September 2010 - 1000 Islands Environmental Center

Cat-Tails
Newsletter of the Friends of 1000 Islands
A Round of Applause to all the Friends of
1000 Islands!
from the 1000 Islands Environmental Center Committee
The Friends have accomplished much through their
assistance and the financial help to accomplish these
projects.
They have provided assistance for the installation
of a security system that covers the buildings and
all grounds of the Center. The system protects the
Center properties from break-in acts of vandalism,
accidents and acts that threaten the safety of our
visitors and staff.
The Friends have
provided funds for
the renovation of
the log cabin into
a true “SUGAR
SHACK.” Friends
contributions
included, among
other things, a new
roof and appropriate cooking facilities to make the
syrup.
Querc
u s m u h l e n b e rg i i
Fall 2010
We are grateful to each and every member of the
Friends, and we especially note the work of Friends
who serve on the Friends Board: DuWayne Wolf,
President; Shirley Worsch, Vice-President; Pat
Siebers, Secretary; Orlando Jansen, Treasurer; Grace
Willey, Assistant Treasurer; and members Marty
Hermes, Janet Welch, Dick Welch, Shirley Wolf,
Norm Sengbusch, Rosemary Johns, Gerri Pomeroy,
Florence Balck, Arlene Hardtke, Ray Schmoeker,
Glenn Hinkens and Tim Wegand.
From all of us on the 1000 Islands Environmental
Committee – We say THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!
Restroom Facelift
by Deb Nowak
As an environmental center, we are
always looking for new ways to save
the earth or teach and inspire others
to save it. Since the creation of the
Center, we have preserved numerous acres of land from development,
protected the bald eagle and given
them a safe haven for breeding, even
harnessed the power of the sun to
heat our water and light our building.
In 2010 we have taken a step further
and are conserving our precious water recources.
They have providThe log cabin has become a true Sugar Shack thanks to the Friends.
ed funds for two
new computers for Center staff.
Between 70% and 75% of the world’s surface is
Along with many items and maintenance costs, the
covered in water. With all of that water who needs
Friends provide funds for a summer intern each
to conserve, right? Wrong. Of all of that only about
year. The value of an intern’s contributions cannot
0.007% of the water is readily accessible for direct
be measured.
human use. What does that mean? It means that
fresh water is a finite resource that we need to conFundraising efforts by the Friends consists of special
serve and protect or risk running out of the clean,
events such as the Nature’s Images Spring Art Fair
fresh water that we all need to survive.
and the Christmas in July. Both events are successful
because of dedicated, caring people.
1000 Islands has made improvements to our rest-
Cat-Tails, the Newsletter of the Friends of 1000 Islands
Fall 2010
rooms in order to demonstrate
water conservation. Through
a generous grant from the
Kaukauna Utilities we have
installed automatic dual flush
toilets and low flow urinals. Approximately 30% of indoor water
use comes from flushing, so this
is a great way to save on water
consumption.
Today’s standard toilets use 1.6
gallons of water every time you
flush. Some older toilets use as
much as 3.5 gallons per flush.
Dual flush toilets are relatively
new in the United States, but
have become a standard in other
countries such as Australia that
are under tight water restrictions.
With a dual flush toilet, there is
a half-flush option for liquid wastes and a full flush
for solid wastes. The half-flush option uses only 0.9
gallons of water per flush. With these toilets you can
cut the amount of water used by up to half. That’s a
lot of water conservation!
Check out the toilets in your house. Are they water
efficient? Any toilet that averages 1.28 gallons per
flush or less is considered a High Efficiency Toilet
(HET). Most HETs will have a WaterSense rating, similar to the EnergyStar rating on appliances.
Check with your local water utility to see if there are
incentives for you to replace your old toilet fixtures
for efficient ones and do your part to help conserve
water.
Thank You – Friends & Volunteers!
by Grace Willey, Raffle Chairman
Because you do so much for us, on behalf of the
Friends of the Center, the Center staff, and the Center Committee, we want to send a special “Thank
You” to all of you for the work you have volunteered
for to make our fundraisers and other events so successful.
Both the “Art Fair” in May and the “Christmas in
July” events were very successful, and enabled the
Friends to assist the 1000 Islands Environmental
Pelicans fly over the canoe launch dock.
Center in providing funds for the new security
system, new copier and turning the log cabin into
a “true sugar shack”. The remake of the cabin will
provide an educational experience for school children and other visitors as well as giving the Center
an additional asset to all who work and enjoy these
springtime events.
