The weather forecast for the 4th is looking great!

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Decorate and Celebrate!

During our Annual 4th of July Boat Parade!

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Will you be one of the lucky owners of this fantastic Birch Lake Academy shirt? Be on or by the lake during the boat parade and you may be!

The Annual Birch Lake Association Fourth of July Boat Parade is a GO! A perfect way to remain physically distant and socially connected! As usual the parade will meet on Little Birch at the south side of the channel at 12:45 PM. We “plan” to go by the city dock at approximately 1:00 PM - give or take 15 minutes. This year’s theme is Celebrate Your School! In today’s extraordinary times so many graduates - both high school and college - missed out on traditional celebrations, we’d like to give them a chance to be honored at the lake! So deck out your boat or pontoon in school colors, grab those flags and pennants and graduation gowns! Let’s celebrate our schools and grads!! (If you don’t have a grad or a special school to celebrate it IS the Fourth of July)! See you on the lake!

Birch Lake's Annual 4th of July Boat Parade

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The Annual Birch Lake Association Fourth of July Boat Parade is a GO! A perfect way to remain physically distant and socially connected! As usual the parade will meet on Little Birch at the south side of the channel at 12:45 PM. We “plan” to go by the city dock at approximately 1:00- give or take 15 minutes. This year’s theme is Celebrate Your School! In today’s extraordinary times so many graduates- both high school and college - missed out on traditional celebrations, we’d like to give them a chance to be honored at the lake! So deck out your boat or pontoon in school colors, grab those flags and pennants and graduation gowns! Let’s celebrate our schools and grads!! (If you don’t have a grad or a special school to celebrate it IS the Fourth of July)! See you on the lake!

Understanding Loon Calls

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Did you know that only male Loons yodel?

Did you know that only male Loons yodel?

Only male loons yodel. According to Loon.org “The yodel is typically given whenever a male loon feels threatened, including during aggressive territorial interactions with other loons, when eagles or other predators are nearby, or when a loon’s chicks or nest are closely approached by humans. Male loons often extend their necks flat over the water’s surface while yodeling in order to better project the call. When yodels are given during territorial interactions, the loon may rise out of the water with its neck extended forward and its wings arched toward its rival”. Learn about loon calls here.

Hackensack Lending Library Opens Today

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We are pleased to announce the Monday, June 15 opening of the Hackensack Lending Library - where you don’t need a library card to check out a book! We are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00-2:00 and are located in a charming 1937-vintage log cabin on the banks of Birch Lake in Hackensack. This very special place is brimming over with books of every genre from travel to mystery; from history to romance; and everything in between. We are open from June through August and would love to have you visit. During this COVID 19 summer our library procedures have been somewhat altered and we want you to know the new procedures before visiting: *Sanitize your hands before entering *Only 3 visitors at a time *Masks are required *Book donations are limited to 10 books at a time We are always looking for book lovers who would be interested in volunteering. Please contact Maggie McGill (515-210-9028) or Diane Zaske (218-209-1961) if you’d like to join us. We are having a HUGE 3-day BOOK SALE on Friday, July 10 (9:00-2:00), Saturday, July, 11 (9:00-2:00), and Sunday, July 12 (10:00-2:00). Come visit and purchase books on 1st Ave. in Hackensack in the Faith in Action offices next to Sun ’n Fun.

Maggie McGill

A note from our BLA President

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Zebra Muscles

Zebra Muscles

All,

Please take a couple of minutes to read this informative article from the Ten Mile Lake Association. It gives a detailed explanation about the zebra mussel infestation and how it is likely to progress. There is a paragraph specifically addressing the potential impact on Birch Lake. While it is daunting it does include bits of optimism!

Best,

Paul Blomgren

Volunteers add $7.8 million in value to DNR

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April 4, 2019

Last year over 20,000 Minnesotans volunteered their services to assist the Department of Natural Resources in accomplishing its conservation mission. According to the new 2018 Annual DNR Volunteer Report released today, these volunteer services in 2018 were valued at $7.8 million. In hours that equates to 136 full-time staff.

