3 minute read
From The Secretary
Growing up in the northeast U.S., I’m no stranger to the spectacles of fall — but there’s something about fall in Wisconsin that just feels extra special.
Farmers are busy harvesting crops, kids are excited about the new school year, Badgers and Packers football games highlight our weekends, apple picking abounds and the long-awaited (for some, at least) return of sweater weather is right around the corner.
Here at the DNR, our work lives at the intersection of the natural environment and the many ways people — the heart of our economy and culture — interact with and enjoy it.
Whether it be outstanding fall musky fishing and our iconic deer hunting season or breathtaking hikes at state parks, fall is prime time for popular outdoor activities and time-honored traditions that Wisconsin residents await all year and visitors come from all over to experience.
With that in mind, this is the time to shine for the incredible DNR staff who work throughout the year to manage, study, protect, promote and improve the natural resources that make these activities possible.
It is an honor and privilege to work with and learn from so many outstanding professionals. In my time as secretary, I’ve been so impressed with our talented and passionate staff working statewide on everything from habitat conservation and water quality to waterfowl management and outdoor skills trainings for the public.
Our expert staff are also the primary sources behind many of the articles you’ll read in this and other issues of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, sharing their experience and expertise to help provide the highest quality and most informative stories possible.
Within the following pages, you’ll find details about the early results of the DNR’s Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study and what it means for deer management in the future. There’s also a breakdown of how trout and waterfowl stamps help to improve habitat and tips to help you protect pollinators during your fall yardwork.
This issue also includes a look at fall movement patterns and fishing tips for some of Wisconsin’s most popular gamefish, the science behind the DNR’s waterfowl migration monitoring efforts and a look at Wisconsin’s forest products industry and the everyday items it produces.
Readers will also find a special look back at the Lake Superior sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald — the history, mystery and legacy 50 years later.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t again pause to celebrate the 125th anniversary of our Wisconsin State Park System and our state’s amazing public lands.
The DNR has the privilege and responsibility to acknowledge the Indigenous people who have called this land home for generations. This acknowledgement demonstrates our strong commitment to collaborate and partner with the sovereign tribal nations in Wisconsin.
No matter where you are in the state, you are on the ancestral land of a tribal nation. I encourage you to take the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the history of these lands and the great historical, present and future contributions of Indigenous people.
However you choose to enjoy the outdoors this fall, I hope you and your family have a fantastic, safe and successful season and find time to savor this special time of year.
