Kinnickinnic River Land Trust

Working with the community to conserve and protect the beauty and health of the Kinnickinnic River and its watershed.

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February Phenology Report

 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Picture-1_riffles-1024x667.jpgThe new Community Forest purchased by the KRLT includes the confluence of the Kinni and the Rocky Branch tributary, which is just upstream of where this picture was taken. This picture shows a small riffle, a feature of the river where the water is turbulent and shallow, broken up by rocks or stones. This is the prime feeding zone for trout. The turbidity also adds dissolved oxygen to the water, which is essential for the survival of the trout’s primary prey species. Without dissolved oxygen, the river would be full of mostly leeches, snails, and true flies – not the best for either trout or people!

 

Much of winter ecology can be hidden unless you’re curious enough to poke around a little bit. For example, this round structure is called a gall, and it’s the winter home of the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis). If you slice the gall in half, you’ll see the larva inside. These provide a tasty treat for chickadees and woodpeckers during the cold winter months. The larvae themselves survive the winter by producing anti-freeze in their cells, and they emerge in the spring no worse for wear. They can only live on goldenrods, so if you see one, you know what the plant is too!

 

Winter is a time when some of the lesser-known organisms are revealed. On the side of this tree, you can see some splotchy discolorations, which are lichens. Lichens are two organisms living together in a mutualistic relationship – a green alga and a fungus. The mini-mushrooms (the fungi) provide a home for the algae, and the algae in turn provide food for the fungi. Attempts to grow lichens in the lab are unsuccessful (the fungi and algae prefer to live on their own) unless nutrients are very scarce. Only then do they team up. This lets them live on surfaces, like bare rock, where no other organisms can live. The new Community Forest purchased by the KRLT includes the confluence of the Kinni and the Rocky Branch river, which is just upstream of where this picture was taken. This picture shows a small riffle, a feature of the river where the water is turbulent and shallow, broken up by rocks or stones. This is the prime feeding zone for trout. The turbidity also adds dissolved oxygen to the water, which is essential for the survival of the trout’s primary prey species. Without dissolved oxygen, the river would be full of mostly leeches, snails, and true flies – not the best for either trout or people!

Monthly phenology reports about the Kinnickinnic River and watershed are brought to life by Stephanie Erlandson, a long time environmental educator, and plant ecologist.

Protect the Kinni

2013©Robert W. Chambers

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Kinni River Recreation Map

2013©Robert W. Chambers

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What’s New

Annual Meeting 2023

THOUGH IT CAN’T LAST – A Dialogue between a poet and a photographer.

Land Trust Days

Kinni Kurrents

Latest river conditions:

Click here to view the current Kinnickinnic River gage information!

Stream:

Clarity:

Gage/camera location is upstream of Highway F. Source: USGS National Water Information System

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Get to know staff member, Steve Leonard! Steve i Get to know staff member, Steve Leonard! 

Steve is the Executive Director at Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Steve has many responsibilities within the Trust and stated, "I listen to people who already have a sense of connection with the Kinni River; it helps me understand their personal passions of why they love the river so much, their concerns of keeping it clean, and what the future might look like. For others who might not have a personal connection to the river, I hope to develop a sense of place, so they too can develop a passion to help us protect the Kinni River, for many generations to come". 

 #wisconsin #phenology #earth #riverfalls #nature #conservation #prairie #landtrust #mothernature #green
Take a walk through the Community Forest 🌲 The Take a walk through the Community Forest 🌲 The Community Forest is a wonderful place to take a walk as the forest is alive with beautiful plants and animals this time of year!
It's Phenology Friday! 🐝 You may have noticed It's Phenology Friday! 🐝

You may have noticed that a buzz has filled the air as our pollinator friends are active again after a long, cold winter. Bee's rely on flowers for nectar and pollen, and these tiny insects pollinate a majority of the crops we, as humans, rely on for food. Native prairie on KRLT preserves host a variety of wildflowers, making the preserves a wonderful haven for the bees, and a great spot for us to catch them in action!

 #bee #wisconsin #riverfalls #conservation #flowers #earth #nature #prairie #landtrust #phenology
Join us tomorrow from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for Get O Join us tomorrow from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for Get Outside and Leave No Trace hike at The Community Forest and neighboring City of River Falls trails! 

There are two locations where you can chat with KRLT, @kinnicorridorcollaborative , and the @leavenotraceorg team about ways to leave no trace when enjoying the great outdoors! 1st location is at The Community Forest parking lot off of HWY FF the 2nd location is Trailhead #11 off of River Ridge Road (see map). 

This is a self-guided hike. There will be a light cleanup and nature scavenger hunt for the kiddos! Gloves and garbage bags will be provided. Hope to see you there!
Get to know KRLT staff member, Marty Engel! Marty Get to know KRLT staff member, Marty Engel!

Marty is the Land Stewardship Manager at Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Marty works with landowners to protect conservation values on their property and helps to facilitate fish, wildlife, and habitat improvement on conservation easements. 

KRLT appreciates all the hard work that Marty does to protect the Kinni!
Let's talk about Kelly Creek! Kelly Creek was pu Let's talk about Kelly Creek! 

Kelly Creek was purchased by the KRLT in 1998 and consists of 70 acres of restored prairie and oak savanna. The Kelly Creek Preserve is a great place to visit to enjoy activities such as hiking, fishing, foraging, and observing wildlife. Make sure to check out the preserve this month as wildflowers begin to bloom! 🌸

 #kinniriver #riverfalls #earth #nature #flowers #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #conservation #mothernature #green
It's Phenology Friday! 🌸 The May Phenology Rep It's Phenology Friday! 🌸

The May Phenology Report is out now on the KRLT Website. Read through this month's phenology report to discover what ecological changes are occurring during this time of year. Click the link in the bio to check it out!

 #phenology #greenspaces #nature #grow #kinniriver #earth #landtrust #riverfalls #prairie #flowers
Due to the weather, this morning's highway cleanup Due to the weather, this morning's highway cleanup has been canceled. Here's a little sunshine from last summer at Kelly Creek Preserve!
Get to know KRLT staff member, Molly Barritt! Mo Get to know KRLT staff member, Molly Barritt! 

Molly is the Donor and Community Relations Manager at Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Molly is passionate about conservation and educating our youth on the importance of spending time in nature. 

Pictured is the first trout that Molly caught next to the Community Forest!
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