March newsletter

 

MARCH 10 LUNCH AND LEARN - Sustainable Agriculture with Jason Cavadini, UW Extension, 12:30 p.m. ONLINE Register: tinyurl.com/WISC-310Ag     What’s the alternative to factory farms? The Wisconsin Chapter Water Team wants to know! Jason Cavadini, the UW-Extension Grazing Outreach Specialist, will take about grazing and sustainable agriculture and answer our questions on Monday, March 10 at 12:30 p.m. Zoom in, bring your own lunch, and any questions you may have! Visit tinyurl.com/WISC-310A or call 608-315-2693.

MARCH 12 KNOWLES-NELSON LOBBY DAY IN MADISON     Knowles-Nelson Lobby Day is an advocacy, networking, and educational event for all those who value Wisconsin’s land, water, wildlife, and way of life, hosted by Team Knowles-Nelson. Join us in Madison on March 12, 2025 to advocate for the reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. We’ll share success stories with legislators and demonstrate why its continued funding is essential for preserving Wisconsin’s outdoor legacy. Lobby Day will kick off at the Wisconsin Masonic Center with a morning of advocacy programming to prepare you for meetings with your legislators. We’ll provide materials and key talking points about the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Then, you’ll head to the Capitol for pre-scheduled meetings with legislators and their staff. As meetings wrap up, we’ll reconvene with an informal networking session to debrief and connect with fellow advocates. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this important day for our state’s future. Together, we will make a difference in shaping conservation policy. Lealrn more at tinyurl.com/WISC-312-LobbyDay

MARCH 4 THE BIG SHARE      On March 3 and 4, the Sierra Club Foundation, fiscal sponsor for the Wisconsin Chapter, will join nearly 70 other non-profits to spread the word and raise critical funds for the amazing work being done. For this event, the Sierra Club will highlight work to shut down the dangerous Line 5 pipeline. Tune in to the featured segment airing  at 3 p.m. on March 4 during the Big Share Live broadcast and learn why shutting down Line 5 is so important. Watch via the Big Share website at https://www.thebigshare.org. To support the campaign, go to https://www.thebigshare.org/organizations/sierra-club-foundation-wisconsin-chapter. Your participation will enable the Chapter to continue its mission of protecting Wisconsin’s water, land, and wildlife. Your tax-deductible donation that will drive Chapter efforts forward across Wisconsin.

MARCH 21 CLIMATE ACTION HOUR     Sierra Club's Monthly Action Hours are a place for concerned and overwhelmed people to make sense of what is happening and take meaningful action together. Join us for our next Coulee Region Climate Action gathering on March 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Location TBD! RSVP here (appreciated but not required) for more details: tinyurl.com/CRSC-CAH25

FEBRUARY CLIMATE ACTION HOUR     by Chris Miller, CRSC Board member What does a 92-year-old and a twenty something year old have in common?  Well, as this gathering showed the answer is a fierce defense and love of our environment. Coulee Region Sierra Club is offering a new way to get involved during these dire times of political and social disruption…these times of aggression and disrespect. 

At our gathering, we partnered with the National Sierra Club which is offering Monthly Action Hours, online gatherings for concerned (and busy) people to make sense of what is being thrown at us. The hour provides the structure and opportunity to take meaningful actions together. Our club invited its local members to listen to the national organization’s recording of this hour. As we gathered, we listened to information about the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act). Although the IRA has not been in the news of late, the IRA is a huge win for the climate and for you and me. The IRA puts us on a path to cutting climate pollution 40 percent by 2030 while creating nine million jobs!! It has granted billions of dollars to state and local  communities for clean energy infrastructure and manufacturing, fighting climate pollution, and helping families save money on their energy bills. 

