Green Award 2000 to Dorothy Heiss & Pringle Nature Center

     The Southeast Gateway Group's Green Award was presented to Dorothy (Mrs. Allen) Heiss of Salem at the Group's Annual Award Dinner on May 18 at the Racine YWCA. The Award Certificate and check for $100 were presented to her by the Group Chair, Lila Berge, in recognition of the volunteer work Dorothy has done with children attending various activities and programs at the Pringle Nature Center in western Kenosha county.

     "She was one of the first volunteers and probably the most regular and loyal volunteer at the Center since it was dedicated almost two years ago," said Daniel Werner, Director of the Pringle Nature Center.

The Center will be celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of its dedication on June 13. "Our mission is to inspire responsible stewardship, but what gets done depends upon the staff, especially the volunteers," Werner said.

     Dorothy Heiss, a retired business woman, came to the Center without previous experience in environmental and ecological education because "a neighbor invited me and I fell in love with it." She now takes the children from the various school programs into the woods and fields of the Center to show them the birds, mammals and other creatures and plants, pointing out the colors and changes with the seasons, and how to tread lightly in our environment. "I want to give them something to take home with them," she said. "I came knowing nothing, but Dan and the kidstrained me. I love children...always have."

     "Under Dan Werner's administration, it is a living, thriving place. The Pringle Nature Center deserves a lot of support," she continued, "and that is why I am glad to pass this check on to further the educational work The Pringle Nature Center is doing with children, youth and adults."

"Hunting" Doves?
 an editorial comment from the Group Chair, Lila Berge

     Why would anyone want to shoot doves? The reasons I have heard

don't make sense--because they are hunted in 38 other states? because

they are plentiful? These birds are so tame you can practically catch

them with hands as they clean up seed spilled by other birds at our

patio feeders. You could "hunt" them from indoors! They don't rob

songbird nests or scatter garbage like crows, or foul our beaches like

gulls. They don't poop up parks and golf courses like the geese. Leave

doves alone! Wisconsin legislators named doves our state symbol of

peace. Loons and robins are also plentiful and symbols of our

state...will hunters want to shoot them next?

Group Calendar:

     June 8: Group Executive Committee meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Messiah

Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive in Racine.

Agenda will include naming Nominating Committee and fund raising.

     June 10: Canoe the (southeastern Wisconsin) Fox River

     June 15: Canoe the Root River and picnic at Melissa and Jay

Warners, 4444 North Green Bay Road. Starts at 5:00 p.m. and goes to

"whenever".

     June 17: Picnic at Chiwaukee Prairie (details from Donna Peterson)

     July 1: Deadline for August-September issue of the Southeast

Sierran.

     July 7-8: Canoe the Lower Wisconsin River from Boscobel to

Wyalusing State Park. See article below.

     July 22: Second Highway 38 Cleanup, followed by a Potluck lunch at

Bob & Betty Gericke's. Meet there at 9:00 a.m.

     August 11,12,13: Canoe the Flambeau River and hike in the forest,

tent camping at Mary Ann and Harry's cabin. For details, see article

below.

     August 17: SEGG Executive Committee meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Messiah

Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive in Racine.

Note: this is one week later than usual because of the canoe outing (and

there are five Thursdays in this month, anyway.) Agenda will include

Nominating report, election/program plans for fall.

     August 19: Rummage Sale Fundraiser, somewhere in Racine.  There may

be one in Kenosha, this year also.

Wisconsin River Weekend

      Join us on July 7 and 8 for a canoe outing on the Lower Wisconsin

River from Boscobel to Wyalusing State Park where the Wisconsin flows

into the Mississippi River. This is becoming almost an annual event for

our group. This time we will meet at the boat landing west of Boscobel

on State Highway 61, at ten o’clock Friday morning. We want to shuttle

some cars to the Millville boat landing before launching. Bring your own

lunch and drinking water so that we can picnic on a sandbar in the

river. Friday afternoon we will return to Boscobel where we'll enjoy a

fish fry supper at a Boscobel restaurant. Saturday we will canoe from

the Highway 18 boat landing to Wyalusing State Park. This includes a

short paddle on the Mississippi River and then through quiet backwater.

