Natural Connections: Two Shades Of Nuthatch
"Whatever the reason, I’m enjoying the abundance of cute alarm clocks at my window."
Natural Connections: Scatology In The Classroom And On The Trail
"'Ewww!!!' exclaimed the second graders as I pulled a large rubber replica of bear scat out of the tub."
Natural Connections: Foraging Fervor
Warning: this essay might make you hungry!
Early Catch And Release Season For Trout Opens On Jan. 7, 2023
Do you know the physical differences between Wisconsin’s four species of inland trout?
Natural Connections: Wings On The Ground
"Winter storms are a well-publicized source of mortality for monarchs in the preserves."
Barron County Snowmobile Trails To Open This Saturday
Lakes are not safe for travel. It is recommended to stay off the lakes.
Natural Connections: Monarch’s Sacred Trees
Monarch butterflies as we know them in the Northwoods—gliding gently on the humid swirl of summer—are intimately tied to milkweed plants.
Natural Connections: Monarch Magic
A monarch perches on one of the vibrantly colored Salvia flowers in the oyamel fir forest.
Wisconsin DNR Extends Public Comment Period On New Wolf Management Plan
The review period is extended until Feb. 28, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Natural Connections: Butterflies, Pyramids, And Volcanoes
"Volcanoes provide shelter to butterflies, a model for pyramids, and inspiration to many cultures. And finally, their pull in the Lake Superior basin draws me home."
Natural Connections: Big Tracks And Cold Toes
Big bear tracks head through a balsam thicket toward a wetland.
Spongy Moth Population Increases For Third Consecutive Year In Wisconsin
Rates of spread to uninfested areas higher than usual in the northwest.
Northwest WI Regional Weekly Construction Update - Dec. 2, 2022
Road construction project updates for Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.
Natural Connections: Moving North
Red-bellied woodpeckers may use our bird feeders to help them survived extra-cold days as they move north even faster than winter warms.
Total Firearm Deer Harvest In Wisconsin Up 14.4% Over Last Year
Preliminary figures show that hunters registered 203,295 deer during the 2022 gun deer season.
Natural Connections: November Child
Guest writer JoAnn Malek contemplates the shapes of trees in all seasons.
102,347 Deer Were Registered During Wisconsin's Opening Weekend Of 2022 Gun Deer Hunt
15% increase over 2021.
Natural Connections: Not A Lowly Lichen
Spooky though they were, the tiny arms belong to one of the most common lichens I see growing on the ground here in the Northwoods.
Wisconsin DNR Asks Public To Report Black Bear Den Locations
The Wisconsin DNR encourages the public to report any black bear den locations they find across Wisconsin.
Proposed 2022 Wolf Management Plan Available Now
The DNR is holding a 60-day public review and comment period, during which the public can offer feedback on the draft plan.
Natural Connections: The Night Gliders
The long, flat tail of a northern flying squirrels is used like a brake to facilitate precise and graceful landings. Photo by Larry Master, USFWS.
Hunters Encouraged To Participate In DNR’s Deer Donation Program
Since 2000, hunters have donated almost 100,000 deer, totaling more than 3.8 million pounds of venison distributed to Wisconsin food pantries.
Natural Connections: Spongy Moth Discovery
This time of year, spongy moths are preparing to overwinter in egg masses attached to trees.
Natural Connections: What The North Wind Swirls
By Emily Stone, Naturalist/Education Director at the Cable Natural History Museum