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Welcome to our website!

We hope this site serves you well in your quest for information about the Niagara Escarpment.   Furthermore, we hope that it inspires you to become involved in local and regional efforts that encourage long-term thinking about the conservation of this unique natural resource.  Please provide us some feedback on the contents of our website in order to make it the most useful for you!  Click here to suggest some new content or links!

Next Public Meeting!

News & Notes!

 

FRIDAY, May 15, 2009

9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

at the Door County Land Trust Offices -  Sister Bay, Wisconsin

View Agenda Here!

 

Niagara Escarpment Photo Album Look at our online photo album filled with pictures of Wisconsin's Niagara Escarpment.  For pictures from other places along the Great Arc, click here!

 
bullet(4/9/09) Status of Wisconsin Geologic Mapping Project.   The WGNHS has created maps illustrating bedrock geology mapping projects, quaternary (glacial) geology mapping projects, and water resource projects.   More details on the projects can be at their website by clicking here.
bullet(4/7/09) Ontario Proposes a Niagara Escarpment Stream Baseflow Study.   The Nottawassaga Conservation Authority has proposed to develop a Niagara Escarpment Baseflow Study focusing on stream systems which are geologically linked to the Niagara Escarpment.   Click here to see a copy of the research proposal.
bullet(4/2/09) Final updated NERN Brochure Complete!   The final, updated NERN tri-fold brochure is now complete and available for downloading/distribution.   Several thousand hardcopies will be printed and available to organizations and agencies for distribution in an effort to promote our "Year 2010" events.   Click here to view or download a .pdf copy.   NERN would like to thank the Lakeshore Natural Resources Partnership (LNRP) and Dan Green from Foth, Inc. who provided the graphic design services as a volunteer contribution.   Additionally, Dan worked on designing a supplemental 'Niagara Escarpment Fact Sheet', which can be viewed/downloaded here.   Thanks to everyone who contributed to this project!
bullet(4/2/09) Draft Calumet County Farmland Preservation Plan Available for Review:  Click here to view or download a copy of the draft Calumet County Farmland Preservation Plan (WATCH OUT! 32MB .pdf!) which is scheduled for a public hearing on April 17, 2009.
bullet(4/2/09) Niagara Escarpment Physiographic & Cultural Sub-Unit Map Available:  A map developed by NERN members Jim Uhrinak and Eric Fowle is now available for review and download by clicking here.
bullet(4/2/09) Status of CAFOs in N.E. Wisconsin:  Several maps were recently developed and released by DATCP which illustrate the pressures NE Wisconsin faces with large Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).  Click here AND here to see both maps.
bullet(4/2/09) New NERN Niagara Escarpment Power Point Presentation Developed.   Through a grant from the Lakeshore Natural Resources Partnership, a new educational PowerPoint presentation was developed to increase knowledge of the Niagara Escarpment and the many planning, conservation, and land management issues related to its unique geology.   A copy of the presentation can be viewed by clicking here (WARNING! 110MB .pps file).   If you would like to obtain copy of the presentation for use in a school or civic group setting, or would like one of our NERN members to visit your organization for a formal presentation, please let us know!
bullet(3/30/09) "2010 Year of the Niagara Escarpment" Proclamation Approved by Legislature!  On March 24, 2009, the Wisconsin State Legislature approved Assembly Joint Resolution 1 (AJR1) which formally acknowledges the Niagara Escarpment as a unique and important statewide resource, as well as proclaiming the Year 2010 as "Year of the Niagara Escarpment".    Championed by Assemblyman Al Ott (R-Forest Junction), a copy of the Resolution can be found here, and Rep. Ott's Press Release can be found here.   Recent newspaper articles preceding its adoption can be viewed here, and here. Significant efforts are now being directed by NERN to plan the yearlong 'celebration' with a series of over 50 events and activities.  More information will be available soon!
bullet(3/30/09)  High Cliff State Park Master Planning:    A new Master Plan is being developed by the WDNR for this important public property located on the Northeast corner of Lake Winnebago. Click here to go to the WDNR's webpage to learn more about this effort and to find out how YOU can provide input!
bullet(3/24/09)  Wisconsin State Wildlife Action Plan Available:    This plan, also known as the comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan, is the result of a statewide effort to identify which of our native Wisconsin species are of greatest conservation need. The Action Plan presents priority conservation actions to protect the species and their habitats. Click Here to go to the WDNR's webpage.
bullet (3/11/09)  New WDNR Lead Named for NERN  -  With the departure of Shelly Allness to the Department of Tourism, the WDNR has named Kelley O'Connor as the new DNR Co-Chair for NERN's ongoing efforts.   Kelley was a critical supporter of our efforts since the inception of NERN over 10 years ago.  Welcome aboard Kelley!
bullet (2/12/09) FINAL Niagara Cuesta American Viticultural Area (AVA) Application Available   -  This document was prepared by Steve DeBaker of Trout Springs Winery with assistance from East Central RPC and was submitted to the Federal Government (Alcohol, Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau - TBB) for consideration in applying the AVA designation to Wisconsin's beloved Niagara Cuesta!   The document is huge (109 pages) and is broken up into for parts, each being about 10MB, so be aware when downloading. 

