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

Fall 2017 Workday Schedule

Sugar River through Neperud property

Please join us for any or all of our three fall workdays. Absolutely no experience necessary … the work isn’t complicated and is a great way to make a difference for our streams and meet some great people!

October 7 – Mt Vernon Creek

When: 9am to 12 noon (Chapter Approved Sawyers please arrive at 8:30).

Where: Mt Vernon Creek, starting at the bridge on Cty. Rd. U and working upstream toward Mt. Vernon. Cty Rd. U is located about 1/2 mile south of Mt. Vernon on Hwy 92. Here is a map to this location.

What: Extensive clearing of brush and box elders. There is a lot of work that needs to be done at this location. Just getting into the site will require clearing work. So, get a good night rest for this workday. Rather than creating burn piles, the DNR will be bringing a wood chipper to deal with the slash. They will operate this equipment. Haulers should consider bringing ear protection. Dan Oele, the new Fisheries Biologist with the DNR will be joining us for this workday.

Bring: Bring work gloves, sturdy shoes, and loppers; otherwise the chapter has equipment you can use. Also bring reusable water bottles that can be re-filled from our 5-gal water jug. Reusable coffee mugs will also be available. In addition to the above, people should consider bringing ear projection, as there will be a wood chipper on site.

 

October 28 – Gordon Creek, Kriss Marion’s Easement, Blanchardville

When:  9am to 12 noon (Chapter Approved Sawyers please arrive at 8:30).

Where:  Same location as the May 6, 2016 workday last spring. Driving west from Madison on Hwy 151, take Hwy 78 south out of Mt. Horeb toward Blanchardville. The worksite is on the north side of Blanchardville. There is no parking available on Hwy 78, you will need to park on Baker Street, also known as Iowa Cty. Rd. F. Here is a map. If you get loss, call Jim Hess at 608-288-8662 for directions.

What:  This is a newly acquired DNR easement on Gordon Creek. The DNR is wanting to add more easements in this area and clearing out this section will help to convince other land owners to sign up for an easement.
At the last workday on this site, we cleared the invasive brush and some box elders. At this workday, we will be removing larger box elders and bucking them up for burn piles, but the trunks will be left intact. The Blanchardville Volunteer Fire department will be doing the burn piles.

Again, Kriss Marion will be providing lunch and refreshments after the workday at her B&B.

Bring:  Bring work gloves, sturdy shoes, and loppers; otherwise the chapter has equipment you can use. Also bring reusable water bottles that can be re-filled from our 5-gal water jug. Reusable coffee mugs will also be available.

Parking: Do not park on Hwy 78. Park on Baker Street (Iowa Cty. Rd F), which is on the north side of the cemetery, across the street (west) from the work area.

December 2 – Mt Vernon Creek

Same location and work as the October 7 workday. Hopefully, we will finish the job.

 

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