“We’re fortunate to have so many dedicated Minnesotans who are willing to donate their skills, time and talents to help strengthen our conservation efforts,” said Renée Hartwig, DNR volunteer program administrator. “We’re extremely grateful for their efforts. Volunteer engagement is crucial in many of our projects, especially citizen science.”

The report precedes National Volunteer Week, April 7-14, which is a time for organizations across the country to honor volunteers and recognize the impact of their time and energy.

Volunteer opportunities at the DNR can range from specialized activities requiring extensive skill and experience, to projects requiring little or no previous experience. The experience of Pheng Xiong is an example of a volunteer learning and expanding their skills.

Willowbrook Restoration – Pheng Xiong
Pheng Xiong has been an intern for the Urban Roots conservation crew all four of his high school years. In this position, he’s taken on the leadership role of teaching at DNR public events, leading nature walks on the trails and restoring the landscape at the DNR Willowbrook Campus, home to the DNR central region headquarters and Minnesota’s first state-run fish hatchery.

“No matter how hot, buggy, wet or ‘sticky’ the task, Pheng always has a smile and great attitude,” said Gina Bonsignore, DNR regional planner. “He has done so much to help improve our site and educate his community about the importance of natural resources. He’s even transferred the knowledge he has gained here to advocate for, design, and implement a rain garden at his high school. ”

What do DNR Volunteers do?

Volunteers help with a variety of activities including firearms safety instruction, wildlife habitat improvement, state park campground hosting, loon monitoring, trail clearing, precipitation measurement and reporting, issuing burning permits and doing wildlife research, to name a few. Watch the 90 second DNR Volunteer video to see volunteers in action.

Volunteer opportunities are available throughout Minnesota at state parks, state forest campgrounds, wildlife management areas, fisheries and hatcheries, as well as at DNR regional and headquarters offices.

For more information, visit the DNR volunteer opportunities website.  People can also contact the DNR Information Center at 888-646-6367 or 651-296-6157.

It's Official!

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The Northern Waters Land Trust formerly known as the Leech Lake Watershed Foundation
The Secretary of State has now granted us permission for formally change our name! The new name matters. We work in a service area that includes FOUR watersheds ... not just one. And our work to preserve land to protect water in our 4-county region is more important then ever.

Why change our name?

  • We live in the last 40% of the state that can still claim to have clean waters. The DNR has found that the waters in the south and south-central portions of the state are under “major stress and can’t be restored or restoration is mostly unrealistic”. Many have signs: "NO SWIMMING" "NO FISHING". Protecting our land to ensure clean water makes sense from an investment standpoint. Restoration efforts are costly and rarely successful.

  • We have a water-based economy up here. Tourism in our 4-county region exceeds every Minnesota county except Hennepin and Ramsey counties. Hunting. Fishing. Biking. Cabins and resorts. 254,000 full and part-time jobs depend on clean water.

What can you do to support our lakes, rivers, wetlands and streams?

  • Do what you already do ... recycle, don't use fertilizers on lawns near waters, stay on top of the news' cycles for information about the threats to our waters and let your elected officials know how important clean water is to you and to future generations.

More Updates!

  • Look for more news in December when we will announce our new Executive Director!

  • Our end-of-year Annual Appeal will land in your mail box in November!

  • Website changes will continue as our transitions continue!

REMEMBER ...

Your Support Helps Protect Northern Water and Land

Preserving land to protect water is our job .... and yours, too!

Donations can be made through GiveMN or by mailing your donation to us at: Northern Waters Land Trust, P.O. Box 124, Walker, MN 56484.

The Northern Waters Land Trust | P.O. Box 124

Walker, MN 56484-0124 | 218.547.4510 | www.northernwateerslandtrust.org