Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Buffalo County Natural Resources Internship
2017 Final Report
Riley Hall
2
The Buffalo County Natural Resources Internship Program offers a college student
the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in a wide variety of natural resource
related fields. It is a position for an upper level college student pursuing a degree in a
natural resource related field, such as conservation or biology. The internship begins in
mid-May and concludes at the end of August. The student works 40 hours per week. The
intern is awarded a $5000 scholarship established through generous contributions from
conservation groups while working with county, state, and federal agencies (Buffalo
County Land Conservation Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,
University of Wisconsin-Extension, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service).
This year, I was fortunate enough to be selected for the internship. I grew up in
Luxemburg, Wisconsin and attended Luxemburg-Casco High School. I enjoy spending my
free time outside backpacking, camping, canoeing, fishing, and competing in half marathons
and trail races. A special biology teacher in high school turned me from a future in large
animal veterinary science to conservation, and I have never looked back. I am currently
attending the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point pursing degrees in Wildlife Ecology
Research and Management and Biology with an emphasis in zoology while minoring in GIS
and Spatial Analysis. After graduation, I plan to attend graduate school and study either
bird or mesocarnivore habitat selection.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife and Ecology
Waterfowl management in Wisconsin is important.
Managing waterfowl, and specially Canada geese, includes
their capture and banding mid-summer. I was fortunate to
be part of this banding effort near Winona, and it was one
of my favorite internship experiences. I have had
experience in the past banding saw-whet owls,
woodpeckers, and small songbirds but not any waterfowl.
That morning, I worked with Gary Wolf (Wildlife
Technician) and another volunteer to scout where the
geese were on the river. During late spring, the adult geese
molt their flight feathers and the young are still unable to
3
fly. This flightless time period provided us an opportunity to capture, sex, and band
individuals. With the teamwork of multiple agencies from around the area, we used boats
to herd the geese into a large group and drove them to land where a corral was set to hold
the flock. Once in the corral, geese were picked up one by one and delivered to a handler
who sexed them and attached a band to its leg. To ensure the goose remained calm, the
head was tucked under its wing. The handler held them like a football but not too tight.
Sexing the goose was a new and challenging experience for me. All bird species I have
worked with have been sexually dimorphic so it was easy to differentiate between males
and females. Canada geese do not express sexual dimorphism so males and females look
identical. In order to sex the goose, the handler must hold it between his or her legs, bend
the tail back, and use their fingers to pry open the cloaca to look for the presence or
absence of a penis. It took me quite a few tries, but after a while I could easily confirm the
sex of the individual. This multi agency banding effort was a great experience as it allowed
me to work with waterfowl while also networking with other professionals from around
the area.
Wisconsin is home to a large and thriving black bear population. In order to
effectively manage this species, bear bait surveys are used to monitor local populations. I
was able to participate with a bear bait survey in Jackson County. The particular route we
drove has been used
for decades and is one
of the oldest bear bait
surveys in the state.
With Gary W., a
biologist from Black
River Falls, and
another volunteer, we
spent the morning
setting up the survey.
Bags of meat and fat
were hung every half-mile on a predetermined route. We hung these baits in paper birch,
red maple, or some other soft wooded trees. Using this tree type helped us detect scratch
4
marks and differentiate between bait taken by a bear and bait taken by some other animal
such as a fisher or raccoon. We waited one week and checked the baits. Signs that the bait
was “hit” by a bear included missing bait, a snapped wire, deep claw marks on the tree, the
bark being torn off, or the tree being broken down. Overall, we only had 9 baits out of 50
get “hit” by a bear. This was the lowest they have ever had and less than half of a typical
year. Weather may have played a role in below average “hits”; it was very hot during our
survey and may have resulted in bear activity being diminished. Another explanation could
be the already abundant food sources in the area. At multiple bait sites, there were plenty
of blueberries growing. Lastly, the survey was later than in past years. This later survey
date happened to coincide with bear hunters beginning to train their dogs in the area.
