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May is Clean Air Month

Do a little to save a lot, and it all adds up to cleaner air ad campaign launched

MADISON – There are easy actions people can take every day to help keep Wisconsin’s air clean and healthy that will also help them save money, gas and energy.

May is Clean Air Month, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will be sharing tips showing how homeowners, drivers, workers and kids can reap these environmental and economic benefits through every-day actions.

Thirty-second public service TV and radio ads will air this month and convey a simple message: Everyone can do a little to save a lot, and it all adds up to cleaner air. The DNR Web site offers even more clean-air tips – under the “It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air” page.

“Public health is a top concern for us,” says Al Shea, administrator for the DNR Division of Air and Waste. “While Wisconsin’s air is generally healthy and improving, we do still have unhealthy conditions from time to time. Particularly the young, elderly or people with health concerns like asthma can experience serious health problems from air pollution in our state. But we all can do something to help protect air and health.”

People can start by reducing their daily use of electricity and fuel “at home, work and behind the wheel,” he says. When energy is produced or fuel burned, it contributes to air pollution problems such as ground-level ozone, fine particulate matter and global climate change. Simple ways to protect air quality at home and work include:

• Replacing regular incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents.
• Running fewer loads of laundry or dishes by waiting until they are full.
• Turning off lights and appliances when leaving a room.
• Unplugging electronic gadgets when not in use.

When using a vehicle, even a step as simple as not letting cars idle can help keep the air cleaner, Shea says. People can turn off their cars while they wait at drive-through or drive-up windows, while picking up a passenger, or even while waiting for a train to pass or congestion to clear. Getting excess baggage out of the trunk and keeping tires properly inflated will also stretch gas mileage and reduce air pollution.

“These kinds of actions reduce emissions that can cause health-harming pollutants. But the great news is they also reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. And, because they help reduce energy and gas use, you can save money too,” says Shea.

Individual actions can add up to help solve global climate change and regional pollution problems. But Shea also emphasizes that air quality is also a local concern and individual actions can either cause or prevent some very real, localized health problems.

Backyard burning also can affect air quality

“Burning -- particularly burning trash that give off lots of toxins and smoke -- can create nearby health hazards for your family and neighbors,” he says. Burning trash is a significant source of dioxins and the major cause of wildfires in the state, he notes. Additional information on the effects of opening burning can be found on the DNR Web site.

Instead, Shea recommends reducing and recycling waste where possible and properly disposing of the rest. Reycling information is also available on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Bogar - (608) 266-3725

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Gypsy moth spraying to begin soon

Spraying will be done in eight counties to be protect trees from destructive pest

MADISON – Aerial spraying to protect trees and forests from the potentially defoliating effects of the invasive gypsy moth could begin in Wisconsin within the next two weeks.

Trained pilots will treat approximately 1,235 acres in eight counties as part of the 2007 gypsy moth suppression program. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources coordinates the program, which responds to local officials’ request for spraying.

Wisconsin counties being treated this year in the DNR suppression program include Adams, Brown, Dane, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Sauk and Waushara. Individual treatment sites vary in size from a 21-acre block in Hobart to a 235-acre area in Madison.

Only Mother Nature can say for sure when spraying will begin.

“It boils down to the weather,” said Andrea Diss-Torrance, gypsy moth program coordinator with the DNR. “The gypsy moth caterpillars must be of a certain size and the tree canopy needs to be developed enough to ‘catch’ the spray.”

Spraying typically begins in the early morning when weather conditions are generally most favorable, but it can happen at any time of the day if the wind is light and there’s no rain in the immediate forecast.

Weather conditions also dictate when planes can get in the air, Diss-Torrance added. “If it’s too windy, we won’t spray. If it’s raining, we won’t spray. We weigh all the factors and pick the days when it all comes together,” she says.

Because of the flexible timing of the spraying schedule, DNR offers two different ways for local residents in treatment areas to keep abreast of plans. A toll-free information line is updated daily during the spraying season, or residents may subscribe to receive e-mail notification of spraying activities.

