Where the River Meets the Lake

Where the River

Meets the Lake

FOLSR Newsletter | Winter 2021

Credit: Michael Anderson

Hello Friends

From Mike Koutnik, FOLSR Board Chair

The arrival of a new year is always invigorating. We anticipate new events, meeting new people and discovering new places. For relief of pandemic tedium, I encourage you to discover places unfamiliar to you in and near the St. Louis River Estuary. As Mike Anderson’s essay suggests, the Superior Municipal Forest is a beautiful winter destination. Hike a trail. Blaze your own ice trail on the deep bays around the estuary. Just make sure there is at least 4 inches of ice between you and the water. Don’t forget to tag pictures of your adventure with #FOLSR.

Wisconsin Point is also worth exploring. FOLSR will be spending more time there in 2021. We are excited to announce that the City of Superior accepted our proposal to adopt Wisconsin Point. Read Jim Anklam’s article below to find out what this means. Wisconsin Point is also the focus of our February 23 virtual meeting from 6-7 pm CST. All are welcome! Read “5 Reasons to Attend FOLSR’s Online Get-together” to learn more about the meeting.

I also want you to consider volunteering for our board of directors. An engaged board creates an effective organization. The board provides leadership, sets direction, and oversees the operation and finances of FOLSR. Becoming a board member is a great opportunity to serve the community, help the Reserve achieve its mission, and work with energetic and fun people. If you are interested in serving, please send an email to contact.folsr@gmail.com.

Speaking of the board, there have been two recent changes. First, we welcome new member Kate McCall. Kate is a Superior resident and an enthusiastic supporter of the St. Louis River estuary. We are excited to have her with us. Second, Pat Collins, one of the founding members and FOLSR’s first Chair, is stepping down from the board but ensures us he will continue to be an active member. Pat is a Duluth resident with deep passion for the estuary and the area around it. His work for Minnesota DNR and Minnesota Land Trust has enhanced habitat and made progress toward remediating the estuary’s Area of Concern. Pat brought wisdom, clarity, management skills and dedication to our board. On a personal level, Pat and I have known each other since our paths crossed working on the Habitat Committee of the Lake Superior Binational Program in the early 1990s. It has been a pleasure to work with Pat on something we are both passionate about. The FOLSR board will miss his calm demeanor, counsel and sense of humor.

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5 Reasons to Attend FOLSR’s Online Get-together

By Sharon Moen, FOLSR Board Member

There are many reasons to attend the Friends of Lake Superior Reserve’s Annual Members Meeting on February 23, 2021; 6-7 pm CST. Here are five:

1. COVID-19 safe. This is FOLSR’s first-ever virtual members meeting. Participate from the comfort of your home. Join the conversation through Zoom: FOLSR Zoom Link; ID: 840 4689 0796; Passcode: 944325. Registration is required. You will need to have the free Zoom app on your device (phone, tablet or desktop) to join the meeting.

2. All are welcome, encouraged and valuable. It’s true! You don’t have to be a member to have fun with FOLSR. Sure, we’d like you to care about the land and water encompassed by the Lake Superior Reserve. It would be swell if you like science, education and the St. Louis River Estuary, but maybe you just need something to do on a Tuesday while you’re cooking dinner. That’s OK. FOLSR is a non-profit that values equity, diversity and inclusion. There is room for all of us.

3. It’s free. You can participate in this virtual event just by turning on a computer or smart phone and pushing a few buttons. Don’t spend a penny, unless you want to make a FOLSR donation. Your donations help FOLSR support activities such as beach cleanups and the success of the St. Louis River Estuary Summit.

4. Edutainment (it’ll be educational and entertaining). FOLSR invited several guest speakers to talk about Wisconsin Point, its indigenous history, the lighthouse, birds and more. We’ve pounded the agenda to minimize the boring bits and maximize the “wow!” Have you heard of lightening talks? We have a few of them in the mix.

