Mar 2004 CAWS Newsletter Madison Audubon Society
Content
THE MADISON AUDUBON
NEWSLETTER
OF THE MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-BIRD / http://madisonaudubon.org
March 2004
Red Fish, Blue Fish, Good Fish...Bad Fish?
Order the Mahi-Mahi* or Chilean Seabass? What fish you buy at the grocery store or eat at your favorite restaurant has direct impact on the world's fisheries--and on your health. Which fish is healthiest for you and your family, and for sustainable living? On March 16, Tim Fitzgerald of Environmental Defense's Oceans Program will discuss conservation issues related to the U.S. seafood market, and the state of the world's fisheries. His research involves detailed analyses of fisheries and aquaculture practices, and supports a website called the Seafood Selector (www.environmentaldefense.org/go/ seafood). Here, consumers can learn about the fishing and farming practices associated with over 150 kinds of the country's most popular seafood, including which are considered "Best" and "Worst" picks for the environment. In addition, Tim has studied contaminant concentrations in seafood and is preparing information and advisories to be added to the website on mercury and PCB levels in various species. This advice is particularly important to women of childbearing age and young children, since these pollutants are extremely damaging to developing nervous systems. Prior to joining Environmental Defense, Tim was a marine biology instructor at The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. Onboard the Research Vessel Oceanic, he taught students Free Public Program What: Tim Fitzgerald on Fish Conservation When: Tuesday, March 16 7:00 p.m. - Refreshments 7:30 p.m. - Program Where: Bolz Auditorium, Meriter Hospital, 124 S. Brooks St. Madison Parking: Meriter Hospital paid parking ramp across the street, on the street, or Lot 51 north of Regent and Mills St. Barrier Reef in North Queensland, Australia. For graduate school, Tim attended the University of Hawaii, where he earned a Master's degree in Zoology in 2002. His research focused on the electroreceptive system of juvenile sharks-specifically what types of electrical fields they could detect to locate their prey. He was also a member of the Tiger Shark Research Project, which monitored tiger shark populations off the south shore of Oahu. As a result of his shark research, Tim served as an advisor to the Navy and Army Corps of Engineers during the salvage of the Ehime Maru, and has appeared on "National Geographic Explorer" and the Discovery Channel's "Shark Week." In his free time, Tim enjoys cooking, traveling, SCUBA diving, karate, soccer, and anything related to Hawaii. *Mahi-mahi is the good choice. It reproduces quickly and is short-lived. Chilean seabass (toothfish) is severely overfished and in danger of extinction. Contrary to what some restaurants claim, there's no such thing as “farmraised Chilean seabass!" This program is co-sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Wildlife Ecology. You're invited to join our speaker, MAS board members and friends at the pre-program dinner at Paisan's Restaurant beginning at 5:15 p.m. Please call the office at 608/255/BIRD (255-2473) if you have questions.
from elementary school to community college about the ecology of Long Island Sound. He also helped developed an innovative distance learning program that offered marine biology courses to junior high school students through internet videoconferencing. This program was named the #2 Innovative Project of 2003 by Technology and Learning Magazine. Tim's education has taken him all over the world. He earned a B.S. from Duke University in Durham, NC, with a double major in Biology and History. He spent two summers at the Duke University Marine Laboratory, where he conducted research on the environmental factors that influence crab metamorphosis. He also studied marine biology at James Cook University, located in the middle of the Great
Annual Audubon Membership ___New ___Renewal ___Gift
When you receive a renewal notice from National Audubon use this form to renew and thereby direct some of your donation to local causes. Find your expiration date at the top right corner of your address label. Name for Membership:
Put a Spring in Your Step
Saturday, March 13: Early Spring Migrants
Steve Thiesen will lead this early morning field trip to Mud Lake in McFarland. Mud Lake is usually the first body of water to thaw in our area, so it attracts good concentrations of early spring migrants, especially waterfowl. We will meet at 7:00 a.m. near McDonald's at South Towne off the South Beltline or meet at 7:15 a.m. at the south end of Lewis Lane in McFarland. Wear waterproof footwear, dress warmly and bring a scope if you have one. If you have questions, call Steve at 873-3323. Ave. or you can join the group at 9:00 a.m. at Goose Pond. Bring your binoculars, a scope if you have one, and a snack, as the trip may last to early afternoon. Call Tony and Carol at 249-8836, if you have questions.
NAME ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP+4 PHONE
___$20 special First-year New Member ___$15 Senior or Student – new or renewal ___$35 Renewal ___$15 CAWS newsletter subscription only (Non-member) Membership amount $_______ Additional contribution $_______ TOTAL Enclosed/Charged $_______ Please make check payable to: Madison Audubon Society Charge my __VISA __Master Card Name on Card:
Saturday, April 3: Spring Wildflowers of Koltes Prairie
Cancelled - due to prescribed burn on April 3.
Thursday, April 8: Frogs Night Out
Bring a sense of adventure on this trip as you "look" at the world from a different perspective - through sounds. Besides listening for a variety of frog calls, participants will learn about frog lifestyles and wetlands ecology. Bring a flashlight and wear footgear that can get muddy and wet (in cold water); bring rain gear if appropriate. The trip will be cancelled if the daytime high temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit or in case of very strong winds or heavy rain. The rain date for this trip is April 15. Call trip leader Bob Hay only if you have questions; (608/267-0849; work) or (608/829-3123; home). Meet at the Mazomanie Wildlife Area at 6:45 p.m. Directions: From Highway 14 in Mazomanie, drive north on County Highway Y for about 4 miles. Just before the highway bends to the east (right), turn left on Law's Drive. Travel on the access road about 0.25 miles and turn left onto the first gravel road. Follow this about 1.5 miles until it deadends at a parking lot. The trip leader will be there to meet you. The trip will last until 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 28: Ecology of Mud Lake
Libby Zimmerman, an experienced wetland ecologist, will lead this trip to view waterfowl and other spring migrants and learn about the ecology of Lower Mud Lake. If conditions permit, there will be an optional extension to other nearby waterfowl spots ending at Swan Pond. Please call Libby at 423-4047 (local call from Madison) for details.
CARD # EXP. DATE SIGNATURE
___I do NOT wish to receive the National Audubon magazine. ___Business/Corporate Membership Please call the MAS office 608/255-2473 This is a Gift Membership from:
NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE/ZIP+4
Z02 7xCH Mail to: Madison Audubon Society 222 S. Hamilton St., Suite 1 Madison, WI 53703-3201 THE AUDUBON CAWS is published September through June by: Madison Audubon Society, 222 S. Hamilton St., Madison, WI 53703, (608) 255-BIRD (2473). Birding hotline, 255-BIRM. Madison Audubon Web Page: http://madisonaudubon.org E-mail: [email protected] E-mail services donated by Berbee Contribution deadline is March 8 for the April issue, for which items may be sent to Abbie Kurtz, 313 Moulton Ct., Madison, WI 53704. [email protected]
Saturday, April 3: Spring Birds of Columbia County
Tony Kalenic and Carol Anderson will lead this car birding trip through northern Dane and southern Columbia counties to look for early spring migrants and late winter birds. We hope to see migrating swans, geese and other water birds. Meet to carpool at 7:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Copp's supermarket at the intersection of Allen Blvd. and Century Ave. in Middleton. Meet at the east end of the lot near Century
MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
President: Joanne Herfel, 241-8009 Vice-president: Debra Weitzel, 836-4051 Goose Pond Resident Naturalists: Mark and Sue Martin, 635-4160 Editor: Abbie Kurtz, 245-1758 [email protected] Graphic design: Pat Ready & Mary Liebig Printed by Roemer Printing
The mission of the Madison Audubon Society is to educate our members and the public about the natural world and the threats that natural systems are facing, to engage in advocacy to preserve and protect these systems, and to develop and maintain sanctuaries to save and restore natural habitat.
