Volunteers braved classic Wisconsin winter conditions – frigid temperatures, icy terrain, and steady wind – during the Alliance’s habitat management events in recent weeks.
Winter is an excellent time for cutting and burning. Snow cover offers relatively safe burning of brush piles, and the cold temps prevent sawyers from overheating.
The goals of habitat management events are threefold:
- Enhancing the hiker’s experience along the Ice Age Trail.
- Removing invasive species.
- Providing critical habitat for plants and critters, alike.
We couldn’t preserve, restore, and maintain the land’s beauty without the help of our dedicated volunteers.
January 20 – 22, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County – SwampLovers Preserve
Despite frigid temperatures and weather-related delays, the event was a resounding success!
Sawyers and swampers came from all over the state to shred buckthorn and burn brush – we had no shortage of either. On Friday afternoon and Saturday, teams worked through the morning before taking a lunch of brush-pile-roasted-brats. A true trail delicacy. Experienced sawyers cut hickory and cherry, making room for newly planted burr oak to spread their limbs far and wide. Volunteers also utilized the event to mentor less experienced sawyers, strengthening the future of our volunteer force.
February 4 – 6, Cross Plains Segment, Dane County – Mammoth’s Back Preserve
As a local volunteer, Gary Werner stated while on the project, “We have sheared the Mammoth’s Back.” By removing over 100 eastern red cedar trees from the steep slopes, volunteers revealed a sleeping remnant prairie waiting for sunlight. Three days of steady winds on the exposed hill made work a bit difficult, but there was nary a complaint as folks worked hard to cut and haul branches to the fires.
February 17 – 19, Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County – Steenbock Preserve
The Alliance continued its six-year effort clearing eastern red cedar from steep slopes at the edge of the remnant prairie. Crews also tackled a new slope east of the Trail. In addition, two brush crews cleared invasive brush from areas recently cleared of cedars – our new foe is the pesky and dreaded honeysuckle. These efforts will aid native grasses in taking hold along this restored prairie and better allow for a prescribed broadcast fire to burn through the area in the future.
Rising daytime temperatures kept the cold at bay, along with the 12 fires burning throughout the project. Everyone got a chance to get warm while cooking brats over large bonfires on Thursday and Saturday. Friday’s on-site treat was pizza! All three days, volunteers wore smiles during their lunch break.
To everyone who helped make this event a success, a special thanks to:
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – provided sawyers and use of their UTV to haul tools…and pizza!
- UW-Madison Hoofers Club members for their Saturday efforts at the Steenbock Preserve.
- Amy Onofrey and the Lodi Valley Chapter for cookies, pizza, and general project support.
- Dane County Chapter for so many pre-project workdays and expertise at the Cross Plains and Table Bluff projects.
- Our sawyers who – after previously being trained and tested – worked so hard and so safely cutting trees and brush.
- The SwampLovers: a team of landowners who began the land’s restoration and transferred the property’s ownership to the Alliance.
- The Sievers family whose shortcut access to the Steenbock Preserve made the walk in/out faster and safer.
- WisDOT for allowing us to use the ColSac Ferry parking lot as our base.
Next Up: May 18 – 22, Rib Lake Segment, Taylor County
Come prepared to cut fresh tread along the terminal moraine as we begin building four brand-new miles of Trail. This is the first of several projects, which will fill in the gaps along this segment. Registration opens, soon.
See what we did in 2021! 2021 Reconnect Events
Generous Sponsors of the 2022 MSC Trailbuilding Season include:
 |
 |
|
