Group XI (2004-2006) News

Environmental Issues Seminar, July 11-14, 2006

by Katherine Stewart, Group XI Participant

Global warning was not on the official agenda for the Group XI Environmental Issues seminar at Woodruff on July 11th through 14th, 2006 chaired by University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor’s Dave Marcouiller, Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Mark Rickenbach, Department of Forest Ecology & Management.. But it was definitely on our minds as we braved sweltering heat and blazing sun to learn about the environmental challenges facing northern Wisconsin.

What is forest parcelization? And why should we care? Forest parcelization is the subdivision of large forested parcels into smaller parcels. Every year in Wisconsin, about 3,385 new parcels are carved out of Wisconsin’s forests. While parcelization does not necessarily change the character of the forest, it often is a precursor to development, as new owners clear trees and build homes on their newly acquired northwoods mini-estates.

Susan Brisk, a Department of Natural Resources forester, highlighted some of the challenges of forest management while showing us a clear-cut area in the Northern Highlands American Legion State Forest.  Clear-cutting a forest often makes sense from a forest management standpoint, especially in areas where the trees are mature or are damaged by drought, insects or disease. Clear-cutting can improve wildlife habitat for species that need the cover and food available when the forest regenerates. But clear cuts are generally not popular with those seeking the scenic beauty and tranquility of the northwoods for hiking, camping and other recreational uses. 

Many newly-minted owners of small parcels in Wisconsin’s forest lands are not interested in any harvest of forest products from their lands. According to Sue Pukall of the Pukall Lumber Company and Steve Margitan of Packaging Corporation of America, this can make the acquisition of timber for industrial uses more difficult and expensive. 

An evening pontoon tour of Lake Minocqua gave Group XI a chance to cool off and focus on water issues, while discussing the public trust doctrine, land use, water quality and invasive species with facilitators Ezra Meyer of the Wisconsin Association of Lakes, Jeff Bode of the DNR and Lisa MacKinnon of 1,000 friends of Wisconsin.  The public trust doctrine is the principle that certain resources, such as our lakes, are preserved for public use. As we toured the lake we saw many boathouses that sat out on the lake, occupying public lands. We saw many suburban-type lawns that needed fertilizer and degraded water quality. We talked about the threat to our waterways posed by invasive species such as zebra mussels and Eurasian milfoil. 

One of the seminar highlights was a tour of  Little Rock Lake with Carl Watras, a researcher at the UW Trout Lake Station. Little Rock Lake has been divided into halves with an impermeable membrane. This has allowed researchers to study the effects of lake acidification on fish populations by using one half of the lake as a control while acidifying the other half of the lake with sulfuric acid. The lake is currrently the setting for ongoing research on other issues such as the effect of woody debris on fish populations.   

We explored Native American culture while touring the Lac du Flambeau Museum and Waswagoning, a recreated Ojibwe village. Our walking tour with Nick Hockings, Waswagoning director, gave us insight into the  Ojibwe way of life that honored the seasons, the earth and its natural resources. A feast including fry bread, wild rice and venison stew awaited us at the conclusion of our tour.

During our wrap-up session, we heard from George Meyer, former DNR secretary and current executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and Jim Holprin, Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism on the role of leadership in environmental policy. Given these two men’s dedication to public service, it was a fitting final session for Group XI as we concluded two years of intense learning and looked forward to applying our new skills in our communities. 

Katherine Stewart is a lawyer, living in Spooner, Washburn County.  Her area of practice is primarily trusts and estates, elder law, real estate and child welfare law.  She also serves as Washburn County Family Court Commissioner, presiding over family and paternity cases.