Membership Matters : Want to Help Double Audubon Membership - for only $5?
Last month Madison Audubon introduced Renew Audubon, a new way for members to renew their full Audubon membership locally through Madison Audubon! Simply use the form in the CAWS or print it from the web at http://madisonaudubon.org. Its time to renew when your CAWS mailing label indicates your renewal date is within a couple months, or when you receive a renewal reminder from National Audubon. Renewing locally through Madison Audubon helps direct some of your contribution to efforts that benefit you locally - such as Madison Audubon's large habitat and prairie restorations! This month Madison Audubon is building on Renew Audubon with a new offer. You can help reach our goal to Double Audubon Membership! When you renew please check Double Audubon Membership! This is a regular Renewal, plus an Audubon Gift Membership for only $5! Each of us knows someone who would enjoy Audubon - perhaps a relative, student, work acquaintance, neighbor, or teacher. Or address an Audubon Gift Membership to your local doctor or dentist office and give many more people an opportunity to read about the environment! Just fill in their address under Name for Membership, put your address under Gift From, and check the box for Double Audubon Membership. Madison Audubon has a goal to Double Audubon Membership - one member at a time. You can help reach that goal when you renew - for only $5! Please see the CAWS Member Renewal Instructions or check the Audubon website at http://madisonaudubon.org for details. Audubon is a great organization serving you at both national and local levels! Thank You for Being Part of It!
The Art Fair is Coming: Be a Part of It! May 1, Olbrich Gardens
The Madison Audubon Art Fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 1 at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on Atwood Avenue in Madison. Volunteers will be needed from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. We need help from 100 Audubon members to make this fair work. If you would be willing to assist with planning, food preparation, artist set up, parking, raffle, silent auction or artist take-down please call the Madison Audubon office or leave your name at our Website (www.madisonaudubon.org) under "opportunities to volunteer" with a preferred time to receive a call. The office number is 255-2473. Be sure to let us know what is your interest and what time of day you would be willing to work. If you leave an email address we will contact you electronically. Thanks for your help! If you can't help, come just the same. There will be plenty of art, silent auction, raffle and food. Raffle items donated so far include a Garden Visions tree, a tube bird feeder, a wren house all donated by Wild Birds Unlimited and an Audubon Equinox 8x42 binoculars donated by Eagle Optics. An expanded raffle list will be published as the list grows.
Save May 8 for MAS’s Big Birding Day
Madison Audubon Society’s Annual Big Birding Day on May 8, also International Migratory Bird Day, is rapidly approaching. No, it’s not too early to reserve this date on your calendars and to clean the lenses on your binoculars. Proceeds from the event will go the Audubon Society, and in the past this has helped MAS protect new tracts of land. Participants in teams ranging in size from 2 to 4 focus on one of four counties: Dane, Columbia, Jefferson, or Sauk to see how many bird species they can find between 4 a.m. and 6 p.m. Twenty dollars (or $30 if you’d like to join us in the banquet following) allows each participant to join in the fun. It’s a great learning experience and great just to be outdoors this time of year. Who knows what rarity lurks out there, waiting to be spotted? For information, please contact Chuck Heikkinen or Delia Unson at (608) 274-4043, or email them at mailto: [email protected]
POPULATION & HABITAT
Just Say No To Abstinence-Only Sex Education
By Robert Weitzel
In 1996, conservative members of Congress surreptitiously inserted language into the Welfare Reform Act that guaranteed $100 million annually in federal and matching state funds for abstinence-only sex education programs. In his recent State of the Union speech, President Bush vowed to double that funding by fiscal year 2005. Abstinence-only is the “Just say no!” approach to sex education. The focus of this approach is on convincing adolescents that the only way to avoid unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections is to remain celibate until they are married in a monogamously faithful relationship. This notion is, of course, 100 percent correct. But is it a realistic expectation for young people who are in their libidinous teens and twenties? Considering that 66 percent of American teens under the age of eighteen are having sex, resulting in 900,000 pregnancies and some four million cases of sexually transmitted infections annually, itís not difficult to spot the offending syllogism in the abstinenceonly logic. Both the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health consider such an approach to sex education ineffective and counterproductive in that it “places policy in direct conflict with science because it ignores overwhelming evidence.” Since 1996, over $750 million federal and state tax dollars have been spent on abstinenceonly education while not one single federal penny has been spent on comprehensive sex education. The mindset that allows this continued misallocation of funds
borders on the dogmatic, if not the irrational, in light of an Alan Guttmacher Institute report that estimates that only 20 percent of the decrease in the U.S. teen pregnancy rate between 1988 and 1995 could be attributed to abstinence while 80 percent was due to increased use of contraceptives. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development also found that while adolescents who take abstinence pledges remain celibate 18 months longer than their peers, they are also less likely, either because of guilt or ignorance, to use contraceptives once they become sexually active.
No one will argue the important role of an abstinence component in a comprehensive sex education program. But equally important, and certainly more practicable, is a program that gives young people the skills with which to make responsible decisions about sexuality by providing them with age appropriate and medically accurate information. If we are serious about decreasing the number of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections we will need to empower our young people with knowledge, not enjoin them with platitudes.
Conduit Crazy at Kegonsa State Park
The Lake Kegonsa State Park bluebird trail was started about 15 years ago when Stoughton Scout Pack 53, Den 5 donated 15 nest boxes to the rangers. When Pat Ready took over the bluebird trail from MAS volunteer Judie Pavlovic last spring, all the houses were mounted on wooden post. Predation from raccoons, cats, chipmunks and the like was prevalent despite the wire guards mounted on the front of each box. After reading about using conduit post in the WI Bluebird, he decided to mount all of the existing houses on conduit as well as any new boxes he added to the trail. Most of the 18 existing houses were the Hill Lake and Herman Olson designs. The conversion to conduit was easy. 1- He attached a 2 x 2" wood block along the back near the top. This prevents the box from sliding down the pole over time. The bottom of the block has a 3/4" hole drilled part way into it. 2- He pounded a 5' rebar into the ground about half way. 3- He put a 5' piece of conduit over it. 4- He hung the house on the conduit making sure it fit into the 3/4" hole in the block of wood. 5- Then he secured the house to the pole using conduit clamps. By the end of summer, he had 28 nest boxes in the park, thanks to Girl Scout Troop 495 and Madison Audubon that donated 10 new ones. Five pair nested twice through the summer. The total bluebirds fledged were 34 compared to 9 the year before. Nine eggs were lost to 2 nest boxes early on before he converted them to conduit. He also mounted 12 nest boxes to conduit post for Dorothy Haines who monitors the trail at Lake Farms Co. Park. He definitely recommends conduit for a mounting post.
