Nature Net News
June 2005
Water, Water Everywhere
"Those
who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that
will endure as long as life lasts."
Rachel Carson
|
Dear Readers, Can there be anything more refreshing than that first dip into the water on a hot summer day? Wisconsin is blessed with a variety of refreshing water offerings – from lakes and wetlands, to rivers, and even sudden downpours! But in addition to being a place for splashing and recreation, it is also habitat, home, carver of hillsides, and a critical source of nourishment and life. June is a great time to get out and explore this miracle element in all its forms. This month's issue gives you great ideas on where to see and explore our many great waterways and what to do once you're there. Enjoy! Kathe
& Betsy |
Wisconsin has 15,081 documented inland lakes? They range in size from 1 acre spring ponds to 137,708 -acre Lake Winnebago!
What to do this month:
Explore with your Nature
Passport at participating
Nature Net sites! It's free! And fun!
June 12 through 20 is Yahara Lakes Week - visit and enjoy a local lake!
Find out where your drinking water comes from. You can do it with help from the EPA Kid's website!
Check out the family events at area Nature Net sites!
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Be Prepared at Wetlands
Water is refreshing, lovely, and… enticing.
Use extreme caution when exploring a pond or wetland with little
ones. Always keep an extra
change of clothing in a sealable plastic bag for those quick-dip
emergencies. Sweat clothes
are good because they will warm and dry a chilled explorer (and can be
quick pajamas for that exhausting ride home.)
Instant
Outdoor Expert:
Area Lakes
It's no surprise the word "Wisconsin" means "gathering
of the waters" in the language of Chippewa/Ojibwa/Anishinabe Native
Americans. Bordered by two of the Great Lakes and the mighty Mississippi
River, Wisconsin certainly is a watery state. And don't forget those
15,081 bodies of water within our borders - most created thanks to a great
sheet of frozen water, the Laurentian ice sheet of the last Ice
Age. Our area lakes, those in Dane County - Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa
- were formed when the glacier deposited rocks and sediment (till) over
the landscape and dammed up a pre-glacial river valley. About 12,000
years ago, with the valley partial filled with glacial deposit, the ice
sheet melted, leaving behind our chain of beautiful lakes. Find out more
amazing Wisconsin
Water Facts from the
Department of Natural Resources!
Eco-Exercise:
Water
for Fun & Health
Yikes - it's
hot outside, everyone is sweaty, and your legs are stuck to the seat of
the car. What do you do? Use your newfound knowledge about water and swim,
of course! Race your friends or show off your underwater skills by doing a
handstand. But don't forget the safety rules. Make sure there's an adult
around to watch you and no dunking! Find a Dane
County Park in your neighborhood where you can make a splash!
When you're exercising in the heat, it is very important to drink lots of water, even if you don't feel thirsty. Hot temperatures make you sweat more when you're exercising, so you must replace the water you lose to prevent heat exhaustion.
"Paddle to the Sea" by Hollings C. Hollings
"The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig" by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
“Salamander Rain: A Lake & Pond Journal” (Sharing Nature With Children Book) by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Cherokee
Marsh
Cherokee
Marsh Conservation Park is part of Dane County's largest wetland!
The boardwalk, a popular highlight of Cherokee, leads visitors
through cattail marshes, sedge meadows, peat deposits and a fen.
The park contains two observation platforms for wildlife viewing
and several belly boards to encourage pond ecosystem exploration.
Other trails wander through prairie restorations, old-field and
edge habitats, over a glacial drumlin and to a kettle pond.
Discover a myriad of interrelationships between wetland and upland
communities, and realize fascinating wetland values.
Underwater
ViewerWant to see what's going on in the water without diving in? Make your own underwater viewer! You can make a very simple viewer with materials you likely have at home. You'll need a half-gallon milk carton, some clear plastic wrap and a rubber band.
Cut both the bottom and the top off the milk carton. Stretch the plastic wrap over the bottom, securing it in place with the rubber band. Lower the viewer into the water, and place your face into the open end. The underwater area you are viewing will be slightly magnified. It's just like a diving mask - but you don't have to get your face wet!
If you find in interesting creature, use this key to discover what it is!
(Nature Craft from "The Kid's Nature Book" by Susan Milord)
