the article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Nation's Mayors to carry out Kyoto Protocol

Seattle, Washington Mayor Greg Nickels recently announced that he and 131 other mayors (including the mayors of Milwaukee, La Crosse and Madison) representing, according to the NY Times, 29 million citizens, are begining a nationwide effort to carry out the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

Read articles in Fighting Bob and The New York Times.

Nature Webcams

View nature online from your computer at these webcam sites:

New Email Address for Wisconsin Stewardship Network

Please update your email address for Wisconsin Stewardship Network to stewardship@wsn.org

Thank you!

Nine Wisconsin counties flunk air pollution test

More than 4 million Wisconsin residents at risk for respiratory complications live in counties with unhealthy air, a national study shows.

The report, based on air quality data collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2001 to 2003, looked at 33 counties and found that most had levels of ozone or particle pollution that exceeded federal standards.

Milwaukee and eight additional counties earned F's for having too many days of unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone, according to the State of the Air 2005. The other counties are Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Brown, Door, Kewaunee and Manitowoc.

Read the article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Special apple pesticide registration proposed

Comments due May 20

Apple growers will have another pesticide available to control an insect in their orchards under a special pesticide registration proposed by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The special registration will allow growers to use Rimon 0.83 EC to control codling moth in the apple orchards. The larvae of the codling moth bore into the fruit causing �wormy� apples.

DATCP has been authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to register pesticide products without prior federal approval. This procedure gives states flexibility to meet local needs such as controlling a plant disease or pest outbreak. EPA has 90 days to review the proposal and reject the state�s decision.

Citizens have until Friday, May 20, 2005 to comment on this proposed five-year special pesticide registration.

Read the DATCP announcement

DNR Seeking Public Comment On Wastewater Storage Tank

Comments due May 20

The Department of Natural Resources is looking for public comment on a request by Natures Life Cycle, LLC, a waste hauler here, to erect a two million gallon wastewater storage tank at 7641 East State Line Road.

Natures Life Cycle, LLC will be transporting waste collected from both industrial and municipal sources to the proposed new Slurrystore tank, which would be 131-feet in diameter, 28-feet tall and at grade.

Read the DNR Announcement

Comments sought on master plan for largest state forest, Northern Highland American Legion State Forest

Public comment due by May 31, 2005

A draft master plan and environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 225,000-acre Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest is now available for public comment through June 1, 2005.

The plan proposes additional recreational opportunities including more primitive and developed campsites, designation of areas for both motorized and non-motorized activities and an expansion plan that would add high quality aquatic communities and patches of old growth to the forest as they become available from willing sellers.

The forest is located in Vilas, Oneida and a small portion of Iron counties in north central Wisconsin.

For more information See DNR Announcement and
DNR re NHAL

Wood County seeks input about forest policy

Comments needed for plan revisions

Wood County residents have a chance to help shape the future of the county's forest.

The county's forest plan is revised every 10 years by state Department of Natural Resources and Wood County forest officials. It's scheduled to take effect by January 2006 and last until 2015.

Whom to Contact:
More information can be found at the Wood County Park and Forestry Web site at co.wood.wi.us/parks
Forest survey forms also can be downloaded from the Web site (PDF file). Hard copies can be obtained at the County Courthouse.

Anyone who has any comment or concerns about the forest plan can contact the Wood County Park and Forestry Department at 422-8422.

Residents can let officials know what they want done with the county forest by filling out surveys that can be downloaded from the Wood County Park and Forestry Web site, co.wood.wi.us/parks.

Read article in Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune

Grants available for wildfire suppression assistance

Deadline for grant application July 1

Local fire fighting agencies have until July 1 to apply for two separate grant programs intended to help the agencies assist the state Department of Natural Resources in suppressing forest and wildfires. Both programs provide funds on a 50/50 cash match basis.

May Read the WDNR announcement

DNR Forestry Notes

Produced monthly, this newsletter highlights the programs and activities of the Wisconsin DNR. Issues are listed in chronological order, starting with the most recent.

Read May 2005 Forestry Notes (PDF)

Forestry Notes archived

Loons at North Highlands American Legion ForestFrom WDNR

DNR Seeking Public Comment On Wastewater Storage Tank

Grants available for wildfire suppression assistance

Loons at North Highlands American Legion Forest
From WDNR