In our own area, Dairyland Power was the first rural electric cooperative to be awarded monies from the IRA under the Empowering Rural America Program and was awarded $579 million. This money is specifically designated for developing solar and wind energy. With this program they will be able to decrease carbon emissions by 70% by 2031! And in the meantime, this development will allow them to keep consumer rates down. It will also allow new jobs to be created in our community as manufacturers and data centers will be looking for affordable rates and sustainable power. Imagine all of this being cut…it will create suffering and havoc. 

It was with this kind of information and the encouragement of each other that we then took action and called our representatives in the house and the senate. We joined our phone calls to the 4,000 phone calls that were taken during the original National Hour. We were set on an instructive path to post on social media or send out emails on our own. For all of these we were provided helpful scripts. The highlight was Sam at age 92 making calls to his representative and senator…certainly an inspiration for us all.

We were a small yet powerful group. We all came for different reasons. The common thread was creation of a space of sharing, supporting, educating, and inspiring each other. One of the first pieces of advice I received after the election was to “find your herd.”There is safety and influential power in numbers. On this night, the energy felt alive and electric. We joined our voices together in support of each other…in recognition of each other’s contributions…in strengthening the common shared vision of each other. On this night, I felt that I had found “my herd.”We invite you to stay tuned to the development of ongoing Action Hours. 

Find scripts you can use to call your representatives and senators at these links where you can also view the hour on your own or accessing the slides. Watch the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUea-cITSKs. View the slides at https://sc.org/FebActionSlides. Take the actions here: https://sc.org/FebWorksheet Alone we can feel lonely and powerless…together we stand connected and strong. Come join us next time …the planet needs you…we need each other.

Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency. Hope should shove you out the door, because it will
take everything you have to steer the future away from endless war, from the annihilation of the earth's treasures and the grinding down of the poor and marginal. To hope is to give yourself to the future - and that commitment to the future is what makes the present
inhabitable. - This excerpt from Rebecca Solnit’s book, Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power, was part of the Action Hour program.

MEET THE BOARD - FLO SANDOK      Flo Sandok started life in New York but moved to the Midwest for school. An artist, art historian, and painter, Flo ended up in Rochester, Minnesota where she became a community leader and organizer for environmental causes. In addition to a local environmental group, Flo helped to found a film fest, a whole Earth auction for the arts, and an annual neighborhood picnic (that's still going strong). She was also instrumental in passing state legislation to require schools to notify the community about school pesticide use, securing a grant for a pesticide-free soccer field, and educating the community about non-toxic parkland maintenance.

A decades-long Sierra Club member, Flo now lives with her partner on a farm in the Viroqua area, and her passion for protecting our environment is still strong. She's a member of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, the Crawford Stewardship Project, and Viroqua Plastic Free. In addition, she's active in work to protect wolves and the Boundary Waters and to stop CAFOs and line 5 pipeline development. 

Over the years, she's worked to avoid and prevent burnout in groups working on big, important, often difficult issues. She recommends groups make time to get to know each other and  clarify group goals, resources, and limits to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Food, conversation, humor, music, and regular reminders that, “We have the power,” will help keep groups together, she says. She recommends learning about the Movement Action Plan model for non-violent social movements developed by U.S. social change activist Bill Moyers to help groups keep going even when things seem hopeless. 

In her personal life, a nearly perfect 50 year record of annual trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness helps keep her focused and grounded in what's important.
Flo's lived experience proves the Goethe quote, “At the moment of commitment, the entire universe conspires to assist you,” and that understanding helps her continue to organize, cooperate, educate, lead, and believe that our actions matter and make a positive difference.

52 WEEKS TO PLASTIC FREE     The grassroots group Viroqua Plastic Free posted a week by week list of suggestions to reduce and eliminate plastics in our lives. https://www.viroquaplasticfree.org/post/52-weeks-to-plastic-free Check out the suggestions for individuals, then share them and encourage your school or workplace to adopt them. 