Managing endangered species is important but can be difficult to accomplish. This
summer I assisted with an eastern massasauga rattlesnake survey in the Tiffany Wildlife
Area. The eastern massasauga is Wisconsin’s most endangered snake species and is only
found in this small portion of the state. Joe Krumrie (Conservation Biologist) was the
survey leader. This species of rattlesnake lives in densely vegetated swamps, which made
them difficult to find. We walked through the vegetation
as a group and tapped on downed, woody debris in an
attempt to get the snakes to rattle. I noticed this species
of snake was less aggressive than most and did not rattle
very much. We had to keep stopping and standing in one
place for a few moments in order to get them to rattle. If
we found a snake, it was carefully put in a plastic tub
where it was measured and marked. To mark the snakes,
we used a green sharpie on the rattle. This method was
useful because the sharpie would stay on long enough to
differentiate between new and recaptured individuals.
During our day long survey, we totaled 13 snakes, while just three of them were previous
captures. I have not had much opportunity to work with reptiles in Wisconsin so this was a
great experience for me.
5
Most people understand the need to protect endangered species. Most people,
however, are unaware of the need to protect endangered ecosystems. A bluff prairie is an
ecosystem that is extremely endangered and only found in this portion of Wisconsin. A
large portion of internship was working on managing
and restoring these endangered ecosystems. I
primarily worked with Dead Edlin’s (Conservation
Biologist) crew applying herbicides to remove
unwanted invasive species. These species included
crown vetch, sumac, red oak, cottonwood, and leafy
spurge. A different mix and ratio of chemicals was
used for each invasive plant. We used three-gallon
backpack sprayers and refilled as needed. Some days
we would each apply five packs of herbicides with
ease. Other days when we were on the bluffs, we
would apply only two packs because of the
challenging terrain. Whenever we were spraying, we
took necessary precautions to avoid drift and
overcasting. For some aspen clones that were
encroaching on the prairie and too large to combat
effectively with herbicides, we used a different
method. We took tools and girdled the tree. We did
this in early spring when most of the tree’s resources
and energy are in the leaves. Girdling the tree
prevents resources from moving up and down the
tree. This method kills the tree slowly and is very useful for preventing clones from
resprouting.
At the beginning of the summer, I attended an ATV safety class and a chainsaw
safety class. Both courses were helpful and necessary for some fieldwork I had over the
summer. I have had plenty of experience driving UTVs around but did not have much
experience with ATVs. It was useful gaining that experience since ATVs are a major way to
get around when working in natural resources. Although I have taken other chainsaw
6
safety courses, this course did provide a different learning
opportunity. Half way through the class, a large storm
downed trees on roadways within the state park. We went
as a class and removed the roadway obstructions. All of
my past chainsaw experiences was normal felling of trees.
Blow downs, trees that had their top broke off, added
complexity that could not be replicated in the classroom.
Both safety courses were very advantageous for my
summer internship and will likely be needed in future
work.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Fisheries
Fisheries biologists need adequate information to make sound management
decisions. Decisions are often made after fish surveys are conducted. However, fish can be
more challenging to study than most wildlife species. This is because they leave no tracks
or trails, and are typically unseen as they live in
their completely different element. However,
there are multiple survey methods to gather
the necessary information on fish populations.
The survey method I used, one that was a large
component of my internship, was conducting
electroshocking surveys with Brian Brecka
(Fisheries Biologist). Electroshocking is a safe
way for biologists to catch, measure, and
release fish. When done correctly, electroshocking does do not harm the fish. The boat we
used for electroshocking works like a giant battery. There is an anode (positive end) and
cathode (negative end) that causes an electrical gradient. The fish, affected by this gradient,
involuntarily swims toward the anode where it becomes stunned.
In order to electroshock, two people are required. One is the driver and operates the
anode. The other person stands on the front of the boat netting the fish and putting them
7
into a holding tank. There are many safety precautions that must be adhered to. One
precaution for the person netting the fish is pressure pads. The netter stands on one of two
pads on the boat’s front deck. As long as the netter provides
pressure by standing on the pad, the electricity flows through
the water. If the person steps or falls of the pad, the electricity
stops immediately. I never fell into the water, but I did see how
the safety features worked. I would, on occasion, accidently step
off the pad attempting to catch a fish. As soon as I stepped off
the pad, most fish almost immediately swim away because they
were no longer being affected by the electrical gradient.
