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Up to 70 waters to be tested for VHS fish disease: 2008 results good but expansion in Lake Michigan concerning

Downloadable audio files featuring Wisconsin Fisheries Director Mike Staggs discussing VHS fish disease are available on the “VHS” tab of the Fishing Media Kit.

MADISON – Two years after VHS fish disease was first detected in Wisconsin waters, state fisheries officials are confident that good compliance with new rules and procedures can continue to contain the fish disease.

But they are keeping a close watch on lakes and rivers, particularly the Lake Winnebago and Lake Michigan systems where VHS has been found. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, is not a human health threat but it can infect 37 different fish species and has caused big fish kills in other Great Lakes waters.

Testing is underway for VHS on up to 70 lakes and rivers across the state, and Department of Natural Resources fisheries staff are expanding efforts to look at susceptible species in the Winnebago System.

“We’re entering our third year with VHS in pretty good shape due to the efforts we’ve taken to contain the disease and the cooperation we’ve had from people who can potentially spread the disease: boaters, anglers, bait harvesters, fish farmers and our own fisheries management staff,” says Mike Staggs, who leads the Department of Natural Resources’ fisheries management program. “We didn't find VHS in any new waters in 2008 testing and that’s a credit to everybody who followed the new rules and procedures.”

Staggs is concerned, however, that 2008 saw VHS expand its range much farther south in Lake Michigan, killing round gobies and yellow perch near Milwaukee.

The disease poses a threat to southern Lake Michigan fish as well as increases the chance that VHS will inadvertently be spread by boaters and anglers moving infected live fish and contaminated water back and forth between Lake Michigan and inland waters. Lake Michigan is the state’s most popular water and the one that people most often trailer their boat to and from, according to a 2007 DNR study of recreational boaters.

Sue Marcquenski, the DNR’s fish health specialist, is also closely watching what happens on Lake Winnebago and Lake Michigan to see if they exhibit the same pattern seen on some other Great Lakes waters where VHS has been detected.

“My hunch is that there may be a lag time of at least two years after VHS causes an initial outbreak before we see fish kills in new locations, or in new species from the same location,” she says.

Staggs says that DNR will be carefully monitoring state waters for VHS this year and working closely with the public to prevent the spread of the deadly fish disease.

Testing underway to learn where VHS is found

This spring, the DNR will conduct “surveillance” testing on 27 waters to continue to assess the prevalence of VHS. In addition, four hatchery water supplies and all wild fish DNR uses for broodstock for its hatcheries will be tested for VHS to make sure fish stocked from state fish hatcheries are VHS-free.

The DNR also will test fish from suspicious fish kills. All told, more than 50 waters and as many as 70 will be tested, says Tim Simonson, who coordinates VHS surveillance testing.

Those waters planned for surveillance testing are popular and highly trafficked waters by anglers and boaters, increasing the chances of VHS being spread by the movement of water and live fish, Simonson says. Mendota Lake in Dane County, Geneva Lake in Walworth County, Castle Rock Lake in Juneau and Adams counties, and Butternut Lake in Price County are among those on the list.

Sampling occurs while the water temperatures are below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the period when the virus is most active. DNR fish crews will collect tissue samples from 170 individual fish from each of the 27 waters for surveillance testing, focusing on susceptible species. The Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Madison, the La Crosse Fish Health Center and Microtechnologies, a private lab in Maine, will do the testing.

Working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the La Crosse Fish Health Center, sampling for VHS will also take place on Pools 9 and 10 of the Mississippi River, and the St. Louis Estuary on the St. Louis River.

The costs associated with the VHS testing is paid for with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Inspection Service as well as a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (SFR) and fishing license sales.

People finding fish with symptoms of VHS are encouraged to contact their local fish biologist. More information is available on the VHS Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Staggs (608) 267-0796; Tim Simonson (608) 266-5222.

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Arbor Day statewide contest winners announced: Important dates for the environment and the biography of place

MADISON - Every April, Wisconsin celebrates two important dates for the environment: Arbor Day, which is always the last Friday of the month, April 24 this year, and Earth Day, celebrated April 22. And we begin a week-long celebration of our forests during Forest Appreciation Week April 19-25.

