SWTU, P.O. Box 45555, Madison, WI 53744-5555 president@swtu.org

RESCHEDULED – Summer workday and picnic set for Saturday, August 19

Sugar River through Neperud property

The July 15 workday has been rescheduled to Saturday, August 19. The location is still at the Sugar River Basco Unit Wildlife Area (Neperud property), south of Paoli on Hwy 69 – the fire address is 1065. We will be working primarily in the river installing planking onto bank covers installed by the DNR, so bring your waders. But there will be some work on dry land as well.

By the time of this work day, all the DNR streambank improvements will have been completed.  This two-year project includes bank covers, log sills, root wad deflectors, brush bundles, bank shaping, rip rap, and rock barbs. This work has been completed by the southern district fish ops crew with some help from some techs out of Eagle.

Members of the Southeast Wisconsin Trout Unlimited Chapter will be joining us for this workday and will be bringing their grill to cook brats for lunch. Be sure to RSVP so we can get a head count for the brats.

When: August 19, 2017 from 9 a.m. to Noon.

What: Also, friendly camaraderie, refreshments, coffee, and a chance to see the improvements made along this stretch of the Sugar River over the last two years.

Where:  Sugar River Basco Unit Wildlife Area (Neperud Property). South of Paoli at 1065 Hwy 69. The fire number may or may not be up. Drive south from Madison on Hwy 69, after you pass Paoli you will come to the Hamlet of Basco at Henry Road, the farm is on the west side of Hwy 69. Here is a map.

Bring: Besides waders, bring work gloves (rubber palm gloves are ideal), nail aprons, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, and perhaps some extra dry clothes. Also, bring reusable water bottles that can be re-filled from our 5-gal water jug. As a conservation club, we need to reduce our use of plastic bottles and throw away cups.

Parking: Park in the circle drive by the barn.

If you have questions or think you can help, please contact Jim Hess at jimhess5599@gmail.com so we can get a volunteer count estimate.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Remember, every workday you attend earns you an entry into the drawing for the Stream Keeper fly rod, custom-built by Jim Bartelt.

Jim Hess
Conservation Committee Chair