September 2009 - Vol. 47

Inside this Issue:

• Frank’s Ship is Leaving
  
  
• Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival

• Lake Whitefish Population Assessment

• Wetland Restoration Projects Completed

Assistant Project Leader Frank Stone's Ship is Leaving ....
The message sent out to our staff and several of our cooperators read:

Lord of the Rings > Return of the King > Bilbo Baggins at the boat dock about to depart from the harbor on the last ship to leave Middle Earth. Bilbo takes in a deep breath as a gentle smile emerges.  He looks to his companions and in the most gentle of voice exclaims;

I Think it’s Time for Another Adventure….

And so it is also with Frank and Sherry Stone.  They have sold their home and will be retiring to Idaho for the start of their next adventure together.

... "After 34 years with the federal government, I'm on my final days of work with the Fish & Wildlife Service. I'm leaving with mixed feelings because I have been so very blessed. Although I'm looking forward to the days ahead, it's hard to say goodbye to all the great and caring people that I have been associated with over the years.  I have many wonderful and exciting memories to cherish.  I want to thank each of you for enriching my life and making my career so memorable.  I wish you all the best of health and happiness and I hope our paths cross again in the future."

It’s Time for Another Adventure,
Frank G. Stone (USFWS Retired)

Ashland FWCO Participates in 2009 Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival
The Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival was held May 15th through the 17th, 2009.  The three day event attended by hundreds of people from around the country was hosted by the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center in Ashland, Wisconsin, and consisted of birding and nature programs near the south shore of Lake Superior.  Spring migration of many types of birds was in full swing during the festivities and the hundreds of participants and staff observed 175 individual bird species during the festival.

The Chequamegon Bay region is among the top birding destinations in the Midwest, with an amazing variety of high-quality habitats ranging from pine barrens and upland forests to coastal wetlands.  More than 300 species of birds call the area home permanently or during their migrations.  Extraordinary natural beauty and abundant public land make Wisconsin’s south shore of Lake Superior an ideal location for bird-watching and other wildlife viewing. 

Lake Whitefish Population Assessment Conducted in Grand Marais, Michigan
The Ashland FWCO conducted lake whitefish assessments out of Grand Marais, Michigan the period of July 13 –20, 2009.  The survey usually entails six nights but Mother Nature had other plans for the crew that week.  We were only able to set nets for one night due to high winds. 

These surveys are coordinated by the Technical Fisheries Committee (TFC) of the 2000 Consent Decree for 1836 Treaty waters of Lake Superior.  Lake Superior cooperators on this effort included the Bay Mills Indian Community, Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority, Michigan DNR, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Grand Marais Coast Guard Auxiliary.  The information obtained is used by agencies to manage the commercial and recreation harvest of lake whitefish, evaluate abundance and fish health, and to gain a broader understanding of the lake whitefish ecological role in Lake Superior.

Wetland Restoration Projects Completed
Three Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFWP) wetland restoration projects were completed. The Stephenson project consisted of 2 wetland restoration sites totaling three acres.  A PFWP Habitat Development Agreement was signed to protect the restored area for a period of 10 years.  The Kovala and Kalmon wetland restoration projects restored a total of three wetland acres.  Upland areas around these projects were also enhanced to provide nesting cover for migratory birds.  These wildlife habitat projects will benefit a host of species including American black ducks and wood ducks.