These natural resource holidays help us prepare for the future and encourage us to reflect upon the past. Each holiday engages our “biography of place,” composed of places, relationships and remembrances that make up our “place based” personal biography; those special “somewheres” where one nostalgically longs to return.

Our life time memory of trees, forests, and the water and wildlife they sustain begins as a child. If you pause for a second to think back to when you were 10, 11 or 12 years old, to the places that most inspired you and allow yourself to see the world through childhood’s eyes, you’ll understand.

Perhaps you remember your favorite tree or that magical pond deep in the woods or the smell of the air after a rain. Maybe you remember the cool shade of a town or city tree on a warm summer’s day, a gentle rise of land from where you could view the whole community or that open field where family and friends planted trees. If so, you are not alone.

Trees are Terrific…in Cities and Towns

More than 3,800 students from 200 schools offered a special glimpse from their biographies of place in this year’s statewide Arbor Day Poster contest for fifth graders and Forest Appreciation Week Writing contest for fourth graders sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources. Imaginative masterpieces of artwork addressed the poster contest theme: “Trees are Terrific…in Cities and Towns!” and visually portrayed the many benefits our urban forests provide to communities, large and small. Original artwork highlighted school ground trees, roadside trees, trees in parks, trees surrounding office buildings, trees alongside streams and trees on roof-tops.

My Favorite Tree

This year’s writing contest theme was “My Favorite Tree.” Children wrote about the smoothness and bumpiness of bark, the color of leaves, and the sweetness of syrup. They shared thoughts about a quiet afternoon sitting under their favorite tree with a book. Children also wrote about their favorite tree’s yummy fruit, the tallness and strength of their tree; the birds and squirrels that enliven it; the joy of climbing it; the tree blossoming on a birthday and the memories their trees brought to mind of farming, family and fun.

The artwork and words of this year’s student winners helps us re-discover one another’s humanity in that place called the “great outdoors,” and inspires us to imagine, create and conserve places that connect us to nature and are filled with trees for everyone to enjoy.

Winnersof this year’s statewide poster contest are:

• First Place: Sumin Yang, Shorewood Hills Elementary, Madison
• First Runner-Up Kesley Secrist, Alma Elementary, Alma
• Second Runner Up: Rachel Vogel, Valders Middle School, Valders

Winners of the statewide writing contest are:

• First Place: Paul Boesl, Prairie Farm Elementary, Prairie Farm
• First Runner-Up: Hannah Feller, South Elementary , Reedsburg
• Second Runner-Up: Kendra Rosenthal, Coleman Elementary, Coleman

The six winners will celebrate their special achievement at an Arbor Day ceremony in the State Capitol and will receive plaques and savings bonds respectively from the Wisconsin Arborist Association and the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association. In addition, the Wisconsin Nursery Association will supply a tree to each of the six student winners for planting at a local community site. The teachers of the statewide winners will receive a LEAF (Learning, Experiences & Activities in Forestry) and a Project Learning Tree workshop scholarship.

In all, 24 children (the top 12 posters and essays) from the contests will be able to see their artwork and thoughts on the internet and in print. Their labors will be featured in the 2010 Department of Natural Resources’ Arbor Day-Earth Day Calendar and on-line at the DNR’s EEK! - Environmental Education for Kids! Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Genny Fannucchi - (608) 267-3120

[EDITOR’S ADVISORY: Arbor Day Public Tree Planting at State Capitol, Friday April 24. Schoolchildren from Weyauwega Elementary will join State dignitaries, Smokey Bear, Bucky Badger and invited guests in the Arbor Day BIG TREE planting ceremony at Capitol Park, corner of Main Street and Martin Luther King Blvd. A 10-year-old swamp white oak donated by the Wisconsin Nursery Association (WNA) will be spade planted by The Bruce Company, Inc of Wisconsin. Local area musician Ken Lonnquist will lead the children in song and debut his new composition, “Why Plant Trees.” This is the fifth Arbor Day Big Tree donated by the WNA and The Bruce Company. This oak is part of the ongoing tree replacement plan for Capitol Park, one of Madison’s most significant public gathering spaces. Media representatives and cameras are welcome. The visual and audio-rich agenda includes: 10:15 a.m. pre-planting Tree Cheers with Bucky Badger and Smokey Bear; 10:30 a.m. welcome; 10:35 a.m. public reading of the Arbor Day proclamation; 10:40 a.m. words from our donors; 10:45 a.m. sing along with Ken Lonnquist & students; 10:55 a.m. spade planting; 11 a.m. gathered children assist with mulching the tree. For more information contact Genny Fannucchi, Forest Resource Education & Awareness Specialist DNR at (608) 267-3120).]