The toll-free information number is 1-800-642-MOTH (6684). To subscribe for e-mail notification, visit the a href="http://gypsymoth.wi.gov/">state gypsy moth control Web site [exit DNR] and click on the “Eastern: DNR” link on the left side of the page. Fill out the fields on that page under “subscribe to email notification list” and submit. Maps of all spray areas are also available at that website.

Since its introduction into the United States in 1869, the gypsy moth has defoliated thousands of acres of trees in both forest and urban settings across the northeast United States.

By 1989, the gypsy moth had established populations along Wisconsin's eastern shore from Milwaukee to Green Bay. Since then, moths have been found in nearly every county and the eastern half of the state is recognized as infested.

“Gypsy moth populations remain low in most of Wisconsin, although they appear to be on the rise in the central part of the state. We are also starting to see nuisance level populations build in the southeastern most counties of Wisconsin, including Milwaukee and Racine Counties,” Diss-Torrance said.

Around the state

This spring in south central Wisconsin the DNR suppression program will be treating for gypsy moth in Dane and Sauk counties including Madison, Sun Prairie, Lake Kegonsa State Park, and Devils Lake State Park. “Caterpillars started hatching in the Madison area the last week of April, a little earlier then normal, but not unexpected with the recent warm weather,” said Mark Guthmiller, DNR suppression coordinator for southern and southeastern Wisconsin. “That means we could start spraying as soon as mid-May, but weather between now and then will determine the final plan.”

Caterpillar numbers have been on the rise for several years in central Wisconsin,” said Bria Radtke, DNR gypsy moth coordinator for the west central region. “We’re treating four small blocks in the Lake Camelot area this year, and we expect other parts of Adams County to have high caterpillar populations this summer”

“We’ve been monitoring the egg masses, and for more than a week now the caterpillars have been hatching. That means we could start spraying there as early as May 12, but again, weather between now and then will determine the final plan.”

What is sprayed

The department uses two insecticides for controlling the gypsy moth. One is a biological insecticide with the active ingredient Btk. Btk is the common abbreviation for a naturally-occurring soil bacteria that, when eaten by gypsy moth caterpillars, causes them to stop feeding and die. Btk is generally not harmful to people, pets or other wild animals. Some people with severe allergies may wish to avoid areas to be sprayed on the day that spraying occurs.

The other insecticide used is called Gypchek, a viral insecticide produced in limited quantities that affects only gypsy moth. Gypchek is used in areas where there are endangered butterflies or moths that may be harmed by Btk. This year Gypcheck will be used for the sprays in Adams and Waushara counties only.

The DNR suppression program is separate from the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s spraying program, called Slow the Spread (STS). That spraying is done in the western half of the state, in places where gypsy moth populations are very small and only beginning to emerge. STS spraying takes places over several weeks and is generally in rural areas.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Andrea Diss-Torrance, (608) 264-9247; Bill McNee, (920) 662-5430; Mark Guthmiller, (608) 275-3223, or Bria Radtke, (715) 831-3278

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New rules restrict movement of firewood to state campgrounds

Rules aimed at preventing spread of forest pests

MADISON - As the weather warms and outdoor enthusiasts get ready for camping and campfires, state park and forestry officials are reminding campers that transporting firewood can also transport dangerous pests.

To help prevent the spread of pests and to protect neighborhood trees and state parks, forests and natural areas, new state rules prohibit bringing firewood into Wisconsin from outside the state. Rules also prohibit brining firewood from more than 50 miles away into all Department of Natural Resources managed properties including state parks and forests.

“Many invasive, destructive pests and diseases can travel on firewood,” says Andrea Diss-Torrance, DNR forest health specialist. “Unsuspecting campers can unintentionally introduce these pests to the places and trees they love.”

The rule means that people who camp this year on state-managed land will need to buy firewood at the campground or from a nearby Wisconsin firewood dealer located less than 50 miles from the campground and within Wisconsin. All other firewood will be confiscated upon entry to the park and destroyed.

