Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - News

Peshtigo River State Forest – first new state forest in 30 years

CRIVITZ, Wis. -- The Peshtigo River State Forest, Wisconsin’s newest state forest and the first one established in the state in 30 years, includes more than 9,000 acres of land, 3,000 acres of water, and 70 miles of scenic shoreline.

It includes the waters and islands in the Caldron Falls, High Falls, and Johnson Falls flowages, the forested uplands, and the rock outcroppings that surround them. The forest also includes a small section of the river and a reservoir several miles downstream near Peshtigo called Potato Rapids.

The Peshtigo River State Forest is located about 60 miles north of Green Bay and northwest of Crivitz. It was created by unanimous approval of the Natural Resources Board in November 2001. Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Funds underwrote the $25 million purchase from the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. Management of the forest is being coordinated with the management plan for the new, adjacent Governor Thompson State Park.

“One of the best ways to capture the wonder of this state forest is to travel through it on the serpentine Peshtigo River,” says Dan Mertz, the Department of Natural Resources property manager for the forest. “Some visitors say the unspoiled vision of wilderness in the forest is reminiscent of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota.”

Mertz says a journey by canoe or kayak through the long and narrow Peshtigo River State Forest can begin just downstream from a boulder-strewn stretch of rapids south of County C in west central Marinette County. Soon, the Peshtigo widens to become the Caldron Falls Flowage with its pristine shoreline that is without cottages, resorts or piers. Eagles often soar above or skim the water just above the wave tops with sharp eyes and talons ready to grab a mid-day meal from the water below.

After portaging the Caldron Falls dam, canoeists and kayakers wind through a river channel flanked by tall pines before entering High Falls Flowage, a 6-mile impoundment created by the High Falls dam to the south. Below the dam, the river flattens into the smaller Johnson Falls Flowage, and below the Johnson Falls dam, the free flowing river becomes some of the more scenic fly fishing waters in Wisconsin. The 5-mile long fly fishing area was the first of its kind in Wisconsin where special fishing regulations were put in place since the 1950s that allow anglers only the use of artificial lures and where special size limits on trout prevail. It is an area of stunning beauty.

The Peshtigo River State Forest is mostly high ground and the geology of this area features primarily dry and infertile sandy soil with outcrops of granite near the surface. The soils control which tree species can grow successfully; and primary forest cover is aspen, northern pin oak, red pine, white pine and jack pine -- all of which grow well on the forest’s sandy soil.

Aspen, 30 percent of the forest acreage, is valued as pulpwood and has high wildlife value especially for deer and grouse. Northern pin oak, another 30 percent of the forest, has low commercial value, but offers high value for wildlife. The red pine, planted in the 1950s and ‘60s, makes up another 15 percent of the forest and is highly valued as both pulpwood and lumber. Red pine can grow for more than 100 years into large, beautiful trees.

The Department of Natural Resources is currently in the master planning process for the Peshtigo River State Forest. This process will define forest areas in terms of public use, development of special use areas, amenities, campgrounds, and marked trails.

Perhaps the most important early decision made by DNR master planners was that initial “parallel master planning” take place for both the Peshtigo River State Forest and the new Governor Thompson State Park. This assures that their uses will be compatible and complimentary. With extensive public input, the key provisions in both the forest and park plans call for:

• managing the shoreline zones to maintain and enhance their natural, undeveloped scenic qualities...especially those visible from the Peshtigo River and its flowages,
• protecting the shoreline of the flowages and the lands down river from any future development, and
• guaranteeing that the area will be maintained in its predominately natural condition.

The master plan for Governor Thompson State Park received approval from the Natural Resources Board in September 2004. The Peshtigo River State Forest Master Plan is currently under development.

Prior to state ownership, the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation was the steward of this forest and its flowages for more than 75 years providing conservation, public access to the water, and public recreation as required under license by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Since the state purchased these forest lands, the new Peshtigo River State Forest has remained open to the public for most types of hunting – deer, bear, turkey, grouse, and waterfowl – hiking and cross-country skiing, and all 16 boat landings are open for fishing and several types of boating -- quiet water and white water boating, sightseeing and waterskiing, rafting and canoeing. The roads in the forest are open for horseback riding.

Rules for using the forest include: No camping except for a few canoe campsites along the forest shoreline and portages around the dams; no overnight storage of watercraft, no off-road vehicles (except ATVs on some especially marked snowmobile trails when these trails are open for snowmobiles), mandatory removal of tree stands at the end of each hunting day, and, of course, no cutting or damaging of trees. Visitors can enjoy their evenings at many nearby public and private campgrounds.