There are good motels in the area, room to camp at the Berge cabin, or

make your own reservation at Wyalusing State Park. Please sign up by

calling Berges at (262) 633-8455 so that we know your plans.

Canoe the Main Fork of the Flambeau River, August 11-13 

     Meet at Big Bear Lodge on County Trunk W west of Phillips, WI at

10:00 a.m. on Friday August 11. Take out mid-afternoon Sunday, August 13

at Flambeau Lodge East of Ladysmith.

     Moderate white water is included. Bring Fishing gear. Anyone

interested in camping at Ortmayer Cabin anytime from August 8 on is

welcome. Possible DNR program on Thursday August 10.

     Canoe rentals are available. Call Mary Ann Ortmayer/Harry Knipp for

reservations by June 30 for more information and maps at (262) 554-5058.

from the Rockin' Chair

By Lila Berge

      In April we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Earth Day and the

162nd birthday of Sierra Club's founder, John Muir. Time Magazine put

out a special issue in which they reported on the United Nations study

of global ecosystems. The findings of this $4 million dollar study make

for sobering reading. All five ecosystems--forests, freshwater systems,

coastal/marine habitats, grasslands/agricultural lands--show alarming

signs of deterioration. If the deterioration continues unabated at the

present rate it will seriously impact the planet's ability to sustain

not only plant and animal ecosystems, but the social and economic

well-being of all nations. It is a call to action...is anyone listening?

     The Southeast Gateway Group of the Sierra Club participated in

several April events. We had a display table on sprawl at Sustainable

Racine's "Growing Greener, Conservation Subdivision Design" workshop.

There were tours of area developments and an evening lecture promoting

development of houses on smaller lots surrounded by acres of shared

green space. Nothing was said by this speaker or others with display

tables about revitalizing existing deteriorated cityscapes, or limiting

development to areas served by sewers and city water (a local Sierra

Club criterion). Nobody but us pointed out the cost of sprawl, so now

let's have a conference on that topic!

      We were also present at Root River 2000 Conference for school

children in Racine. Donna Peterson, our Environmental Education Chair,

put together a super display on bats for the children and adults. These

often misunderstood little mammals are useful friends. Educational kits

about bats have been assembled and made available to teachers in Racine

and Kenosha schools. Thanks to all who volunteered their time and/or

equipment.

     On April 22nd, we planted native trees, shrubs, sedges and

wildflowers to beautify Horlick Park at the Root River canoe launch.

This site is located just above the dam off Green Bay Road. Melissa

Warner’s students, Friends of the Root River, Racine County Parks

Department and others provided enthusiastic help to get the job done.

Our Southeast Gateway Group is now a member of the United Environmental

Council. UEC welcomes all environmental organizations in Racine and

Kenosha Counties. The council has a web site listing meetings and

activities of UEC members. You can reach it through

www.sustainable-racine.org and then click on UEC.

     The SEGG has been asked to expand our territory to take back into

our group  about 100 Sierra members in Walworth County. This came about

by the collapse of the Rock Valley Group due to lack of people willing

to serve on their Executive Committee. The remaining Rock Valley members

should be absorbed by Four Lakes and Great Waters Groups. Their ExComs

had not acted on these suggestions at the time this column was written.

SEGG will continue to alternate our meetings between Racine and Kenosha

sites, but will try to plan an event this fall in Walworth County.

Expanding our newsletter mailing to include Walworth also presents an

opportunity for someone in that area to write articles of special

interest to members there. Any volunteers please contact me or the

Editor.

     And speaking of expanding our memberships, we now have a member in

Maintal, Germany! Hanns Golez writes "I've been enjoying Sierra Club

engagement calendars for several years, and this year I decided it would

be a good idea to become a member. My wife grew up in Southeastern

Wisconsin, and her mother and sister live in Kenosha. We visit them

about once a year, and our trips often include some birding... We became

interested in joining the SEGG to keep in touch with some of our

favorite places... we do appreciate the newsletters." We are checking on

the possibility of sending them to Hanns by e-mail.

