Project & Partnership Updates

Community-wide Garlic Mustard Pull:

Garlic Mustard is a terrestrial invasive species and our nemesis. Although edible by people, it is very toxic to our native plants and young seedling trees. Thus, it creates havoc on our forest floor. If left untreated it will choke out all native plant life and disrupt the natural forest succession. That is why Butternut Franklin Lakes Association (BFLA) has been battling it for decades and the Forest Service has been spraying since 2005. Actually, our Community-Wide Garlic Mustard Pull began in the late 1980’s with six property owners pulling this invasive weed. 

The 2026 Butternut Franklin Lakes Association Annual Community-Wide Garlic Mustard Pull helps the Forest Service contain the Garlic Mustard (GM) and keep it from spreading to your property. On Monday, June 8, many volunteers along with people from WRISC and the USFS helped with the pull. 

Forest County Association of Lakes (FCAL):

Check out their website full of helpful resources and news: www.fcal-wis.org. As riparian landowners, you should be receiving FCAL’s 2026 newsletter. If you are not a member, you can join online. Please consider joining – your $25 membership fee goes a long way for the work FCAL does. Here are some upcoming events:

• June 19th - Board of Directors meeting: Held at the Hiles North Fire House include a presentation on I-LIDS, a trip to our boat landings to see the I-LIDS in operation, and representatives from the Town of Hiles boarder lakes (Sevenmile, Julia and Kentuck).

• Essay contest:  Every year FCAL works with local 5th and 6th grade students on their writing of a conservation themed essay. Students submit their essays for a contest. Winners earn a cash prize and get their photo and essays published in the local paper. They and their families are also invited to the FCAL Annual Banquet where they read their papers aloud. 

• Kentuck Day: Saturday, July 25th in Crandon on the Court House lawn, 9 am – 2 pm – visit FCAL’s educational booth and meet other lake enthusiasts from around the county as well as a representative from WRISC. Along the way, stop at the Crandon Area Historical Society and learn about how Kentucks were early settlers in Forest County.

• Fall Forum - Friday, August 14th (tenative): Lake Lucerne Advancement Association’s Pavilion (4031 County Hwy. W, Crandon) from 9:30 am –11:30 am (feel free to also join FCAL for its board of directors’ meeting from 8:30 am – 9:15 am). Speakers will likely include Bob Martini from Wisconsin’s Green Fire and 1 Carol Warden from UW’s Trout Lake Station. After the presentations there is time to share your concerns about our lakes with other interested parties.

• Annual Meeting & Banquet, Saturday, October 24 (times to be determined): Held at the Wolf River Rendezvous outside of Crandon. The tentative program includes a presentation by REGI (Raptors Education Group). In early fall, you will receive an invitation for this event. 

Town of Hiles:

Sadly, Mark Ferris, a Town of Hiles board member, passed away earlier this year. At the May board meeting, Jerry Duhn was appointed to fulfill Mark’s term. Jerry has been involved in town affairs for many years through his work as secretary for the Pine Lake District. 

• Annual Hiles Foray (Mushroom Hunting/Research) - July 16 - 19. Interested? See their website to register.

• Hiles South Fire Dept Trap Shoot (a fundraiser) Saturday, August 23: Held at Black Bear Trap Shoot in Argonne, 9 am – 4 pm.

• Great Northwoods Music Festival - Friday, July 31 & Saturday, August 1: Held at Hiles Trailhead Pub – in the past, proceeds went to seven local organizations, including Hiles Fire Department & Argonne Fire Department. Cost = $20 for the entire weekend.

• 4th Annual Hiles South Fire Department Picnic - Saturday, August ? (date to be determined) at the Mill Pond. 

Six-Counties Lakes Meeting: 

July 17th at Rhinelander Middle School. FCAL’s July meeting will immediately follow the Six-County meeting. All are welcome to both meetings– specific details to follow.

Roots & Rivers Collaborative (formerly known as WRISC):

Roots & Rivers Collaborative (formerly known as WRISC) renamed and rebranded itself officially on June 5 at their first annual Conservation Celebration. More information on their website: www.wrisc.org 

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF):

In addition to the Four-Mile Logging Project, the Forest Service has begun the North Branch Logging Project in our area. Our District Ranger, Chad Kirschbaum, is in the process of writing an update on these projects for us. Updates were provided last year at the BFLA   Annual Meeting.

Forest County Land and Water Conservation Department:

This department, in conjunction with WRISC, recently finished their trade-up day, a day in which you could bring an invasive shrub to the Crandon Court House and receive a gift certificate for a native plant to replace the invasive one. Property owners on our two lakes who are interested in obtaining a 2027 Healthy Lakes Grant for shoreline restoration should contact Kayla Littleton at kayla.l@co.forest.wi.us 

Wake Boats:

There are now 84 towns in Wisconsin with wake boat ordinances that do not ban the use of the boats on their lakes but do limit the use of wake enhancing mechanisms (e.g., ballasts, fins). This includes three towns in Forest County.

Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Conference: 

Next year’s conference is scheduled for April 14-16, 2027

Wisconsin Conservation Convention (WCC):

Spring meeting was held in Crandon. There were quite a few funding questions. The new regulation about the start of musky season seemed to be a large issue.

All Things Water:

Langlade County sponsored this event in May chocked full of information from shoreline protection to well testing, from wake boat information to wildlife protection, from the negative effects of PFAS to the dangers of neonicotinoids, etc. 

4th Annual Northwood Lights Out:

Join FCAL and Oneida & Vilas Counties as we celebrate the Night Sky on June 12-14 and August 14-16 by turning off your outdoor lights, so people can see the beauty of our night skies. Fire Flies and other wildlife need a habitat that is not polluted by artificial light. A gentle reminder: throughout the year, we should a) reduce our outdoor (and indoor) lights; b) select lighting that is only as bright as we need, not as bright as we may want; c) use motion detecting lights instead of “dusk to dawn” lights; and, d) choose warm colors for our outdoor lights.

Northwoods Land Trust (NWLT):

If you are interested in any of these upcoming activities, go to the NWLT website for more information and to reserve your spot:  

• Lake Shoreland Ecology Field Trip – July 9 at 10 am. 

• Paddle the Gile Flowage – July 12 at 1 pm. 

• Wild Child Film Fest, 3 Lakes Center for the Arts – July 20 at 3 pm. 

• Shoreland Owner Workshop, July 23, 10 am. 

• Wild & Scenic Film Fest, 3 Lakes Center for the Arts – July 24 at 6 pm. 

• Bug Hike at Tower Nibiiwan Conservation Area – August 12 at 1 pm. 

• Hike at Beaver Creek Hemlocks – September 27 at 1 pm. 

Trees for Tomorrow:

If you are interested in any of these upcoming activities, go to the Trees for Tomorrow website for more information and to reserve your spot: 

• a variety of outdoor activities for children K-12. 

• Forest Fest, July 25 a drop in event from 9 am – 3 pm. 

• Forest Bathing at Tara Lila, August 8, 8:30 am – 11:30 am. 

Snapshot Day:

August 8 at the Crandon City Beach on Lake Metonga. The is a DNR and FLOW-AIS sponsored event that focuses on identifying lake weeds and invertebrates – native and invasive.