This is how the conduit attaches to the back of the box using standard conduit clamps. Predator guards are still used on the front. Photo by Pat Ready
Madison Audubon Society's Planned Giving Program
Did you know that in addition to your annual giving there are a variety of ways you can help Madison Audubon reach its continued long-term goals? Planned giving will help ensure that Madison Audubon can play its role in educating our children about our environment, develop and maintain sanctuaries for us, our children, birds, and other wildlife and to advocate for preserving and protecting our natural systems. In the coming issues we will be highlighting some of programs through which you can make a charitable contribution from your current assets, your will, a living trust, or other estate plans. Here is an opportunity to work together with you and your advisors (may be legal, CPA, broker, etc.) in planning your role in together meeting our future needs. Just as an example the Charitable Gift Annuity can increase your spendable income while at the same time providing you with a contribution deduction. The increase in your spendable income over some possible investments you may now have may be as much as 5 %. We welcome the opportunity to show you the potential benefits of making a gift to support our work. Personal discussions, visits, or written presentations incur no obligation on your part, and of course, all information discussed is confidential. Please contact our Development Director, Ron Windingstad at 327-0129, home 276-9313 or [email protected] for more information.
Lake Mills Zeloski Marsh & Hope Lake Bog Madison Audubon Acquires 1,496 Acres
Madison Audubon Society (MAS) recently acquired what is by far the largest land transaction in our history: the acquisition of 1,496 acres southwest of Lake Mills. The Zeloski Marsh and Hope Lake Bog were acquired from the Dennis Zeloski’s, owners of Muck Farms, Inc. The Zeloskis wanted to make sure this valuable resource would be preserved in the public interest. Zeloski Marsh, the main parcel north of London Road, contains 1,300 hundred acres of farmed wetlands, 60 acres of farmed uplands, 70 acres of wetlands, a small oak island, gravel pit, ditches, roads and an air strip. Hope Lake Bog, 35 acres south of London Road, contains an oak woods, degraded wetland, and tamarack bog. This project has an interesting history and is an example of a successful partnership effort. Early history: Ten thousand years ago glaciers retreated leaving behind a large wetland. Native Americans later frequented the area and their fires created prairies, oak savannas and open wetlands. November 1836: The area was surveyed as part of the effort to plat out the Wisconsin Territory. The surveyor’s records while surveying 3 miles through the middle of the wetland read, “Land all wet marsh. Set quarter post in marsh too wet for mound.” 1850s: The Fighting Finches, a local outlaw gang that robbed stage coaches, lived near the marsh and when the "heat" was on, they would hide on islands in nearby wetlands including the London Marsh (Zeloski Marsh) where they probably kept small camps there for those purposes. They would also hide rustled horses and livestock in the wetlands.
Arnold "Pepper" Jackson checking out a pile of clay tiles on an oak island within the Zeloski Marsh acquisition
Late 1800s: A railroad was built through the wetland. Lack of a firm bottom in the wetland presented many problems. It is reported that one train car sunk in the wetland and was not recovered following a derailment. For a period of time, a watchman patrolled the tracks to make sure trains did not travel over 5 miles per hour. 1936: A nature club from Madison, including a 12-year old boy, camped at Hope Lake Bog and set live traps in an attempt to catch red-backed mice. The club was trying to determine if the northern species of mouse could be found in this southern bog. Thirteen years later the 12-year old boy would supervise a crew detasseling corn at the Zeloski farm.
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Beginning in 1946: Technology developed to drain wetlands and Felix Zeloski began to acquire and convert wetlands for growing crops including mint, potatoes, onions, and sugar beets. Miles of ditches were dug, tens of miles of drainage tiles were laid, and pumps were installed to drain water into Koshkonong Creek. Wells and pivot irrigation systems were constructed to provide water during the growing season. Government support helped make this effort financially feasible. 1962: Hugh Iltis, Helmut Meuller, and the late Jim Zimmerman visited Hope Lake bog and provided a short report on the property and species list. 1950’s to 1999: Soil levels decreased due to oxidation, water erosion, and soil erosion. Residents remember dark “clouds” of soil that blew into Lake Mills. Development, including roofs and concrete, greatly increased in Sun Prairie, about 16 miles to the northwest at the headwaters of Koshkonong Creek. 1986: The Department of Natural Resources acquired the abandoned railroad and established the Glacial Drumlin Trail. The bike trail was closed to prevent access when aerial spraying was done over the cropland. 2000: A heavy summer rain in Sun Prairie send floodwaters down Koshkonong Creek and into Zeloski's farm fields. In a short time the carrot fields looked like a large lake with white caps. 2002: Dennis Zeloski applied to place a 30-year easement on the property to restore wetlands as part of the federal Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). The Zeloskis also sold 2,736 acres at Jefferson Swamp to Pheasants Forever. The Jefferson property contained a 1,400-acre tamarack swamp and sedge meadow that was designated as a State Natural Area. 2003: Dennis Zeloski entered into negations with Madison Audubon Society. The WRP application was successful. Madison Audubon Society
Pitcher plants in sphagnum moss at Hope Lake Bog
was also successful in securing a DNR stewardship grant to acquire and permanently preserve the property. MAS paid $738 per acre and received title in late December. 2004: On January 10, Mark Martin, Goose Pond Manager, spent a memorable afternoon giving a personal tour to MAS supporter Arnold “Pepper” Jackson. It was fitting to have Arnold as the first MAS member to visit the property after MAS acquired title. Arnold was the 12-year old boy who first visited the area in 1936 in search of the red-backed mouse. Mark and Arnold inspected the artesian spring, ditches, and caught a glimpse of the neighbor’s herd of bison running in the uplands to the west. 2004 - 2005: The cropland will be farmed in 2004 while the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s WRP staff develops restoration plans. It is ironic that the government helped drain the wetlands and is now making it possible to restore them. Wetlands will be restored in 2005 and 1,461 acres will be transferred to the DNR. The property will be closed to public access until the wetlands restored. In the last 10,000 years, three major forces impacted the area: the last ice age, native Americans, and the Zeloski family. The next major change to the area will benefit wildlife and the public. Hopefully many 12-year olds will be able to explore this area and gain an appreciation for our natural resources.
Thanks to everyone who made this project successful including the Zeloskis, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Natural Resources, and staff from MAS and Solheim, Billing & Grimmer. Early Survey Records On Line Thanks to Rob Nurre and the Commission of Public Lands, and the UW- Madison Libraries for placing the early survey records from 1832-1866 on their website. Check http://libtext.library.wisc.edu/Survey Notes/ and see what vegetation and interesting features the early surveyors found in your favorite area.
