A Tree for Thee: Today, in case you hadn't heard, is National Arbor Day. True, there are many "days" designated with various causes, but this one touches the forest-happy heart strings of Big Lake area lovers. The time is fast approaching, too, for planting – or transplanting – trees in our region. Bidding "May the Forest Be with You," the Michigan DNR sent out a press release with a host of likeable links, from how to plant trees to info about the state tree – a white pine. (The state tree of Wisconsin is the sugar maple; the state tree of Minnesota is the red, or Norway, pine; and the official tree symbol of Ontario is the eastern white pine.) The Minnesota DNR also has a number of Arbor Month videos plus notes on the right trees for your region. Wisconsin DNR's Arbor Day page includes the video "Why Plant Treeeeeeeeees?" (and yes, we counted the "e"s.) The Arbor Day Foundation, of course, also has offers plenty of tree-planting ideas. On the Lake Superior Magazine website, we have regional planting tips from a local expert in "Tree to Shining Tree" and a story by Molly Hoeg about how a Duluth turned a tree tragedy (storm destroyed) into a way to let the tree live on in her story "When Bad Things Happen to Good Trees."
Season Openers: The first Saturday in May opens the hook-and-line fishing season for Wisconsin and this year Gov. Tony Evers (seen here also in the Hayward area) will be heading to the Hayward Lakes Area to cast a line for the traditional Governor's Fishing Opener. Fun activities have already gotten under way at the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward with a Fishing & Outdoor Expo in the parking lot today. Visit the vendors, try your luck at the casting skills challenge course, see the Birds of Prey on display and enjoy some live music. Minnesota's fishing opener is May 15 this year, the latest date possible under the law. That said, moms get to try their fishing luck the weekend before, with the traditional "Take a Mom Fishing Weekend" (when moms fish free) will be May 8-9. Then the next weekend (May 13-15) the Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener will be in Otter Tail County in the west-central part of the state.
Island Pick-Me-Up: On Saturday (May 1), the Madeline Island community is being asked to join in a clean-up. Teams will assemble at Joni's Beach to get their garbage bags and gear before heading out on the town for a few hours of clean-up, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Town of La Pointe will provide trailers for bag collection. The Madeline Island Chamber of Commerce is helping to organize and team leaders are encouraged to call the chamber at 715-747-2801 so all areas are covered without overlaps. If it rains, the clean-up will be May 8.
Here We (Don't) Go Again: When the U.S. Census Bureau, in a graphic explaining why Michigan lost a U.S. House* seat after the recent head count, doesn't include the Upper Peninsula as part of Michigan … well that's just wrong, note many U.P. residents and Michigan media outlets. Amy Huschka of the Detroit Free Press has the original animated Tweet in her story along with Da Upper Peninsula retort Tweet: "THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU. THE CENSUS!! Are you kidding me?! I'm so done." The response, of course, is because so many times (and times again), the U.P. goes missing on maps and graphics. (The Census Bureau did update the graphic by the end of the day ... but Michigan didn't get a Senate seat back.) Meanwhile, Doug Garrison of Word on the Street, out of Marquette, did a lovely little summary of recent missing U.P. maps. It could be good, Doug points out, not to get too much attention, but still … {*The emailed version of the newsletter erroneously said "Senate" seat - which should teach me about teasing the Census Bureau. My apologies to our readers!}
U.P. Lab Gets Recognition: Lest you think the contributions of the Upper Peninsula are always forgotten … both houses of the Michigan Legislature and the office of the governor presented a special tribute to the Michigan Technological University's Board of Trustees today. The entities praised Michigan Tech's COVID-19 testing laboratory for its quick response and community support during the pandemic, Kelley Christensen reports for the Houghton-based university. The lab was created and put into action in April 2020. “Michigan Tech is pleased to have been able to provide this resource to the Upper Peninsula during such a challenging time,” board trustees Chair Brenda Ryan said in accepting the tribute.
Better than a Truffle-snuffler: Everybody knows a Labrador retriever with a good sniffer is every bit as great as a truffle-snuffling pig, But a pooch that sniffs out and retrieves a moose antler and a nifty abandoned axe … now there's a good Up North dog. Such is the case of Scout, photographer/naturalist/author Michael Furtman's newest hunting and photo companion. Here is the story in Scout's own words from their northern Minnesota cabin:
SCOUT HERE…
I drugged this out of the woods this morning while pops was taking pitchers. We went across the lake by canoe. I sit still in the canoe like pops taught me. I’m a good dog.
We got across the lake and got to shore. Pops was looking for a bird he saw flitter by. I figured I’d go nose around. I have a good nose.
So anyways I found this. I figured pops would want it. It were heavy but I’m strong. Pops was really happy when he saw it. At first he thought I was playing with a stick. I do that a lot. Then he saw it was a moose antler and he got all eggsighted.
I like make pops happy.
Yesterday we found a axe. Today a moose horn.
There sure is a lot of stuff in this woods!
Bye.
Paddle Power: Three eighth-grade students from Chippewa County, Michigan, plan to head out along the St. Mary's River from Sault Ste. Marie at 6:30 a.m. Saturday (May 1) on their stand-up paddleboards and make their way to Drummond island. The 50-mile trip is intended to raise awareness of environmental issues and funds for education and aiding the Great Lakes. Owen Werner, Jamie Peters and Max Ward join with Stand Up for the Great Lakes founder Kwin Morris on the journey, expected to take up to 12 hours (including some breaks). More than 100 donors contributed to the support of the young paddleboarders' efforts. Drummond Island Elementary did a penny drive and donated over $1,000. The original Stand Up for the Great Lakes undertaking - a circle tour of Lake Superior in 2018 - netted enough to donate $15,000 to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.
Photo & graphic credits: Arbor Day Foundation; Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' Office; Madeline Island Chamber of Commerce; U.S. Census Bureau; Michigan Technological University; Michael Furtman; Stand Up for the Great Lakes