Conservation Corner is a weekly article produced by the Forest County Land & Water Conservation Department.
For more information contact Steve Kircher, County Conservationist-Land Information/GIS Director at 715-478-1387 or by e-mail at
The largest order of mammals belongs to the rodents. Rodents are known for their teeth or more specifically their gnawing. While they don't have canine teeth, they have a single pair of incisor teeth in each jaw. These incisors never stop growing. The incisors have...
On Friday, February 2nd, we celebrate World Wetlands Day. This annual event is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of wetlands and their role in our environment. Wetlands are crucial ecosystems that provide a wide range of ecological, economic, and...
Wisconsin Salt Awareness Week, observed from January 22-26, 2024, aims to shed light on the often-overlooked consequences of excessive road salt usage in winter. While road salt is crucial for ensuring road safety during icy conditions, its environmental impact on...
The soil under your feet is still teeming with life, even in the frozen temperatures of winter. Soil is essential to life. One reason is that soil protects plant roots, animals, and microbes from freezing in the winter. As air temperatures drop below 32° F, water...
New PFAs Grant Program for Small Public Water Systems Opens in 2024 https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/86001 The WDNR has announced the opening of a new grant program in 2024 that will help Other-Than-Municipal Community and nonprofit, Non-Transient...
Last week, I wrote that Lake Metonga had finally froze up. Well, this past week, there was a fishing boat out on the lake. They must have been catching fish because they were there most of the afternoon into the early evening. This event made me think of how...
I noticed this morning that Lake Metonga finally froze over. Soon, we’ll be back out on our Northwoods lakes to begin the Hardwater Season. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urges the public to practice ice safety on all of Wisconsin’s waterbodies as...
It is an age-old question; how many trees are there? In recent years some have asked, Are there more trees on earth than stars in the Milky Way? NASA estimates that the Milky Way has approximately 100 billion stars. So let’s see how trees stack up. In the United...
Our neighbors to the East in Michigan have reported an outbreak of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. These insects are considered invasive because they are not native to the state and can cause significant harm to Michigan’s estimated 170 million hemlock trees. As they feed,...
In previous articles, I talked about the Japanese beetle, an exotic invasive that is eating gardens across the Northwoods. Of course, there are many more exotic invasive plants and animals in Wisconsin including the Eurasian Watermilfoil, Common Buckthorn, Garlic...
Oak trees are not only majestic additions to landscapes but also play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity. However, these iconic trees face a significant threat known as oak wilt, a deadly disease caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum. Once infected, the...
I recently read an article in Field Notes, newsletter of the Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study. In the article, researchers continue to look for ways that CWD spreads through a population. Dr. Inzalaco, at UW-Madison realized that one of the most common...