Spring Green, Wisconsin
Thursday, May 18, 2023 | Vol. 4, No. 9 FREE, Single-Copy
Inside this edition
YRTK: Bill to fix records problem deserves support
BEST OF THE RIVER VALLEY POLL OPEN THRU JUNE 1
VS. launches new public meeting notice page
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Riverway Board issues structure and timber harvest permits, announces canoe trip opportunities Mark Cupp, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board (LWSRB) met in Muscoda on May 11th to conduct a regular monthly business meeting. The board approved issuance of a timber harvest permit to Jeffrey Jahns and Jill Metcoff for a timber harvest visible from the Wisconsin River in the Town of Troy, Sauk County. The harvest will be conducted pursuant to a Managed Forest Law plan and will occur on a bluff overlooking the river in the Troy Village area. Mark Cupp, Executive Director, reported there will be some small clear cuts for the purposes of oak and aspen regeneration as well as selective harvesting of merchantable hardwoods in other areas. He said the harvest will comply with the applicable performance standards for the Riverway. The board also approved a permit for a new shed for Teddy Beinborn on a site visible from the river in the Town of Marietta, Crawford County. The new shed will comply with the performance standards for height, colorization, glass limitation and screening vegetation. Mr. Beinborn previously has received permits from the board for other structures on his property. The new shed will match the other structures and will harmonize with the natural surroundings during leaf-on conditions. Cupp reported he had issued a general permit for a new house to Eric O’Keefe and Leslie Graves for a parcel in the Town of Wyoming, Iowa County. The structure will not be visible from the river during leaf-on conditions. A general permit for a timber harvest on lands not visible from the river in the bottomlands east of Wauzeka in Crawford County was issued to Ron Stadler. The harvest will occur when ground conditions are frozen or dry. Cupp also issued a permit
Photo contributed by the LWSRB The voyageur replica canoes are a unique and fun way to enjoy the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for a timber stand improvement project in the Town of Millville, Grant County. The project will take place at the Millville Bridle Trail site near the intersection of CTH C and Barker Hollow Road and will involve invasive species control and removal of undesirable small trees and woody vegetation such as ironwood and elm. In conjunction with the board’s efforts to add more field trips in 2023, the group toured The Nature Conservancy’s Spring Green Preserve prior to the meeting. Hannah Spaul and Ann Calhoun led the tour of the dry prairie restoration effort. The site is known as the “Wisconsin Desert” and is home to many endangered or threatened plant and animal species. The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board will sponsor a series of canoe outings on the Wisconsin River in June and July. The large voyageur replica canoes commissioned by the State of Wisconsin in conjunction with the sesquicentennial in 1998 will be used for the trips that will explore different segments of the river. Seating is limited to 14 persons for each excursion and reservations are required. A waiting list will be developed in case of cancellations. The excursions will
be led by Mark Cupp, Riverway Board Executive Director. Water levels and weather permitting, a sandbar stop will be included in each trip. Participants should bring their own beverages, food, sunscreen, and bug spray. No glass containers are allowed. Lifejackets and paddles will be provided but participants are welcome to bring their own personal flotation device. Small groups may sign up for the trips but should do so early to ensure adequate space is available. Additional information may be found on the Riverway Board website or Facebook page. 2023 also marks the 350th anniversary of the famous expedition of Father Jacque Marquette and Louis Joliette from Green Bay up the Fox River to Portage and down the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi River in June of that year. The first written record of what the Wisconsin River looked like is from the journal of Father Marquette who wrote, “The Wisconsin River is very broad with a sandy bottom that forms numerous shoals which renders navigation difficult.” A description that still applies to the lower Wisconsin River today. He also wrote, “On the 17th of June, we entered the Father of Waters with a joy which I cannot express.” Cupp will provide historical context
of the Marquette-Joliette expedition and the profound impact it had on the indigenous peoples of the river valley and Upper Midwest. To make a reservation or to ask questions about the canoe trips, contact the Riverway Board office Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (608) 739-3188 or 1-800-221-3792 or by emailing marsha.curtis@wi.gov. The schedule for the canoe trips is as follows: Wednesday, June 14th 12:00pm to 4:00pm Gotham to Muscoda Thursday, June 15th 1:00pm to 5:00pm Muscoda to Port Andrew Friday, June 16th 1:00pm to 5:00pm Muscoda to Port Andrew Tuesday, June 20th 10:00am to 3:00pm Spring Green to Lone Rock Wednesday, June 21st 10:00am to 3:00pm Spring Green to Lone Rock Thursday, June 29th 9:00am to 1:00pm Gotham to Muscoda Friday, June 30th 9:00am to 1:00pm Muscoda to Port Andrew Tuesday, July 11th 10:00am to 3:00pm Spring Green to Lone Rock Thursday, July 13th 12:00pm to 4:00pm Gotham to Muscoda