The best way to find out about firewood availability at near a park or forest is to contact the park or forest office directly. A list of state park and forest contact numbers is posted on the DNR’s State Parks Web site.

“Campers can expect a few questions and lots of useful information on how to help protect their trees from invasive pests when they arrive at their state camping destinations this year,” says Bruce Chevis of the DNR parks and recreation bureau. “Everyone can help protect our state’s natural resources by making a few small changes in how we prepare for campfires.”

The most damaging pest currently threatening Wisconsin trees is the emerald ash borer (EAB). This tiny green bug is responsible for the death of more than 25 million ash trees in Michigan and surrounding states since 2002. Originally from Asia, this bug likely hitched a ride across the ocean in wooden shipping crates in the 1990s.

It was first recognized in 2002 when it started killing ash trees in towns in the Detroit area. Many neighborhoods that were once covered with full-grown ash trees are now stripped bare as the EAB has killed all ash trees in its path. Within three years of becoming infested, a mature and otherwise healthy ash tree will die.

Since its first appearance in the United States, the emerald ash borer has made its way into at least seven states and may be present and undetected in even more. Firewood is now the primary way this pest is being moved to new areas. People take the pest with them to campgrounds or summer homes or from vacation areas to home on firewood.

“Research shows this bug typically does not fly more than three miles per year -- at the most -- on its own. That means we have a unique responsibility to make sure we do not help it out by moving it long distances on firewood,” says Diss-Torrance.

Wisconsin has about 727 million ash trees in its forests and 5 million in urban areas. Across Wisconsin, ash trees make up about 20 percent of the urban forest.

“Although defending against this bug may seem to be an inconvenience to some people this camping season, we are lucky Wisconsin still has an opportunity to try and keep this pest out of our parks and communities,” says Diss. “While some other states had no warning, the focus for us lies in making our defense as efficient and unified as possible to protect our amazing and unique urban and forest resources.”

Federal quarantines have been placed on firewood from Illinois, lower Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Anyone moving firewood out of these areas is subject to federal fines of up to $1,000.

Emerald Ash Borer is not the only pest that moves on firewood. Gypsy moth, oak wilt, and many other pests and diseases also hitch a ride whenever they can. People who have reserved a campsite at a DNR property for 2007 will be receiving a post card in the mail this month reminding them of this firewood rule.

More information on the emerald ash borer, what’s being done, and what people can do to help is available on the multi-state emerald ash borer Web site [exit DNR]. More information about Wisconsin’s firewood rule is available on the DNR Web site or call the firewood hotline at 1-877-303-WOOD (9663).

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Andrea Diss-Torrance - (608) 264-9247 or (608) 516-2223

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International Migratory Bird Day May 12

This year’s theme is ‘Birds in a Changing Climate’

MADISON – From looking back at records that renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold kept on the springtime arrival of migrating birds at the family's farm on the lower Wisconsin River, ecologist Nina Leopold Bradley found that birds such as the rose-breasted grosbeak are arriving up to 20 days earlier in the spring now than they did when her father recorded their arrival more than 60 years ago.

Global climate change may be affecting many forms of wildlife, including birds. To help draw attention to these changes, the theme of the 2007 International Migratory Bird Day is “Birds in a Changing Climate.”

International Migratory Bird Day, which this year is Saturday, May 12, is held each year to draw attention to the plight of migratory birds that yearly make incredible journeys between their breeding grounds in North America and their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central, and South America. Many of these birds are declining in numbers, primarily due to the loss of habitat, but biologists are also concerned about how global climate change will affect populations.

“The old adage of the canary in a coal mine is based on the reality that birds have long been known to be sensitive indicators of environmental changes,” says Sumner Matteson, an avian ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources. “They have informed us of impacts from lead poisoning, pesticides, and other contaminants in our air and water.”

The reactions of birds to weather have long been noted. For hundreds of years, farmers used the arrival of migratory birds to make decisions about planting crops. Today, as the rate of warming increases, scientists worldwide are exploring how climate change will affect birds and how we can reduce our impact.