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Now a good time to test private well water, particularly in flooded areas

MADISON – Flooding in some parts of southern Wisconsin is adding urgency to water officials’ annual reminder that now is a good time for private well owners to test their water to make sure it’s safe to drink.

Wisconsin has about 1 million private wells, and about 14,000 new wells are drilled every year. Private well owners are responsible for testing their own wells to make sure the water is safe to drink.

“March and April are good times to test your well for bacteria regardless of where you live in the state, and it’s particularly important for well owners in flooded areas to have their wells tested,” says Steve Ales, Department of Natural Resources drinking water and groundwater supervisor for south central Wisconsin. “If your well is surrounded or overtopped by floodwaters, it shouldn’t be used until after you have it tested and the water is found to be safe to drink.”

DNR private water supply specialists recommend that well owners sample their wells once a year for bacteria and any time they notice a change in taste, odor or color. When flooding occurs, well owners should suspect that their drinking water is contaminated by floodwaters if the well casing becomes inundated; if there's a change in taste, color or sediment; or if the well does not have a deep casing and you are near areas that have been flooded. Wells located in pits and basements are especially susceptible to contamination.

More information on wells in flooded area can be found on DNR’s flooding pages. More information on recommendations for testing wells, including a video showing how to properly collect a water sample for testing, can be found on Test Your Private Well Water Annually.

“Most private wells provide safe drinking water, but we tend to see an increase in well contamination problems after spring thaw when melting snow soaks into the ground; those problems are exacerbated when there’s flooding,” says Mark Putra, who leads the private water section for the DNR drinking water and groundwater program. Some wells may become contaminated with bacteria that is not filtered out as the water soaks into the ground.

Surviving bacteria can finds its way into the groundwater by moving through shallow fractured bedrock, quarries, sinkholes, inadequately grouted wells or cracks in the well casing. Insects or small rodents can also carry bacteria into wells with inadequate caps or seals.

The DNR recommends that people test their private wells at least once a year for bacterial contamination and any time they notice a change in how their water looks, tastes or smells, You may want to test for other contaminants, like nitrate, arsenic or agricultural chemicals depending on the surrounding land use practices in your area.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Putra (608) 267-7649; Steve Ales (608) 275-3311 or your local drinking water specialist

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Spring wildfire season getting underway in Wisconsin

MADISON – After what felt like an endless winter, state forestry officials are cautioning people to not let a little rainfall lull them into complacency when it comes to being prepared for wildfires this spring.

Department of Natural Resources wildland fire specialists say Wisconsin’s traditional spring fire season is just getting underway and fire danger ratings can change dramatically in a very short time.

“Snowmelt signals the need for outdoor burning permits in many areas of the state,” said Trent Marty, chief of DNR wildland fire protection. “Snowmelt brings with it a greatly increased risk of wildfire when easily ignited fuels such as last season’s grasses and leaves dry out in warm breezes. Strong winds at this time of year can also contribute to bringing down power lines.”

Wildland firefighters are dusting off their suppression equipment, conducting pre-fire season training, and making last minute staffing adjustments to be ready when the calls come in. Wildland firefighters and local fire departments periodically train together in mock fire exercises so that everyone is clear on their role and responsibilities when the heat is on.

Most wildfires in Wisconsin are caused by one of two things: The number one cause is debris burning, followed by hot exhaust systems or sparks thrown from vehicles, tools and equipment. Officials also urge caution when disposing of hot ashes. Fortunately, these fires are the easiest to prevent.

“Not burning at all is the clearly the safest approach,” says Marty. “Consider composting yard waste, or recycling or making brush piles in the woods to enhance wildlife habitat.”

Maintaining tool and vehicle spark arrestors and being careful to not park hot vehicles over or set hot equipment down on easily burned materials is also good practice at anytime, he added.

“Coinciding with Earth Day and Arbor Day, ‘Wildfire Prevention Week’ April 19-25th is right around the corner,” said Catherine Regan, a DNR fire prevention specialist and a scheduler for Smokey Bear appearances around the state.

