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First National Park in WI?

First National Park in WI?

PLUS ash borers in every county, robots cleaning up litter, No Mow May, and more

Forrest Koslowski
August 01, 2024

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This week’s weekly:

Legislation proposes making Apostle Islands a National Park 🏞️
Cleaning up litter on beaches and rivers via… robots? 🤖
Appleton’s No-Mow May get’s a makeover 🌱
Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in all 72 counties 😵

Courtesy of the National Park Service

Legislation proposes making Apostle Islands a National Park

‘Bout time we get the recognition we deserve! Or is it?

Wisconsin Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany has introduced a bill to designate the Apostle Islands as Wisconsin's first national park. This would change the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore to the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve, aiming to boost tourism and draw more visitors.

The proposal is met with both support and concerns, particularly about its impact on tribal treaty rights, housing, and local infrastructure. Tiffany emphasized the lakeshore's attractions, including historic lighthouses and sea caves, and mentioned it would enhance the region's historical interpretation, especially honoring the Ojibwe tribes.

Local officials, however, worry about the potential negative effects on affordable housing and the environment. They seek assurances that treaty rights will be protected and that infrastructure can handle increased tourism.

Cleaning up litter on beaches and rivers via… robots?

Milwaukee is deploying new technologies to tackle plastic pollution. Two remote-controlled robotic devices, funded by a $250,000 donation from Meijer to the Council of the Great Lakes Region Foundation, are now cleaning up beaches and waterways weekly. Milwaukee Riverkeeper operates these robots, focusing on water quality and wildlife habitat protection.

One robot sifts sand on land to find small plastic pieces, while the other collects floating debris in rivers and lakes. Milwaukee Riverkeeper reports that 85% of fish in the Milwaukee River have plastic in their digestive tracts, and 90% of the waste removed from the Milwaukee River Basin is single-use plastic.

"We’ve really got to start changing the way that we live, the way that our economy exists. We have to stop plastic at its source and shift from single-use to reuse," said Jennifer Bolger Breceda, executive director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper.

Pack your own forks, folks!

Appleton’s No-Mow May get’s a makeover

Appleton, the Wisconsin city that pioneered "No-Mow May" in the U.S., is shifting to a "Slow-Mow Summer" approach to better support pollinators year-round. The city council voted in July to reinstate grass height restrictions, limiting grass to 8 inches on developed lots and 12 inches on undeveloped lots.

Council President Katie Van Zeeland explained the change was for aesthetic reasons and scientific support. "It is not really the long grass that is helping the pollinators," she said on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.”

According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, turfgrass lawns offer little for pollinators, and mowing long grass can stress the turf. Instead, having lawns with low-growing, native-flowering plants is key for biodiversity.

Kaukauna, another Wisconsin city, has already adopted "Slow-Mow Summer." “We are now supporting pollinators all growing season long from March to November,” said Brad Garrity of the 1,000 Islands Environmental Center.

The new campaign includes monthly yard work tips, like evening mowing in July to minimize habitat disturbance and providing water sources in August.

Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in all 72 counties

Welp, the DNR has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Burnett County, marking the pest's detection in all 72 Wisconsin counties.

DNR staff responded to a report from a private residence in Meenon on June 13, where two trees displayed symptoms of EAB infestation, such as tree decline and woodpecker damage. Samples sent to the USDA confirmed the presence of EAB in July.

EAB, first detected in Ozaukee County in 2008, is spreading in northwest Wisconsin. The larvae carve S-shaped galleries under the bark, disrupting water and nutrient flow, leading to tree death. EAB is expected to kill over 99% of Wisconsin's ash trees.

Landowners should consult forestry professionals or ISA-certified arborists and visit the state's EAB Information Resource webpage for management options. Although the pest was federally deregulated in January 2021 and Wisconsin rescinded its quarantine in July 2023, monitoring trudges on at a local level.

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