Matteson says these changes may include:

• Different bird species’ ranges shifting north as they move to areas that match their temperature tolerances and habitat needs. Some Neotropical migrants, such as the Cape May and bay-breasted warblers, have extended their ranges significantly farther north in the last 20 years by an average distance of more than 60 miles. This effect may be problematic for birds that live in the Arctic or mountainous regions, as they have distributions that can’t shift any farther north as the habitats around them change due to global warming.
• Breeding and feeding habitats may change as temperature changes affect food availability for some birds. One example is the gray jay, which relies on stored frozen food. Populations of gray jays are declining in some areas because their stored food supply is thawing out and becoming unsuitable for the birds to eat.
• Changes to migratory stopovers or breeding areas. The Prairie Pothole Region in the Northern Great Plains produces 50 to 80 percent of the primary species of game ducks on the North American continent. This region, characterized by millions of shallow depressions that fill with water suitable for breeding and migrating ducks, is sure to be affected by climatic alterations. More droughts will create fewer wetlands, saltier water, and plants with less nutritional value -- all of which make the region less suitable as habitat for ducks.
• Changes in the timing of events such as egg laying. Tree Swallows are now laying eggs, on average, a week or more earlier than they did thirty years ago because of earlier springs with higher temperatures. Colonial waterbirds, such as cormorants, are also laying eggs earlier.

More information about International Migratory Bird Day can be found on the IMBD Web site [exit DNR]. A number of International Migratory Bird Day activities and related events are being held throughout Wisconsin in May including:

• Crex Meadows Bird Festival. Wildlife enthusiasts can see up to 270 kinds of birds including many rare and endangered species on the 30,000 acre Crex Meadows Wildlife Area near Grantsburg in Burnett County. The festival includes guided bus tours, a guided canoe/kayak tour, guided hikes and various birding programs scheduled throughout the day, including live Wisconsin raptors. Refreshments and food are available at the Friends of Crex food stand and birding books, equipment and other items offered at the center’s Bog Shoe Store. More information on the Crex Meadows Bird Festival [exit DNR] is available on the Friends of Crex Meadows Web site [exit DNR].
• Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival May 18-20. The event will be held in Ashland and feature more than 140 activities during the three-day weekend, including field trips, guest speakers, hands-on workshops, and youth programs. Program topics include bird ecology, landscaping for wildlife, dragonfly identification, black bear movement patterns, birdhouse building, fish hatchery tours, wildlife art, digital photography, and much more. More information and registration is available on the festival Web site [exit DNR] or by calling 1-800-284-9484.
• Horicon Marsh Bird Festival May 11-14. Festival includes bird watching hikes and tours, pontoon tours of the marsh, bird banding and live birds of prey demonstrations. A new feature this year will be information on the new Wisconsin eBird Web site, that allows people from around the state the opportunity to find out what birds are being seen around the state and to report their own observations. In all, there are more than two dozen activities scheduled for the festival. A complete list of activities can be found on the Horicon Marsh Bird Club Web site [exit DNR]. Events are held at a variety of locations, including the Department of Natural Resources Horicon Service Center and the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

Other events are schedule at the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee the Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton, and Heckrodt Wetland Reserve in Menasha. More information on these events can be found on the Bird IQ Web site [exit DNR].

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Sumner Matteson - (608) 266-1571

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Hearings set on rules to prevent spread of deadly fish virus

MADISON – Emergency rules affecting boaters, anglers and bait harvesters and aimed at preventing the spread to inland waters of a deadly fish virus found in Great Lakes waters are the topic of public hearings this month in Ashland and Milwaukee.

The emergency rules affect all boaters, anglers and people who harvest bait from the wild and they went into effect April 8 for 150 days. The rules aim to avoid the accidental spread of the fish disease by prohibiting people from moving live fish and fish eggs from one waterbody to another, by limiting where they can use dead bait, and requiring that all water be drained from boats and boating equipment after being used on potentially infected waters.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS virus, is not a health threat for people who eat or handle fish infected with it. But it can infect and kill more than 25 game fish, panfish and bait fish species and it caused huge fish kills on several eastern Great Lakes in 2005 and 2006.