We would shock in bouts of about 10 minutes. After we stopped, we identified the
species, measured their length to the nearest millimeter, and released them back into the
river. The handling and measuring of fish was quite variable among species, and one
species in particular, the bowfin, always provided fight and was more difficult to measure
regardless of size. The bowfin is a strange, ancient looking fish that is long and powerful.
Even individuals less than a foot were a struggle to measure. Bowfin have a very long
dorsal fin that almost connects to their caudal fin. This leaves no place on the posterior end
of the fish to hold onto when measuring. Never the less, we still managed to measure them.
Over the summer, we traveled to several different locations along the Mississippi
River. I netted over 2,700 individual fish that comprised 38 species (Table 1). The most
prominent species we caught was bluegill, followed by yellow perch, largemouth bass, and
spotted sucker (Table 1). As I gained more experience, I learned species react differently to
getting shocked. Crappies had a better sense of electrical current and were able to avoid us
more than other species. Some species, like northern pike and gars, are very agile and
strong so even after getting shocked, most were still able to swim away.
After the surveys were complete, I entered the data into an excel spreadsheet. For
each location I had a list of species caught, the total number of individuals for each species,
the range in size of each species, and the average length of each species. I calculated catch
per unit effort (CPUE) at each location for bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass,
freshwater drum, black crappie, and northern pike (Table 2). I did this by taking the total
fish for each species and dividing it by the total time electroshocking. I converted this into
8
fish caught per hour instead of fish caught per minute. Bluegill had the highest CPUE with
72.81 fish/hour followed by yellow perch with 42.70 fish/hour, and largemouth bass with
23.67 fish/hour (Table 2). There was a steep decline in CPUE when it came to freshwater
drum, black crappie, and northern pike but this could be due to species variation in
electroshocking as mentioned before.
In addition to CPUE, I created a histogram showing the frequency of different size
classes for bluegill, yellow perch, and largemouth bass (Figure 1). Both bluegill and yellow
perch have normal distributions while largemouth bass’ distribution is larger and not
normal shaped (Figure 1). We focused on these three species because they are popular
game fish, and we caught enough of them to compare between locations. We found that
some locations were lacking quality habitat for bluegill. We know this because their CPUE
was lower and the fish were smaller. One location, referred to as Tank Pond, had a CPUE for
yellow perch at 11 fish/hour. This site lacked good habitat for yellow perch and thus had a
much lower CPUE. Spring Lake that had abundant habitat cover for yellow perch and a
much higher CPUE at 95 fish/hour.
While the electrofishing surveys described above are important components to
managing Wisconsin’s fisheries, fisheries management has other job duties. One such duty
is to help pass on Wisconsin’s fishing tradition to the next generation of anglers. I had
opportunities relating to angler recruitment this summer. Every Wednesday night, the
Great Alma Fishing Float allowed younger children the opportunity to learn to fish. Gary
W., Brian B., and I supplied the equipment for those who needed it and helped take fish off
of the hook for those who could not. Most nights were themed nights such as Bass Pro
Night. On those nights, whoever caught the biggest bass earned the Champion’s medal and
anyone who caught a bass would get a prize. It was fun helping the kids with fishing
because it is something they can do for the rest of their lives and teaches them how to
properly use their natural resources.
9
Table 1: Number of fish caught and the average size for species collected electroshocking during the summer of 2017 at various locations on the Mississippi River.
Species Number Caught Average Size (inches)
Bluegill 972 5.04
Yellow Perch 570 6.77
Largemouth Bass 316 9.21
Spotted Sucker 197 13.68
Gizzard Shad 88 4.75
Silver Redhorse 84 16.97
Freshwater Drum 81 14.23
Bowfin 73 23.46
Black Crappie 54 7.65
Common Carp 48 21.33
Northern Pike 43 19.42
Rock Bass 38 5.16
Shorthead Redhorse 26 16.48
Smallmouth Bass 18 12.29
Golden Shiner 17 3.89
Walleye 16 16.67
Largemouth Buffalo 16 16.26
Emerald Shiner 12 2.68
Pumpkinseed 10 5.08
Quillback 8 15.21
Yellow Bullhead 8 8.33
Green Sunfish 7 4.96
White Bass 6 10.36
Shortnose Gar 5 22.14
Spottailed Shiner 5 3.49
10
Table 1 Continued.
