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Leaf Litter: Leaf it on the Land (don't rake fallen leaves into the water or street)
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The weather this weekend looks to be pleasant for mid-November, so you might be planning to “clean up” those fallen leaves and other yard waste. We have compiled a few suggestions that will help keep leaves (and the phosphorus they carry) out of our waterways.*
Mulch 'em if ya got 'em
- Make several passes over the leaves on your lawn and leave them in place (you won’t even have to rake). This mulch is great for your soil and provides a free source of fertilizer.
- You can also collect mulched leaves and spread them on your garden beds, providing a winter blanket for your plants with nutrients for spring growth.
Garden goodness
Recycle your yard waste into a rich soil by composting.
- Cold Composting – pile and mix non-woody “greens” (grass clippings, landscape pruning’s, plant residues, etc.) and let it sit. (low maintenance, can take up to 2 years)
- Hot Composting – mix equal amounts of high-nitrogen “greens” and high-carbon “browns” (dry and woody materials such as dead leaves) with 10% bulky materials such as wood chips. The mix should remain moist but not wet and should be turned often. (turn and water regularly, only takes 1-3 months)
Urban leaf clean-up
Our friends in Dane County remind us that, “Timely removal of street leaf litter can reduce the amount of phosphorus in urban stormwater by 80% compared to no leaf removal!” They say:
- Safely remove leaves from the street in front of your home before it rains.
- Follow your community's guidelines for leaf collection or recycle leaves on your property (see above). Many communities also offer curbside leaf pick up or free access to yard waste drop off sites.
*Raking, blowing, or dumping leaves into Wisconsin’s waterways is considered littering and could be a citable offense.
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Wisconsin Earns Recognition at NALMS Conference
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Cris Neff (Friends of the Eau Claire Lakes Area) and WAMSCO members Shanda Hubertus (President), Elizabeth Stein (Watershed Conservation Coordinator), and Kori Halstead (Admin/Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator) accepted international recognition at the North American Lake Management Society earlier this month. Photo provided by WAMSCO.
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Wisconsin lake advocates recently returned from the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with top honors for lake management and public education. This is the fourth year in a row that Wisconsin groups have brought home international recognition from NALMS!
Cris Neff, board member of Friends of the Eau Claire Lakes Area, received the NALMS Lake Management Success Stories Award. The award celebrates Neff's efforts to protect and enhance the 200-square-mile Eau Claire Lakes Area watershed in Bayfield and Douglas counties. Neff was first honored by the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership with the Programmatic Excellence for Lake Health Award, which advanced to NALMS for international recognition.
Congratulations to these leaders for showcasing Wisconsin’s commitment to protecting and preserving our shared waters!
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Phenology Fun Fact
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These three views of witch hazel show how the flowers stand out and attract pollinators this time of year. Typically an upland plant, witch hazel can also grow at the water's edge, shown here along the Wisconsin River. Photos by Eric Olson.
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Witch Hazel: Wisconsin's last fresh meal for pollinators!
In Wisconsin, American witch hazel puts on its show just as everything else is shutting down. After its leaves yellow and drop, the branches suddenly sprout bright yellow, ribbon-like petals that release a clean, earthy scent, which is an unexpected delight this time of year. Flies, moths, and other cold-season insects handle the pollination, and a year later, witch hazel's woody capsules ripen and explode, flinging seeds up to 10 feet at nearly 20 mph!
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CLMN and CBCW Data You Can Use
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Wisconsin's Citizen Lake Monitoring Network (CLMN)
- Select a county
- Click Details to the right of your lake's name
- Scroll down and click the Open the "Water Explorer" (WEx) button.
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Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) Watercraft Inspection Program
CBCW data is available to view or download from the Watercraft Inspection Results webpage. Using the Location dropdown menu at the top of the page, select a county then go to the Projects tab to choose a specific project and view its data. Graphs display the number of boats inspected, people contacted, and inspection hours, and tables show the prior waterbodies visited. Data for a project can be downloaded to a spreadsheet from the Download tab.
Have questions about your data or how to find it? We’re here to help! Send us an email: LakesSupport@uwsp.edu.
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Upcoming Events
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Harnessing AI for Invasive Species Detection: Smart Traps, Drones, and Machine Learning in Action
November 19, 1:00-2:30 PM
Join the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) for a dynamic webinar showcasing how artificial intelligence is transforming invasive species detection and monitoring across ecosystems. Through innovative applications like smart traps, drones, and machine learning, researchers and practitioners are unlocking new tools to manage biological invasions more effectively and efficiently.
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Working Together: Watershed Partnerships, Credit Trading, and Performance-Based Conservation
November 25, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
This free webinar will feature highlights and lessons learned from three of Sand County Foundation’s projects, including a panel discussion with Q&A. They will discuss the state of funding, challenges, and recommendations for water quality programs that promote on-farm conservation activities in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
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Extreme Weather and Climate Services Roadshow - Northern Wisconsin
December 2, 4:00-6:00 PM, Newbold Community Center, Rhinelander
The Wisconsin State Climatology Office is collaborating with the Rural Partnerships Institute and Wisconet to organize meetings in rural Wisconsin communities to better understand weather and climate information needs and learn the local impacts of extreme weather events.
Driftless Region: January 21, 4:00-6:00 PM, Hazel Brown Leicht Library, West Salem
Central Sands Region: Date and Location TBD
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Winter Water Talk: Fishing On Frozen Habitats
December 18, 12:00-1:00 PM
Bundle up, grab your favorite hot drink, and join us for a broad overview into the world of ice fishing, offering insights that will enhance your time on the ice and foster a greater appreciation for ice-covered lakes. We will cover the basics of tackle, technique, technologies, where to find fish in the cold water, staying warm and safe on frozen water, connecting with the elements, aquatic invasive species, and stewardship efforts to protect our frozen habitats.
SPEAKERS
- Stephanie Boismenue is the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator and Conservation Technician at Oneida County Land & Water Conservation in Rhinelander. She loves fishing any time of year, but notably ice fishing for the unique experience and magic of time spent on the serene, frozen landscape.
- John Heusinkveld is semi-retired, now a half-time Conservation Outreach Specialist at the Northwoods Land Trust in Eagle River, WI since May 2025. Formerly Executive Director of the North Lakeland Discovery Center, and Assistant Director at UWSP Treehaven Field Station.
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Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention - Registration Opens Dec. 1
You don't want to miss the Convention workshops, concurrent sessions, lightning talks, poster presentations, networking time and more. This educational event brings together respected experts, water-focused professionals, grassroots organizers and passionate water advocates from across Wisconsin.
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Did you know...
...the Izaak Walton League has its origins in southwest Wisconsin? In 1924, the League was the driving force behind the creation of the 240,000 acre Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge where MN, IA, WI and IL come together. We will be hosting a special Wednesday workshop at the 2026 Lakes and Rivers Convention to learn more about these origins and lessons for today's water resources challenges (workshop on April 15).
The Izaak Walton League invites volunteers to help with Nitrate Watch. This program equips volunteers and partner organizations with nitrate test strips and empowers them to monitor their water, share their results, and advocate for solutions.
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