By Topf Wells
Stuart Jorenby is a farmer on Gordon Creek and one of the nicest people in the world. On June 13th, Sturart, Pecatonica Pride, the DNR, and SWTU hosted a field day for interested landowners and residents in the Gordon, Kittleson, Sawmill, Erickson, and East Branch of the Pecatonica watersheds. Stuart welcomed all to his farm to walk his restored easement on Gordon Creek, downstream of the CTH A bridge. He is the soul of hospitality. He mowed a path so we could more easily access the restoration and spent several hours with us, explaining the project and discussing how it has improved his grazing operation as well as the trout fishing.
About a dozen landowners and residents attended. Several are key members of Pecatonica Pride, an organization seeking to improve water quality and outdoor recreation throughout the Hollandale/Blanchardville area. Steve Fabos and April Prussia organized the events, provided excellent refreshments, and, with Stuart, extended an incredibly gracious welcome to everyone. Jim Hess and Topf Wells represented SWTU and thanked Stuart, Steve, April and Kriss Marion, all attendees who have sold easements to the DNR. Jim also discussed how SWTU volunteers to help the DNR and landowners on some projects.
The purpose of the field day was to remind landowners of the opportunities provided by DNR easements and restorations, to enable them to see how an easement and restoration can work, and to ask the DNR staff and Stuart any question on those or any other stream-related topic.
Justin Haglund, the fish biologist for Iowa County, his crew of four technicians, and Paul Cunningham, who coordinates the easement program state-wide, answered DNR-related questions. When we walked the stream, Justin provided clear explanations of the why and how a restoration is planned and implemented. His crew battled some high and muddy water to shock a portion of the stream. They produced a variety of lovely trout. Those beauties provoked lots of questions. A brook lamprey stole the show for a while. Folks were relieved to learn he did not have the parasitic habits of his Great Lakes cousin.
Sunny, mild, and breezy weather made for easy walking and no gnats. Stuart had delayed letting the cattle into the stream side pasture so the grass was lush. One of the more interesting parts of the morning for us non-farmers was to learn how compatible and even complementary properly managed grazing is with a restored stream. The restoration is designed to allow the cattle access to the stream without damage to the re-shaped banks and different structures. The cattle make for a much more fishable stream (as all of us who are coping with this year’s extraordinary growth of reed canary grass can appreciate). Stuart, Justin, and Marie Raboin, Dane County’s grazing specialist, who was kind enough to join us, explained many of the details of stream restoration and cattle management.
Several landowners expressed an interest in easements by the end of the outing and others talked about discussing what they had seen with neighbors. We, of course, hope this effort will lead to some more easements. But perhaps as important was our chance to be on some lovely land and water with great conserving landowners like Stuart, Steve, April and Kriss and see those resources through their eyes.
Alongside Gordon Creek – some “Pecatonica Pride”!
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Last Updated: November 6, 2019 by Drew Kasel
By Topf Wells
Stuart Jorenby is a farmer on Gordon Creek and one of the nicest people in the world. On June 13th, Sturart, Pecatonica Pride, the DNR, and SWTU hosted a field day for interested landowners and residents in the Gordon, Kittleson, Sawmill, Erickson, and East Branch of the Pecatonica watersheds. Stuart welcomed all to his farm to walk his restored easement on Gordon Creek, downstream of the CTH A bridge. He is the soul of hospitality. He mowed a path so we could more easily access the restoration and spent several hours with us, explaining the project and discussing how it has improved his grazing operation as well as the trout fishing.
About a dozen landowners and residents attended. Several are key members of Pecatonica Pride, an organization seeking to improve water quality and outdoor recreation throughout the Hollandale/Blanchardville area. Steve Fabos and April Prussia organized the events, provided excellent refreshments, and, with Stuart, extended an incredibly gracious welcome to everyone. Jim Hess and Topf Wells represented SWTU and thanked Stuart, Steve, April and Kriss Marion, all attendees who have sold easements to the DNR. Jim also discussed how SWTU volunteers to help the DNR and landowners on some projects.
The purpose of the field day was to remind landowners of the opportunities provided by DNR easements and restorations, to enable them to see how an easement and restoration can work, and to ask the DNR staff and Stuart any question on those or any other stream-related topic.
Justin Haglund, the fish biologist for Iowa County, his crew of four technicians, and Paul Cunningham, who coordinates the easement program state-wide, answered DNR-related questions. When we walked the stream, Justin provided clear explanations of the why and how a restoration is planned and implemented. His crew battled some high and muddy water to shock a portion of the stream. They produced a variety of lovely trout. Those beauties provoked lots of questions. A brook lamprey stole the show for a while. Folks were relieved to learn he did not have the parasitic habits of his Great Lakes cousin.
Sunny, mild, and breezy weather made for easy walking and no gnats. Stuart had delayed letting the cattle into the stream side pasture so the grass was lush. One of the more interesting parts of the morning for us non-farmers was to learn how compatible and even complementary properly managed grazing is with a restored stream. The restoration is designed to allow the cattle access to the stream without damage to the re-shaped banks and different structures. The cattle make for a much more fishable stream (as all of us who are coping with this year’s extraordinary growth of reed canary grass can appreciate). Stuart, Justin, and Marie Raboin, Dane County’s grazing specialist, who was kind enough to join us, explained many of the details of stream restoration and cattle management.
Several landowners expressed an interest in easements by the end of the outing and others talked about discussing what they had seen with neighbors. We, of course, hope this effort will lead to some more easements. But perhaps as important was our chance to be on some lovely land and water with great conserving landowners like Stuart, Steve, April and Kriss and see those resources through their eyes.
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