Species Number Caught Average Size (Inches)
Sauger 4 12.11
Golden Redhorse 4 18.36
Longnose Gar 4 8.03
River Carpsucker 3 20.56
White Sucker 3 14.44
White Crappie 3 11.47
Flathead Catfish 2 18.66
Highfin Carpsucker 2 18.41
Brown Bullhead 2 10.69
Log Perch 2 3.66
Brook Silverside 2 3.29
Channel Catfish 1 25.08
Smallmouth Buffalo 1 17.09
Table 2: Catch per unit effort of game fish species collected electroshocking during the summer of 2017 at various locations on the Mississippi River.
Species Catch per Unit Effort
Bluegill 72.81 Fish/hour
Yellow Perch 42.70 Fish/hour
Largemouth Bass 23.67 Fish/hour
Freshwater Drum 6.07 Fish/hour
Black Crappie 4.05 Fish/hour
Northern Pike 3.22 Fish/hour
11
Buffalo County Land Conservation Department
The Land Conservation Department is a county agency that implements and
administers soil and water conservation programs. They offer assistance to the public with
these plans and offer technical support to landowners to prevent soil erosion and manure
runoff.
Monitoring stream quality is an important aspect of managing any water resource.
One project I helped with multiple times over the summer was the Water Action Volunteers
Stream Monitoring Program. This is a statewide program for citizens to learn about the
quality and health of streams and rivers in Wisconsin. I worked with Tim Wucherer
(Resource Management Specialist) with monitoring on three separate streams. At each
location, we took the following measurements: stream width, stream depth, velocity,
turbidity, and dissolved oxygen (DO). We also sampled for macroinvertebrates and
conducted a habitat assessment at each location. Stream width was measured with a tape
measure. Stream depth was calculated by taking 20 depth measurements evenly spaced
across the stream. We calculated velocity by floating a tennis ball down a 20-foot stretch.
0
50
100
150
200
250
24
-49
50
-74
75
-99
10
0-1
24
12
5-1
50
15
1-1
75
17
6-2
01
20
2-2
26
22
7-2
51
25
2-2
77
27
8-3
02
30
3-3
28
32
9-3
54
35
5-3
79
38
0-4
04
40
5-4
30
43
1-4
55
45
6-4
80
48
1-5
32
Fis
h
Size Class (mm)
Game Fish Sizes
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Figure 1: Size class distributions for bluegill, largemouth bass, and yellow perch from fish collected electroshocking during summer of 2017 at various locations on the Mississippi River.
12
We did this four times to get an average. These three
stream measurements, width, depth, and velocity, were
used to calculate stream discharge. We used a turbidity
tube to measure turbidity. We filled the tube with water
and emptied the tube until we could see the Secchi disk at
the bottom. We used a HACH kit to calculate DO. This kit
used a couple different chemicals to calculate the DO.
Since this is measuring DO at one point in time and does
not show potential oxygen fluctuations, we also surveyed
the stream’s macroinvertebrates. Some
macroinvertebrates cannot tolerate dissolved oxygen
fluctuations and may be a better overall indicator of stream health. Overall, the streams we
surveyed were in fairly good health.
Monitoring soil erosion in an area with varying topography is important. The steep
bluffs and low valleys make Buffalo County more susceptible to soil erosion. This erosion
can damage fish habitat and degrade water quality and also reduce crop growth and yield.
Near the beginning of the summer, I helped Tim W. with the annual soil loss survey. For the
survey, we drove a predetermined route and examined fields on the right and left side of
the road at specific points. At each location, we identified what crop was planted, if the
owner had worked the soil (no till, spring disc chisel, etc.), and if any major erosion had
occurred or if the owner had implemented management practices. We entered the data into
SnapPlus. In
total, the
survey took
two and half
days to
complete.
