We had a wonderful visit with Tracy Hames, the executive director of the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, on Sunday August 19th.  It is easy to see why they hated to see Tracy leave his position as head of the Yakama Nation’s Waterfowl Program.  Tracy is very passionate and enthusiastic about protecting and restoring our wetland resources and we are lucky to have him back home in Wisconsin.

Tracy, Sophia, Connie, Lindsay, Paul and Pati at the Scuppernong Springs.  Thanks Anne for the photo!

Connie captured some great moments on video and pictures as we toured the Springs and we will add some of that content to this blog soon.  Listen to the interview I captured with Tracy at the Indian Springs.

Tracy had many suggestions for things we could do including: introducing beetles to attack the Purple Loosestrife, working with a DNR Hydrologist to install one or more water flow gauges, studying the historic (before European settlement) use of the land and water and the flora and fauna present at that time, and in general, carefully monitoring the results of all remedial actions we taken to determine their efficacy.

Later that day, our friends Jim and Cathy Brown visited us and we took another tour of the Springs.  We walked out along the Marl Pit channel, which is very easy to do now because of the dry weather, and I captured a couple shots along the way.

The opening in the distance on the hillside below is the Indian Campground.

Hope to see you soon out at the Springs!