Mushroom Powered Rockets?! Fun Facts about Fascinating Fungi

Ever year people scour the trails in Wisconsin’s north woods to forage for mushrooms with high hopes of bringing home some delicious earthy eats.  The Morel Mushroom is without a doubt one of the  most highly sought after fungi, not only is it quite tasty, the morel mushroom retails at $15-17 or more per pound to the right buyer or “fun guy”.  But, before you head out in to a local hardwood forest where these mushrooms can be harvested make sure you know what you are looking for because there is more than one look-a-like that can make you extremely sick.  One of these imposter morals is the Conifer False Morel (Brain Fungus), and this very distinctive spring mushroom (mid-May to mid-June in northern Wisconsin) grows at the same time of year and in the same habitat (sandy soil, under pine, spruce, and sometimes aspen) as the true morel.  Even with their similarities the distinctive red-brown brain like cap on the poisonous false morel mushroom is an easy way to tell the difference between the two.  You do not have to be a rocket scientist to identify this poisonous fungus in the wild but you might need to a rocket scientist to fully appreciate and understand the fascinating truth behind the Conifer false morel.   Scientific studies of this particular fungus has revealed that the presence of a carcinogenic toxin, monomethylhydrazine (MMH), is not only what causes the unpleasant symptoms to humans after ingesting it is used as a propellant for the rocket fuel in the Space Shuttle.

A Surge of Spurge!

A Surge of Spurge!

by Tim Dobbins, Summer Water Educator

Leafy spurge is a common terrestrial invasive plant located throughout many areas of Wisconsin. Its bluish-green stem containing alternating lance shaped leaves can assist in identifying this leafy plant. Throughout the early summer leafy spurge can be seen with yellow flower clusters located at the top of the stem. It prefers sunny areas with dry to very dry soil such as fields and along roadsides. 

As an invasive species, leafy spurge provides a threat to our endemic species. Each plant can release a toxic substance into the soil surrounding it to prevent the growth of any competing plant that may have occurred in that area. This allows the invasive plant to spread quickly and drown out native species. Leafy spurge has an extremely large root system and new plants can even sprout from root fragments making removal extremely difficult. To spread seeds, leafy spurge can open its seed capsules in an explosive manner sending seeds over 15 feet away!

If you look close you can see the forming of the seed capsules here! 

Photo by Peter Rebholz

As of July 2011 the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has 58 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties listed for known populations of leafy spurge. Vilas is among the 14 counties in which leafy spurge has not yet been documented as inhabiting an established population. 

However, earlier this week AIS Coordinator, Anne Kretschmann, and I spent the day on Island Lake taking water samples at different areas throughout lake. While boating over to one of our sample locations, Anne noticed a small cluster of yellow flowers along the shoreline. After collecting a small sample, we brought it back to the Discover Center and confirmed it was indeed leafy spurge. Our next step is filling out a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Invasive Plant Report.

Here is one of the infestations found on Island Lake. 

Photo by Tim Dobbins

 If you think you have found an invasive plant that has not yet been documented, whether aquatic, wetland, or terrestrial, you can report your findings using the links below:

Terrestrial/Wetland:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/documents/1700056.pdf

Aquatic:

http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/forms/3200-125-plantincident.pdf

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Works Cited:

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/plants/leafyspurge.htm

Distribution Map: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/LeafySpurge.html

Flash the Ferret

by Licia Johnson, Naturalist

If you have ever stepped foot in our Nature Nook you know the musky scent that greeted you. Flash the Ferret (a member of the weasel family) has been an amazing member of our Discovery Center family for over five years. 

He has put a smile on hundreds of visitors to the Discovery Center and was a favorite and essential part of the Nature Nook experience. 

For the past several months Flash has been treated for a tumor on his pancreas, not an uncommon illness for older ferrets. Earlier this month we had to make the tough decision to put our dear friend to sleep. His frail little ferret body was no longer able to fight the effects of the disease. 

He was a special critter to many folks and he will be greatly missed here at the Center. Thank you to all of those who visited him, played with him and took him out for his daily walks- he appreciated all the love and attention very much.

Wildlife Expert Visits the Northwoods, Presentation on Cougars In Wisconsin

On Thursday March 14, Wildlife Ecology Professor Dr. Eric Anderson will visit the Northwoods and provide a free evening presentation on “Big Cats: Fact, Fiction and Future.”  

Dr. Anderson is active in carnivore research and education on cougars, bobcat and wolves.  He is author to numerous scientific journal articles and co-author on several books dealing with carnivores and wildlife habitat selection. Currently, Anderson and his students are investigating wolf pup survival in central Wisconsin as well as researching the presence of cougars throughout the State.  

Multiple confirmed sightings and signs in various counties throughout Wisconsin make this a particularly interesting time to hear from Dr. Anderson on the cougar’s past, current and future status. 

The North Lakeland Discovery Center is hosting Dr. Anderson as the featured presenter in their monthly “Nibbles ‘n’ Knowledge” adult-lecture series. The evening begins with a selection of appetizers and a cash bar from 5 – 6 pm, with the presentation to follow from 6 – 7 pm.   

The evening program will be held at Camp JornYMCA, on Red Feather Road off Highway K in Manitowish Waters.  All Discovery Center programs through April are free of charge, with donations encouraged. Advance registration for all programs is required. 

Please call (877) 543-2085 or sign up online www.DiscoveryCenter.net. 

A Visit to a Special Place

On Saturday, February 23^rd, Discovery Center staff, members and partners had the opportunity to visit a very unique and beautiful landscape.  In cooperation with The Nature Conservancy, the Discovery Center was able to invite members on a very special outing at the Guido Rahr, Sr. Tenderfoot Forest Reserve. 