Hope Lake Bog Protected: Hope Lake Bog is a botanical gem known to generations of Wisconsin conservationists. This small floating tamarack and sphagnum bog is located on a long, narrow 35-acre tract separated by London Road from the main Zeloski Marsh acquisition. Two wooded glacial moraines drop steeply toward a narrow wetland that runs most of the length of the property. The bog lies at the south end of this wetland, at the north end of Hope Lake. Dennis Zeloski could have sold this parcel as a building site but instead chose to see it protected for future generations. On a recent, snowless January visit to the bog lead by David Musolf and Roger Packard, after watching a
shrike high in a tamarack tree and carefully dodging the abundant poison sumac, hundreds of insectivorous pitcher plants were observed, their red and green fleshy pitchers filled with ice. Other species seen in abundance included cotton grass, leatherleaf, bog rosemary, bog birch, and cranberry. Botanical records from the site include other bog specialists such as moccasin flower, bogbean, starflower, and grass pink. It will be interesting to see how many species from the early plant list can be found. MAS will retain title to the Hope Lake Bog. Major, long-term management challenges will include eradication of garlic mustard from the otherwise unlogged and lovely upland oak woods, and eradication of canary grass from degraded portions of the wetland. At this time access to the area will be only by group tours. In 1956, Helmut Mueller, now an emeritus professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and then a graduate student at UW, wrote in a report on Hope Lake Bog prepared for Hugh Iltis’ Botany 130 course, “Although this is an extremely small bog, it is perhaps one of the most beautiful in this part of the state--Let us hope that this small remnant of original Wisconsin shall not also suffer from the onslaught of civilization and that future generations, our children, and their children shall know the thrills of walking on moist green Sphagnum between the Lichen-bedecked Tamaracks into a unique world of quaking earth, delicate pink Orchids, insect-eating plants, and of a strange, magnificent, primeval solitude.” MAS is now in a position to protect this most beautiful of southern Wisconsin bogs from local ‘onslaughts of civilization’ such as development, logging, and invasion by exotic species. In all likelihood, the greatest remaining threat to this relict northern plant community is global in nature: climate change. We each must work individually and together, especially in this critical election year, to address this issue before we can rest assured that Mueller’s wish will, in fact, come true.
A Parade of Donations
ACRE MAKER In Memory of Helen Anne Peters & James R. Van Ooyen Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr HALF-ACRE MAKER Jean & William Damm In Honor of Roger Packard & David Musolf Sarah Packard QUARTER-ACRE MAKER Jane Gruber In Memory of Susan Connell-Magee Kevin Magee Mareda Weiss MY OWN VISION Wanda & Robert Auerbach Terry & Karen Bloom Joe & Betty Downs Eagle Optics Thomas & Joyce Ellenbecker Betty Feldt Janet Franke Gerald Gunderson Paul Haskew Sally Johnson Philip & Nancy Kress Lou & Frankie Locke Victoria Teal Lovely Richard Moravec Kit & Buzz Nordeen Anthony & Darlene Nowak Tom Portle & Susan Galloway Mary Benes & George Strother John Thompson Robert Wallen Barbara Wolfe GIFTS IN MEMORY OF A PERSON In Memory of Oliver D. Billing David Billling In Memory of Jerome S. Foy Trudy & Briony Foy In Memory of Peg Martin Jackson School Social Committee In Memory of Virginia Kline Henry & Jean Peters In Memory of Marjorie Shepherd Jean Shepherd GIFTS IN HONOR OF A PERSON In Honor of Jim Sime’s Birthday Anonymous In Honor of Jeanne Druckenmiller James & Gwen Borlaug In Honor of Bob Storck Kathie Burnham
YES, I want to make Madison Audubon Society’s vision a reality. Here is my contribution to the Wildlife Sanctuaries Campaign.
[ ] Acre Maker. $2,000 or more to buy and restore another acre of land. [ ] Half-Acre Maker. $1000-$1999. [ ] Quarter-Acre Maker. $500-$999. [ ] Adopt An Acre. I pledge $100 a year for three years ($300 total) toward Goose Pond restoration. Here is my first installment. [ ] Nest Egg. I pledge $50 a year for three years($150 total). Here is my first installment. [ ] My Own Vision. $ ____ to help as much as possible. [ ] My Gift. $ ____ for MAS Program Support (I.E. Education & Newsletter)
Direct my gift to:
[ ] Where it will help the most [ ] Endowment fund to restore and maintain the sanctuaries [ ] Land acquisition at Faville Grove [ ] Land acquisition at Goose Pond [ ] MAS Program Support
Name Address In Memory of In Honor of For Gifts Honoring Another: Send Acknowledgement to: Name Address
Contributions will be acknowledged near the Madison Information Board at Goose Pond as follows: $1,000 or more-name to appear on a permanent plaque; $250$999-name to appear on engraved paving brick. [ ] Do not acknowledge in Madison Audubon Society Newsletter
Make checks payable to: Madison Audubon Society Mail to: Madison Audubon Society, 222 S. Hamilton Street, Suite #1, Madison, WI 53703
Gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Madison Audubon Society’s financial statement is available upon request.
Madison Audubon Society, Inc. Joanne Herfel, President 222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1 Madison, WI 53703
Non-profit organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 1831 Madison, Wisconsin
What’s Going On Here?
See page 5
3/04
MAS Web Has a New Look!
Thanks to two web volunteers, the Madison Audubon Society Web has a fresh new look! Please join MAS in thanking Tamara Tsurkan and Paula Srite for their wonderful efforts! The MAS website located at http://MadisonAudubon.org" now features beautiful new graphics and the menus are much simpler to navigate. • Interested in Sanctuaries? It's easy to find current information, pictures, and maps to Goose Pond and other sanctuaries that your contributions help to restore. • Want to join? Time to renew? Please print the form from the web and mail it in. • Looking for volunteer opportunities? Contacts are listed who can help you. • Lost your newsletter? You can read the complete CAWS and back issues online. • Bird sighting or question? Post it to the Public Message Board for bird sightings, birding questions and answers, and environmental alerts. • Take a great bird picture? Upload it for consideration for posting. • Need more information about the Art Fair and other Madison Audubon Events? Take a look at the special feature sections with interactive menus and pictures! • And be sure to check out the great new Calendar for upcoming Field Trips! Add a 'Favorites' web link to http://MadisonAudubon.org today, and stay in touch!
MAS Calendar at a Glance
Sat., March 13: Early Spring Migrants Sun., March 28: Ecology of Lower Mud Lake Sat., April 3: Spring Birds of Columbia Co. Sat., April 3: CANCELED Spring Wildflowers of Koltes Prairie Thurs., April 8: Frogs Night Out
MAS has an account at the Madison Recycling Center on Fish Hatchery Rd. Remember MAS next time you recycle.