Your help in working and volunteering your time
and efforts to these and for all other assistance you
give to the Center is not only appreciated by all of
us, but by our many visitors as well.
Thank you again, and enjoy the good times of this
season.
1ST AWARD
Lone Wolf framed print by Jerry Krejcha
2nd AWARD
Pride Remembered & Eagle Flag framed
photo prints by Brett & April Wilson
3rd AWARD
Custom Concrete Accent Table made by
Brad Beckman
4th AWARD
Oak Endgrain Cutting Board made by
Robert Schrieter
5th AWARD
Hand Carved Canvasback Duck by Wally
Mooney
6th AWARD
Hand Carved & Painted Bird House by
Ray Fank
7th AWARD
Dichroic Glass Pendant & Earings Set by
Glass Onion Bead Co.
NEW MEMBERS
DONATIONS
Ken Koester
Lyle Geurts
Amber Genett
Shelby & Jason Happe
Tom Golden
Ron Braun
R-B Pallet
Cliff Jansen
Bob Promer
Tom & Diana Driessen
Bob & Jeanne Pfister
Todd Ritzke
Gail Tufte
Hardware Hank
Bruce Maki
Mike Kaberlein
John Boldt
Mary Gerlach
Settle Inn & Suites
VFW Post 3319
Kaukauna Lions Club
Gary Sauby
Gary Landreman
David Gerhardt
Bonnie Berg
Fox Valley Wood Products
Kaukauna Lions Club
Mark Manske
Victor Allen’s Coffee
LIFETIME MEMBERS
Ruby May Lom
Luke Tetzlaff
Gene Rosin
Jacki & Jesse Johnson
Craig & Karen Koch
Al & Donna Borchardt
Barbara VanderZanden
MEMORIALS
Pine Boards
Fishing Pole Rack
Bear Rug
Microscope & Telescope
Snowblower
Mounted Turkey
Fish Tank
Sunflower Seed
Fish Books
Fishing Poles
Mounted Pheasant
Insect Display
Case of Soap
New Flag
AED Unit & Cabinet
Mounted Walleye
Chain Saw
Mounted Chipmunk
Deer picture & frame
Boards
Two Office Chairs
Spotting Scope
Coffee
GEORGE BEHNKE
By: Kit/Carol Scheidenhelm
LLOYD KLOEHN
By: Patricia Kloehn
CHARLES KILAWEE
By: Florence Brewster
JIM RAUSCH
By: Robin & Richard Trilling
Florence & Margaret Brewster
CHUCK LIEDING
By: Bruce & Carla Kobs
THEODORE JAMES “JT” MCGINNIS
By: Craig & Karen Koch
Ted & Janice McGinnis
RUSS JOHNS
By: Russ & Marion DeLaHunt
Beverly Kneepkens
Charles Boldt
Elaine VenRooy
MARY JANE VANDEHEY
By: Elaine VenRooy
CAROL ANN MEULEMANS
By: Janice Meulemans
ANDY MAGER
By: Betty Glaff
ADELINE STRAUSS
By: Elaine VenRooy
AUGUST KNEEPKENS
By: Sylvester & Beverly Kneepkens
ALICE SIELAFF
By: Len & Elaine Jones
Pat & Shirley Bayorgeon
RUSSELL “RUSTY” MATTKE
By: John & Chris Miller
MERELE CHRISTIAN
By: Dan Angell
LEIGH BEHNKE
By: Mary Downs
Charles Behnke
PAUL HAESSLY
By: Grace Willey
Haessly Family
DONNA SNOW
By: Barbara Tetzlaff
PEGGY SANDERS DECOSTER
By: Rosemary Johns
DICK RENNICKE
By: Grace Willey
NORBERT VONCK
By: Catherine Peeters
Mary Abel
MARIAN O’CONNOR
By: Colleen Newman
PAT VANDE HEY
By: Friends of 1000 Islands
Grace Willey
GEN WALSH
By: Mike & Marcia Ostwald
JOHN AUSTIN
By: Evie & Paul Jansen
2010-2011 FALL/WINTER PROGRAMS
October 16, Saturday
Bears Cub Scout Clinic: Take Care of Your Planet and What’s Cooking 1-3 pm
Learn more about how your everyday activities affect the environment and how you can make simple changes at home to
help take care of your planet. All registered scouts will be making their own snacks with an environmental twist. Preregistration and payment required.
October 23, Saturday
Hot Dog Roast and Night Hike 6-8 pm
Begin the evening with a cookout around the campfire followed by a guided night hike under a full moon. Campfire and
roasting sticks will be provided.
