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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January Phenology Report

The landscape here may look barren, but right now the stream’s water is warmer than the air, and many of the trout’s prey species are still alive, sheltering in the streambed and under the rocks. If you turn over the rocks, you may find them. These include species like the larvae of caddisflies and mayflies, as well as snails and little shrimp-like crustaceans. In groundwater-fed streams such as the Kinni, trout will maintain a stable condition and may even grow over the winter months.

On the riverbanks, there are other treasures to behold. Seen here on the left is the brown fertile frond of an Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). These fronds do not photosynthesize (create food using the sun’s light); their job is to protect the fern’s reproductive structures, called spores, during the winter months. In the inset, you can see how the edges are curled in, with the spores inside. The spores that survive the winter will germinate in the spring and grow into a new fern. In the picture on the right, you can see what the sterile fronds (the ones that photosynthesize) in the summer months look like.

In the upland forest, there is something interesting as well: a face on a twig! This twig belongs to a Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) shrub. The “face” comes from scar tissue where the leaf fell off of the tree last fall. The “eyes” and “nose” are where the veins from the leaf connected to the tissue inside the twig. And the red “hair” is a bud that will grow into next year’s leaves. Different tree species have buds and leaf scars of different shapes and sizes, and this allows us to identify trees even in winter months, when the trees are dormant and only the twigs remain. Although, not all trees and shrubs have such charismatic features as Prickly Ash!

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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