“During Wildfire Prevention Week and throughout the rest of the year, DNR fire specialists and Smokey hope Wisconsin residents will take the time to practice fire safety and use common sense and follow state regulations. There are good tips and advice on preventing wildfires and on fireproofing your home and buildings on the DNR Web site.”

Smokey Bear is expected to appear at many events during Earth Day, Arbor Day and Wildfire Prevention Week to help spread the important message of fire prevention according to Regan.

New Burning Permit System

A new burning permit issuing system, inaugurated statewide in areas under DNR responsibility in 2008, worked flawlessly in its first year. The new system requires only a single visit per year to a DNR Service Center or local Emergency Fire Warden. The new permits are free and good for an entire year. Permit holders considering burning on any given day must visit a website or call a toll free number to learn if they can burn in their area that day and have their permit at hand. The website and phone message are updated daily during the fire season by 11 a.m. each day.

For the most up-to-date fire conditions and permit restrictions, visit DNR’s Forest Fire Web pages.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Regan - 608-266-2359

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Prepare now – gypsy moth will return soon

MADISON – With the approach of warmer weather, state forestry officials are urging homeowners to begin preparing to battle gypsy moths. In late April and early May, a new generation of gypsy moth caterpillars will hatch in eastern Wisconsin.

“At high numbers, gypsy moth caterpillars are a tremendous nuisance and strip trees of their leaves, which may kill the tree,” says Bill McNee, a gypsy moth suppression coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources in Green Bay. “The insect’s favorite food is oak leaves, but it will feed on many other tree species such as birch, crabapple, and willow.”

Forestry officials say gypsy moth populations have risen to damaging levels in parts of Wisconsin. In response to the threat of high populations, many property owners and local governments participate in a state suppression spray program for this pest. A diverse list of participants are spraying this year, including a few large urban areas, several suburbs, rural communities, and a handful of state properties. Maps of the areas that will be sprayed by planes this May are available at the state gypsy moth web site [exit DNR].

“There are a few areas of the state where gypsy moth seems to be at the peak of its outbreak, although last year’s cold, wet spring did help keep levels down lower than what we could be seeing this year in many places,” McNee says.

Whether a property is included in an aerial spray project or not, homeowners can take action to reduce the number of caterpillars that will hatch and feed on their trees.

“As soon as possible in April, people should search for the tan-colored egg masses and destroy any within reach,” McNee says.

The egg masses can be found on any rough or protected surface including trees, houses, firewood piles, bird houses, and other outdoor objects. Before mid-April, people should oil the egg masses with a horticultural oil labeled for gypsy moth, such as Golden Pest Spray Oil. People can also scrape the egg masses into a can and drown them in soapy water for at least two days to kill the eggs.

“Do NOT simply scrape the egg masses onto the ground, step on them, or break them apart. Many of the eggs will survive and still hatch,” McNee cautions. “You will have 500 to 1,000 fewer caterpillars for every egg mass you properly oil before mid-April or drown before hatch.”

After oiling or removing all of the egg masses within reach, people can place sticky barrier bands on trees.

“These bands will prevent crawling caterpillars from climbing into your trees,” says Mark Guthmiller, DNR gypsy moth suppression coordinator in Madison. At a convenient height, wrap a belt of duct tape 4-6 inches wide around each tree trunk, shiny side out. Smear the center of the band with a sticky, horticultural pest barrier available at garden centers. “Routinely sweep the caterpillars from the base of the tree into a bucket of soapy water to kill them,” says Guthmiller.

People who have many egg masses on their property and who are not in an aerial spray area for this May, can also hire a certified arborist to protect yard trees after gypsy moth caterpillars hatch. Insecticide treatments are most effective when done in May and early June while the caterpillars are small.

“Spray while the caterpillars are small so they don’t become a nuisance or strip the tree’s leaves,” McNee says. “Arborists are busy in the spring, so determine whether this is an option for you and then make arrangements soon.”

People can find certified arborists in their area by searching at the Wisconsin Arborist Association Web site [exit DNR]. Also look in the phone book under ‘Tree Service’ because some businesses offering tree spraying are not listed on the WAA web site.

More information on the gypsy moth’s life stages and control options for yard trees and woodlots is available on the state gypsy moth web site [exit DNR].

