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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March Phenology Report

 

Spring has come to Trumpeter Swan Preserve. This preserve is a mix of an old pine plantation, oaks, the wetlands pictured here, and an old Trumpeter Swan nesting site. Trumpeter Swans prefer to build their nests on small islands, muskrat or beaver dams, or manmade platforms, among other things. The small grass-covered mounds seen here are called hummocks, and it’s not completely understood how they form. It’s possible that they are formed when the grass breaks apart the soil and the little soil clumps are pushed to the surface by repeated freeze/thaw cycles. They certainly make walking through a wetland very difficult indeed!

 

 

In the woods, cherry trees (Prunus sp.) are beginning to leaf out. This usually happens in mid to late April, so it’s early this year. You can see that the immature leaves are more reddish than mature leaves. This gives them more protection from insect herbivores, since most insects cannot see the color red. The leaves look dark, sickly, and foul-tasting to them. Once the leaves are fully mature, they must be green in order to photosynthesize.

 

 

 

The river’s edge is home to a fun edible species, the Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum) also known as ramps. Leaves appear early in the spring and give off a strong onion or garlic smell when crushed. By mid-summer, they have withered away and it’s just the flower stalk that remains. Many insects benefit from their presence, including bumblebees, mason bees, and masked bees. Foraging for personal consumption of these spring treats, berries, and mushrooms is allowed at all KRLT preserves.

 

 

       Click the link below for more details on rules, regulations, and safety tips for foraging in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin DNR Foraging Safety Tips!

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

Your contribution helps us keep the Kinni cold, clean, and free ... forever!

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Kinni River Recreation Map

2013©Robert W. Chambers

See Our  Preserves  »

What’s New

Stories from the Water

KRLT Statement of Opposition to Proposed Development 2022

Summer 2022 KinniKeeper Newsletter

Kinni Kurrents

Latest river conditions:
Gage/camera location is upstream of Highway F.

Stream:

Clarity:

Source: USGS National Water Information System

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Sound on to hear the beautiful song of the Rocky B Sound on to hear the beautiful song of the Rocky Branch, an important tributary to the Kinnickinnic River. 🎶

Your generosity allows us to protect incredible natural resources like the Rocky Branch! Please visit www.kinniriver.com and consider making a donation today!

#conservation #landtrust #tributary #cold #keepitwild #riverfalls #Wisconsin #discoverwisconsin #driftless #rockybranch #kinni #River #water
We are excited to announce, in partnership with @k We are excited to announce, in partnership with @kinnicorridorcollaborative , the showing of Mike Wurm's short film Stories From The Water! This film celebrates the beauty of the Kinnickinnic River and River Falls Community! Click the link in our bio to get your tickets today!

Artwork by Local Artist - John Grancorvich
We always enjoy hearing about your experiences on We always enjoy hearing about your experiences on the Kinni! This one comes from Tom Garfin with a wonderful image to match! 

"We had just completed a 2 mile round-trip walk around The School Forest. During the walk we saw a bald eagle, spotted Sandpiper, and a Woodcock. The heron was walking downstream below the lower dam. He posed for me in just the right light. I feel so fortunate to have this beautiful resource basically in my backyard." 

Have a great story about your time on the Kinni? We would love to hear about it! Send it to info@kinniriver.org 🌿
As many of you know, there is a proposed racecours As many of you know, there is a proposed racecourse development that would impact the South Fork tributary as well as the community of River Falls. Please click the link in our bio to read KRLT's statement of opposition to the proposed Kinnick Development racecourse.
If you visit The Community Forest and The River Fa If you visit The Community Forest and The River Falls School Forest from CTH FF starting tomorrow, you may notice some work being done to the access lane. 

The River Falls School District will be working to widen the access lane and repair trails on The School Forest property. The access lane and trail work are scheduled to begin tomorrow and be completed during August. This is an important step in ensuring access to The School Forest for outdoor education purposes.

During this time, we recommend using the other access points off of The City of River Falls public trails at trailheads #11 or #12. Please use designated public trails only. We have provided a link to the trail maps below.
 
https://www.rfcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/63/Kinni-Trail-System?bidId=
It's been 2 months since the prairie burn at Kelly It's been 2 months since the prairie burn at Kelly Creek Preserve!! The prairie is flourishing!! 🐝🐦🐛🦋🌿 

#prairie #flowers #nature #conservation #landtrust #kinniriver #discoverwisconsin #riverfalls #driftless #earth #grow #green #mothernature #wisconsin #greenspaces
Weekend vibes at Kelly Creek Preserve! The cold an Weekend vibes at Kelly Creek Preserve! The cold and clear water from Kelly Creek runs right into the Kinni. This preserve is opening for hiking 365 days a year! For more information on Kelly Creek and other great places to visit along the Kinni, check out the interactive watershed map link in the bio! Your donations make places like these possible!

#nature #conservation #landtrust #kinniriver #discoverwisconsin #riverfalls #driftless #river #wisconsin #greenspaces #keepitwild
Thank you to all who bid on and won items June 13- Thank you to all who bid on and won items June 13-19, 2022, to celebrate our 30th fiscal year anniversary starting this July! KRLT received over $3,000 in proceeds including additional donations during the event! All proceeds will benefit the Kinnickinnic River through KRLT’s activities in conserving, protecting and connecting. Stay tuned for more 30th Year celebration events!

Thank you to our auction winners and donors that helped make this happen! Click the link below to see the full list of businesses and individuals that made this silent event possible!

https://kinniriver.org/news-events/press-releases/30th-anniversary-online-auction-kick-off/
We hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday week We hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend! A reminder that the silent auction ends tonight at 11:00 p.m.! There are still items available such as artwork, items by local businesses, and experiences within the Kinnickinnic River watershed!

A huge thank you to all of the individuals and businesses that donated items for a wonderful cause!

https://www.32auctions.com/kinniriver
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