November 6, Saturday Wolves Cub Scout Clinic: Your Living World and Fishing Electives
1-3 pm
Experience the fun of fishing and learn some basic skills while understanding the importance of preserving our environment. Pre-registration and payment required.
November 11, Thursday
Arial Predators 6-7 pm
Raptors are a highly specialized group of birds that are beautiful to watch and play a critical role in helping maintain their
environments. Learn about how raptors work for us and what makes them different from your usual backyard birds. Enjoy an opportunity to see some of our Wisconsin raptors up close and in living color. Presented by Beka Weiss from Aves
Wildlife Alliance
December 21, Tuesday Winter Solstice Celebration
6-7 pm
Celebrate the start of winter and the shortest day of the year with stories and activities explaining the scientific reasons for
the solstice and the history and traditions of winter solstice celebrations.
January 13, Thursday
Wolves in Wisconsin 6-7 pm
Learn about these fascinating animals from local wolf enthusiast, Cindy Mueller.
January 28, Friday
Eagle Overnight 6 pm – 8 am
For families participating in the NEW Family Volunteer Program Only
Join us for Friday night crafts and project, a nature slide show presentation, games and a cook-in dinner, followed by
indoor camping on the floor. In the morning, wake early to see and count the bald eagle along the river followed by some
hot chocolate, coffee and breakfast. Please contact the Environmental Center on how you can earn your spot in this unique
program.
February 19, Saturday Moonlit Snowshoe Hike
6-7:30 pm.
Enjoy the full moon while hiking the trails. Snowshoes will be provided. *Please arrive ½ hour early if you will need assistance putting on snowshoes or for a quick lesson.
March 19, Saturday
Pancake and Porkie Breakfast 9 am – 1 pm.
Join us for pancakes and porkies with our homemade maple syrup and learn more about the history of the sugar bush and
how maple syrup is made. A ticket is required for the breakfast and can be purchased at the door.
April 16, Saturday
Spring Clean-Up 9 am – 12 pm.
Wrap up your Earth Day Celebrations by helping to beautify the 1000 Islands Conservancy Zone. Clean up litter, bark
trails or help battle the invasive species. Bring work gloves if you have them! Lunch will be provided after the clean up.
April 30, Saturday
Webelos Cub Scout Clinic: Naturalist/Outdoorsman Activity Badges 1-3 pm
Prepare your scouts for the outdoor world by completing these two activity badges. The clinic includes a snack as scouts
practice campfire cooking. Pre-registration and payment required.
Cat-Tails, the Newsletter of the Friends of 1000 Islands
Fall 2010
Naturalist Notes
Did You Know?
by Debbie Nowak
Fun facts about Monarch Butterflies
What a great past couple of years for the Environmental Center! It seems like just yesterday that I
started here at 1000 Islands, but in reality, I have
two and a half years under my belt already. This past
year has been one of great accomplishments. We
have seen our visitor
numbers increase,
new programs added
and some great improvements done to
the building and the
grounds.
Monarch butterflies are the only insect to migrate
up to 2,500 miles, all the way to Mexico. Only the
fourth generation of monarchs can migrate each
year, because the first three generations die after
about six weeks from escaping their cocoons.
One of the most
exciting accomplishments since starting
has been the creation
of a strategic plan.
Some of the items incorporated in the strategic plan
include creating interactive, hands-on exhibits for
the nature center and managing the invasive species
throughout the conservancy zone. In the past year
we have been working hard at those items. In the
building look for the interactive spider display and
the touch screen that details the solar energy produced. Outside, look for the many
stumps where small trees once stood. That
is evidence of the great work we have done
removing some of the invasive buckthorn
from the property.
Once a monarch is an adult (after the metamorphosis from a caterpillar into a butterfly) it can eat the
nectar from any flower, not just the milkweed plant.
Only monarch caterpillars need the milkweed plant
to live.
Did you know that monarch butterflies are poisonous? They won’t harm humans, but the natural
chemicals from the milkweed plant that they eat
when they are caterpillars builds up inside of them
and gives them a poisonous defense against predators like frogs, birds and mice. Their bright colors
serve to keep predators at bay.
Do you know how to tell a male from a female monarch butterfly? The male monarchs have a black spot
on each of the hind wings over a vein. The female
monarch butterfly does not have this spot.
In Australia, the monarch buttefly is known as the
Wanderer.
With so much going on, try to stop by frequently to see what we have accomplished
and what we will be working on next.
