Spring has sprung at Devil's Lake State Park, and with it comes a charming little flower with a curious name: Dutchman's Breeches. Observant visitors will be delighted to spot patches of these delicate blooms all over the quartzite cliff on…
I've been thinking about how much 2024 is feeling like the infamous drought year, 2012 so far. But I also know that we humans have a way of connecting dots in ways that are not always factual. So, I decided…
Nets installed at Devil's Lake State Park yesterday are part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fisheries program's comprehensive fishery survey, which takes place every 10 years. These nets primarily target northern pike but will also capture panfish and…
As the unusually warm weather continues in our part of Wisconsin, things are changing rapidly at Devil's Lake State Park. The lake's ice has receded, leaving only a small frozen shelf in the more shaded area along the south shore.…
The sun rose for the first time this winter over a completely frozen Devil's Lake on Jan 14th, 2024. The temp at dawn was -10 to -12. The first ice fisherman was out on the ice just one day later,…
We all know that planting trees benefits our environment...usually. Looking back, Wisconsin was the nation's top timber producer between 1890-1899. By the 1920s, logging had decimated Wisconsin’s seemingly endless forests. Reforestation efforts ramped up in the 1930s and 40s. In…
There’s still color out there thanks to the oaks! Oaks, being the tough trees they are, wait to change colors after most other trees. Rather than the flashy hues of maples, oaks go for the warm reds, browns, and russets…
There’s still quite a bit of green out in the forests right now. In fact, the less healthy the landscape, the more green it is! This is because when Wisconsin’s native plants are dormant or preparing for winter, foreign invaders…
A little color, mostly green. Yep, it's going to be a quick report this week! The first place we see colors changing with Devil's Lake State Park each year is around roads and parking lots. These trees not only get…