1321 E. Mifflin St. Madison, WI 53703 (608) 256-1066
NEWSLETTER
OF THE MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
222 S. Hamilton St. / Madison, WI 53703 / 255-BIRD / http://madisonaudubon.org
March 2004
Red Fish, Blue Fish, Good Fish...Bad Fish?
Order the Mahi-Mahi* or Chilean Seabass? What fish you buy at the grocery store or eat at your favorite restaurant has direct impact on the world's fisheries--and on your health. Which fish is healthiest for you and your family, and for sustainable living? On March 16, Tim Fitzgerald of Environmental Defense's Oceans Program will discuss conservation issues related to the U.S. seafood market, and the state of the world's fisheries. His research involves detailed analyses of fisheries and aquaculture practices, and supports a website called the Seafood Selector (www.environmentaldefense.org/go/ seafood). Here, consumers can learn about the fishing and farming practices associated with over 150 kinds of the country's most popular seafood, including which are considered "Best" and "Worst" picks for the environment. In addition, Tim has studied contaminant concentrations in seafood and is preparing information and advisories to be added to the website on mercury and PCB levels in various species. This advice is particularly important to women of childbearing age and young children, since these pollutants are extremely damaging to developing nervous systems. Prior to joining Environmental Defense, Tim was a marine biology instructor at The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. Onboard the Research Vessel Oceanic, he taught students Free Public Program What: Tim Fitzgerald on Fish Conservation When: Tuesday, March 16 7:00 p.m. - Refreshments 7:30 p.m. - Program Where: Bolz Auditorium, Meriter Hospital, 124 S. Brooks St. Madison Parking: Meriter Hospital paid parking ramp across the street, on the street, or Lot 51 north of Regent and Mills St. Barrier Reef in North Queensland, Australia. For graduate school, Tim attended the University of Hawaii, where he earned a Master's degree in Zoology in 2002. His research focused on the electroreceptive system of juvenile sharks-specifically what types of electrical fields they could detect to locate their prey. He was also a member of the Tiger Shark Research Project, which monitored tiger shark populations off the south shore of Oahu. As a result of his shark research, Tim served as an advisor to the Navy and Army Corps of Engineers during the salvage of the Ehime Maru, and has appeared on "National Geographic Explorer" and the Discovery Channel's "Shark Week." In his free time, Tim enjoys cooking, traveling, SCUBA diving, karate, soccer, and anything related to Hawaii. *Mahi-mahi is the good choice. It reproduces quickly and is short-lived. Chilean seabass (toothfish) is severely overfished and in danger of extinction. Contrary to what some restaurants claim, there's no such thing as “farmraised Chilean seabass!" This program is co-sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Wildlife Ecology. You're invited to join our speaker, MAS board members and friends at the pre-program dinner at Paisan's Restaurant beginning at 5:15 p.m. Please call the office at 608/255/BIRD (255-2473) if you have questions.
from elementary school to community college about the ecology of Long Island Sound. He also helped developed an innovative distance learning program that offered marine biology courses to junior high school students through internet videoconferencing. This program was named the #2 Innovative Project of 2003 by Technology and Learning Magazine. Tim's education has taken him all over the world. He earned a B.S. from Duke University in Durham, NC, with a double major in Biology and History. He spent two summers at the Duke University Marine Laboratory, where he conducted research on the environmental factors that influence crab metamorphosis. He also studied marine biology at James Cook University, located in the middle of the Great
Annual Audubon Membership ___New ___Renewal ___Gift
When you receive a renewal notice from National Audubon use this form to renew and thereby direct some of your donation to local causes. Find your expiration date at the top right corner of your address label. Name for Membership:
Put a Spring in Your Step
Saturday, March 13: Early Spring Migrants
Steve Thiesen will lead this early morning field trip to Mud Lake in McFarland. Mud Lake is usually the first body of water to thaw in our area, so it attracts good concentrations of early spring migrants, especially waterfowl. We will meet at 7:00 a.m. near McDonald's at South Towne off the South Beltline or meet at 7:15 a.m. at the south end of Lewis Lane in McFarland. Wear waterproof footwear, dress warmly and bring a scope if you have one. If you have questions, call Steve at 873-3323. Ave. or you can join the group at 9:00 a.m. at Goose Pond. Bring your binoculars, a scope if you have one, and a snack, as the trip may last to early afternoon. Call Tony and Carol at 249-8836, if you have questions.
NAME ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP+4 PHONE
___$20 special First-year New Member ___$15 Senior or Student – new or renewal ___$35 Renewal ___$15 CAWS newsletter subscription only (Non-member) Membership amount $_______ Additional contribution $_______ TOTAL Enclosed/Charged $_______ Please make check payable to: Madison Audubon Society Charge my __VISA __Master Card Name on Card:
Saturday, April 3: Spring Wildflowers of Koltes Prairie
Cancelled - due to prescribed burn on April 3.
Thursday, April 8: Frogs Night Out
Bring a sense of adventure on this trip as you "look" at the world from a different perspective - through sounds. Besides listening for a variety of frog calls, participants will learn about frog lifestyles and wetlands ecology. Bring a flashlight and wear footgear that can get muddy and wet (in cold water); bring rain gear if appropriate. The trip will be cancelled if the daytime high temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit or in case of very strong winds or heavy rain. The rain date for this trip is April 15. Call trip leader Bob Hay only if you have questions; (608/267-0849; work) or (608/829-3123; home). Meet at the Mazomanie Wildlife Area at 6:45 p.m. Directions: From Highway 14 in Mazomanie, drive north on County Highway Y for about 4 miles. Just before the highway bends to the east (right), turn left on Law's Drive. Travel on the access road about 0.25 miles and turn left onto the first gravel road. Follow this about 1.5 miles until it deadends at a parking lot. The trip leader will be there to meet you. The trip will last until 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 28: Ecology of Mud Lake
Libby Zimmerman, an experienced wetland ecologist, will lead this trip to view waterfowl and other spring migrants and learn about the ecology of Lower Mud Lake. If conditions permit, there will be an optional extension to other nearby waterfowl spots ending at Swan Pond. Please call Libby at 423-4047 (local call from Madison) for details.
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___I do NOT wish to receive the National Audubon magazine. ___Business/Corporate Membership Please call the MAS office 608/255-2473 This is a Gift Membership from:
NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE/ZIP+4
Z02 7xCH Mail to: Madison Audubon Society 222 S. Hamilton St., Suite 1 Madison, WI 53703-3201 THE AUDUBON CAWS is published September through June by: Madison Audubon Society, 222 S. Hamilton St., Madison, WI 53703, (608) 255-BIRD (2473). Birding hotline, 255-BIRM. Madison Audubon Web Page: http://madisonaudubon.org E-mail: [email protected] E-mail services donated by Berbee Contribution deadline is March 8 for the April issue, for which items may be sent to Abbie Kurtz, 313 Moulton Ct., Madison, WI 53704. [email protected]
Saturday, April 3: Spring Birds of Columbia County
Tony Kalenic and Carol Anderson will lead this car birding trip through northern Dane and southern Columbia counties to look for early spring migrants and late winter birds. We hope to see migrating swans, geese and other water birds. Meet to carpool at 7:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Copp's supermarket at the intersection of Allen Blvd. and Century Ave. in Middleton. Meet at the east end of the lot near Century
MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY
President: Joanne Herfel, 241-8009 Vice-president: Debra Weitzel, 836-4051 Goose Pond Resident Naturalists: Mark and Sue Martin, 635-4160 Editor: Abbie Kurtz, 245-1758 [email protected] Graphic design: Pat Ready & Mary Liebig Printed by Roemer Printing
The mission of the Madison Audubon Society is to educate our members and the public about the natural world and the threats that natural systems are facing, to engage in advocacy to preserve and protect these systems, and to develop and maintain sanctuaries to save and restore natural habitat.