     On May 20 our conservation chair, John Berge, was among those

honored for service to the John Muir Chapter at the Annual Awards

Dinner. Congratulations to him and the other honorees.

     Finally, on the national level, the Sierra Club is revising at

least two of our policies: grazing on public lands and genetically

engineered organisms. I urge you to learn all you can, especially about

GEOs. This is a very complex technology and changing very fast. You can

find a wealth of opinion and information in technical journals, science

magazines for the public and on the internet. Look for balance. There is

a lot of hysteria and hype to be sorted out!

Welcome New Members!

Bristol...

     Amy F. Fockler, James Larsen, Beverly Sebescak

Burlington...

     Susan Alby, Gerry & Darcy Lamore, Mrs. Janice Szewezynski, Sophie

J. Weygand

East Troy...

     Mary Schunemann

Franksville...

     Ronald E. Sobczak

Kenosha...

     Jennifer J. Dzimiela, Judy Greno, Carla Krone, Marilyn Meldahl, Ben

Schliesman, Gretchen Barasch, William Kazmer, Steven Marcinkus, S.

Tolles

Racine...

     Mary Beth Aldrich, James Cloutier, Christine Gacek, Myrna Monkman,

Dorothy Osborne, Nancy F. Paulin, Christine Pavik, Patricia Roeder, J.E.

Sabol, S.D. Schultz

Maintal, Germany...

     Hanns P. Golez

Arctic Wilderness Under Attack Again

     The recent increase in gas prices has added fuel to the drive to

open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil exploration and

drilling. In the conference committee appointed to work out the

differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget,

activists defeated a Republican effort to put oil income from ANWR into

the budget. But "Big Oil" has powerful Congressional allies. They want

the 1.5 million acre coastal plain, the calving grounds of a huge

caribou herd and the last portion of the Arctic shoreline to which

drilling is currently prohibited. Only official Wilderness designation

will save this natural heritage from drilling. Without that, we have to

fight the battle over and over again. We know there is national

grassroots support for protection, but if we go to sleep, we, the

caribou and the natives which depend on the caribou will lose this

coastal plain.

Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club Scores Victory for Wildlife

      By threatening to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

over misuse of Pittman-Robertson (P-R) money, the Mackinac Chapter

forced an agreement out of the USFWS that guarantees public scrutiny and

environmental review of all P-R expenditures in Michigan. This money

come from the taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment; it is

supposed to be used to restore habitat for native birds and wildlife.

Instead, some states including Michigan secretly used these matching

funds for logging and wetlands manipulation harmful to wildlife. Now the

USFWS will have to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by preparing Environmental

Assessments and giving the public 90 days to comment on projects using

P-R funds in all states.

From Your Legislative Watchdog

Jean McGraw

     Your watchdog has been out of touch with local political events,

having escaped to Hawaii for several weeks--so I will use the occasion

to report on conditions on the isle of Kauai.

     There is an active Sierra Group on the island which seems to be

mainly into hikes--and often dangerous ones. During my visit, the Group

hiked on the Na Pali Trail (generally only recommended for summer

travel) to reach a remote waterfall and was stranded there for two days

without shelter and food, because after a heavy rain a stream rose so

high it was no longer fordable. They had neglected to tell anyone about

their destination; but, finally, a tourist called from Honolulu to

inquire about two family members who had joined the trek. A helicopter

flew in and dropped food and tents. Finally the stream subsided, and the

party was able to return on foot with the exception of the two oldest

hikers who had to be picked up by helicopter. An eleven year old boy was

able to walk out.

     The Group has a large ad in every Saturday's local paper

advertising the hike for that week. The next week it was scheduled for

the Alakai swamp, the highest swamp in the world at 4,000 feet--an

interesting place, home to many indigenous birds and plants threatened

with extinction. However, one is warned not to go there without an

experienced guide, as it is easy to get lost.

     We tried to meet the Group at a certain beach one evening where the

leader told us they were picnicking but couldn't find them, even after

asking every group on the beach, so I don't know if they are active in

any local environmental decisions.

