Food (By Danni Lind at the Rooted Spoon), company, and conversation was top notch, thinks CSP Coordinator Forest.  VSN did a little intro and then brought out Peggy Compton from UWExtention who is helping manage the WAV program and searching for a replacement for Kris Steppanuk.  Peggy tells us the DNR will be getting a new citizen-based water monitoring coordinator.  When asked if she could name a time that the DNR or another agency used the SWIMS database for something, Peggy, a bit flustered, was not able to name an instance.
Randy Poelma (biologist for the Ho Chunk Nation) spoke next.  They test for much more than the WAV program tests for, and Forest was struck by some really nice expensive equipment they had to play with.  In the Q/A, Forest brought up the Ho Chunk’s recent adoption of the rights of nature into their constitution and asked how Randy saw this manifesting going forward.  He said that it came out of concerns over frac sand mining and factory farms, that there was an increasing focus of the tribe on these issues, and that they had even hired a new air quality person, specifically to work around mine issues.
Ben Wegleitner, Southwest Badger RC&D Aquatic Invasives specialist, was the final speaker.
They now have a grant to deal with Japanese hops on Citron Creek (Kickapoo tributary), as well as Copper Creek.  There are decisions being made as to whether it is feasible to try to clean up the main trunk of the Kickapoo, or just to focus on tributaries.  Forest was particularly intrigued by an individual conversation with Ben about “smarter mowing” projects that Badger RC&D has done to prevent the spread of invasive plants.  Ben mentioned he would be willing to come to a local Township or Village meeting to help spread the idea. Anyone who is interested in this idea should contact us or SW Badger.