Membership Matters : Want to Help Double Audubon Membership - for only $5?
Last month Madison Audubon introduced Renew Audubon, a new way for members to renew their full Audubon membership locally through Madison Audubon! Simply use the form in the CAWS or print it from the web at http://madisonaudubon.org. Its time to renew when your CAWS mailing label indicates your renewal date is within a couple months, or when you receive a renewal reminder from National Audubon. Renewing locally through Madison Audubon helps direct some of your contribution to efforts that benefit you locally - such as Madison Audubon's large habitat and prairie restorations! This month Madison Audubon is building on Renew Audubon with a new offer. You can help reach our goal to Double Audubon Membership! When you renew please check Double Audubon Membership! This is a regular Renewal, plus an Audubon Gift Membership for only $5! Each of us knows someone who would enjoy Audubon - perhaps a relative, student, work acquaintance, neighbor, or teacher. Or address an Audubon Gift Membership to your local doctor or dentist office and give many more people an opportunity to read about the environment! Just fill in their address under Name for Membership, put your address under Gift From, and check the box for Double Audubon Membership. Madison Audubon has a goal to Double Audubon Membership - one member at a time. You can help reach that goal when you renew - for only $5! Please see the CAWS Member Renewal Instructions or check the Audubon website at http://madisonaudubon.org for details. Audubon is a great organization serving you at both national and local levels! Thank You for Being Part of It!
The Art Fair is Coming: Be a Part of It! May 1, Olbrich Gardens
The Madison Audubon Art Fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 1 at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on Atwood Avenue in Madison. Volunteers will be needed from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. We need help from 100 Audubon members to make this fair work. If you would be willing to assist with planning, food preparation, artist set up, parking, raffle, silent auction or artist take-down please call the Madison Audubon office or leave your name at our Website (www.madisonaudubon.org) under "opportunities to volunteer" with a preferred time to receive a call. The office number is 255-2473. Be sure to let us know what is your interest and what time of day you would be willing to work. If you leave an email address we will contact you electronically. Thanks for your help! If you can't help, come just the same. There will be plenty of art, silent auction, raffle and food. Raffle items donated so far include a Garden Visions tree, a tube bird feeder, a wren house all donated by Wild Birds Unlimited and an Audubon Equinox 8x42 binoculars donated by Eagle Optics. An expanded raffle list will be published as the list grows.
Save May 8 for MAS’s Big Birding Day
Madison Audubon Society’s Annual Big Birding Day on May 8, also International Migratory Bird Day, is rapidly approaching. No, it’s not too early to reserve this date on your calendars and to clean the lenses on your binoculars. Proceeds from the event will go the Audubon Society, and in the past this has helped MAS protect new tracts of land. Participants in teams ranging in size from 2 to 4 focus on one of four counties: Dane, Columbia, Jefferson, or Sauk to see how many bird species they can find between 4 a.m. and 6 p.m. Twenty dollars (or $30 if you’d like to join us in the banquet following) allows each participant to join in the fun. It’s a great learning experience and great just to be outdoors this time of year. Who knows what rarity lurks out there, waiting to be spotted? For information, please contact Chuck Heikkinen or Delia Unson at (608) 274-4043, or email them at mailto: [email protected]
POPULATION & HABITAT
Just Say No To Abstinence-Only Sex Education
By Robert Weitzel
In 1996, conservative members of Congress surreptitiously inserted language into the Welfare Reform Act that guaranteed $100 million annually in federal and matching state funds for abstinence-only sex education programs. In his recent State of the Union speech, President Bush vowed to double that funding by fiscal year 2005. Abstinence-only is the “Just say no!” approach to sex education. The focus of this approach is on convincing adolescents that the only way to avoid unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections is to remain celibate until they are married in a monogamously faithful relationship. This notion is, of course, 100 percent correct. But is it a realistic expectation for young people who are in their libidinous teens and twenties? Considering that 66 percent of American teens under the age of eighteen are having sex, resulting in 900,000 pregnancies and some four million cases of sexually transmitted infections annually, itís not difficult to spot the offending syllogism in the abstinenceonly logic. Both the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health consider such an approach to sex education ineffective and counterproductive in that it “places policy in direct conflict with science because it ignores overwhelming evidence.” Since 1996, over $750 million federal and state tax dollars have been spent on abstinenceonly education while not one single federal penny has been spent on comprehensive sex education. The mindset that allows this continued misallocation of funds
borders on the dogmatic, if not the irrational, in light of an Alan Guttmacher Institute report that estimates that only 20 percent of the decrease in the U.S. teen pregnancy rate between 1988 and 1995 could be attributed to abstinence while 80 percent was due to increased use of contraceptives. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development also found that while adolescents who take abstinence pledges remain celibate 18 months longer than their peers, they are also less likely, either because of guilt or ignorance, to use contraceptives once they become sexually active.
No one will argue the important role of an abstinence component in a comprehensive sex education program. But equally important, and certainly more practicable, is a program that gives young people the skills with which to make responsible decisions about sexuality by providing them with age appropriate and medically accurate information. If we are serious about decreasing the number of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections we will need to empower our young people with knowledge, not enjoin them with platitudes.
Conduit Crazy at Kegonsa State Park
The Lake Kegonsa State Park bluebird trail was started about 15 years ago when Stoughton Scout Pack 53, Den 5 donated 15 nest boxes to the rangers. When Pat Ready took over the bluebird trail from MAS volunteer Judie Pavlovic last spring, all the houses were mounted on wooden post. Predation from raccoons, cats, chipmunks and the like was prevalent despite the wire guards mounted on the front of each box. After reading about using conduit post in the WI Bluebird, he decided to mount all of the existing houses on conduit as well as any new boxes he added to the trail. Most of the 18 existing houses were the Hill Lake and Herman Olson designs. The conversion to conduit was easy. 1- He attached a 2 x 2" wood block along the back near the top. This prevents the box from sliding down the pole over time. The bottom of the block has a 3/4" hole drilled part way into it. 2- He pounded a 5' rebar into the ground about half way. 3- He put a 5' piece of conduit over it. 4- He hung the house on the conduit making sure it fit into the 3/4" hole in the block of wood. 5- Then he secured the house to the pole using conduit clamps. By the end of summer, he had 28 nest boxes in the park, thanks to Girl Scout Troop 495 and Madison Audubon that donated 10 new ones. Five pair nested twice through the summer. The total bluebirds fledged were 34 compared to 9 the year before. Nine eggs were lost to 2 nest boxes early on before he converted them to conduit. He also mounted 12 nest boxes to conduit post for Dorothy Haines who monitors the trail at Lake Farms Co. Park. He definitely recommends conduit for a mounting post.
