By Jim Hess, Conservation Chair

SWTU Workday – Saturday, December 7, 2024
Conley Lewis Creek (Iowa County)
(Northwest of Hollandale near the intersection of Hwy 191 & Banner Road)

Time: 9am to 12 noon (Sawyers that have completed a chainsaw safety course, please arrive at 8:30. We can provide the equipment).

What: This will be another joint workday with the Nohr Chapter (Ted Swenson, Conservation Chair). Justin Haglund, DNR Fish Biologist, and his crew will be joining us. Topf Wells recently wrote this summary of the Conley Lewis Creek… “Conley-Lewis is one of the trout streams in an interesting complex of streams in eastern Iowa County, all part of the East Branch of the Pecatonica watershed. Near the easement we’ll be working on Conley Lewis joins the Dodge Branch.  Not far upstream, Whitford Creek, a Class 1 brook trout stream, also flows into the Dodge Branch.”

This will be a major clearing of box elders and other invasive woodies along the streambank to provide access and a healthier environment. Lots of chainsaw work, so we will need a good turnout from our sawyers. We will be returning next spring to continue this clearing project, and hoping to get as much done as possible at this workday.

We will be building burn piles to be burned later. To assist the DNR, we need to spend more time in building the burn piles. The trees need to be bucked up so that the larger logs and limbs can be laid down parallel to each other side-by-side in the same direction. Smaller limbs need to be placed between the layers of larger logs. This will make the pile denser and allow the wind to flow through, providing more oxygen.

Where: This site is located northwest of Hollandale, near the intersection of Hwy 191 & Banner Rd. We will be working upstream of the bridge on the north side of the stream.

Here is a Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aNdKkj5871GrysSr9 (If not an active link, copy and paste into a search engine.)

Coming from Madison take US 151/18 west toward Barneveld, on the east side of Barneveld turn left on County Rd K; go south 11 miles toward Hollandale. Just on the north side of Hollandale, take State Hwy 191 west 2.5 miles to Banner Rd. Turn south on Banner Rd and go to the bridge.

Coming from the west, take Hwy 191 east out of Dodgeville 9 miles to Banner Rd and turn right and go to the bridge. Yes, fairly complicated. Here is my number if needed – 608-288-8662.

Bring: Bring work gloves, sturdy shoes, eye and ear protection. Also bring reusable water bottles that can be re-filled from our 5-gal water jug.

Parking: Park on the east side of Banner Road, where there is more room to park. This is a fairly busy county road with heavy farm machinery, so it is important for everyone to park on the same of the road for traffic flow and safety.