June 2, 2010

Today, Brad Hutnik, DNR Riverway Forester, and I spoke to a group of 40 students from Harborside Academy of Kenosha, Wisconsin.  The group was paddling the river from Lone Rock to Boscobel with Scott Teuber of Wisconsin River Outings, a major outfitter on the Lower Wisconsin. 

The group arrived at Muscoda at 11:30 for lunch.  I spoke about the history of the valley and the Riverway project while Brad spoke about some of the resource management issues facing DNR and other property managers.  Invasive species, climate change, hydrological influences, absence of fire on the landscape and other aspects of forestry/land management were broached.

Following the presentations, the group boarded vans and headed to Frank’s Hill for a service project.  Frank Shadewald is the landowner who is steward of the effigy mounds and calendar mounds on his property near Muscoda.  Half of the group piled brush while the other half learned about the mound building culture and then the groups switched (didn’t want anyone to miss the fun of piling brush on an 85 degree day).  Frank sincerely appreciated the help and I think the students may have learned a few things.  Mission accomplished.

Pictures from presentation and service project.