During the
survey, I saw
examples of farmers who used good management practices and those who did not. For
those who did not, their fields had numerous rills or gullies and their crops were noticeably
13
smaller. The landowners who had used good management practices had green crops and
dark fields because their soil was not eroded away. It was interesting to compare data
collected more recently to that collected previous years. For 2016 and 2017, even though
both years experienced heavy rains and flooding, erosion rates averaged near 1.5 tons/acre
(Figure 2). On the other hand, erosion rates during 2009 were nearly three times that level
at almost six tons per acre.
As previously mentioned, bluff prairies were a large component of my internship.
Over the summer, I called local landowners who had expressed interest in bluff prairie
restoration. I called and set up a site visit and would then accompany either Carrie Olson
(County Conservationist) or Mark Rasmussen (Wildlife Biologist). During the site visit, we
talked to the landowner about the next steps in the restoration process and cost sharing
opportunities. Most sites required the landowner to either pay a monetary amount or assist
with labor in order for cost sharing to occur. A majority of the time it required the
landowner to manually remove woody vegetation because it is something they can do
themselves without having to hire someone else to do it. Then we eventually helped with
the cost of putting prescribed fire on the prairie by supplying the funds to hire someone
with the technical knowledge to do it
Figure 2: Annual soil loss calculations for Buffalo County, WI.
14
Over the summer, Buffalo County had a few larger storm events that resulted in
flooding. One storm dropped over eight inches of rain in one night in the southern part of
the county. This resulted in bridges and roads being washed out and crop damage. The day
after the storm, Tim W. and I assessed the Alma Mills and Rose Valley dams. I had seen
what these structures looked like after a two-inch rain, but I was astonished by the amount
of water and debris that was within the reservoir behind these dams. We drove around to
check the dams and noted which ones needed their trash rack cleaned. A trash rack is a
metal cage that prevents large debris from blocking the inlet and if not kept clean can block
water from flowing through the dam. Almost all the dams needed their trash rack cleaned.
We could only clean one trash rack by hand, and documented others that would need large
machinery to complete the work. After this major flooding event, I could once again see the
result of implementing good erosion reduction practices. Some fields were completely
decimated by the flooding, while others with grass waterways, for example, were still in
good shape. The waterway did not look the best, but the field still had its crops.
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
The NRCS is an agency that provides farmers and landowners technical support.
They offer assistance with managing soil, water, restoration practices, fish, and wildlife.
The Alma Service Center of the NRCS is located within the Buffalo County Courthouse. Staff
includes Chad DeWyre (Soil Conservation Technician). I will highlight below work
opportunities I received through the NRCS during the internship.
Buffalo County has taken great strides to restore trout steam habitat and is now
known for quality fish, habitat, and fishing opportunities. However, years of habitat
degradation and improper use of soils still have many
streams suffering impairments. Early in the summer I
had seen several finished projects and also viewed
several streams that could use some work. To get a
feel for the type of trout stream work the NRCS does
in Buffalo County, I worked with Chad D. We toured
several trout stream restoration projects, and for the
first time I viewed the process of in-stream habitat restoration. Structures included rock
15
weirs, single wing deflectors, root wads, lunkers, and riprap. These structures have a
variety of tasks including erosion protection, stream aeration, and cover habitat for trout
and their food source. A big part of the project is making the slopes of the banks more
gradual rather than a steep drop-off into the stream. This prevents major soil erosion,
which is detrimental to the life in the stream.
As I mentioned earlier, there was a major storm that dropped a considerable
amount of rain over night. This flooding event was badly timed for a project that was in the
midst of being built; it pretty much destroyed most of the progress that had been made.
Several structures were washed away or demolished Only a few corners held their riprap,
while most were washed downstream. It was really humbling and a good reminder of how
powerful water truly is and why it is important to implement good erosion prevention
practices.
One aspect of natural resources I had not
considered before this summer was surveying.
