 | Do you need a burning permit? Except for cooking and
warming fires, District residents must obtain a permit when the ground is not
snow covered. A three-day burning permit is required when burning brush,
yard waste, paper, and clean (unpainted/untreated) wood. An annual
burning permit is needed for household paper/wood in a covered incinerator.
Grass and forest fire potential is high in this area, particularly in the
spring. Burning permits limit burning to the safest hours and keep fire
fighters updated on the locations of burning activity thus preventing
unnecessary emergency runs. Burning without a permit is subject to a
fine of $122.90. Both permits can be obtained free of charge from any
Emergency Fire Warden or from the Cornell Ranger Station. (04 Aug 2003)
|
| Aldo Leopold's "Sand County Almanac" is a most important American
contribution to environmental thinking in the twentieth century.
Leopold's shack is on the Aldo Leopold Memorial Reserve. Benches on the
reserve were apparently designed by Leopold. Gary J. Laib, Sr. has plans
and descriptions for construction of the "Leopold Bench". These plans
are based on observations made of prototypes. The bench may remind us of
Leopold's plea for a land ethic. The plans are at
http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/greenacres/wildones/wo27bench.htm. Let's
see how many we can put on the shores of Long Lake! (14 Mar 2003)
|
| The Wisconsin Association of Lakes established Best Lake Practices
— a set of lake-wise behaviors that could
make a lake better: (18 Feb 2003)
 | Create a lake-side buffer strip to absorb runoff and support wildlife |
| Reduce impervious (non-absorbing) surfaces to reduce runoff |
| Keep the lake as wild as possible |
| Be a lake friendly motor boat operator |
| Avoid shallow water |
| Consider a 4-cycle outboard motor |
| Run your boat at no-wake speeds near shore |
| Boats should leave no footprints |
| No wake means NO WAVES |
| Minimize (or avoid) a city style lakeshore lawn
|
|
| Reduce, reuse, recycle: Save the environment, save the
planet! Visit Chippewa County Recycling
online or (better yet) in person! (05
Feb 2003)
|
| Clean boating:
| Never use soaps or detergents to clean oil or fuel. Soaps emulsify
oil, breaking it into invisible droplets that disperse through the water.
Adding soap is bad for the environment. |
| Practice good preventive engine maintenance. Keep engines
well-tuned and operating at peak efficiency. Inspect fuel lines,
hoses, hydraulic lines, valves, oil seals, gaskets and connections for leaks
and deterioration. Make sure hoses are the correct length and secured
to avoid kinking and chafing. |
| Place absorbents sheets, pads or pillows in drip pans under the engine
and other areas to catch oil drips and spills. (29 Jan 2003)
|
|
| Communicating with environmental agencies.
Sample letters show one approach to open
communications.
|
| Help reduce Lake phosphate levels. Be a good shoreline
neighbor by helping to reduce direct rain runoff from your yard, roof, and
driveway. Providing buffer areas to help filter water, or directing
water so it will soak into the ground rather than directly flowing into the
lake, will make a big difference. Rain water runoff is the major source
contributing to the lake phosphate levels. A study of Long Lake
identified 862 pounds of phosphates entering the lake during a single year
which came from:
— surface runoff at 439
pounds (51%),
— atmospheric (dust &
precipitation) at 196 pounds (23%),
— groundwater at
152 pounds (18%), and
— septic systems at 75
pounds (9%). (12 Nov 2002)
|
| Wisconsin snowmobiling. As lower long lake freezes, many
activities will be available to entertain us through the winter. Lake
safety must be considered at all times. Learn about snowmobile safety
from
Lake News,
Autumn 1998, page 3. (09 Nov 2002)
|
|
 Ice fires.
Wood fires built on the ice during ice fishing leave ash rich in phosphorous which can
do tremendous damage to the water. Besides, they are illegal. Read
more in
Lake
News, Autumn 1999, page 3. (09 Nov 2002)
|
| Shield your lights. We've got beautiful
Northern Lights and
incredible stars. Those of us who live in the city cherish a clear,
dark night. A few of us are amateur astronomers and photographers.
Simply turning off unneeded lights, aiming them downward, or installing a
shield can make a big difference. According to the article on page 6 of
Lake News, Autumn 2001, Camp Manitou is participating in a
light management program as recommended by the non-profit
International Dark-Sky
Association. IDA has some
simple solutions to the problems of "light pollution"
and "light trespass", and a terrific booklet
Sensible
Shoreland Lighting. Check out tonight's
stargazing forecast and go see some stars! (06 Nov 2002)
|
| Ski the center. For safety's sake, and to comply with boating
regulations, the area up to 100 feet from the shore is slow - no wake.
Today's larger boats can generate a large wake, contributing to shoreline
erosion. Your neighbors encourage you to "ski the center".
(26 Oct 2002)
|
| Crawfish gumbo. Anyone have a good recipe???
 |