5. You could change something. “How could I possibly change something through a one-hour meeting?” you ask yourself? You could change the FOLSR tagline. You could change what you thought you knew about Wisconsin Point. You could change the way you spend some of 2021 by participating in FOLSR activities, not only on Feb. 23 but also as the year rolls on. You could change the number of hours FOLSR logs toward helping the Reserve. This hour tally serves as evidence of community support when the Reserve or FOLSR interacts with foundations, granting agencies and government officials. It is an important number and you can change it.

Learn more HERE.

Hope to see you on February 23!

FOLSR Adopts Wisconsin Point as Focus for Volunteer Efforts

Credit: Michael Anderson

By Jim Anklam, FOLSR Board Member

The City of Superior Parks, Recreation and Forestry staff recently approved FOLSR’s application to adopt Wisconsin Point. Superior’s Adopt a Property program matches city properties with volunteer groups who agree to help city staff maintain and add refining touches to the property. Linda Cadotte, Director of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, said the City of Superior has been trying to identify the right group to adopt Wisconsin Point, especially since recent improvements took place. Cadotte indicated that FOLSR is a great match for Wisconsin Point due to FOLSR's ability to leverage volunteers and the non-pro connection to the Lake Superior Reserve.

FOLSR proved its commitment to this long, skinny, 229-acre spit of land and the Lake Superior Reserve last September when it organized its first beach cleanup. Wisconsin Point is located within the boundaries of the Lake Superior Reserve. The City of Superior is one of the largest property owners on Wisconsin Point. Other property owners/managers include the Fond du Lac of the Lake Superior Chippewa Band, Douglas County, Wis-DNR, University of Wisconsin and the Army Corps of Engineers. This regional destination that separates Lake Superior from Allouez Bay attracts people with its interesting natural, historic and tribal components. People go to Wisconsin Point for many reasons; among them are beach walks, agate picking, bird watching, fishing and opportunities to experience diverse terrestrial and aquatic communities.

FOLSR’s initial plans for 2021 include two beach cleanups, one in spring and a second in September to coincide with National Estuary Day and Adopt-a-Beach events. FOLSR expects to support Superior high school students who choose to complete their volunteer senior project on Wisconsin Point and develop a list of activities and improvements to the Point that would benefit the community. Let’s hear your ideas! How would you like FOLSR to help the City of Superior maintain Wisconsin Point? Contact FOLSR at: contact.folsr@gmail.com.

Still curious? Learn about the Ecological Restoration of Wisconsin Point through this interactive story map, developed by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center.

Join the Reserve and FOLSR at the Summit!

By Sharon Moen, FOLSR Board Member

The Lake Superior Reserve is holding its annual St. Louis River Summit from March 1-3, virtually via Zoom. The theme – Resilient Ecosystems, Resilient Communities – seems fitting for this point in history when a global pandemic, climate change and political discord are testing our resilience. The goal of the Summit is to bring people together to share information about the St. Louis River and to coordinate activities.

Keynote speakers include:

Dudley Edmondson – The Disconnect Between African Americans and the Outdoors
Cameron Davis – A Field Guide to Hugging the St. Louis River

Other Summit activities we're excited about:

FOLSR will hold a legislative listening session.
Birding with FOLSR – morning, March 3, small-group, socially distanced field trip.
A River of Poems – 7 p.m., March 3, Poets from across the country will share thoughts about rivers.

Students can attend the summit for FREE to learn more about the research community and river projects. The cost for adults to register is $30. Registration is required. To register and view the agenda, visit lakesuperiorreserve.org/summit/.

UPDATES

New Reserve Director: Deanna Erickson took on a new role as the director for the Lake Superior Reserve in November. Deanna accomplished much during her tenure as the Reserve’s Education Coordinator. We look forward to continuing to working with Deanna and supporting her leadership to advance the Reserve’s work.

