Project: Statewide Wildlife Areas
County: Multiple
Project Start Date: 01/01/2018
Project End Date: 12/31/2018
By Mike Alaimo, Lead AWA Volunteer
At the Annual Meeting in Berlin on January 26th, a presentation was given summarizing the projects our AWA teams completed in 2018. It is amazing as to the variety of tasks these teams accomplished:
The Wausau Team over at George Mead Wildlife Area (WA) surpassed their 100 hour goal with an additional 25% completed! They tackled chain saw training, clearing projects and wood duck box maintenance with UWSP students. This was a great accomplishment for their first year!
Rome Pond WA received over 100 hours of work through a clearing project, blind removal, wood duck box maintenance, new Wood Duck boxes, nesting tubes, Invasive work, black tern nesting platforms and parking lot clean-ups.
Lake Mills WA marked a first with a multiple-year grant to improve nesting islands.
Paradise Valley WA saw clearing projects, wood duck box maintenance, gate painting and parking lot clean-ups.
Jackson Marsh WA had new wood duck boxes and nesting tubes added and a lake clean-up. Chain saw training is next on the list.
Big Muskego was added as a new AWA and projects are being worked through, as well as chain saw training.
Wrapping up the great successes noted above, the Mud Lake WA team in Columbia County has completed their 100 hrs early as a first year team! This amp’ed-up team added new wood duck boxes and nesting tubes, planted apple trees, posted closed area signs, went through chain saw training, completed some clearing work, and most recently helped clear snow at the adjacent public shooting range!
A big thanks goes out to all involved in AWA work for the WWA! 2019 will be an exciting year and is already starting strong! Check out our full 2018 Year in Review report here.