     Kauai is way behind us in recycling. You can take your glass and

newspapers to a dumpster, but there is no pickup of recyclables nor

ordinance requiring disposal. The island government was negotiating with

several mainland companies for trash disposal. The mainland companies

sorted trash and disposed of biodegradable materials with a composting

process. The local proposed to burn it in an incinerator. I hope they'll

reach the right decision but fear they’ll go with the influential local

sugarcane plantation owner who wants to incinerate. It's probably

cheaper. I hope they don't ruin their beautiful island.

     While in Honolulu we visited for the first time the beautiful State

Capitol building, a worthwhile site few tourists discover. Set in a

lovely park featuring many ancient, gigantic trees, the building is open

at both ends and has a huge skylight. The ceiling and the pool beneath

the skylight are all of blue tile to match the sky above. Some of the

wall tiles are made to resemble the woven fronds the Polynesians used to

build their grass houses, which are biodegradable and easily

reconstructed if hit by a hurricane. At either entrance to the building

are statues of the two persons who really cared about the Hawaiian

people--Queen Liliuokalani who tried to restore their stolen land to the

Hawaiians and was forcibly deposed for her efforts by the Caucasian

landowners with the help of the U.S. Army (Sound familiar? Well, that's

manifest destiny) and Father Damien who worked selflessly to improve the

deplorable living conditions in the leper colony on Molokai. I was glad

to see they were chosen instead of King Kamehameha who could never have

subdued all the islands without the help of his American advisors and

the guns they supplied, and who betrayed his people for profit, and some

missionary millionaire scion who profited handsomely from his parents'

work to change the lifestyle of the indigenous people. The sculptor

worked from photographs to create the statues.

     Enough of political history--I promise next time to get back to

current political problems we can solve.

Root River 2000 Student Conference

     Three Washington Park High School Science Teachers, Joan Bennett,

Barb Salvo, Margaret Oliver and their students put on a most interesting

interactive Root River 2000 and Beyond Conference for up to 1,400

students. 

     The Conference was laid out to resemble the Root River winding

through the main room of Festival Hall on the Racine lake front. "It was

a most impressive way to introduce students to a natural resource that

is one of our best kept local secrets," said Donna Peterson, the

Southeast Gateway Group Environmental Education Chair. "Now the secret

is out of the bag and all of these hard working people deserve to take a

bow."

     The Sierra Club, along with many other local groups was invited to

set up a display along "the river" which bus loads of grade school

students and their teachers walked from 8:30 in the morning until 3:00

in the afternoon, interacting at all the displays and getting their

worksheets stamped. The displays were opened again for the general

public from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

     The Southeast Gateway Group set up a bat display, complete with a

high school student in bat costume, a tent turned into a "bat cave" with

a  6-1/2 minute video on bats, a true or false quiz and some handouts.

     Two species of bats live in Wisconsin, the Little Brown Bat and the

Gray Bat. Both are insect eaters and hunt along the Root River among

other places. "They are much maligned...it is hoped our display created

less fear and more understanding of bats," said Peterson.

     Volunteers who manned the display during the day and evening were,

in alphabetical order: Lila and John Berge, Molly Canary, Millie

Carlson, Georgia Kroll, Jean McGraw, Esther Molbeck, Donna Peterson,

Dave Roszkowski and Sue Torosian. Thanks to all and special thanks to

Jim Molbeck for the use of his big dome tent.

      "Special thanks to Environmental Education Chair Donna Peterson

who planned and prepared for the SEGG display. This world could use more

people with her dedication to education," said Group Chair Lila Berge.

Donna  was recently inducted into the Southeast Wisconsin Educators Hall

of Fame as a "Friend of Education". For 18 years she has been

coordinating speakers for our environmental education programs which

have been seen by more than 58,000 students and the general public.

The Killer in Your Yard

by John Berge

     That startling statement is the headline of an interesting article

and chart in the May-June 2000 issue of the Audubon magazine on the use

of pesticides on lawns, around houses and in gardens. The article by

Joel Bourne asks the readers to "share this pullout chart of 'killer

chemicals' and tips to reduce pesticide use with your friends and

neighbors." Since all Sierrans aren't necessarily members of the Audubon

Society also, we are glad to do so.

