Nature Net News
July 2008
Lakes
"I hear lake water lapping with
low sounds by the shore. . . I hear it in the deep heart's core."
William Butler Yeats
Dear Reader, They’re the cool oases on the summer landscape; often the gathering place for the whole natural community. And those who observe lakes recognize how changing these fabulous bodies of water can be – placid and blue one day and choppy and gray the next. Despite their swings in temperament, lakes serve a critical role in local ecosystems – providing fresh drinking water, serving a resource for economy and recreation, and providing food, water, and shelter for a myriad of creatures. How can we ensure that we can enjoy our lakes and they keep their natural integrity? Check out this month’s Nature Net News to learn about the Great Lakes Compact and how you can make the best of summer lake-time splashing. Enjoy! Kathe & Betsy |
Mud Lake is the most common lake name in Wisconsin? Find out other fun Wisconsin lakes facts from the Department of Natural Resources.
What to Do This Month:
See the UW Arboretum from a new angle - bring (or rent) a boat and paddle Lake Wingra.
Book a paddling class or adventure through your local boating shop - try Rutabaga in the Madison area.
Look for the American Lotus water lilies while you're out exploring the lakes - they're in bloom this month and next.
Pick up a free Nature Passport at any participating Nature Net site!
Check out the Nature Net Calendar of Events for fun nature activities this month.
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Safe Swimming
Exploring our lakes is fun, but requires a watchful attitude. Check out this advice from the American Red Cross:
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Great Lakes, Great Debate
We are lucky here in Wisconsin to live in such close proximity to the 6 quadrillion gallons of fresh water that make up the Great Lakes. With one fifth of the world's fresh surface water at our back door, issues of water availability and resources should - seemingly - be of little concern. However, as recent media buildup can attest, the debate over Great Lakes water is greatly contested.
As politicians in several Midwest states and Canadian provinces debate and one-by-one vote to approve the Great Lakes Water Resource Compact, the fate of this immense body of water - where it will be allowed to go and to whom - is at stake. First, to understand who is affected, one must be familiar with the Great Lakes' "watershed". This is the area of land from which the lakes are filled. Any drop of precipitation landing on land or water which eventually flows to the Great Lakes is considered a part of the Lakes' basin or watershed (map). All tallied, that totals 295,000 square miles, home to 33 million people. The Compact wishes to provide water rights to only those who are within the Lakes' watershed; no Great Lakes water may be piped to Arizona, for example, nor shipped to Asia (as was proposed in 1999). This is happy news for eastern and northern Wisconsin (which is in Lakes Michigan and Superior watersheds, respectively), as well as for parts of Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and all of Michigan. Because the watershed knows no city, state or country boundaries, there are locations (like New Berlin, Wisconsin) where half of a town lies within the watershed and half does not. The wrong-side-of-the-slope half of town would, under the Compact, need permission from all eight states to gain access to Great Lakes water. For this and other economic, environmental, and political reasons, the debate over this vast and vital resource - especially in a time of increasing water demand - is surely not over.
Find out more about Wisconsin's legislative process from the Wisconsin State Journal or from Governor Doyle's webpage. You may also want to learn more about the impressive Great Lakes from the Great Lakes Information Network, the Environmental Protection Agency, or Great Lakes Forever.
Eco-Exercise:
Swim for Health
Water provides excellent exercise for the safe swimmer! Using traditional swim strokes or simply treading water provides an exciting way to explore the natural world and get a little exercise. Swimming exercises the legs, arms and back and places a vigorous demand on the heart and lungs. Even walking through standing water increases muscle strength and aerobic activity through resistance. When swimming, follow all safety precautions and don’t over do it!
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Cherokee Marsh
Cherokee Marsh, with 4,000 total acres, is by far the largest wetland in Dane County. An enormously diverse nature study area, Cherokee Marsh consists of a mosaic of wetlands, southern Wisconsin woodlots, old fields, restored prairie and oak savannah, two glacial drumlins and a section of the Yahara River. Managed by the Madison Park System, it is located only seven miles from the Capitol at the northern end of Sherman Avenue.
Walk in the midst of a cattail marsh - one which is part of a wetland created by former glacial Lake Mendota. Or, follow the Yahara River boardwalk as it meanders through a sedge meadow, over peat deposits and past a fen - a distinctly different wetland from the cattail marsh. The park contains two observation platforms for wildlife viewing and several belly boards to encourage exploration of pond ecosystems. Other trails lead through prairie restorations, old field habitat, edge habitat, oak savannah, typical southern Wisconsin woods, over a glacial drumlin and to a glacial kettle pond.
Park Hours: 4am to dusk
Homemade Fishing Rod
Hit the local lakes with this homemade fishing rod:
First, tie fishing line to the thicker
end of a sturdy 4-5 foot stick (this will be the handle). Wrap the line in a spiral around the
stick until you reach the tip. Tie the line firmly to the tip, but don't
cut the line yet. Now, unroll the line about a foot longer than your stick, and cut it
off the roll. You should have a continuous length of fishing line
extending from the handle of your stick down to the hook. (That way, if
the fishing rod breaks in the middle, you still have the line in your
hand.) Tie a hook to the end of the line. Fasten a bobber to the middle
of the line. You'll want to use a ball-shaped red and white bobber with
a spring-loaded hook that will fasten it anywhere on the line.
Now you're ready to fish! For bait, use worms or other material from a
sporting goods store.
Note: The best type of stick for your fishing rod is
strong, yet slightly flexible. Bamboo, about one half-inch thick, would
be ideal. Find something similar in your own yard or campground.
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Suggested Reading:
"Animals of Lakes and Rivers" (Look & Learn) by Bob Bampton (age 2-4)
"Loon Lake" by Jonathan London (age 2-8)
"Salamander Rain: A Lake & Pond Journal" by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini (age 4-8)
"The Lost Lake" by Allen Say (age 4-8)
"Letter to the Lake" by Susan Marie Swanson (age 4-8)
"What's on the Beach? A Great Lakes Treasure Hunt" by Mary Blocksma (age
4-8)
"Water Dance" by Thomas Locker (age 6-12)
"Lakes and Rivers: A Freshwater Web of Life" (Wonderful Water Biomes) by
Philip Johansson (age 9-12)
"Paddle-to-the-Sea" by Holling C. Holling (age 9-12)
"Magic by the Lake" by Edward Eager (age 9-12)