This is important for any water management
structure and stream restoration. During the
internship, I was able to get field surveying
experiences with Chad D. One location we
surveyed was for a potential dam structure and
its water reservoir. Before this, I had no idea what the process of surveying was. It turned
out to be more advanced and high tech than I initially believed. We first set up a tower that
received and sent signals. We then used a pole-mounted GPS
unit to collect data points. This unit received signals from a
satellite, sent them to the tower, and then received another
signal from the tower. We took about 70 data points at multiple
elevations. These data points were systematically placed as to
where the dam would be and how far back the water was most
likely going to sit. Chad D. could then calculate how much field
the farmer was going to lose to the dam structure and its
watery footprint; farmers often ask for lost acreage information
16
first. After data collection, Chad D. used a program and showed me the finished project of
what the dam would look like.
I remember from my introductory natural resource classes that an area is
considered a wetland if it has two of following: water, hydric soils, or hydric plants. The
professors made it sound really simple in the classroom, but in reality it can be difficult. I
saw this first hand by working with Chad D. and Tim Miland (Area Resource Soil Scientist)
when they were conducting wetland determinations. Most sites we visited were damp or
had water because it had been raining every couple days for the last few weeks. Some
places had hydric plants, but they were the weedy species you find in roadside ditches. The
biggest indicator was soil. If the soil had mottling (presence of redox reactions) it could be
considered a wetland. There was only one site we visited where there was an established
wetland. Normally this would be viewed positively, but this wetland was in the middle of a
farmer’s field. Not only was location an issue but also the water ripping through the
wetland was causing major erosion concerns. This was a tricky situation because it is a
wetland and is subject to special restrictions. Since this was a complicated issue, a solution
took a while to work out.
I believe environmental education is very important. It introduces the next
generation to resources they can use for the rest of their lives and how to properly care for
those reasons. Some of my time spent with the NRCS was assisting with environmental
education. For my first week of my internship, I
spent three days with the 6th grade class from the
Alma Area Schools. I helped instructors teach a
variety of topics that included GPS, plant
identification, fish identification,
macroinvertebrates, water tables, and invasive
species removal. It was rewarding teaching younger
people about topics I was passionate about. Two
weeks later, I was an instructor for the Mondovi
Conservation Days. I was teaching kids about
macroinvertebrates. I focused on why
macroinvertebrates are important and what information they tell us. That morning, before
17
the kids got to the site, I collected a few samples. The samples were put into large tubs, and
I had the kids use spoons and turkey basters to remove, identify, and count how many
different macroinvertebrates there were. I showed the kids how to use the information we
had gathered to calculate the health of the stream. The kids liked my station because it was
hands on with things they could see.
Reflection
I first thank all the sponsors again for their generous donations. Without them, this
internship would not be an option. The reason I applied for this internship was because the
description sounded like I would not be doing the same thing every day. I was not
disappointed. I was able to work with several different agencies, and very rarely did I ever
have two days that were the same. I also believe I became better rounded in the field of
natural resources rather than in just my field of studies. This internship provided me with
hands on skills that cannot be gained in the classroom. I wanted to thank the sponsors one
last time but also thank all the great professionals I worked with over the summer. All you
guys made this internship great, enjoyable, and worthwhile.
18
A Big Thank You to the 2017 Donors
Alma Rod and Gun Club
Bee Forest Products
Dairyland Power Cooperative
Mondovi Conservation Club
Fountain City Rod and Gun Club
Clear Waters Chapter – Trout Unlimited
Madison Fishing Expo
Buffalo County Farm Bureau
John Balk
Modena Farms
Steve Stamm
Waumandee Rod and Gun Club
Bushy’s Meat Market and Buff’s Bake Shop
Mark Boesch
Melitta Schaffner
Stuart Hagen
Swan Watch
Fountain City Lions Club
Greshik Farms
Gunderson’s Meats – Jon Seipel
Lower Chippewa River Alliance, Inc
Post D Excavating – Doug Sokup
Reglin Excavating, LLC
Ron Hulburt
Rutting Ridge Outfitters – Jarrad Fluekiger
Ryan’s Sport Shop
Sendelbach Construction, Inc
Todd Mau
Weiss Realty
Al Kube