Wisconsin Association of Lakes logo Wisconsin Lakes Regional Workshop

Your Lake Talks, Are You Listening?
A Northwoods Lake WorkshopBoy on pier

 

Saturday, June 19, 2010 ~ 8:00am-4:00pm
Nicolet College - Lake Julia Campus, Rhinelander, WI

Join other lake enthusiasts for a lakes workshop on Saturday, June 19 at the Nicolet College in Rhinelander to learn more about ways to care for our lakes.

Lakes are reflections of the landscape around them.  How we care for our shorelands determines the health of our lakes, and the quality of our waterfront living and recreational experiences.  Join us at this event to learn more about:

Plus, meet with representatives of Northwoods area county lakes and rivers associations to explore ways that you can become involved in county lake matters.  And also participate in a Wisconsin Association of Lakes Legislative Updates and Listening Session.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registration

Registration is $23 per person, which includes refreshments, lunch, and workshop materials.
Deadline to register is June 14, 2010.

- ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
- To register by phone, call 608.661.4313. Staff will be available to take phone registration on a limited basis. If you do not reach a live person, leave a message and we will try to call you back, but you will not be registered until you talk to a live person.
- Walk-up registrations on the day of the event will be accepted, but only a limited number of meals remain and those who register at the event are not guaranteed a meal.
- To download a brochure: http://www.wisconsinlakes.org/events/pdf/2010NorthWkshp-Brochure.pdf

Agenda (Agenda subject to change)

8:00 – 8:30 am

Registration check-in, refreshments, exhibits, and networking

8:30 – 8:40

Welcome and opening remarks by Sandy Gillum, Wisconsin Association of Lakes Vice President

8:40 – 9:20

Indicators and assessments of shoreland health 
Mike Meyer, DNR Research Scientist

Scientists and resource managers are teaming up to evaluate and establish comprehensive citizen-based lake monitoring and protection programs in Northern Wisconsin.  Many lake monitoring programs are currently underway in the region, directed and implemented by the DNR, counties, non-profit and volunteer organizations.  But we could do more to link them.  Scientists and resource managers are coordinating this effort through two major objectives:  

  1. reviewing data previously collected by both citizen and professional scientists to: identify trends and gaps, guide future data collection, and provide the best training possible to citizen monitors; and
  2. developing a new lake assessment protocol to provide planning options for lake organizations and managers interested in gathering and using monitoring data to make lake management decisions.

Come learn how you can participate in and benefit from this effort. 

9:20 – 10:00

Leaving a land legacy:  Tools to protect conservation values of private lands 
Bryan Pierce, Northwoods Land Trust Executive Director

Investing in voluntary protection of natural shorelands by lake property owners is both economical and cost effective.  Lake organizations and individual landowners can partner with local land trusts to promote preservation of significant stretches of natural shorelines.  Bryan’s presentation will highlight the variety of voluntary conservation options available and possible grant funding opportunities for land and conservation easement acquisitions.  Since its inception in 2001, the Northwoods Land Trust has worked to protect over 5,000 acres of woodlands and wetlands, and over 25 miles of lake and river shorelands in a six-county area of northern Wisconsin.

10:00 – 10:30

Refreshment break and exhibits

10:30 – 11:10

Cooperative shoreland restoration technical assistance program in Langlade and Lincoln Counties
Ben Niffenegger, Shoreland Protection Specialist for Lincoln and Langlade Counties

Lincoln and Langlade Counties have common goals to protect and restore shorelands along their lakes and streams.  Both counties have progressive shoreland zoning rules that tailor development standards by water classification (most protective development standards for the most sensitive waters) and require mitigation to offset negative impacts of development.  Restoring functional shoreland buffer areas is a key step towards satisfying mitigation requirements and further protecting critical wildlife habitat, water quality and natural scenic beauty.  This approach works best with sufficient staff resources to help property owners navigate the permitting requirements and select lake-friendly development methods that will also achieve their property improvement goals. 


In an effort to provide better educational opportunities and technical assistance to waterfront property owners, Langlade and Lincoln Counties have worked together to secure lake protection grants from the DNR to help fund a shoreland protection specialist position since 2007.  Ben will talk about the challenges and opportunities of this unique position, and provide a number of examples illustrating different approaches to assisting property owners with the shoreland restoration process.  Along the way he’ll touch on working with property owner concerns, native plant selections, erosion control, and maintaining a healthy shoreland environment.  Learn more about how this cooperative approach can bolster county shoreland zoning compliance, improve our waterfront living experiences, and better protect our waterways for all to enjoy.

11:10 – 11:45

Lake-wide shoreland restoration and stewardship projects in Vilas County
Chuck Thier, Found Lake Associatin and Vilas County Lakes Association; and Carolyn Scholl, Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Department

Found Lake landowners are cooperating with State and local governments to restore their shoreland buffers— for the ultimate goal of advancing our understanding of how best to protect our water resources.  So far this project has developed site-specific management recommendations and completed habitat restoration projects for 14 lakeshore property owners on Found Lake in Vilas County.  Plus, the long-term research element of this project is measuring the value of fish and wildlife habitat restoration on Northern Wisconsin lakes.  

