| Kenosha/Racine Land Trust |
| Protect, Preserve and Restore Southeastern Wisconsin's Great and Beautiful Landscape! |
"Man shapes himself through decisions
that shape his environment."
Rene Dubos
| Events |
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K/RLT hosts Des Plaines River Canoe Trip
K/RLT hosted the first annual Des Plaines River canoe trip on May 20th. A dedicated and hearty group paddled a 3 mile stretch of the river and was rewarded with a peaceful ride through Kenosha's sensitive environmental corridor. On a preparatory trip down the river 3 days earlier sandhill cranes, great egrets, and a green heron flew in and out of the river as we approached. On the day of the event, Nick Spittlemeister (pictured below) and Wally Ott were our guides on the river, along with spotted plovers and swallows which flew along beside us. This canoe trip passes through our Des Plaines project area, where we are working to acquire and preserve critical wildlife habitat.
Nick Spittlemeister (K/RLT BOD) was our guide on the river. Wally Ott paddles on the river in preparation for the event.
Jill and Chuck Haubrich (Board President) enjoy the ride. Peter and Katrina Wardrip lead the way to the takeout point.
This green heron was seen several times along the river. View of the Des Plaines River.
Earth Day 2007 For the third straight year, the Kenosha/Racine Land Trust celebrated Earth Day with students from Whittier Elementary School on April 27th, 2007. Des Plaines Project Coordinator Katrina Wardrip and ecologist Lori Artiomow taught students about the invasive plants honeysuckle and multiflora rose, which can be found in the forest at Prairie Springs Park. Students played a game, enacting the invasive species taking over a forest and crowding out the native plants. The students also took a walk into the woods to identify honeysuckle and multiflora rose, as well as native plants.
Katrina Wardrip shows pictures of Wisconsin's native plants. Ecologist Lori Artiomow brings students into the woods to look for native plants.
Students enact the process of invasive species invading a forest. |
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Mary Ellen Helgren Johnson Memorial Site Mary Ellen Helgren Johnson was an early and outstanding environmentalist, well known and loved in the Racine Community. She passed away in 1995 at which time K/RLT undertook a project to purchase critical land along the Root River in her memory. K/RLT is now following through with remediation efforts to remove contaminants from the soil at this site. The Kenosha/Racine Land Trust is partnering with UW-Parkside, St. Rita's School, Milwaukee Community Service Corps and the City of Racine Parks Department on this project.
Dr. Chris Evans prepares students from St. Rita's School. Students prepare the ground for planting Canada Rye Grass.
Last June, under the guidance of Dr. Chris Evans and Lori Allen of UW Parkside, St. Rita students assisted in setting up grid plots, marking them by compass and digging dirt samples. In early November 2006, the 6th and 7th grade students from Mrs. Heim's class returned to the site and planted the seeds for the Canada Rye grass and implanted the fungus, Glomus intraradices, which increases the capacity of the grass to take up the contaminants. Come summer, the students will return to help us snip leaves to run further tests on how much of the contaminants are being drawn up into the plant. |
May 20th- Canoe trip on the Des Plaines River: 8am-12pm. E-mail kswardrip at yahoo.com for more information.
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Interested in removing invasive species? Get involved now! Who? YOU (and anyone else you know) What? Monitor & control Purple Loosestrife Where? Racine and Kenosha Counties When? Spring thaw (mid-Mar/early-April) Why? Because one lone Purple Loosestrife plant.... ...becomes a monoculture like this:
How? If you want to get involved, we'll find just the right job for you! Whether for a few hours on one day, over a few weeks, or over a few months, there are all levels of involvement needed. Simply contact Paul Boyer, the regional coordinator for the state's monitoring and control project in Racine and Kenosha counties. Also, if you know of any infested sites, send that information along too! |
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