These uses will remain for the enjoyment of generations of visitors under the management of the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and ownership by the State of Wisconsin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Mertz, DNR State Forest Manager -(715) 757-3965

Deer licenses may now be purchased during season

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Beginning this year hunters will be able to purchase Wisconsin deer hunting licenses during the nine-day deer gun season. Previously everyone except young people who turn 12 during the season and military personnel were required to buy licenses before the start of the season.

This doesn't change the rule that anyone hunting must possess a hunting license but does allow people who decide during the season to go hunting to buy a license and hunt. Anyone born after Jan. 1, 1973 must have completed a hunter education course to purchase a license.

The change in deadlines for license purchases are outlined on page 2 of the 2004 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations.

Armed forces members able to provide proof of successful completion of basic training in the Armed Forces including Reserves or National Guard are exempt from hunter education requirements. All Armed Forces members must purchase a deer hunting license to hunt deer unless hunting under a CWD landowner permit.

Any Armed Forces member who exhibits proof of active service and who is stationed in the state or is a resident on furlough or leave are exempt from the three-day waiting period for resident archery and resident Conservation Patron archery privileges. Any Armed forces member who exhibits proof that he or she is a Wisconsin resident, in active service outside the state and on furlough or leave may harvest one deer of either sex during any firearm deer season with their regular carcass tag.

Non-residents in the Armed Forces who are stationed in Wisconsin are eligible to purchase a resident gun deer, sports and small game licenses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DNR customer service - (608) 266-2621

New open burning informational materials available

MADISON -- Using a burn barrel to dispose of household waste can expose people standing near the barrels to harmful chemicals, and can emit many more times the amount of hazardous materials to the atmosphere than if the materials were burned in an incinerator with pollution controls.

State law allows open burning of only a few items--namely, leaves, plant clippings, paper, cardboard and clean, untreated wood-- and local ordinances can be more strict.

Because burn barrels operate at low temperatures of 400 to 500 degrees F, they result in incomplete combustion of the wastes being burned. Burn barrels often emit acid vapors, carcinogenic tars, and "heavy metals" such as lead, cadmium and chromium, as well as unhealthful levels of carbon monoxide. The closer one stands to a burn barrel, the more of these harmful chemicals can be inhaled.

Burning prohibited materials--such as plastics, asphalt, rubber and other man-made materials--generates additional hazardous air pollutants. A 1994 study done for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that each pound of garbage burned in a burn barrel emits twice as much furans, 20 times more dioxin and 40 times more particulates than if that same pound of garbage were burned in an incinerator with air pollution controls.

In an effort to help individuals and communities in Wisconsin understand and deal with the problems created by the open burning of trash, the Department of Natural Resources has created several new educational outreach items. These items are available from the DNR Regional offices or on the Open Burning pages of the DNR Web site.

As a result of cooperative efforts by the DNR, the Wisconsin Towns Association, the Wisconsin Counties Association, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and the American Lung Association, a model ordinance on open burning for local governments has been published in final form and is available online on the DNR Open Burning Web pages. According to Kevin Kessler, DNR Open Burning Team leader, “The model ordinance was one of the projects recommended in the DNR’s 2003 public involvement efforts on open burning. We think it will be an extremely useful tool for local governments and citizens interested in open burning and outdoor burning issues.”

The model ordinance offers municipalities a wide range of options for creating an ordinance to meet their own local needs. Among the issues that are covered for local consideration are listing of materials that can’t be burned, burning leaves and yard wastes, burn barrels, outdoor wood-fired furnaces and burning permits. The text contains numerous explanations of the issues and alternatives for local considerations. The publication is available online in portable document format (.pdf -- requires Adobe®Acrobat®Reader®) and Microsoft® Word formats and also available in printed form from DNR Regional offices.

To help educate the public, the DNR has also developed an Open Burning Quiz that tests the knowledge of what’s legal and what’s illegal to burn in Wisconsin. Kids will have fun taking the quiz home and testing their parents. The quiz is available on the DNR Open Burning web page or in printed form from DNR offices. Additional materials on clean air and open burning for kids, parents and teachers can be found on the Internet at www.airdefenders.org.

The DNR has also prepared a new 15-minute videotape entitled “Open Burning: A Tradition to Discard.” The video is narrated and illustrates many of the problems presented by open burning. It is available as a VHS tape and in DVD format and can be borrowed for presentation from DNR Regional offices. The material covered in the videotape is also available as a PowerPoint presentation with a script in a CD format. The slides and script can be supplemented and modified by the speaker to meet the needs of a particular audience. The CD also contains an electronic copy of the Open Burning Model Ordinance, the Open Burning Quiz and an open burning fact sheet.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Kessler, (608) 266-5207

Cooperative efforts boost recycling in Wisconsin

MADISON – Increasing numbers of communities around Wisconsin are working together to run local recycling programs more efficiently and bolster recycling efforts in the state under a grant program that encourages cooperation among units of government that are responsible for running local recycling programs.