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill McNee, DNR Gypsy Moth Suppression Coordinator, northeast and central Wisconsin, (920) 662-5430 or Mark Guthmiller, DNR Gypsy Moth Suppression Coordinator, southern Wisconsin, (608) 275-3223.

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Don’t prune oaks April through July to avoid oak wilt

MADISON – People who value their oak trees should not prune them from April through July, according to the latest recommendations from state forestry officials. Spring and early-summer pruning makes oak trees vulnerable to oak wilt, a serious and almost-always fatal fungal disease of oaks.

Every year, the disease kills many oaks in the state by interfering with the tree’s water and nutrient-conducting systems, essentially starving the tree. Leaves begin to wilt, and the tree may eventually die. Trees in the red oak group, such as northern red and northern pin oak, are especially vulnerable, and once wilting symptoms become visible, the tree loses most of its leaves and dies very quickly, often within weeks. Trees in the white oak group – those with rounded or lobed leaves – are more resistant to oak wilt, and the disease progresses much more slowly, often one branch at a time. White oaks could live with oak wilt for many years, and some trees may recover from the disease.

Special care also should be taken to avoid wounding oaks from April through July, according to Kyoko Scanlon, Department of Natural Resources forest pathologist. Any action that might provide an opening into the tree, such as carving initials into the tree or attaching a birdfeeder or clothes line, could provide an opportunity for the oak wilt fungus to invade and establish itself.

If an oak tree is pruned from April through July, a wound dressing or paint should be applied to the cut surface as soon as the wound is created. Even half an hour can be enough time for beetles that transmit the disease to land on a fresh wound and infect your tree, Scanlon said. While the risk of spreading oak wilt is low after July, she said that homeowners should avoid pruning or wounding oaks until autumn to be on the safe side.

Oak wilt can spread from a diseased tree to a healthy tree through a connected root system as well as by insects. “Very small sap beetles transport fungal spores by landing on fungal mats found beneath the cracked bark of trees that died the previous year. The spores are then transmitted from the beetle onto the fresh wound of a healthy oak tree while the beetle is feeding at the pruned or damaged site. A beetle that transmits oak wilt disease is not capable of boring into a tree,” Scanlon said.

If a wound is left unprotected, a new oak wilt pocket may develop in a location where oak wilt did not previously exist and will radiate to other oaks through the connected root systems. If no management steps are taken, Scanlon said the pocket could continue to expand year after year. Once oak wilt establishes itself in an area, control of the disease is both difficult and costly. The prevention of oak wilt is the best approach.

Scanlon said builders and developers should also be very careful as many oak wilt infections and deaths have occurred through inadvertent damage to roots, trunks, or branches during the construction process.

Oak wilt is found in all Wisconsin counties except Ashland, Bayfield, Calumet, Door, Douglas, Forest, Iron, Kewaunee, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Oneida, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Sheboygan, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn counties.

“Besides oaks, pruning deciduous trees in general should be avoided in the spring, as this is the time when tree buds and leaves are growing and food reserves are low,” according to Don Kissinger, a DNR urban forester. “The best time to prune any deciduous tree is winter, followed by mid-summer -- after leaves have completed their growth.”

Anyone interested in learning more about oak wilt and other forest pests as well as tree pruning should visit the Wisconsin DNR Forest Health Web pages for more information. Additional information about proper pruning techniques is available from your community forester, a University of Wisconsin-Extension agent [exit DNR], or DNR urban forestry coordinators.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Kyoko Scanlon 608.275-3275 or Don Kissinger 715.359-5793.

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Compost this spring to enrich your yard and garden

MADISON – Spring weather gets people out to start cleaning up yards and gardens, which is an excellent opportunity for those who don’t already compost yard waste to start composting. For the many Wisconsinites who already compost, spring is a great time to think about enhancing their composting efforts.

State air quality and fire control rules restrict the burning of yard materials in Wisconsin. Additionally, burning permits are required in many areas of the state and open burning is completely prohibited in a growing number of communities because it pollutes the air, creates a fire hazard and is a nuisance to neighbors.

While yard materials are prohibited from landfills, and many communities provide yard scrap pickup and community composting sites, home composting is an environmentally friendly alternative.

