November 2002
“The
tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green
thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity...and
some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination,
nature is imagination itself.”
William Blake - 1799
CPPF Loses Lot #92 to developers
In order to purchase a piece of property you need a willing seller, a willing buyer, enough money to purchase the property, and last, the knowledge that the properly is for sale.
Lot #92 is located between Lakeshore Drive and Marina Road. The former owner of this lot passed away about a year ago. Unaware of its ecological importance to the prairie, his family sold it to the first available buyer. We were completely unaware that these events had transpired, and so, lot if 92 fell into the hands of the developers. We tried to stop them (the developers) from getting variances in the codes for developing the lot, but we were unable to do so. This shows us the urgency in purchasing these lots before the developers.
With your help CPPF purchased 2 lots this year in the amount of $9,500.00. There are still approximately 90 lots Privately owned.
The DNR purchased 23 lots and 1 parcel this year. The state owns 557 lots. There are still 106 lots privately owned.
Once a year we ask you for monetary support. It's that time again! But first, we thank you for your abundant contributions for this past year. Without your generous help, more lots would fall into the hands of the developers. As you stand out on the Prairie, listen to the whisper of thanks in the bird's calls, the rush of the grasses, and bloom's of the wildflowers.
When you join the Blazing-Stars, with your first time gift of $100 or more, you will receive a Blazing-Star print that's ready for framing. Artist Bernice Rosen created this print especially for us. You will also receive invitations to attend our June Breakfast on the Prairie, and the September picnic, where you will meet some of our volunteers.
Current Blazing-Star Members who renew $100 memberships will receive a gift packet of note cards and envelopes. These were created for us by Artist Rebecca Venn. You will also receive invitations for June's Breakfast on the Prairie, and the picnic in September.
Please consider becoming a life member. For your gift of $500, you will receive a Certificate of Honor and Bernice Rosen's Blazing-Star print. You will also be invited to the June breakfast, and September picnic. The prints and note cards are just a small token of our appreciation. The real gratitude comes in knowing that you are helping to preserve a rare and priceless ecosystem. Thank you.
"WE REPEAT OUR PROMISE: WITH YOUR HELP WE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE LAST PIECE OF LAND HAS BEEN PRESERVED."
The third Saturday of every month from 10:00 - 2:00 P.M. is the time to be
out on Chiwaukee South. This is when the volunteers meet for our monthly work
party schedule. We encourage you to come out and join us. You will get up close
and personal with plants, insects, and other wildlife. You will also learn to
identify native and non-native plant species. Meet us out on 121st
St. and 2nd Ave. Pack a lunch, and be sure to wear your old clothes
and work gloves, as we will also be clearing brush, weeding out invasive
non-native plants, or collecting wildflower seeds. We have plenty of tools and
chores to go around! Work days for November and December are located at
Barnes Prairie. We will meet at 121st St. and 2nd Ave., and then drive over
to Barnes. We’re looking forward to seeing you!
Photos from Work Parties
The sixth annual picnic was held
on September 21st. There were 25 volunteers that day. We cut and treated
buckthorn, and cut down brush along the Al Krampert trail. It was more fun than
work that day as Gus Hauser got the grills going. Besides cooking “hobo dinners”
on the grill, we enjoyed many salads, deserts, and each others company! Also, a
special thank you to Tom Becker for donating the delicious vegetables for our
hobo dinners!
Photos from the Picnic
Meet Kenosha natives, and Blazing Star members, Pam and Don Keating. They moved from the north side of Kenosha, to the Carol Beach area about 10 years ago. Moving closer to the prairie gave them a greater appreciation and sense of importance for the prairie’s natural beauty. They began reading about the prairie, and they didn’t like the fact that priority was given to land development, rather than land preservation. They felt that none of the land should have been developed. Pam states, “Many people move here with no appreciation of nature. We hope that the Chiwaukee Prairie Preservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy can beat the developers in the race for the land. There is such beauty here in the birds, flowers, and grasses. People need to be a part of nature, we need to live within the system of nature. We need to preserve it, if we don’t, we’re only killing ourselves.”
It is because of the generous gifts from people like the Keatings and other donors that help us to preserve the Chiwaukee Prairie.
Congratulations Joan Rohan & Phil Sander
CPPF’S President Joan Rohan received recognition from the YWCA, as a “Woman of Distinction”. Joan received the Woman of Courage award. We’re proud to have Joan’s wisdom and guidance.