The Recycling Efficiency Incentive Grants Program was established in 2003 to encourage two or more local recycling programs, officially known as “Responsible Units,” to formally merge into a single unit or to enter into cooperative agreements to carry out recycling programs. The grants apply to activities such as the collection and transportation of recyclable materials, the sorting of materials or comprehensive program planning or educational efforts.

In 2004, a total of 77 Responsible Units received efficiency incentive grants resulting in three mergers of local recycling programs and 23 cooperative agreements among two or more local programs.

For example, seven small communities in Adams and Trempealeau counties are working together to improve glass recycling. The effort has resulted in increased markets for recycled glass and significantly increased the number of bars and restaurants participating in recycling, according to local solid waste officials. Another cooperative effort between Pierce and Pepin counties to collect and transport recyclable plastic resulted in lower costs and increased revenues due to the larger volume of plastic being recycled. The Cities of La Crosse and Onalaska and Vernon County cooperated on a light bulb collection program from 40 businesses that resulted in the collection of 20,000 light bulbs.

Responsible Units that are interested in applying for the next available round of Recycling Efficiency Incentive Grants in 2006 should begin working on establishing those collaborative efforts now, according to Cynthia Moore, recycling coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. By law, an effective written agreement or consolidation must occur and the claimed efficiency must have been in place between Oct. 31 of the previous year and April 30 of the calendar year in which application is made. Applications for 2006 grants must be postmarked no later than Oct. 30, 2005. A total of $1.9 million is available for each grant cycle. More information and grant applications can be found on the DNR solid waste and recycling Web pages.

More information can also be found on the UW-Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center newsletter (http://www.uwex.edu/shwec - Exit DNR), including several examples of successful cooperative efforts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Moore, DNR, (608) 267-7550 or Steve Brachman, UWEX, (414) 227-3160

Communities receive funds for boating projects

MADISON –Eleven Wisconsin units of government will receive grants totaling $340,863 to make improvements for recreational boating in their communities.

The grants were approved at the Nov. 9 meeting of the Wisconsin Waterways Commission, a five-member commission appointed by Gov. Jim Doyle to determine the need for recreational boating facilities and to approve financial aid to local governments and agencies for the development of recreational boating projects. Funds for grants come from the state Water Resources Account and are raised through a formula transfer of excise tax on gasoline used for marine purposes.

Units of government and qualified lake associations interested in applying for matching funds for recreational boating projects should contact the community services specialist at their regional DNR office. Eligible sponsors also include town sanitary districts and other local governmental units established for the purposes of lake management.

The commission approved eight new projects and three requests for additional costs for previously approved projects. Grant agreements and amendments for the approved projects will be released by the Department of Natural Resources over the next several weeks. The following is a list of the projects:

• Green Lake County: $45,430 to improve and increase the size of the parking area for the launch at Dodge Memorial Park on Big Green Lake. Construction activities will include grading, paving and striping parking areas.
• Town of Geneva, Walworth County: $9,780 of additional funds to complete a previously approved project to renovate the launch to Lake Como.
• Racine County: $22,800 of additional funds for the renovation of the parking area at the launch to Eagle Spring Lake.
• Town of Lyndon, Juneau County: $38,500 for the reconstruction of a 2-lane launch ramp to the Wisconsin River at the end of River Bay Road.
• Kewaunee County: $18,390 to upgrade the existing launch to West Alaska Lake. Construction activities will include drainage improvements, landscaping and the replacement of deteriorated rest rooms.
• Portage County: $4,325 to chemically treat 3 acres of Eurasian water milfoil on Lake Emily.
• Jordan Lake District, Adams County: $9,963 to chemically treat 25 acres of Eurasian water milfoil on Jordan Lake.
• Whitewater-Rice Lakes Management District, Walworth County: $61,950 to acquire a new 12-foot weed harvester for use on Whitewater-Rice lakes.
• Okauchee Lake Management District, Waukesha County: $31,975 to acquire a new harvester transport barge, trailer and outboard motors for use on Okauchee Lake.
• Tri-Lakes Management District, Adams County: $58,000 to acquire a new 8-foot weed harvester for use on Arrowhead, Camelot and Sherwood lakes.
• Milwaukee County: $39,750 of additional funds for a previously approved project for the extension of the South Shore launch ramps to Lake Michigan and installation of a storm water treatment device.

The next meeting of the Commission is tentatively scheduled for February 2005. Sponsors interested in applying should get in contact with the regional community service specialist in their area. Projects cannot be forwarded to the Commission for consideration until all appropriate water regulatory permits or weed harvesting/chemical permits are obtained by the sponsor.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Freidig - (608) 266-5897