White River Property Canoe Trip!

The job of preserving special places is not always a picnic, but on
its best days it can be just that. On May 28 members of the Bayfield
Regional Conservancy board and friends of the White River launched a
flotilla of canoes for a  half-day paddle to inspect the parcel of
land BRC is acquiring there. The property, currently known as the Walker property but formerly known
as the old Hanson Farm, straddles the river in the Town of Delta and will be
held by BRC until it can be sold to the Wisconsin DNR.

 The day, which began with a group breakfast at the always tasty Delta
Diner,  was as fine as May can offer, with uncluttered blue skies,
warm air and even occasional breezes for cooling and mosquito control.
Host Bill Heart, accompanied by Roger Dreher and his home-built
birchbark canoe, led director Ellen Kwiatkowski and board members
Karin Kozie (with family), Shari Eggleson (with friend) Grandon Harris
(with camera) and Dennis McCann from the Pikes Bridge put-in to the
Sutherland Bridge take-out, a route graced with spring wildflowers and
abundant bird activity.

 After a few hours of paddling the group beached on the onetime farm
and enjoyed lunch under the shade of a tall pine while Heart explained
the property's former lives and expressed thanks for its coming
protections. There was more bird-watching and a bit of whimsical
imagining - perhaps a BRC music festival on the spacious grassland
along the river. Troutstock, anyone? Tickfest? No decision was reached
before it was time to get back on the water and head for the
Sutherland Bridge. On that note, the identities of those who tipped
their boat and suffered a White River dunking are really nobody else's
business.

-Dennis McCann

Photos by Grandon Harris

Announcing the 1st Annual Bayfield Regional Conservancy Photo Contest!

Bayfield Regional Conservancy 2009 Photo Contest!

*12 photos will be picked for a 2010 BRC Wall Calendar available in early December 2009*

Photos must be from the following locations:

• White River Watershed
• Upper Namekagon Watershed
• Fish Creek Watershed
• Iron River Watershed
• Upper Chippewa Watershed
• South Shore Streams
• Marengo River Watershed

• Photos need not be just of the rivers themselves but also other quality habitats in those watershed areas!

These are some of the very special places the BRC is working to protect and were identified through our Strategic Conservation Plan for Bayfield County. Please note that we will doing the same for Ashland, Douglas and Sawyer Counties during 2010-2011!

We will use the winning photos in promotional materials and our website. The winner’s photos will be credited to the photographer on all media they are used for.

All images must be in JPEG format, at least 1000 pixels on the long side, and at 300 dpi. Please submit to Hannah@brcland.org by Monday, May 18^th, 2009 at 4 pm. Winners will be announced on June 1^st!

Working Lands Initiative

The Joint Finance Committee – the senators and representatives who are putting together the 2009-2011 State Budget – will likely take up the Working Lands Initiative this week!

If you care about the future of Wisconsin’s farm and forest lands, you need to ACT NOW.

Please check out www.wisconsinfarmland.org for more information.

We need your help!