AVA PART 1, AVA PART 2, AVA PART 3, AVA PART 4

bullet NERN Awarded National Park Service (NPS) Assistance for a "Greenway" Plan! - A copy of the award letter is attached to this link.  Keep your eyes out for more on this project soon!
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 (9/04)Niagara Escarpment Selected as a Top 'Land Legacy' Area by the WDNR  In February 2003, the Natural Resources Board approved the Wisconsin Land Legacy Report and directed the DNR to develop an implementation plan that described how the report could most effectively be used, both by the DNR and other partners, in protecting and maintaining natural resources identified in the report.  As a result, the DNR has completed the first phase of a two-phase implementation plan for the Land Legacy Report. The Implementation Strategy is intended to cover a three year period at which time it will be revised based upon the information and conclusions generated by other comprehensive planning efforts currently underway.  The DNR anticipates completing the second phase of the implementation plan in early 2007.

Publications, Research Documents, and More!

bullet WCMP Escarpment Article by Angela Pierce - Angie is a NERN member who works for the Bay-Lake RPC.  She found a nice opportunity to get some press and relate the escarpment to coastal issues in Wisconsin.
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2004 Leading Edge Conference Summary of Proceedings: The proceedings can be viewed on their website at http://www.escarpment.org/leading_edge/LE04/index-le04.htm

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Viticultural Potential of Calumet County, WI - A report by Kristine Pelkey, Lawrence University - Dec. 2007.

bullet Viticultural Potential of the Niagara Escarpment - A report by Kristine Pelkey, Lawrence University - Dec., 2007.
bullet Mapping & Characterization of Springs in Brown and Calumet Counties (.pdf format report prepared by the WDNR and UW-Green Bay - October, 2006 [1.76MB])
bulletCherney/Maribel Caves Visioning Session Report (349kb .pdf file)
bulletThe Wildlands League's Bruce Peninsula Ecosystem Community Atlas - This website has .pdf version (large files!) of the new atlas project - very informative!

Links of Interest

bullet Gathering Waters Webpage on Private Land Protection Options
bulletGreat Lakes Circle Tour Website/Mapping
bullet Nature Mapping is a biodiversity survey program that allows citizens, school groups, and professionals to enter wildlife observations into a statewide database.
bulletThe Paleomap Project by Christopher Scotese - An interesting website with animated plate tectonic images.  www.scotese.com
bulletWisconsin: An Earth Science Paradise by Ted Eischeid.  Ted is a local instructor (Fond du Lac School District) and has a great 'tour' of NE Wisconsin that he created.   See http://homepage.mac.com/eischeid/fieldtrip/

 

 

 

This site was last updated 06/14/09