Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities
Invasive Asian Jumping Worms: A 2019 Research Update with Brad Herrick
October 3, 2019 at 6pm at Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville
Co-sponsored by the Walworth County Master Gardener Volunteer Association and Rock Prairie Master Gardener Association
Co-sponsored by the Walworth County Master Gardener Volunteer Association and Rock Prairie Master Gardener Association
Free!
There is a new invasive species of worm in Southern Wisconsin called “jumping worms”—and they are nothing to jump up and down about. Brad Herrick will be presenting on this important topic. Brad Herrick holds a B.A. in Biology from Luther College and an M.S. in Ecosystems Studies from UW-Green Bay. For the past 12 years, Brad Herrick has been the ecologist and research program manager at the UW-Madison Arboretum. His research interests include plant community ecology, invasion biology, and environmental monitoring. He also assists in developing long-term restoration plans for Arboretum lands. Recently he has been investigating the biology, ecology, and control mechanisms of the non-native, invasive jumping worm.
There is a new invasive species of worm in Southern Wisconsin called “jumping worms”—and they are nothing to jump up and down about. Brad Herrick will be presenting on this important topic. Brad Herrick holds a B.A. in Biology from Luther College and an M.S. in Ecosystems Studies from UW-Green Bay. For the past 12 years, Brad Herrick has been the ecologist and research program manager at the UW-Madison Arboretum. His research interests include plant community ecology, invasion biology, and environmental monitoring. He also assists in developing long-term restoration plans for Arboretum lands. Recently he has been investigating the biology, ecology, and control mechanisms of the non-native, invasive jumping worm.
Bringing Pollinators Home: 5 Ways You Can Help
October 19, 2019 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at UW-Whitewater Campus, University Center Room 275
Free! Registration required.
Did you know that pollinators help pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants and nearly 75% of our crops? In Wisconsin, we rely mostly on insects to do this important job and in particular honeybees are responsible for 84% of all insect pollination! In this interactive workshop, we will learn more about what exactly pollination is and the ecological, agricultural and economic impacts around pollinator decline. We will explore the Top 5 Ways You Can Help Pollinators providing you with practical things you can do at home to 1) improve habitat, including fall gardening tips; 2) use pesticides correctly; 3) make your lawn pollinator friendly; 4) learn which trees are beneficial to pollinators; and 5) grow pollinator friendly flower gardens. Certified Master Gardeners from the University of Madison, Division of Extension will also be available to answer your gardening questions and provide additional information. Many handouts and resources for you to take home will be provided!
Presenters:
Julie Hill, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Panelists: Susan Cardiff, Mary Kay Thompson, Ann Reilly, Cheryl Bulat and Ruth Flescher, Certified Master Gardener Volunteers
VOLUNTEER Opportunities at Welty Environmental Center, Beloit
Land Management
Bill Hill Park Prairie and Oak Savanna
Location: Big Hill Park, Beloit, WI
Oct 6 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
More Dates and Times TBA (or by group request)
Welty and the Rock County Coalition are working to restore an large area of Big Hill Park to prairie and oak savanna. Come help us collect and spreed seeds, remove invasive species, prune trees, and much much more.
Contact: Brenda, Executive Director, info@weltycenter.org
2nd Grade Fall Ecology Hike
October M-F 9 to 11:30am
Location: Big Hill Park, Beloit, WI
Contact: Aaron Wilson, Program Director, info@weltycenter.org
Lead or Assist a hike through Big Hill Park for School District of Beloit second grade classes. These hikes are focused on identifying interactions between producers, consumers, and decomposers. Students use identification guides on the hike to name a few species common to forest and prairie habitats. Key vocabulary: Ecology, Limiting Factors (Food, Water, Shelter, Space), Caring Capacity, Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers.
4th Grade Natural History: Geology and Fur Trade
November & early December M-F 9 to 11:30am
Location: Big Hill Park, Beloit, WI
Contact: Aaron Wilson, Program Director, info@weltycenter.org
Lead or Assist a Natural History field trip in Big Hill Park focused on local geology and Southern Wisconsin’s involvement in the fur trade. Half of this trip is focused on basic local geologic history that looks at how rocks can change over time. This involves a hike to look at fossils and a dolomite outcropping of a historic quarry. The other half of the hike incorporates brief history of the region’s fur trade. Then play a large group game that help demonstrates how the fur trade economy worked. Key vocabulary: Rock Cycle, Sediment, Sedimentary Rock, Metamorphic Rock, Igneous Rock, Dolomite, Limestone, Shale, Native People, Native American, Jean Nicolet (1634), Wisconsin Fur Trade (1640 to 1844), Ho-chunk, and Joseph Tebo (1832).
