By Jim Hess, Conservation Chair

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for as many of these workdays as you can. The work is not complicated, the company pleasant and the difference notable. Except where noted, they are held on Saturdays and run from about 9 to noon. We will send emails closer to the date with full details.

Sept 13 – Garfoot Creek, Dane County, where it crosses County Rd KP between Cross Plains and Black Earth. Clearing small box elders, invasive woodies and two down pine trees just north of where Garfoot crosses County Road KP. People will park in the property owner’s barnyard area located at 9050 County Rd KP. This is one of the earliest easements along Black Earth Creek and is needing our help

Sept 27 – Big Spring Branch, Iowa County (5465 Big Spring Rd.) This workday will be called the Carol Murphy Joint Nohr/SWTU Workday in honor of Carol Murphy, Nohr Chapter President. Carol passed away unexpectantly on August 14 and would have been at the workday with her big smile and healthy treats. We will be clearing willows and other invasive woodies. This will be a joint workday with the Nohr Chapter, assisting the DNR with removing willows and box elders along Big Spring Branch in Iowa County. We have had several workdays at this site and hopefully we can finish the job with a good turnout. Justin Haglund, DNR Fish Biologist, and Lloyd Meng, Fisheries Technician, will be directing and assisting us, along with some other DNR staff.

*Special Workday – Oct 15, Wednesday, 9:30 to 12:30 – Ley Creek (Iowa County). TUDARE is working with Cummins Emissions Solutions, Inc out of Mineral Point with this workday. Sara Strassman, TUDARE Director, has asked Nohr and SWTU if we could also lend a hand as well. Cummins will transport their employees to and from the worksite, so we should have a good number of volunteers. But while they can use hand tools, they are not allowed to use herbicides or chainsaws. That is where we come in, as well as working with the volunteers on building burn piles. Lloyd Meng, DNR Fisheries Technician, is coordinating the event and will be directing the volunteers.

Oct 25 – Upper Yahara River in DeForest, working with the Village of DeForest clearing honeysuckles and other invasive woodies. We will meet near the intersection of County Rd. CV and Innovation Drive. The work area is along the walking trail that follows the river, so the Village will provide vehicles to transport people and equipment to and from the area. More details to follow.

Nov 1 – Dane County Duerst Property on the Sugar River (7309 Riverside Rd), clearing honeysuckles and other woody invasives. This is the site that TUDARE has arranged for a team of STIHL professional sawyers to work clearing large box elders that are encroaching the river. This workday will continue clearing out the invasive understory so the STIHL crew can focus on the large box elders.

Nov 15 – Return to the Duerst Property and continue to clear the understory for the STIHL chainsaw team.

If you have any questions, please contact Conservation Committee Chair Jim Hess.