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Mornin’ to the people interested in the ultimate Wisconsin road trip. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly, the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

This week’s weekly:

🐝 DNR magazine puts bumble bees in the spotlight

🌲 Federal wildfire bill could repeal Wisconsin's 'roadless rule'

🛶 Iron County protects 1,100 acres around Gile Flowage

🚗 STORY OF THE WEEK: New DNR/DMV Registration Process

🐝 DNR magazine puts bumble bees in the spotlight LINK

• The summer issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine is out, and it leads with the redbelted bumble bee, following a nest found in a Madison woodpile from the first egg to the last.

• There's info on how anyone can help out these important pollinators, plus furbearer fun facts, tips for IDing animal tracks, and a look at some of the odder critters knocking around the state.

• Park property managers share where to go this summer, and there's a piece on the makeover at Milwaukee's South Shore Beach plus a Baraboo couple making the case to "be a tourist where you live."

🌲 Federal wildfire bill could repeal Wisconsin's 'roadless rule' LINK

• A U.S. Senate committee voted 11-9 along party lines to tack an amendment onto the Wildfire Prevention Act that would scrap the 2001 "roadless rule." That rule blocks logging and road-building on nearly 59 million acres of national forest, including about 69,000 acres of the Chequamegon-Nicolet.

• Folks pushing the repeal say the rule jacks up wildfire risk and limits access out West. Supporters say it keeps out invasive species and protects air, water, and biodiversity.

• A former forest supervisor points out that 98% of Wisconsin wildfires are started by people, and a 2020 Forest Service study found roaded and roadless forests burned at about the same rate. So a repeal probably wouldn't make our woods any safer.

🛶 Iron County protects 1,100 acres around Gile Flowage LINK

• After six years of work, Iron County closed on a $5.6 million purchase of roughly 1,100 acres around the Gile Flowage upnort, locking in 18 miles of shoreline, forested wetlands, and around 20 islands.

• The largely undeveloped land (folks compare it to Minnesota's Boundary Waters) was paid for with a $4.1 million NOAA grant and $1.5 million from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, with local governments and tribes backing the deal. Not bad for a county of 6,100.

• It stays open for camping, hiking, and fishing, and it protects tribal members' treaty rights to hunt, fish, and gather in ceded territory. One official called it preservation in perpetuity.

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WISCAMPSIN WEEKLY POLL

Last Week's Trivia Check

We asked which insect causes those massive, radar-jamming summer hatches. Clearly, you have all had to scrape your windshields after a drive along Lake Winnebago or the Mississippi River! A whopping 85% of you knew exactly what those swarms were.

The Correct Answer: Mayflies.

The Takeaway: Mayflies spend most of their lives underwater as nymphs. When the water temp hits that sweet spot, millions emerge at the exact same time to completely overwhelm predators. As adults, they only live for 24 to 48 hours, don't even have mouths to eat, and exist solely to mate and leave a crunchy mess on our highways!

This Week's Trivia

With the summer solstice arriving this weekend, we are entering the absolute best time of year for a classic Wisconsin backyard evening. Once the sun drops, the fireflies (or lightning bugs, depending on where you grew up) will start putting on their iconic, glowing light show in the grass.

A review from the trail… Batting 1,000!