Found Lake’s project is the first step of the Wisconsin Lakeshore Restoration Project led by DNR Research Scientist Michael Meyer.  The Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Department sponsors much of the work with cost-share dollars and technical assistance in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.  

The Found Lake sites are part of a larger study which is conducting a long-term research effort that includes additional sites on other nearby lakes.  This project will restore shoreland habitats on a sample of lakes in Northern Wisconsin.  The researchers are evaluating different erosion control techniques as well as monitoring changes in wildlife usage.  Nine of the 14 properties are incorporating various bio-engineering techniques including biologs, sediment logs, EnviroLok bagsTM, as well as water diversions and rain gardens.  A companion research project is also being planned to look at what effects restoration has on the quality of stormwater runoff.

11:45-12:00

The Blue Heron Shoreland Stewardship Awards Program
Rollie Alger, Vilas County Lakes Association

The Blue Heron Shoreland Stewardship Awards Program was created by the Vilas County Lakes Association to provide local lake organizations the opportunity to recognize lake property owners who have been conscientious in the development and use of their waterfront property to minimize environmental impacts.  These awards will also create awareness, educate lake property owners on the importance of shoreland stewardship, and showcase good examples of lake-friendly waterfront development.  Learn more about this program and the shoreline review criteria used to select award winners.  Plus, we invite you to celebrate with us this year’s Blue Heron Shoreland Stewardship Award winners!

12:00 – 12:30

Lunch

12:30 – 1:15

Celebrating our lakes and landscapes: a keynote address by John Bates, author and owner of Trails North Guide Service

The Northern Highlands Ecological Landscape of North Central Wisconsin has one of highest densities of lakes in the world, giving us the remarkable stamp of being a “globally important” area.  Nearly 15% of Vilas County’s land surface is dotted with lakes, while wetlands comprise another 21%.  Thus, for every three steps you take here, one squishes.  Tied to such a large blessing comes the equally large obligation of stewardship, which isn’t clear or easy.  Stewardship requires a deep sense of place, which we can only come to through understanding what this particular place is all about (acquiring an ecological literacy), and then understanding what our place is within it (applying an ecological ethic).  First, however, must come a love and reverence for a place, from which genuine stewardship may follow.  This presentation will celebrate the lakes and landscapes that together make this one of the most beautiful places in the world to live.

About John Bates
John Bates is the author of seven books and a contributor to five others, all of which focus on the natural history of the Northwoods.  He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Wisconsin Nature Conservancy and the Wisconsin Humanities Council.  He’s worked as a naturalist in Wisconsin’s Northwoods for 20 years, leading an array of trips all designed to help people further understand the remarkable diversity and beauty of nature, and our place within it.  John and his wife Mary live on the Manitowish River in Iron County where they raised two daughters.

1:30 – 3:00

Concurrent county lakes and rivers association meetings

Join a roundtable exchange with representatives of Northwoods area county lakes and rivers associations.  Others involved in county matters, or interested in learning more about countywide associations are welcome too.  We invite you to share your projects and resources, or perspectives on current issues and challenges your county’s lakes and rivers face.  This is a great opportunity to:

All are welcome to attend a county meeting of your choice (you don’t need to be a member of the organization or county resident to attend the session).

Groups that will host afternoon meetings at the workshop include
(choose 1 of 6):

Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association
This gathering will be OCLRA’s annual membership meeting.

Lincoln County Lakes and Rivers Association
LCLRA welcomes guest speakers Chris Hamerla (Lumberjack RC&D Aquatic Invasives Coordinator for Lincoln, Langlade, and Forest Counties) and Ben Niffenegger (Shoreland Protection Specialist for Lincoln and Langlade Counties) to talk about their work to address aquatic invasive species and shoreline issues in Lincoln County.  Open discussion relating to LCLRA or Lincoln County matters will follow these presentations.  All are welcome to join us.

Vilas County Lakes Association

Florence County Lakes and Rivers Association

Forest County Association of Lakes

Langlade County Waterways Association

3:00 – 4:00

Wisconsin Association of Lakes Legislative Updates and Listening Session
Earl Cook, WAL President, and Sandy Gillum, WAL Vice President

Wisconsin Association of Lakes would like to hear from you!  This session is an opportunity to meet Wisconsin Association of Lakes’ leadership and share your views.  We’ll begin with an update on lake-related policy and legislative initiatives that WAL has been working on this past session.  Then, the floor is yours!

Directions to Workshop

Nicolet College, Lake Julia Campus Map to Nicolet College
5364 College Dr.
Rhinelander, WI
On County Hwy. G, 1 mile south of Rhinelander

For driving directions, visit: 

www.nicoletcollege.edu/highschool/visitus/maps/index.html

Workshop Sponsors

Florence County Lakes and Rivers Association
Forest County Association of Lakes
Langlade County Waterways Association
Lincoln County Lakes and Rivers Association
Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association
Vilas County Lakes Association
Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Department
Wisconsin Association of Lakes