2005 Contents

December 2005

Invasion of the Vole Snatchers: A rare winter treat of northern owls had birders flocking to northern Wisconsin.
A Path of Our Own Making: The Land Legacy Report serves as a compass, blueprint and roadmap to guide land conservation and outdoor recreation for the next 50 years.
Vertically Inclined: A forest of ancient, twisted trees grows from the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment.
Little Streams Feed a Big Fishery: Better trout and salmon fishing along the Lake Superior shore starts in the small streams and rivers flowing into the big lake.
Bobbing Heads in the Crowd: Rafting coots are a sure sign of fall.
Sweet and Sour Pie: Savoring some memorable Thanksgiving feasts – and a first date.
Wisconsin Traveler: Home for the holidays.
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Special Inserts:: Wisconsin's Land Legacy [PDF 584KB]; A poster about the special places we preserve and protect.
Marketplace Matters: Understanding the economic value of Wisconsin forests

Keeping the North the North: A decade in the making, the Northern Initiatives still point the way toward reasoned development that sustains the character of the Northwoods.
Feeding Good Habits: Meet some companies with new ideas and new approaches to building businesses from recycling.
Miles of Isles: Restoring island habitat in the broad expanse of the Upper Mississippi River benefits fish, wildlife and local communities.
Three Years Down A Long Road: Controlling chronic wasting disease remains a work in progress.
A Walk on the Wet Side: A light touch and hairy toes help these bugs stride across the water.
Wisconsin Traveler: Q & A
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Special Insert: Wisconsin: Where Recyclables are Too Valuable to Waste: A poster to help you enjoy the memories again and again.

Let the Cup be Unbroken: Encourage natural plantings that won't be cut down in their prime along roadsides.
The Return of the Loud Redheads: It's no mystery: These lively, colorful woodpeckers love a good snag.
A Long Stretch of Wonder: 92 miles of sandbars, driftwood and diversity, the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway provides an escape for humans and a safe haven for rare fish.
Wild Hogs in the Woods: Wildlife and agriculture officials take a stand in the mud to ferret out feral pigs from pockets of the Wisconsin countryside.
Worming into New Territory: Inch by inch, earthworms are gaining ground in the Northwoods -- where they are not naturally found.
A Generation of Shared Rights and Shared Responsibilities: Two decades after treaty fishing rights were reaffirmed, resource managers have more knowledge and stronger working relationships to share a harvest and sustain northern Wisconsin fisheries.
Wisconsin Traveler: Tour de Fitchburg
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.

Curious by Nature: A gathering of professional and amateur scientists discusses how to knit together a network to turn outdoor observations and measurements into usable scientific data.
Algae that's Bad News for the Nose: Conditions remain right for periodic outbreaks of stinky algae along the Lake Michigan coast.
The Ripple Effect: With lake grants, municipalities, groups and individuals can assume ever-expanding roles in local shoreland protection. Can they help your community?
A Nettlesome Question: Many butterfly larvae put the bite on this stinging plant.
Deadly Crossing: A stretch of highway through Horicon Marsh takes its toll on wildlife trying to reach habitat on the other side. Can we bypass the damage?
Show More with Less: It takes practice to say it simply visually.
Wisconsin Traveler: Fair enough
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Special Insert: Hitching a Ride: A special section about invasive species in Wisconsin's waters.
Special Insert: Sign Up for Success: Learn about CREP buffers to protect the land, water and your checkbook.

A Lesson in Patience: Ready for the seasons to change? Take everything in its time.
Time to Travel!: Come along on guided field trips from April through October.
Stealth on Silent Wings: Barn owls – deadly accurate nighttime flights are an all too rare sight.
Coulee Trout: Lose yourself exploring the valleys and trout streams of southwestern Wisconsin.
River on the Rebound: Restoring the lifeblood that flows through the heart of Milwaukee.
Keepers of the Flame: At a state park on the very tip of Door County, volunteers shed light on the lives and times of Great Lakes sentinels who kept the night watch.
Wisconsin Traveler: Hawks and herps
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Special Insert: Spreading like Wildfire: Planning fire prevention as communities grow into woodlands.

Get the Picture: Tips to improve your wildlife photos
or get started in a new hobby.
Read All about It: New books to while away a winter night in good company.
Contrasting Foresters: A brief look at forestry then and now
in Sauk County.
Shoreside Sentinels: Shrinking populations of tiny two- to three-inch fish warn how shoreland development.
The Gall of that Fly!: Burrowed in a swollen plant stem, a tiny fly larva waits out winter.
Green Schools = Healthy Communities: A voluntary environmental assessment program offers the right equation for students to examine their school grounds and learn about the community at large.
Wisconsin Traveler: Let the show begin!
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Special Insert: Welcome Aboard: Discovering Wisconsin's maritime trails.