Environment


If You Can Walk, You Can Snowshoe!

The Friends of Rib Mountain State Park announce our Candlelight Snowshoe Hikes will be January 7 and February 4. The event is co-chaired by Karen Graff and Nancy Stencil. Snowshoe rentals will be available from Joel Braatz. We are REALLY excited since these are the first snowshoe hikes we've been able to host since January and February, 2020 due to COVID.  It will be good to be able to see all those smiling faces.  The Friends of Rib Mountain State Park have hosted these snowshoe hikes for over 20 years, giving people the opportunity to try something new without ...

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Letter to the Editor

Is anyone aware that there is a Notice of Intent to Drill, a prelude to mining, by Green Light Metals in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest at the Medford-Bend Deposit in Taylor County and the Reef Deposit in Marathon County, just below the Dells of Eau Claire? This is a Canadian Company that has appeared to have spun the company name serval times from Badger Minerals, Aquila, Green Light Metals, and GORO. A week ago, our group chose a supervisor to bring forth our resolution for clean water. We had resolutions from three Wisconsin Tribes as well, including the Ho ...

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Drilling in the Chequamegon Forest

Drilling plans underway for gold deposits near Wausau and in Chequamegon National Forest (Wausau, WI) If Toronto-Ontario, Canada based GreenLight Metals has its way, the winter of 2022-2023 will be a busy time for metallic sulfide mine development in Wisconsin. GreenLight has submitted plans to start exploration drilling at many of Wisconsin’s most loved natural features – The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, The Ice Age National Scenic Trail, and The Dells of the Eau Claire State Natural Area, are all being targeted. Project documents here: https://dnr.wi...

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Access to Clean Drinking Water Shouldn’t be Controversial

Ensuring access to clean drinking water shouldn’t be a point of contention. Water is essential to life, and there should be bipartisan consensus that we must protect this vital resource. Yet, in the Northwoods, our water and our environment have been repeatedly sabotaged by our representative – first when he was in the State Legislature, and again once he joined Congress. Toxic Tom Tiffany has been a disaster for Wisconsin’s environment for over a decade, siding with mining and chemical companies over the health and well-being of his own district. It’s ...

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Wisconsin’s Fish Are in Hot Water

According to the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts our state has warmed by three degrees Fahrenheit since 1950, and as a result our waters are warming up too.  From our ponds and lakes to our winding rivers and cold, clear, trout streams these warmer temperatures spell trouble for some of our favorite fish.  To learn more about these impacts our local Citizen's Climate Lobby brings retired Senior Fisheries Biologist, Frank Pratt, to town for a discussion of his 45 years worth of research in Northern Wisconsin. If you love fishing you will want to hear ...

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POW WOW


To Be Human

  Like a ripe Touch-Me-Not seed capsule just waiting for a finger to trigger the pop that sends it's precious cargo out into the world, mornings burst with the promise of exploration, new discoveries and grand inventions.  If you don't believe me just watch any young child jump out of bed with a head full of grand ideas, or an aging, retired guy about to head out for his morning walk in the country.  Lord only knows what discoveries might be waiting out there. This delight in novelty and new challenges is what has brought us from our shaky, beginnings in ...

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Northern Environmental Advocates: PFAS in Drilling Fluids

Wisconsin DNR has a new research project to determine if PFAS are in DNR approved drilling fluids used for mineral exploration drilling and drinking water well construction. Contrary to what the DNR has admitted during recent meetings, DNR staff is still making unfounded public statements that products on their approved list do not contain PFAS. Since there has never been any testing to confirm these products lack PFAS, any statement claiming that products are PFAS free is not backed up by factual evidence. The DNR continues to absorb full liability for allowing use ...

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Wisconsin River Valley Trout Unlimited

Join Wisconsin River Valley Trout Unlimited chapter for a presentation and discussion on protecting clean water from mining in Wisconsin on Monday, September 12 from 6-9 PM. The event will be held at The Bar, 10302 Market Street, Rothschild. After the Trout Unlimited social hour, at 7:00 p.m., River Alliance of Wisconsin Water Advocates Organizer, Johnson Bridgwater, will give a presentation about mining proposals and prospecting in Wisconsin, including the Reef deposit in Marathon County.

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In Our Own Backyard

In Our Own Backyard Tuesday, September 13 at 6 PM There is a LOT happening in our own backyard! Our September presentation will be given by Jeff Sorenson with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Jeff will share the latest discussion regarding Rib Mountain State Park master plan with us. He will also address information on the Emerald Ash Borer and the new winter fat tire bike trail at the Nine Mile Recreation Area. This is a virtual conversation that can be reached through the Zoom Link at the bottom. Our presenter, moved to Wausau in 1998, where Jeff ...

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