     Some may point the finger of blame on overuse of such chemicals on

farmers and golf course operators, but according to the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, home owners use three times more

pesticides per acre than is used for agriculture. And "according to the

EPA's wildlife mortality incident database, just three of the chemicals

commonly used in the garden and home--diazinon, chlorpyrifos, and

brodifacoum--kill thousands of birds each year."

     The chart lists 8 of the most commonly used chemicals, their uses,

how each works, their toxicity to humans and wildlife, their EPA ratings

and alternatives. If you don't recognize these chemical names, the chart

lists a number of products by brand name that contain each chemical.

Diazinon is in Bonide Soil Granules, Knox-Out and other products.

Chlorpyrifos is used in Dursban, Dragon, Ortho-Klor, etc. Brodifacoum is

an anticoagulant rodenticide used in d-Con, Talon-G and other products.

Read the labels!

     Their "10 Commandments For A Healthy Yard" are "go organic, get

tough turf, follow directions, go lightly, protect yourself, know your

enemies, pick your pesticides, mow right, use biological warfare, and

teach tolerance." These are discussed in more detail on the back of

their copyrighted chart.

     To get the chart, you can join the Audubon Society, subscribe to

the Audubon Magazine by calling (800) 274-4201, or order reprints from

<e-mail editor@audubon.org> or fax a request to (212) 477-9069.

Ice Age Trail Activities

     Notes: All work activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. unless otherwise

noted. The highway 12 parking lot is approximately 5 miles east of

Whitewater, or 2.5 miles west of LaGrange. Trail maintenance work may

include grubbing to remove stumps, trimming back growth, painting

blazes, installing erosion control, clearing new trail, litter control,

etc. For trail work bring water, lunch, work gloves and work tools such

as loppers or bow saws. Wear long pants and long sleeve shirt to protect

from poison ivy, prickly bushes, etc., suitable footwear and a hat.

Depending on the location and conditions, insect repellent, sunscreen or

rain gear may also be useful. Contact Kangaroo to volunteer for

community service or special projects at times other than those listed

below.

Contact Persons:

     Bill (Kangaroo) Knickrehm, (608)883-2825;  Barb or Jerry Converse,

(262) 473-7304; Sue Clymer, (262) 632-6968; Gary Klatt, (262) 473-4973;

Gerry Emmerich, (262) 642-5641; Dolly McNulty, (262) 728-8351; Ingrid

Larson, (262) 728-6661; Sally Ward, (262) 495-8362; Vince Lazzaroni,

(262) 248-824; June Wheeler, (262) 889-4240.

     June 3, Saturday; (Barb & June) National Trails Day. Work projects

& short hikes. Call for details.

     June 10, Saturday, 10:00 a.m.; Hike to Horse Riders Camp. Meet at

Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest Headquarters on Hwy 59 west of

Eagle.

     June 15, Thursday, 7:00 p.m.; Regular Meeting, FirStar Bank in

Elkhorn.

     June 24, Saturday; (Ingrid) Maintenance. Meet at Highway 12.

     June 25, Sunday; (Kangaroo) New Trail Work. Meet at Highway 12.

     July 8 & 9, Saturday & Sunday; Group camp at Wyalusing State Park;

at the confluence of the Wisconsin & Mississippi Rivers. RSVP by July 1

to Nancy, (262) 248-8247. Hike option at Hogback Preserve on Sunday

return trip.

     July 9, Sunday, Noon; Hike at Hogback Preserve. Meeting location in

Boscobel will be determined at the June 20 meeting. Call for details.

     July 20, Thursday, 7:00 p.m.; Regular Meeting, FirStar Bank in

Elkhorn.

     July 22, Saturday; (Vince) Maintenance. Meet at Highway 12. 

     July 23, Sunday; (Kangaroo) New Trail Work. Meet at Highway 12.

     August 5, Saturday, 8:30 a.m.; Hike, Bike & Paddle Rally! Fun,

non-competitive event. Hike 5 miles, bike 6 miles, paddle ? miles. Must

make reservations and/or provide own equipment. Meet at Rice Lake Nature

trail parking lot at Whitewater Lake Recreation Area. Call for details.

State park sticker required.