This is how the conduit attaches to the back of the box using standard conduit clamps. Predator guards are still used on the front. Photo by Pat Ready
Madison Audubon Society's Planned Giving Program
Did you know that in addition to your annual giving there are a variety of ways you can help Madison Audubon reach its continued long-term goals? Planned giving will help ensure that Madison Audubon can play its role in educating our children about our environment, develop and maintain sanctuaries for us, our children, birds, and other wildlife and to advocate for preserving and protecting our natural systems. In the coming issues we will be highlighting some of programs through which you can make a charitable contribution from your current assets, your will, a living trust, or other estate plans. Here is an opportunity to work together with you and your advisors (may be legal, CPA, broker, etc.) in planning your role in together meeting our future needs. Just as an example the Charitable Gift Annuity can increase your spendable income while at the same time providing you with a contribution deduction. The increase in your spendable income over some possible investments you may now have may be as much as 5 %. We welcome the opportunity to show you the potential benefits of making a gift to support our work. Personal discussions, visits, or written presentations incur no obligation on your part, and of course, all information discussed is confidential. Please contact our Development Director, Ron Windingstad at 327-0129, home 276-9313 or [email protected] for more information.
Lake Mills Zeloski Marsh & Hope Lake Bog Madison Audubon Acquires 1,496 Acres
Madison Audubon Society (MAS) recently acquired what is by far the largest land transaction in our history: the acquisition of 1,496 acres southwest of Lake Mills. The Zeloski Marsh and Hope Lake Bog were acquired from the Dennis Zeloski’s, owners of Muck Farms, Inc. The Zeloskis wanted to make sure this valuable resource would be preserved in the public interest. Zeloski Marsh, the main parcel north of London Road, contains 1,300 hundred acres of farmed wetlands, 60 acres of farmed uplands, 70 acres of wetlands, a small oak island, gravel pit, ditches, roads and an air strip. Hope Lake Bog, 35 acres south of London Road, contains an oak woods, degraded wetland, and tamarack bog. This project has an interesting history and is an example of a successful partnership effort. Early history: Ten thousand years ago glaciers retreated leaving behind a large wetland. Native Americans later frequented the area and their fires created prairies, oak savannas and open wetlands. November 1836: The area was surveyed as part of the effort to plat out the Wisconsin Territory. The surveyor’s records while surveying 3 miles through the middle of the wetland read, “Land all wet marsh. Set quarter post in marsh too wet for mound.” 1850s: The Fighting Finches, a local outlaw gang that robbed stage coaches, lived near the marsh and when the "heat" was on, they would hide on islands in nearby wetlands including the London Marsh (Zeloski Marsh) where they probably kept small camps there for those purposes. They would also hide rustled horses and livestock in the wetlands.
Arnold "Pepper" Jackson checking out a pile of clay tiles on an oak island within the Zeloski Marsh acquisition
Late 1800s: A railroad was built through the wetland. Lack of a firm bottom in the wetland presented many problems. It is reported that one train car sunk in the wetland and was not recovered following a derailment. For a period of time, a watchman patrolled the tracks to make sure trains did not travel over 5 miles per hour. 1936: A nature club from Madison, including a 12-year old boy, camped at Hope Lake Bog and set live traps in an attempt to catch red-backed mice. The club was trying to determine if the northern species of mouse could be found in this southern bog. Thirteen years later the 12-year old boy would supervise a crew detasseling corn at the Zeloski farm.
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Beginning in 1946: Technology developed to drain wetlands and Felix Zeloski began to acquire and convert wetlands for growing crops including mint, potatoes, onions, and sugar beets. Miles of ditches were dug, tens of miles of drainage tiles were laid, and pumps were installed to drain water into Koshkonong Creek. Wells and pivot irrigation systems were constructed to provide water during the growing season. Government support helped make this effort financially feasible. 1962: Hugh Iltis, Helmut Meuller, and the late Jim Zimmerman visited Hope Lake bog and provided a short report on the property and species list. 1950’s to 1999: Soil levels decreased due to oxidation, water erosion, and soil erosion. Residents remember dark “clouds” of soil that blew into Lake Mills. Development, including roofs and concrete, greatly increased in Sun Prairie, about 16 miles to the northwest at the headwaters of Koshkonong Creek. 1986: The Department of Natural Resources acquired the abandoned railroad and established the Glacial Drumlin Trail. The bike trail was closed to prevent access when aerial spraying was done over the cropland. 2000: A heavy summer rain in Sun Prairie send floodwaters down Koshkonong Creek and into Zeloski's farm fields. In a short time the carrot fields looked like a large lake with white caps. 2002: Dennis Zeloski applied to place a 30-year easement on the property to restore wetlands as part of the federal Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). The Zeloskis also sold 2,736 acres at Jefferson Swamp to Pheasants Forever. The Jefferson property contained a 1,400-acre tamarack swamp and sedge meadow that was designated as a State Natural Area. 2003: Dennis Zeloski entered into negations with Madison Audubon Society. The WRP application was successful. Madison Audubon Society
Pitcher plants in sphagnum moss at Hope Lake Bog
was also successful in securing a DNR stewardship grant to acquire and permanently preserve the property. MAS paid $738 per acre and received title in late December. 2004: On January 10, Mark Martin, Goose Pond Manager, spent a memorable afternoon giving a personal tour to MAS supporter Arnold “Pepper” Jackson. It was fitting to have Arnold as the first MAS member to visit the property after MAS acquired title. Arnold was the 12-year old boy who first visited the area in 1936 in search of the red-backed mouse. Mark and Arnold inspected the artesian spring, ditches, and caught a glimpse of the neighbor’s herd of bison running in the uplands to the west. 2004 - 2005: The cropland will be farmed in 2004 while the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s WRP staff develops restoration plans. It is ironic that the government helped drain the wetlands and is now making it possible to restore them. Wetlands will be restored in 2005 and 1,461 acres will be transferred to the DNR. The property will be closed to public access until the wetlands restored. In the last 10,000 years, three major forces impacted the area: the last ice age, native Americans, and the Zeloski family. The next major change to the area will benefit wildlife and the public. Hopefully many 12-year olds will be able to explore this area and gain an appreciation for our natural resources.
Thanks to everyone who made this project successful including the Zeloskis, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Natural Resources, and staff from MAS and Solheim, Billing & Grimmer. Early Survey Records On Line Thanks to Rob Nurre and the Commission of Public Lands, and the UW- Madison Libraries for placing the early survey records from 1832-1866 on their website. Check http://libtext.library.wisc.edu/Survey Notes/ and see what vegetation and interesting features the early surveyors found in your favorite area.