VHS is likely already in Lake Michigan and possibly in Lake Superior and the Mississippi River. Wisconsin fisheries officials are concerned that if the virus enters inland waters, which are much smaller than the Great Lakes, the virus could spread quickly among the species and potentially devastate the fishery. Healthy fish can get the virus by eating infected fish or absorbing water carrying the virus.

The emergency rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted through the Wisconsin Administrative Rules Web site: [exit DNR]/

Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted until May 28, 2007, via U.S. mail to Bill Horns, Bureau of Fisheries Management, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 or by e-mail to bill.horns@wisconsin.gov.

Written comments, whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail, will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. For information call Bill Horns at (608) 266-8782. The hearings will all be held at 5 p.m. on the following dates at the location listed:

• May 10, Ashland - Council Chambers, Ashland City Hall, 601 Main St. West.
• May 17, Milwaukee - Rooms 140 and 141, DNR Southeast Region Headquarters, 2300 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Horns - (608) 266-8782

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Wisconsin sturgeon spawning to be featured in IMAX movie

SHAWANO – The Lake Winnebago system lake sturgeon may have ended their 2007 spawning run up the Wolf River, but people will soon be able to experience that primordial journey in living, 3-D color.

A Canadian science center filmed the sturgeon, their human handlers and their admirers for a 40-minute IMAX movie to be released in May 2008. The film will be shown initially at the Science North science center in Sudbury, Ontario, and then rolled out for wider distribution.

Though not the sole subject of “Wonder of the Great Lakes,” the sturgeon are clearly the star of the $4.5 million film -- along with the Department of Natural Resources fish crews, the citizen volunteers who are committed to their survival, and the “spectacle” of people lined up to watch and cheer on the sturgeon, says David Lickley, the film’s director and producer.

“This is unique and you guys (DNR) are doing amazing work with the fish,” Lickley says. “Part of the story is that people are really rooting for this fish.”

While other sturgeon populations around the globe dwindle, the Lake Winnebago system population is flourishing as the world’s largest naturally reproducing lake sturgeon population, thanks to the DNR fisheries staff and the citizens who actively advise them, guard the fish during its spring spawning runs, and pay for DNR management activities through their donations and purchase of sturgeon spearing licenses.

Their combined efforts sustain an estimated 11,000 adult females and 25,000 adult males that support the largest recreational lake sturgeon fishery in North America, with an average annual harvest of 1,400 fish, and an annual economic impact exceeding $3 million annually.

The IMAX film uses the lake sturgeon, which can live up to 100 years, as both narrative device and case study in telling the Great Lakes conservation story. Viewers will see the Great Lakes change from pristine to polluted to recovering. They will see wild inhabitants dwindle and start to recover but also face challenges from invasive species.

To tell the lake sturgeon’s story, Lickley and a crew of 16 specialists from all over spent five days shooting underwater and above the water as the fish began their spawning run in late April along a 60-mile stretch of the Wolf River.

They showed the fish spawning, Ron Bruch, senior DNR sturgeon biologist, and his crew netting the huge fish, lugging them on shore and then measuring them and tagging them. They filmed the crowds of kids who lined the slippery plastic “slides” the fish rode down the bank and into the water as the fish crews finished with them. And they filmed the “Sturgeon Guards,” volunteers who commit to 12 hour shifts of watching the fish while they are spawning and especially vulnerable.

“We had perfect weather, lots of fish, and amazing cooperation from Ron and his group,” Lickley says. “We got more footage shot in three days than for any natural history film I’ve shot.”

How does the movie end? The fish swims off into the sunset.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Bruch (920) 424-3059

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Invasive plants should go to the landfill

MADISON – Spring is the time when many property owners and volunteer organizations are hard at work trying to eliminate invasive plants like garlic mustard from their woods, yards and local parks. Many invasive plants, like garlic mustard, continue to develop seeds once they have been pulled from the ground.