We’re online!
http://www.
1000islandsenvironmentalcenter
.com
ALSO! Check us out on Facebook!
Monarch butterflies in our Butterfly Garden. Photo by Melissa Ashley.
Cat-Tails, the Newsletter of the Friends of 1000 Islands
Fall 2010
Egrets!
Egrets, once very rare in this area, have been seen in
large numbers around 1000 Islands all summer and
into this fall.
According to Wikipedia, the Great Egret is generally
a very successful species with a large and expanding
range. In North America, large numbers of Great
Egrets were killed around the end of the 19th century so that their plumes could be used to decorate
hats. Their numbers have since recovered as a result
of conservation measures. Its range has expanded as
far north as southern Canada.
They can most often be seen right outside the Center
building, in the waters around Island Three, and in
the early evening, from the Thilmany side, roosting
in the trees.
Let’s welcome these beautiful birds to our conservancy zone!
ATTENTION
FRIENDS MEMBERS
The Friends’ Treasurer is reviewing
membership lists to insure that dues for
the organization are current. Your date
of renewal is printed after your mailing
address on this newsletter.
Because of the printing and postage
costs involved in producing “THE CATTAILS,” we will be removing your name
from our membership lists if current
dues are more than three years in arrears.
The FRIENDS very much appreciate
your continued interest in this organization and 1000 Islands. Please contact
the Center (920) 766-4733 if you wish to
continue your Friends membership.
Thank You to Larry’s Piggly Wiggly!
We want to offer a sincere THANK YOU to Larry’s
Piggly Wiggly in Kaukauna for their support of our
Spring Art Fair.
Thanks to your support, the Art Fair was once again
a success!
Kathy Lindberg and Friends member Lori McSorley enjoy
the Art Fair with Mr. Pig.
Cat-Tails, the Newsletter of the Friends of 1000 Islands
Fall 2010
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
See Sally or Debbie!
Volunteers Needed!
Imagine a family coming to the Center on a rainy
Saturday morning. One of the children recently
visited the Center with her class, and she’s eager to
show it to her siblings and her parents. Unfortunately, when they arrive, they find that the building is
closed. Unlikely? Very rare? In reality, this may very
well become a common occurance as it becomes
more difficult to find weekend volunteers.
The success of 1000 Islands depends on the generous support of volunteers. Right now, we are very
much in need of additional weekend volunteers, the
people who run the Center on Saturdays and Sundays.
Weekend operations are a critical part of 1000
Island’s service to the public, and currently we are
struggling to meet this commitment. By donating
only a day or two, you are giving 1000 Islands a huge
assist.
It’s easy to be a weekend volunteer. Sally or Debbie will give you the essential training, and that’s it!
Open the building up, feed Jabber, and greet visitors
to our Nature Center and answer the phone. The
day that you donate will make a big difference to
each and every person who visits the Environmental
Center.
If you think that you may be able to help out 1000
Islands Environmental Center by becoming a weekend volunteer, please contact Sally at 920-766-4733.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
$20 per year
$30 per year
$10 per year
$10 per year
$100
$100 per person
The Friends of the 1000 Islands Environmental Center
1000 Islands Environmental Center
1000 Beaulieu Court
Kaukauna, WI 54130
Phone: _________________________
City : ___________________________ State: ______ Zip: ___________
Address: ___________________________________________________
Name: _____________________________________________________
Enroll me as a “Friend of 1000 Islands.”
Here is my $ __________ for a _____________ membership.
____This is a new membership
____This is a renewal
Friends Application
Membership fees are:
Adult
Family
Student
Senior Citizen
Benefactor
Lifetime
Some of the benefits offered to members of the “Friends” are:
• This newsletter, which features articles of interest to the whole family
• Special programs for members with visits to interesting nature spots
• Free use of snowshoes
• As a member, you are welcome to attend the “Friends” meetings which are
held the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Center
• Members names are listed on the “Friends” plaque located in the Center.
The “Friends of 1000 Islands Environmental Center” is a non-profit organization
whose main objective is to provide assistance to the 1000 Islands Environmental
Center. This assistance comes through fund raising projects, membership dues
and volunteers who donate time and skills to the Center. The purpose of the
Environmental Center is to promote the appreciation of and involvement in nature
by people of all ages.
1000 Islands Environmental Center
1000 Beaulieu Court
Kaukauna, WI 54130
Cat-Tails • Sally Kenney, Editor
Phone 920.766.4733
email thousandisland@new.rr.com