Spring is a Marvel
/By Steve Mueller, President 2022
“Such a marvel, the tenacity of the buds to surge with life every spring, to greet the lengthening days and warming weather with exuberance, no matter what hardships were brought by winter.”
Spring is a marvel, especially on our Island, insuring new energy and renewal, “no matter the hardships of winter”, as Simard says. As we emerge from the pandemic this year, the feeling of spring’s renewal brings new hope for us all. As president of the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve, I’ve appreciated the support of our board and membership to persevere through the isolation imposed on us over the last two years. And I’m thankful that our lands have offered solace and renewal for all who needed to escape into nature in order to maintain balance during difficult times. This year you will see a burst of activity from our organization owing to the commitment and contributions of many people.
Education We will be offering an amazing lineup of speakers to engage us in learning about the beautiful part of the world we live in, from the history of logging at our spring reception, to talks about birds, mushrooms and the threats to our lakes and wetlands. Please view the schedule of the events in this newsletter or at www.miwp.org. We hope to see many of you there.
Our Lands and Trails We have beautiful new maps of our lands and trails created by cartographer, island resident, and Madeline Island Trails (MIT) board member, Elori Kramer. (See the blog post.) We improved the access to our lands with a new parking area at the School House Road trailhead, repaired the bridge on the north end trail, and added more “duck boards” on the wetter areas of the trails. And we received a gracious donation of 20 acres of land near the middle of the Island and close to our other holdings. Thank you to Catherine Corey and Tod Rubin for this generous gift that will protect more of our natural surroundings.
Invasives We are continuing our multi-year program to contain and mitigate the harmful effects of invasive plant species on our Island. We are fighting the scourge presented by buckthorn, barberry and Eurasian honeysuckle. This is a program that will ensure that the entire Island, not just MIWP lands, is protected from these harmful invaders.
Giving Back to the community This year MIWP donated $5,000 to fund the Town of LaPointe in its efforts to remove and dispose of old junk vehicles on the Island. This donation is part of our continuing efforts to give back to the community in ways that enhance the beauty and protect the environment of our island home.
Get Involved You are invited to our spring reception, the first we’ve had in two years, to join with other members to celebrate our lands, hear an excellent speaker, and find out what we’re up to. It will be great to see faces in person again! Look for further details in this newsletter or online. As always, give what you can, remember us in your estate plan if possible, attend our educational events, and get out on the trails! Volunteers are always welcome!
Steve Mueller, Board President