For plants like this, effective control means that the flowering plants must be removed from the site to keep the seed from spreading. Allowing the plants to dry out and burning them is an option in some rural areas, but landowners should be aware that there are frequently restrictions or permit requirements for open air burning.

Although backyard composting is normally the preferred method for dealing with most yard waste, backyard compost piles and bins do not reliably generate enough heat for a long enough period of time to destroy some plant seeds. The same problem may occur at many municipal or rural compost facilities, thereby spreading the invasive plants when the finished compost is utilized.

To ensure that the invasive plants are destroyed and the seeds not redistributed, the Department of Natural Resources Endangered Resources Program and Waste Management Program are asking property owners to separate and bag any invasive plants in clear bags and label the bags “invasive plants – approved by Wis. DNR for landfilling.” Groups removing invasive plants from public properties like parks should make arrangements with their local public works office for collection and disposal.

“Even though landfilling of yard waste is prohibited in Wisconsin, the DNR is using its enforcement discretion to allow invasive plants to be landfilled because that represents the best available option for disposing of them,” said Cynthia Moore, DNR Recycling Team Leader.

“We don’t recommend composting invasive plants and their seeds because of the likelihood that viable plants and seeds will be spread through the distribution of the finished compost. Only specially designed and carefully managed composting operations should accept invasive plants”.

More information on invasive plant species and eradication and recycling is available on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Wheat - (608) 267-0557 (recycling and landfilling) or Kelly Kearns (608) 267-5066 or Tom Boos (608) 266-9276 (invasive plants)

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‘Learn to deer hunt’ course applications available

BABCOCK – Youths and beginner adults who have never hunted deer before can learn the basics of deer hunting and deer ecology by applying to participate in “Learn to deer hunt” workshops that will be held this year at the Sandhill Wildlife Area near Babcock.

The one-day workshop includes information on deer biology and management, instruction on compasses, scouting for sign, firearm safety, hunt rules and regulations, and hunter ethics. Those who complete the workshop are allowed to return for a special hunt on Nov. 4-5 at Sandhill.

The youth workshop is offered to young hunters, 12 to 15 years old. Each youth must be accompanied by an adult, 21 years or older, who acts as chaperon and teacher. Youth workshops will be held on Saturday, August 4, Tuesday, August 7, Thursday, August 9, Saturday, August 11, Monday, August 14, and Wednesday, August 16.

A one-day beginner adult workshop is offered to people 16 or older who have never hunted deer with a gun before. Beginner adults must also be accompanied by an adult chaperon. The Beginner Adult workshop will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22.

To qualify for the program, all participants must either be enrolled in a Hunter Safety course or must possess a valid Hunter Safety Certificate. Students will be required to have a license by the time of the hunt. Previous participants are ineligible.

Chaperons should have some deer hunting experience and are expected to attend the workshop as well as the hunt with the student. Their primary role is to assist the beginner in developing the skills necessary to become a responsible hunter and sportsperson. The chaperon will not be allowed to carry a firearm during the hunt.

Applications for the Learn to Deer Hunt Workshops will be available throughout April and May at DNR Service Centers or on the Sandhill Outdoors Skills Center page of the DNR Web site. Applications must be postmarked on or before May 31, 2007. Enrollment is limited to 180 students. Applicants will be randomly selected and successful applicants will be notified by June 30. A fee of $35 will be charged to enter program. Fee waivers are available for those unable to afford the fee.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dick Thiel – (715) 884-6333

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Few days left to fill out survey on fish and wildlife priorities

Public asked to help guide future management

MADISON – People who haven’t yet taken the opportunity to provide input on fish and wildlife management in Wisconsin still have time to take a few minutes to fill out the online survey. Completed surveys will be accepted until this Friday, May 11 and will be compiled and presented to the Natural Resources Board in June.

Each year, the DNR receives about $15 million in federal grants to help manage sport fish and wildlife populations. To receive the federal grants, the department is required to prepare a “Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan” to show how those funds will be spent over the next six years.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Barb Zellmer at - (608) 266-8724