The wetland forests in the headwaters of the North Pikes Creek watershed, like other northern Wisconsin forests, are facing the dual challenges of a warming climate and an imminent infestation of an invasive insect – the emerald ash borer. The Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands organization is proactively addressing these challenges.
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We Did It! 800 Trees Planted!
Thank you everyone! More than 50 volunteers from four organizations – the Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands, Superior Rivers Watershed Association, Trout Unlimited Great Lakes Program, and a Northland College Ecological Restoration class – came together over the weekend of May 10-12 to plant 800 trees in the wetland forest surrounding the North Pikes Creek headwaters. The project was made possible by generous funding from three foundations: the James E. Dutton Foundation, the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin’s CD. Besadny Conservation Fund, and the Fund for the Environment of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. This funding was utilized by the FNPCW to purchase materials for this year’s planting, and to purchase planting equipment that will be utilized for the underplanting effort each year for the next four years! The Friends will ultimately underplant 25 trees per acre during the planned 5-year forest improvement project.
Dedicated volunteers planted four tree species in the wetland forest, assisting the northward migration of several species native to southern Wisconsin. These trees will survive the ash die-off, add diversity to the forest, promote clean stream water, boost climate resilience, and provide a healthy wetland habitat for wildlife. If you missed this year’s event, you’ll have an opportunity to join us next May
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