Open position #1: UW-Madison approved filling the Education Coordinator position Deanna Erickson left as she transitioned to Director at the Reserve. A posting for the position will go out soon.

Open position #2: The Reserve is adding a new Stewardship Coordinator position, a standard position for most other reserves in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. The Stewardship Coordinator will unite the Reserve and its partners in the pursuit of common goals and help the Reserve apply GIS (geographic information system) technology to advance research and outreach objectives.

Presentations: Recently, FOLSR board members made presentations to the Superior City Council and Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Presentations such as these keep elected officials appraised of Reserve and FOLSR activities.

Chamber of Commerce: FOLSR is developing relationships with the local business community by joining and participating in meetings of the Superior Douglas County Area Chamber of Commerce and the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce.

Habitat Workgroup: Habitat restoration and conservation are important in the lower St. Louis River. An informal group of partners -- the Habitat Workgroup --- has been coordinating habitat efforts in this area for several years. To help partners know what projects have been done or are in progress, the workgroup developed a database. Reserve Monitoring Coordinator Hannah Ramage facilitated the transformation of the project database into GIS. A dashboard of projects is available to the public: HERE. (https://arcg.is/08m1u8)

That's Different!

Show Your #IHeartEstuaries Love

On February 12-14, join FOLSR and people across the U.S. in the I Heart Estuaries campaign. This three-day, social media blitz demonstrates public support for estuaries, places like the Lake Superior Reserve and other coastal programs. The goal is to show Congress and other government entities that Americans value the interface between rivers and large lakes and oceans. The campaign is organized by the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association, Restore America’s Estuaries and the Association of National Estuary Programs. During the three days, FOLSR will post messages on Facebook and Twitter directed toward members of Congress from Wisconsin and Minnesota. The posts will be tagged with #IHeartEstuaries. To support the campaign, which is in its eighth year, please share or retweet FOLSR's posts and compose your own #IHeartEstuaries messages.

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management also runs a social media campaign in February: #EstuaryLove. The goals of this campaign include educating people about the importance of estuaries and encouraging people to visit estuarine reserves. You are welcome to show your #EstuaryLove in February, but please remember to use #IHeartEstuaries on February 12–14.

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Get to Know Your Reserve

The Osaugie Trail will lead you past several landmarks along Superior’s waterfront, including the Reserve Estuarium and the Burlington Ore Dock, where the Edmund Fitzgerald set out on its last voyage in 1975. When the paved trail ends, you can travel on-road to reach Wisconsin Point, which FOLSR recently adopted! There you can walk along miles of beautiful beaches and see the lighthouse.

If you’re feeling adventurous, the rail-trail continues from Superior to Ashland, and is called the Tri-County Corridor Trail.” Rain, snow or sunshine, the Osaugie Trial is a great way to explore along the water. Check it out here.

Taking a quick break to enjoy the clouds over the water and docks on our bike ride on the Osaugie Trail late this summer.

-Keahna Margeson, FOLSR Board Member

One of Your Friends

Meet Michael Anderson, a FOLSR member and gifted photographer who grew up close to the Nemadji River in Superior’s East End. His master’s degree in social work makes him an asset to the mental health field. He also worked as an industrial millwright until the local plant closed. Michael has spent many hours in the Superior Municipal Forest in the roles of canoe guide, naturalist and preservationist. Michael generously shares his photographs with FOLSR and created a photo montage set to music for the Feb. 23 members meeting. He also shares stories. Here’s an excerpt from an essay about a February day within the Reserve:

The previous night’s snowfall adds a soft carpet to my footfalls as I begin a walk on the trails of the Superior Municipal Forest. I’d inquired of a friend about the status of one of the ski trail that had been closed this season. He said that one of the culverts had been washed out from the late fall rains making the steep descent too treacherous. My curiosity beckoned me to go explore the situation and make a late afternoon adventure out of it.

Read the entire essay, Today is Sunday, on the FOLSR Website.