Back to Minute Index | Previous Page | home

National Park Service Headquarters, St. Croix Falls

In attendance:
Dave Ferris, Burnett LWCD
Jeremy Williamson, Polk LWRD
Amy DeChamps, Polk LWRD
Rick Remington, West Wisconsin Land Trust
Dale Cox, National Park Service
Scott Peterson, Friends of the Upper St. Croix Headwaters
John Haack, UW Extension
Mary Pardee, Burnett County UWEX
Ruth King, WDNR

Updates
National Park Service Outreach, Dale Cox, Naturalist
Since the original Wild and Scenic River designation in 1968 and the addition of the lower St. Croix in 1972, the primary focus of the Park Service was acquisition and easement along the river way. More recently the Park Service has worked to develop an outreach presence across the watershed, reaching over 7,000 students and 35,000 on river contacts. Presently the St. Croix National Park staff consists of 45 full time staff along with a variety of “host” volunteers. Interpretive staff completed a 10 year interpretive plan in 2006 with a number of us on the basin team participating in the process. Recently the Park Service signed an agreement with UWRF to develop a St. Croix River Institute with future credit and non-credit courses on various topics or skills related to the St. Croix River watershed (they will consider a poster session at this year’s- Protecting the St. Croix Conference). Dave Ferris suggested the counties consider offering teacher scholarship to future institute for credit courses. Tubing issues on the Namekagon are a concern for the park service. All outfitters are licensed- there are 26 licensed outfitters on the river way. Brenda Thwates is the new interpreter out for the Trego district.

Friends of the Upper St. Croix Headwaters, Scott Peterson
This active two year old river group is working UW Stevens Point Center for Watershed Protection staff to submit a lake protection grant to fund a watershed study. The group has actively supported Wild River designation for this 8 mile river segment. Douglas County recently committed its 1.8 million power line mitigation dollars for highway projects. FOSCH along with the River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Wetland Association filed suit against the DNR’s EA on the Enbridge oil pipeline project. The project as proposed will open trench all wetland, river and stream crossings including the recently ORW designate Upper St. Croix and the Nationally designated Scenic and Wild - Namekagon . The suit filed will be presented at a Madison hearing on January 29th- the court did not provide a stay of construction on the project. FOSCH is working with various local partners to focus on sustainable tourism initiatives including a “river trail” project.

Polk County Land and Water Resource Department, Amy Dechamps & Jeremy Williamson
Tim Ritten was promoted from the LWCD engineering tech position to department director.The county received two grant each for Horse and Lotus lakes. The project will include lake reconstruction (paleocore research) and a review of toxic algae episodes.
The county is working on existing grant projects for Long, Trade and Loveless Lakes. The county has been enforcing a storm water ordinance for one year, at the present time permitees need both a county and DNR storm water permit. DNR anticipates granting complete permit review to the county at some future date (when Madison staff are able to reduce backlog and issue approval). The county requires infiltration of a 25 year storm event vs. the DNR’s 10 year storm event permit requirement. Amy will soon be assuming a 26 hr/ week schedule with the county. Jeremy will be presenting at the State Lakes Conference on Shallow Lakes and aquatic plants. The county will be capping cost share work at $10,000. Jeremy will be assisting Burnett County with a WAV stream monitoring workshop on May 12th. The large number of CRP contracts ending and the high price of corn (presently 4.00/bushel) is a soil conservation, habitat and water quality concern for staff. Polk County now host color aerial photos and parcel maps for 3 townships on the county web site. For more information go to http://www.co.polk.wi.us/

Burnett County Land and Water Conservation Department, Dave Ferris
The county lakes and rivers association is sponsoring a grant to purchase 5 remote electro- magnetic cameras. The cameras will be installed on 5 county lakes to monitor and hopefully reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species. The county is looking at a purchase of development rights PDR program to focus protection on farm lands and forests. At some future date the county will explore a storm water ordinance. Dave frequently presents to groups outside the county on the county’s Shoreland Incentives Program.

Burnett County 4H and Youth Development, Mary Pardee
Mary started in her new position with the county on November 1st.
For the six years prior Mary worked for UW Extension’s Lakes Program in Stevens Point. She plans to focus county youth (both 4H and non-4H kids) in environmental activities that focus on family projects and activities.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ruth King (Storm Water and Non-point coordinator)
The department is reviewing the wild river ranking completed several years ago as part of their wild rivers initiative. Amery receive a Urban Non-point grant and a lakes protection grant (total of $290,000 w/ an $80,000 local lake district cash contribution). They are working on a storm water plan, several projects and looking into future storm water funding options.

West Wisconsin Land Trust, Rick Remington
The land trust recently worked on purchase of the Wedgewood Property on the N. edge of St. Croix Falls, a 38 acre parcel on Love Lake, an 80 acre parcel on the N. fork of the Trade among other projects. New increased tax incentives will be available for land owners donating easements in 06 and 07. In the past land owners could receive up to a 30% deduction on their annual taxable gross income (AGI), the new rules increase this amount to a 50% deduction. The new law allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income; For more information see http://www.lta.org/publicpolicy/tax_incentives_updates.htmre On February 26th a meeting on the proposed working lands initiative will be held in Menomonee.

St. Croix Basin Educator, UWEX – John Haack
Most of the barriers and concern regarding addition of the Totogatic and Upper St. Croix to the list of State Wild Rivers have been addressed. Douglas County still has some concerns. The project needs a legislative sponsor (draft language was submitted by the DNR previously). The annual Protecting the St. Croix Conference is scheduled for April 19th at UWRF. The state’s Lakes Conference will be in Green Bay April 26th &27th special sessions will feature practical applications of Community Based Social Marketing. The NW Lakes Conference will be at Cable’s Telemark Resort and Conference Center on June 21 & 22nd.

Next Meeting:
May 23rd at Polk County’s new building on the DD Kennedy environmental center. Agenda: Wisconsin’s proposed working lands initiative (invite Jim Artz of DATCP and the River Alliance of Wisconsin.