Photo 1: Matt Dallman, of The Nature Conservancy,
discusses the property before the snowshoe hike. 

  The program was put together by Matt Dallman of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Rod Sharka, of Partners in Forestry and a volunteer of TNC, Discovery Center staff and special guests, local authors and naturalists John Bates and Mary Burns.  Thanks to the hard work of Matt and the sponsorship of TNC, we gained special access to the site by land.  Normally the site cannot be visited unless you canoe across Palmer Lake, up the Ontonagon River and across Tenderfoot Lake. 

We set out early in the morning, and after a somewhat adventuresome ride in the big van down the curvy, steep, snowy roads, made it to the starting point of the snowshoe hike.  Since this snow had not yet been touched by anyone, we took turns breaking trail; there were several feet of beautiful snow covering the ground.  All the hemlocks and yellow birch had a layer of fresh snow from the night before.  We spent the next three hours snowshoeing through the old growth hemlock forest, listening to a site history from Matt, old growth forest interpretation from John and a few chickadees and nuthatches that joined us.  Some of the funnier moments came from snow that started to fall off the trees, landing on some of the group members. 

Photo 2: Group shot on Mirror Lake.  (l to r) Mary Burns, John Bates, Peg Uihlein,
Bob Schmidt, Ted Crabb, Sherlene Schmidt, Mike Uihlein, Licia Johnson,
Bob Twelmeyer, Cheryl Bowen, Barb Crabb and Rod Sharka. 
Taking the photo and missing from the shot is Matt Dallman. 

  It was a very enjoyable morning and not one we all will soon forget!   

(Information below from TNC website)

TNC in Wisconsin

Since their founding in 1960, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 229,500 acres of land and water in some of Wisconsin’s most critical landscapes. These areas include the Baraboo Hills in Sauk and Columbia counties, the Door Peninsula, the forests of northern Wisconsin, the Mukwonago River watershed in southeast Wisconsin, and the Military Ridge Prairie Heritage area in southwest Wisconsin.

The Nature Conservancy also owns and manages preserves in other locations around the state. Conservancy preserves are open to the public for recreational activities such as hiking, hunting, canoeing, cross-country skiing and wildlife-watching.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site

The Tenderfoot acquisition is significant because it protects 500 acres of old-growth hemlock-hardwood forest--the largest remaining expanse of old-growth forest in private ownership in Wisconsin.

Photo 3:  John and Mary stop to measure the
diameter of a large yellow birch tree.

The preserve also protects more than four miles of undeveloped shoreline on three wild lakes in northern Wisconsin.  According to a 1996 report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, two-thirds of northern Wisconsin’s undeveloped lakes 10 acres or larger have been developed since 1960.  If this trend continues, according to the report, all undeveloped lakes in northern Wisconsin not in public ownership could be developed within the next 20 years.

Tenderfoot is a critical link in a network of public and private forest lands that make up the Border Lakes Area, which spans about 24,000 acres in Vilas County.  The area harbors white pines up to 400 years old and includes wetlands, spring-fed ponds, many wild lakes and streams.

The Border Lakes Area is also the headwaters of the Presque Isle and Ontonagon rivers.  The Tenderfoot property contributes surface water and groundwater to both rivers, whose watersheds cover more than 1.25 million acres in Wisconsin and Michigan.  Management of the land will play an important role in protecting water quality in these two important rivers.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing

Photo 4:  Enjoying the snow and the scenery.  

In October 2005, the Conservancy purchased the land from the Rahr family, which is originally from Manitowoc where they brewed beer and made malt for the beer industry. The family donated more than $1 million of the value of the land to the Conservancy in order to ensure that the property remains in its natural state for generations to come.

Prior to selling the land to the Conservancy, the Rahr family had owned and cared for it for more than 120 years. The preserve is named in honor of Guido Rahr, Sr., who served on the Wisconsin Conservation Commission for 23 years in the 1950s and 60s.  During those years, his leadership and business experience were credited with making Wisconsin’s Conservation Department one of the most outstanding wildlife agencies in the nation.

2012 Wisconsin update:

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/wisconsin/wisconsin-update-fall-2012.pdf

We thank The Nature Conservancy, Matt, Rod, John, Mary and all the Discovery Center members who joined us and made this such an amazing experience!

Photo captions: (all photos taken by Licia, except #2 by Matt Dallman)

10 Fun Things to do in the Snow

10 Fun Things to do in the Snow:  (From January 2012 Newsletter)

Bring on the snow...Bundle up and get out with your friends and family to enjoy all that winter has to offer. 

1.  Get active.  Strap on a pair of snowshoes or skis.  The Discovery Center has over 12 miles of snowshoe and groomed ski trails to enjoy.

2.  Ice cube scavenger hunt.  Make colored ice cubes by adding food coloring, hide them in the snow and try to find them.

3.  Catch snowflakes.  Put a black piece of paper in the freezer.  Then take it outside, catch a snowflake,  and use a magnifying lens to look at the flakes up close.

4. Make a home.  Pack and use the snow to make an igloo or quinzee hut!

5.  Make ice cream.  Take one cup of cold milk, dissolve 3/4 cup sugar, and add 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract.  Mix in 4-5 cups of fresh snow until it becomes thick.

6.  Make colorful snow angels.  Make snow angels, then take colored water in spray bottles and color away!

7.  Make maple candy.  Boil pure maple syrup and then drizzle it on well-packed snow.  Make sure it is cool before eating! 

8.  Explore by moonlight.  Each month, take advantage of the full moon’s bright light by exploring the forest at night.

9.  Footprint tag.  Play tag, stepping only in each others’ footprints.

10.  Become a winter wildlife detective.  After a fresh snowfall, look for animal tracks and figure out who left them.