Leaves, small brush, grass clippings, and other organic material can be easily managed at home through composting, according to Brad Wolbert, a recycling and solid waste specialist with the Department of Natural Resources.

“Best of all, nutrient rich compost will be produced and available right on site for use in your yard and garden,” Wolbert said.

Whether someone is just getting started, or been doing it for years, Wolbert offers these pointers for home composters:

• Add both brown material like leaves and sticks, and green material like grass clippings and vegetable cuttings, in alternating layers, starting with brown material on the bottom. This properly distributes the nitrogen-rich green materials among the carbon-rich and more porous brown materials to ensure that your compost supports the growth of desirable microbes to decompose the waste in an inoffensive way.
• During dry weather, material in open piles and uncovered bins may get very dry. If you want to keep the composting process active during dry weather, water the compost occasionally.
• Generally, green material makes the composting process faster, but faster is not necessarily better. Faster decomposition requires more air and more attention to keep the compost from being a nuisance. Even with green material at only five percent of the mixture, layering green and brown material and turning every one or two weeks is important.
• Recycling food scraps like vegetable trimmings, tea bags, coffee grounds and eggshells is best done in a covered bin, again layering with brown material. Worms, especially red worms in bins, are another way to recycle food scraps and this efficient method is also gaining popularity. Compost and worm bins can be homemade or commercially manufactured. Inquire about compost bins with your local retailers, or search the Internet for “compost bins” to find instructions for making your own bin and to see a wide variety of manufactured bins. Also, many communities and recycling organizations offer discounted compost bins for sale in the spring.
• An unpleasant odor indicates the compost pile is not getting enough air. This might be from too much moisture, too much green material in the mixture or materials getting compacted together over time. Turning the compost helps maintain good air circulation throughout. Alternating layers of brown and green materials also helps maintain good airflow, since the brown materials take longer to break down and are usually larger.
• Note that most “compostable” plastic products such as shopping bags are not designed to break down under typical home composting conditions. These bags also cannot be recycled with conventional plastic bags.
• Locate compost piles or bins away from structures and within reach of a garden hose. This will keep any unpleasant odors and interested animals and insects away from your buildings. Also, locate compost piles or bins on a dirt surface that drains well. Preferably, the composting area should have some sort of vegetation growing around it to use up nutrients that get rinsed out, and should be relocated every few years.
• Local ordinances may apply to home composting. In some cases, composting may be located only in the backyard or at a minimum distance from neighboring property, and a bin may be required for composting food scraps. Also, composting of meat, dairy and foods containing animal products may be prohibited due to the high potential for attracting undesirable animals. Even if not specifically required by your local government, DNR recommends food scrap composting only in a bin capable of preventing access by animals that may scavenge in your area.

Home composting is exempt from DNR regulations as long as it does not create a nuisance. For more information on home composting, contact your municipal recycling staff, county extension agent or a DNR regional recycling specialist. Additional information can also be found on the DNR Web site or Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center) and search publications for “composting.”.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Wolbert – (608) 264-6286

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Orienteering workshop offered

BABCOCK – People who lack confidence hiking through the woods on their own because they are unsure that they will find their way back home can sign up for an “Orienteering - Fun with Compass and Map” course being offered at the Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center May 9-10.

Participants will learn how to navigate in the out-of-doors with compass and map. They will learn how to use orienteering compasses, read topographic maps and enjoy several practice runs on the compass courses. On the second day, participants test their new skills on a cross-country trek of several miles they design themselves!

Orienteering compasses will be supplied. Participants will be responsible for their own lunches and refreshments and arranging their own lodging, though they may stay overnight in the center’s dorm either prior to, during or following the event for a donation of $15 per person per night.

Registration is limited to 20 people on a first-come, first-served basis. Register by mailing in a registration fee of $35 per person by April 29.

Checks should be made out to DNR-Skills Center. Include the name of each participant, and the address and daytime phone number of one person in each party. Send your registration fee to: Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, PO Box 156, Babcock, WI 54413. Inquiries on the status of registrations may be sent via e-mail to: Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov.

The Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center is located 20 miles west of Wisconsin Rapids on County Highway X, 1 mile north of Highway 80 near Babcock, Wisconsin on the 9,000 acre Department of Natural Resources Sandhill Wildlife Area.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandhill Skills Center at: (715) 884-6333 or (715) 884-2437