Women in Conservation

Women's History Month wrapped up almost a month ago, but we wanted to use this space to share a bit more about Wisconsin women who made important contributions to conservation. This post was sparked by a reminder about the work of Wisconsin's Frances Hamerstrom by our guest blog post writer, Barbara Duerksen. Frances was the first woman to earn a master's degree in wildlife management under Aldo Leopold at the University of Wisconsin. Hamerstrom was instrumental in efforts to save the prairie chicken after farming practices in the Midwest impacted natural habitats.

Photo Credit: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever heard a prairie chicken? The unforgettable sound and display must have captivated Frances and inspired her desire to work to bring them back. Here are some great videos to learn more about the remarkable prairie chicken and their habitat in our state.

What in the world is this?? 

A spore tetrad (green) and trilete spores (blue, ~30-35μm diameter) from a late Silurian sporangium (Burgsvik beds, Sweden). Spore genus is Scylaspora. Earliest evidence of life on land!

Photo Credit: Smith609 via Wikimedia Commons 

Estella Leopold, daughter of the well known Aldo Leopold, became an expert in palynolgy, the study of fossilized pollen. Through her work with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) out west, she helped conserve the fossil beds near Denver, Colorado, which led to this special site being designated as a national monument. Dr. Leopold went on to lead the effort to also designate Mount Saint Helens as a National Monument. She authored over 100 research papers during her long career, and together with her siblings, helped establish the Aldo Leopold Foundation. 

Emma Toft is known as "Wisconsin's First Woman of Conservation" for her work to establish Toft's Point in Door County as a large tract of land that has been relatively untouched for thousands of years. Toft's Point is now managed by the University of Wisconsin System. In a region that draws thousands of tourists each year, the protection of this unique place is an important feat. Here's a great PBS feature on Emma's important work.

Did you know that plastics recycling was advanced greatly by Milly Zantow of Sauk County? She is responsible for those little triangles on plastic items that help identify recyclables the world over. Milly noticed the problem of local landfills being overrun with plastics and she worked tirelessly to advocate for a system to sort and recycle. She also helped write the first mandatory state recycling law that was passed in 1990. Here's a great booklet for young people to learn of Milly's innovation.

More currently, August Ball has been influential in connecting people of color with work in environmental sciences and conservation. She created Cream City Consulting, a firm in Milwaukee to that helps connect people in underrepresented groups with opportunities for leadership in conservation and also works to support youth in a green jobs corps. August also serves on Governor Evers' Task Force on Climate Change. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WiDNR) recently appointed Heather Berklund as the first woman to lead the Forestry Division in its 116 years. Heather grew up with a love of Wisconsin forests and worked her way up through being a forester to leading departments and finally earning the appointment to her historic position. She is committed to sound practices in forest management across the state through connecting with diverse groups of people who rely upon them. 

Locally, we salute the outgoing Executive Director of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve this month. Marcy West has been responsible for directing the management of over 8,600 acres that were returned by the federal government to the local Kickapoo Reserve Management Board and Ho-Chunk Nation in 1998. The Reserve is home to countless important plant, bird, and other wildlife species, in addition to special habitat areas and ecosystems. Visited by thousands of people each year, this special place has been a beloved gem of those who call the Driftless region home and a special destination for recreational users and people who love wild places. Thank you, Marcy! 

For more information about Women in Conservation and Environmental Sciences, visit these posts:
https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/2021/02/08/women-of-wisconsin-conservation/

https://womeninwisconsin.org/category/agriculture-environment/

https://www.aldoleopold.org/post/women-of-conservations-past-and-present/

Celebrating Mud

 Guest Post by Julie Hoel, KVR Instructor and Enthusiastic Mud Loving Grandparent

I was just out of college and visiting a friend who had three children. We were chatting when her five-year-old son came bursting in the door full of boyish exuberance and covered with splotches of mud from head to foot. She took one look at him, put on her sternest mom face, whipped out her you’re-in-big-trouble-now voice and said, “JAY MEYER, HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING IN THAT CREEK?” The smile fell from his face, he rolled his big brown eyes upward and said, “No.” The two older sisters and I tried our best contain our laughter as his mom began peeling off the muddy clothes and throwing them directly into the washer. To her credit, she did not shame him for being a muddy mess but continued with her harangue, “You know you’re not supposed to be playing in that creek!” Clearly, her concern was the danger of water play rather than dirty clothes. 

In these parts, we cannot escape the mud of the March thaw and April showers that follow. We can save ourselves irritation and frustration by just embracing and celebrating the wonders of mud. In that spirit, I would like to share my favorite holiday photo of all time. It was refreshingly different from the typical family photo of the kids clean and pressed. These parents were secure enough to celebrate their kids in all their mischievous muddiness in the deep green of a summer day.  When I recently asked their dad if I could share this image, he said, you’re “welcome to use that pic if it’s to promote kids being kids!” He added, “I think based on where we lived our kids naturally got real dirty experiencing being a kid in nature. We had 50 acres and a half mile of river frontage…what a place to be a kid!” He pointed out the nice clean laundry hanging on the line behind them. I also noticed that they are both wearing glasses that somehow remained relatively clear. Definitely experienced mudballs with some self-control!

In these two vignettes, the children sought and located the mud on their own. A quick google search will bring up many benefits of mud play including development of fine and gross motor skills, increasing cognitive skills and enhancing creativity. It also is good for the immune system and decreases stress levels. We would therefore be wise and wonderful caretakers to seek out opportunities for our children’s mud exploration. My favorite resource, Pinterest, has limitless schemes to bring mud play to every location. There are recipes for mud paint, fizzing mud and mud soup. The design suggestions for mud kitchens are endless.

But the fun of mud play is not just for children. Back in ’93, I experienced mud as art with adults during a volunteer week at Dr. Patch Adams’ Gesundheit! Institute in West Virginia. His model of good health includes humor and art as healing. Once a week, volunteers were encouraged to experience community in the mud pit. After the mud bath, there were photo sessions of numerous statuesque poses. It was a truly memorable experience!

So when you encounter the inevitable mud of the season, I encourage you remember your own fondest muddy memory and smile.  And if a mud-covered child comes bursting in your doorway, greet them with that smile and make throwing those dirty clothes into the washer a celebration.

P.S. All the above references to mud exclude flood mud.  That nasty stuff is a nightmare.

For some more muddy inspiration, check out these books and links:

 Mud by Mary Lyn Ray, Illustrated by Lauren Stringer

This beautiful book celebrates the beginning of the mud season in simple text and gorgeous illustrations. 

Mudplay for Kids: Why It's Worth the Mess - Healthline This article provides details about why messy play is so beneficial for children.

Mud, Marvelous Mud - Community Playthings With the benefits clearly outlined, this article provides ideas and considerations for embracing mud play with your child.