Happy New Year! As Friends of Lake Wingra transitioned from 2016 to 2017, we looked ahead to the coming year, and saw immense opportunity, often balanced by immense challenges. Opportunities and their associated challenges lead to change, and we embrace a year of coming change with optimism. Some changes will be obvious,
New Year’s Challenges and Opportunities for the Friends Read More »
Black ice is relatively smooth, hard, and clear. Packed snow eventually turns to black ice, especially when it rains, or when there’s a thaw, followed by freeze. You must completely remove packed snow if you want to prevent ice buildup. Black ice is most slippery when water is present. Then it can be very
Black Ice – Everything You Ever Wanted to Know Read More »
We’re looking for homeowners to help demonstrate salt-free methods for clearing snow from sidewalks, including solar snow removal. We’re testing some improved methods. But you can use any method, provided no salt and that it’s a showcase job. All the snow doesn’t have to be cleared at once. We’ll provide you with a small sign
Volunteers needed for Salt-Free Sidewalk demo Read More »
Key ideas… Prevent packing of snow Scrape so remaining snow lets light through to the pavement Let the sun evaporate the rest (ice can evaporate without melting) Forecast Two more days of sun before the next snow. Use that time to clear all packed snow. In the morning, scrape or brush any snow
Solar Forecast: Clear the Snow Without Salt Read More »
The future of water and people depends on the choices we make today – and the ideas we share with each other. Two new resources by the UW-Madison Water Sustainability and Climate project help communities think about what they can do to make sure the future is one they’d want. Changes and Choices in
New Resources for the Future Read More »
Winter is a season associated with distinct feelings for all of your senses. There’s the smell of pine, the taste of apple pie, the sighting of the fist snowflake, and the crunch of rock salt beneath your boots. While we often give little thought to the last one, it’s certainly something we’re all familiar with.
Winter is Coming! Here’s What We Know About Road Salt Read More »
Collect the seed before the pod opens up. Now (Mid-September) is an ideal time. It’s easier to separate seeds from fluff now, and you won’t have the fluff drifting all about the room. Open the pod along the lengthwise “seam.” Strip off the seeds with your thumb. Good seeds are brown and have some thickness
How to Harvest & Grow Common Milkweed Read More »
Welcome, Adrienne! Adrienne is our new Program Director at Friends of Lake Wingra. She is currently a graduate student at the Nelson Institute at UW earning her MS in Environmental Conservation. While not a Wisconsin native, she has spent nearly the last two years working in the Lake Wingra Watershed. First, she was a Canvass
Meet Our New Program Director Read More »
by Tim Campbell – UWEX, WDNR, WISG It is well known in the aquatic invasive species (AIS) world that recreational boaters are the primary pathway for new AIS to enter a lake or river. A combination of regulations that help prevent the spread of AIS and the “Clean Boats Clean Waters” boater education program has
How anyone can Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers and Protect Lake Wingra Read More »
1911 Plat Book Cantwell Printing by Jim Baumann Odana Pond, the other natural lake in the Lake Wingra Watershed, is one of a number of glacial kettle ponds on the west sides of Madison and Middleton formed by buried ice chunks in the last glacial period 10,000 years ago. Similar to Stricker’s, Tiedeman’s, Esser’s and
Odana Pond: Lake Wingra Watershed’s Other Lake Read More »
Photo by Erik Zimmerman: Cloe Zimmerman gets one last kiss from the monarch she raised, before it starts migration. It’s a magical moment when the fresh young butterfly spirals upward, then heads resolutely SW towards Mexico, 2,000 miles away. By David Thompson The migration of monarch butterflies is one of our greatest natural wonders. To
By Sandy Stark Four neighborhoods along the SW Path maintain native prairies, flower gardens, and wooded areas in the Lake Wingra Watershed. Work crews provide tools and treats, and you take what you learn to your own yards and rain gardens. Most have both regular and flexible schedules. Come meet and work with us for
Summer Gardening, Educational, & Service Opportunities on the SW Path Read More »
