By Topf Wells

Carol Murphy would have enjoyed the work day in her honor (of course, one of Carol’s numerous good points was that she enjoyed all the work days). We worked hard, accomplished much, had fun, and ate good food. And created a unique Halloween Maze.

Our task was to clear clumps of trees, many of them box elders, along Big Spring Creek, where DNR Fish, Wildlife, and Forestry are cooperating to re-create an oak savanna. This summer produced good growing conditions for the oaks but even better for other woody vegetation and ragweed, Canada goldenrod, and sawtooth sunflowers. Much of the ragweed and sawtooth sunflowers towered up to 10 ft. tall and they packed the land. The DNR was blazing trails with a UTV and then sawyers and haulers, equipped with loppers and clippers, advanced. Thoroughly but slowly.

The trees are down and stacked into “rabbitat” and the various trails form quite a maze. Who needs a cornfield when you have sawtooth sunflowers? If you’re on Big Spring Road, drive past the parking lot until you come to another public fishing sign. Believe me, you can’t miss the new trail. Wander along and see a truly lovely stretch of Big Spring Creek. Then mail a $10 donation to either the Nohr Chapter or SWTU as the entry fee to the maze. I think that’s pretty reasonable compared to other S. WI mazes.*

That digression aside, we got a lot done and have put the DNR in a position to improve the vegetation management and access to the creek. We might return for a bit more clearing and in a couple of springs for more oak planting.

This was another tough day. With the 20 volunteers and the 3 person DNR crew spread out in search of the tree clumps, taking a break would have taken too much time. We powered through and knocked off 30-40 minutes early. We were tired. Not only was the vegetation difficult to move through, it traps heat, especially in a creek bottom.** As we finished work along the creek, all of us probably would have said the heat was stifling. At the Big Spring parking lot, considerably higher than the creek and with some shade, the temperature was pleasant.

A breeze, a bit of shade, and a fabulous picnic. The Nohr Chapter grilled brats and provided cookies and chilled drinks and folks brought great sides. Dyan made a killer coleslaw and a pasta salad – oh my, I had 2 helpings and I never eat seconds of any salad. Michael and Josh continued one of Carol’s traditions. She always brought fruit to a work day and they offered grapes, strawberries and bananas. This was probably the healthiest TU picnic ever.

Another fun feature of the work day was a nice mix of Nohr and SWTU folks with veterans and newcomers. We had two new SWTU members!

We ended the day with some memories of Carol and comments from her brother. Generosity of spirit and graciousness run in the family.

Huge thanks are due for another excellent work day. You’ve read these names before and thank goodness they persist in their dedication to TU and conservation. Ted Swenson led the effort for Nohr, Jim Hess for SWTU, and the DNR’s Justin Haglund and Lloyd Meng prepped the site so it was workable.

The day was filled with thoughts of Carol. She would have loved the ending – and the beginning too. Amy, new to SWTU and fly fishing, won the Nohr box of flies, which included Carol’s favorite pattern.

* I’m being silly, a bad habit that Sister Mary Paula warned me of in the 6th grade. Enjoy the stream, no donation required.

** Let’s not be silly but serious. The vegetation is extremely thick in prairies, grasslands, and marshes across S. WI. Hunters will soon be hunting ducks and pheasants in those habitats. If the weather stays mild, much less warm, that vegetation with its heat trapping ability, poses a real risk to hunting dogs. Please, please be careful if you hunt with your dogs in those environs.

BTW, one pleasant aspect of work days with the DNR is that the ever patient and ever helpful biologists have interesting information. Justin noted that brook trout numbers are significantly increasing in Melancthon and Trout Creeks where the brown trout removal occurred. The ops crew has finished the restoration of the more downstream easement on Pompey Pillar. That might, just might, be worth a look. I’ll check with the ops crew to be sure but they might be heading to a long awaited project on Black Earth Creek, just east of Cross Plains. (Photos courtesy Dyan Lesnik. See more on swtu.org.)

Mark Your Calendars for Fall’s Remaining Workdays (detailed info will be provided later):

*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 on this workday, which is why it is on a weekday. Cummings will bus their employees to and from the site. Their employees can’t use herbicide or power equipment, so the DNR is needing our help with those activities, as well as how to build burn piles. Lloyd Meng, DNR Fisheries Technician, is coordinating this event.

Oct 25 – Upper Yahara River in DeForest – yes there are trout there. We will be working with the Village of DeForest clearing honeysuckles and other invasive woodies. We will meet at 4601 Innovation Drive. The Village will provide transportation to and from the worksite, as it is located on the Upper Yahara River Trail. We need a big turnout for this one.

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

Nov 15 – Returning to the Duerst Property.