Carthage College dedicated a Nature Sanctuary in Phil Sander’s name. The Phil Sander Audubon Sanctuary is a 6.5 acre arboretum just north of Carthage’s Smeds Tennis Center. It is home to more than 18 species of birds.
GRANTS FROM WIN & WE
WIN Grant:
Last year CPPF applied for a $2,300.00
grant from the Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network (WIN). We received that
grant, and with it were able to purchase the Billy Goat Mower and Brusher.
This equipment is used to manage and maintain the Prairie.
Delivered at the December 15th work party at Barnes Prairie, the 'Billy Goat' mower and a brush cutter will aid in the removal of dense patches of woody vegetation and in the creation of fire breaks for years to come.
Photos by Eric Howe
WE Grant:
CPPF also applied for, and received a grant of $2,995.00 from Wisconsin Electric
(WE). This grant was used to purchase a trailer to store and haul the equipment.
Our many thanks to WIN and WE for these grants.
Photos by Eric Howe
WE also donated a sign for our trailer. The sign was framed by Georgia Kroll, a Friend of the Prairie.
Photo by Faith Bushnell
We
truly appreciate their gifts!
This and That
-The Bumble Bee is the only insect strong enough to break in and pollinate the Closed or Bottle Gentian.
-In the year 2000, CPPF work party volunteers pulled out twenty-one, 33-gallon size bags of garlic mustard. In 2001 this total went down to eight bags. Thanks to their efforts, only four bags were pulled out this year!
Keep up the good work!
Garlic Mustard is a shade tolerant, highly invasive biennial that originally came from Europe in 1868. Besides crowding out native plants, it affects two rare butterfly species. The butterflies are chemically attracted to the garlic mustard, and lay their eggs there instead of their usual host, toothwort. The caterpillars are not able to develop and consequently die.
Welcome to CPPF’S new board members: Heather Patti, Lenny Weiss, and Ann Jolicoeur.
CPPF Board of Directors 2002
Joan Rohan,
President
Gus Hauser, Vice-President
Eric Howe, Treasurer
Bruce Sedloff, Secretary
Renate Hauser, Corresponding Secretary
Richard Barloga, Naturalist
Marcia Wensing, Stewardship South
Donna Peterson, Land Acquisition South
Dawn Feldman-Brown, Hike Coordinator
Ann Jolicoeur-Newsletter Editor
Mark Roycraft
Heather Patti
Lenny Weiss
Advisors
Tom Becker-
Stewardship North
Marty Johnson-DNR
Susan Tragesser
Steve Richter-TNC
Phil Sander- Historian
Chiwaukee
by Mary Evanoff
I
met the wind today out on the prairie.
The shooting stars, the blue-eyed grass and bird-foot violets
Bowed their heads to let it pass.
I
turned to flee before it, and had taken but a step,
When teasing fingers roughed my hair
And mocking laughter in my ear
Bade me lift my heels or stand aside and let it pass.
It
scampered on before me in its wildly buoyant course
Its footsteps pressed with careless heed
Fragile form and slender reed
Which graced the hillocks as it passed.
Pell-mell behind its children came
They rudely blew upon my neck
And pressed my shirt against my back
With them came bird song - meadow scent - frog shrill.
Then they, too, passed and all was still.
"He who is good at making excuses is seldom good at
anything"
-Benjamin Franklin
Thank you to all of the work party volunteers for not making excuses, but coming out and working hard!
2002 Volunteers
Richard Barloga
George & Faith Bushnell
Tom & Dawn Brown
Cathy Chybowski
John Harbeck
Gus & Renate Hauser
Eric Howe
Evan & Nick Johnson
Marty Johnson
Ann Jolicoeur
Lenore Lee
Kay McClelland
Robert Osborne
Heather Patti
Donna Peterson
Diane Price
Stan Rosenstiel
Dave Roskowski
Mark Roycraft
Vera Scekic
Ellen & John Schmidt
Joyce Schmidt
John & Monica Schluckbier
Bruce Sedloff
Don Snyder
Kevin & Maria Spaight
Don Spangenberg
Betsy Wagner
Lenny Weiss
Marcia Wensing
and last, but not least, Thank you to Wisconsin Birding for donating webspace to the Chiwaukee Prairie Preservation Fund, enabling us to communicate our mission to many more people.
See our newsletter from November 2001