Hope Lake Bog Protected: Hope Lake Bog is a botanical gem known to generations of Wisconsin conservationists. This small floating tamarack and sphagnum bog is located on a long, narrow 35-acre tract separated by London Road from the main Zeloski Marsh acquisition. Two wooded glacial moraines drop steeply toward a narrow wetland that runs most of the length of the property. The bog lies at the south end of this wetland, at the north end of Hope Lake. Dennis Zeloski could have sold this parcel as a building site but instead chose to see it protected for future generations. On a recent, snowless January visit to the bog lead by David Musolf and Roger Packard, after watching a
shrike high in a tamarack tree and carefully dodging the abundant poison sumac, hundreds of insectivorous pitcher plants were observed, their red and green fleshy pitchers filled with ice. Other species seen in abundance included cotton grass, leatherleaf, bog rosemary, bog birch, and cranberry. Botanical records from the site include other bog specialists such as moccasin flower, bogbean, starflower, and grass pink. It will be interesting to see how many species from the early plant list can be found. MAS will retain title to the Hope Lake Bog. Major, long-term management challenges will include eradication of garlic mustard from the otherwise unlogged and lovely upland oak woods, and eradication of canary grass from degraded portions of the wetland. At this time access to the area will be only by group tours. In 1956, Helmut Mueller, now an emeritus professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and then a graduate student at UW, wrote in a report on Hope Lake Bog prepared for Hugh Iltis’ Botany 130 course, “Although this is an extremely small bog, it is perhaps one of the most beautiful in this part of the state--Let us hope that this small remnant of original Wisconsin shall not also suffer from the onslaught of civilization and that future generations, our children, and their children shall know the thrills of walking on moist green Sphagnum between the Lichen-bedecked Tamaracks into a unique world of quaking earth, delicate pink Orchids, insect-eating plants, and of a strange, magnificent, primeval solitude.” MAS is now in a position to protect this most beautiful of southern Wisconsin bogs from local ‘onslaughts of civilization’ such as development, logging, and invasion by exotic species. In all likelihood, the greatest remaining threat to this relict northern plant community is global in nature: climate change. We each must work individually and together, especially in this critical election year, to address this issue before we can rest assured that Mueller’s wish will, in fact, come true.
A Parade of Donations
ACRE MAKER In Memory of Helen Anne Peters & James R. Van Ooyen Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr HALF-ACRE MAKER Jean & William Damm In Honor of Roger Packard & David Musolf Sarah Packard QUARTER-ACRE MAKER Jane Gruber In Memory of Susan Connell-Magee Kevin Magee Mareda Weiss MY OWN VISION Wanda & Robert Auerbach Terry & Karen Bloom Joe & Betty Downs Eagle Optics Thomas & Joyce Ellenbecker Betty Feldt Janet Franke Gerald Gunderson Paul Haskew Sally Johnson Philip & Nancy Kress Lou & Frankie Locke Victoria Teal Lovely Richard Moravec Kit & Buzz Nordeen Anthony & Darlene Nowak Tom Portle & Susan Galloway Mary Benes & George Strother John Thompson Robert Wallen Barbara Wolfe GIFTS IN MEMORY OF A PERSON In Memory of Oliver D. Billing David Billling In Memory of Jerome S. Foy Trudy & Briony Foy In Memory of Peg Martin Jackson School Social Committee In Memory of Virginia Kline Henry & Jean Peters In Memory of Marjorie Shepherd Jean Shepherd GIFTS IN HONOR OF A PERSON In Honor of Jim Sime’s Birthday Anonymous In Honor of Jeanne Druckenmiller James & Gwen Borlaug In Honor of Bob Storck Kathie Burnham
YES, I want to make Madison Audubon Society’s vision a reality. Here is my contribution to the Wildlife Sanctuaries Campaign.
[ ] Acre Maker. $2,000 or more to buy and restore another acre of land. [ ] Half-Acre Maker. $1000-$1999. [ ] Quarter-Acre Maker. $500-$999. [ ] Adopt An Acre. I pledge $100 a year for three years ($300 total) toward Goose Pond restoration. Here is my first installment. [ ] Nest Egg. I pledge $50 a year for three years($150 total). Here is my first installment. [ ] My Own Vision. $ ____ to help as much as possible. [ ] My Gift. $ ____ for MAS Program Support (I.E. Education & Newsletter)
Direct my gift to:
[ ] Where it will help the most [ ] Endowment fund to restore and maintain the sanctuaries [ ] Land acquisition at Faville Grove [ ] Land acquisition at Goose Pond [ ] MAS Program Support
Name Address In Memory of In Honor of For Gifts Honoring Another: Send Acknowledgement to: Name Address
Contributions will be acknowledged near the Madison Information Board at Goose Pond as follows: $1,000 or more-name to appear on a permanent plaque; $250$999-name to appear on engraved paving brick. [ ] Do not acknowledge in Madison Audubon Society Newsletter
Make checks payable to: Madison Audubon Society Mail to: Madison Audubon Society, 222 S. Hamilton Street, Suite #1, Madison, WI 53703
Gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Madison Audubon Society’s financial statement is available upon request.
Madison Audubon Society, Inc. Joanne Herfel, President 222 S. Hamilton St. Suite #1 Madison, WI 53703
Non-profit organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 1831 Madison, Wisconsin
What’s Going On Here?
See page 5
3/04
MAS Web Has a New Look!
Thanks to two web volunteers, the Madison Audubon Society Web has a fresh new look! Please join MAS in thanking Tamara Tsurkan and Paula Srite for their wonderful efforts! The MAS website located at http://MadisonAudubon.org" now features beautiful new graphics and the menus are much simpler to navigate. • Interested in Sanctuaries? It's easy to find current information, pictures, and maps to Goose Pond and other sanctuaries that your contributions help to restore. • Want to join? Time to renew? Please print the form from the web and mail it in. • Looking for volunteer opportunities? Contacts are listed who can help you. • Lost your newsletter? You can read the complete CAWS and back issues online. • Bird sighting or question? Post it to the Public Message Board for bird sightings, birding questions and answers, and environmental alerts. • Take a great bird picture? Upload it for consideration for posting. • Need more information about the Art Fair and other Madison Audubon Events? Take a look at the special feature sections with interactive menus and pictures! • And be sure to check out the great new Calendar for upcoming Field Trips! Add a 'Favorites' web link to http://MadisonAudubon.org today, and stay in touch!
MAS Calendar at a Glance
Sat., March 13: Early Spring Migrants Sun., March 28: Ecology of Lower Mud Lake Sat., April 3: Spring Birds of Columbia Co. Sat., April 3: CANCELED Spring Wildflowers of Koltes Prairie Thurs., April 8: Frogs Night Out
MAS has an account at the Madison Recycling Center on Fish Hatchery Rd. Remember MAS next time you recycle.
1321 E. Mifflin St. Madison, WI 53703 (608) 256-1066