MORE MARCH EVENTS

• Mar. 1, 11, 19, 28: Volunteer for the Wild with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/march-2025-volunteer-wild
• Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Ephemeral Art Seriees at Kickapoo Valley Reserve. 6 to 8 pm http://kickapoovalley.wi.gov/Events/Annual-Events/Creative-Communities
• Mar. 5: Pollinators in Your Back Yard at 2:15 pm McIntosh Library, Viroqua https://mcintoshmemoriallibrary.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=166408
• Mar. 5: Critical Insights for Wetland and Waterway Professionals. Online from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm https://www.uwlax.edu/calendar/?e=31657
• Mar. 5: Enviro Wednesday at The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse from 7 to 8:30 pm. https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/enviro-wednesdays-3-2025-03-05/
• Mar. 6: Good Medicine - The Joy of Backyard Birds. 3:30 pm Wright Library, Trempealeau. https://swmlibrary.org/event/good-medicine-the-joy-of-backyard-bird/
• Mar. 6: Winter Tree ID Hike. 2 to 3 pm at Shady Maple Interpretive Trail, Goose Island County Park. https://www.fws.gov/event/winter-tree-id-walk
• Mar. 7-9: International Festival of Owls in Houston, MN https://www.festivalofowls.com/
• Mar. 14: La Crosse Science Cafe - The Fungal Kingdom  6 p.m. JavaVino
• Mar. 19: The Evolution of Merlin at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 7 to 8:30 pm at the Nature Place, La Crosse https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/free-bird-programs-2025-03-19/
• Mar. 24: Tackling Invasives, 6 to 7:30 pm, Hotel Fortney, Viroqua. https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/make-plan-tackle-invasives-year
• Mar. 26: WI Parks and Schools: 2024 Report Card for Wisconsin's Infrastructure. Online from Noon to 1:30 pm https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/event/wi-parks-and-schools-2024-report-card-wisconsins-infrastructure
• Mar. 27: Upgrade & Save: Energy Assistance and Repair Expo from 4 to 6:30 pm at La Crosse Public Library. https://www.lacrosselibrary.org/event/habitat-homeowner-panel-41208
• Mar. 29: Annual MVC Friends gathering plus Damsels & Dragons of Wisconsin. 8:30 to 11:30 am. 1827 Sims Place, La Crosse https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/annual-friends-gathering-plus-damsels-dragons-wisconsin-presentation 

VOTE APRIL 1     Voting in spring elections is notoriously light, but club members should not sit this one out. For more information, see https://conservationvoters.org and to check your voter registration status, visit myvote.wi.gov.

Climate Action Hour

 

Friday February 21st at 5:30 p.m.

401 West Avenue South, La Crosse

Are you feeling alone in this political climate? Do you want to take some action but don't know how? Come gather in La Crosse on Friday February 21st at 5:30 pm to watch a replay of the Sierra Club's first ever Climate Action Hour. Together, we will take specific small-step actions that will make a difference! In addition, it's an opportunity to meet and chat with like-minded people to help get through these challenging times!

Small snacks will be provided but please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage. Hope to see you there!

RSVPs are appreciated but NOT required:  https://forms.gle/ndto4YZgytvz9TS9A

COULEE REGION CLIMATE ACTION GATHERING
DATE: Friday February 21, 2025
TIME: 5:30pm
PLACE: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 401 West Avenue, La Crosse

Google Maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yrmL55hNPFYr4xyMA

February newsletter

 

The Coulee Region Sierra Club joins other local and regional organizations in celebrating Transit Equity Days to highlight the importance of good public transportation as a civil right to ensure everyone has access to a full life.

In Wisconsin, the Department of Transportation estimates 31 percent of residents are non-drivers. In the City of La Crosse, up to 40 percent of residents ages 15 and older are non-driver. There are areas of the Coulee Region with similarly high numbers of probable non-drivers. Lack of good public transportation limits access to education, jobs, health care, services, social enrichment, and more. Even where public transit is available, slow service and spotty coverage make travel harder and more time-consuming.

The Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit, a public-private public transportation partnership, will participate by offering FREE FARES on Wednesday, February 5 for riders with a Transit Equity Days flyer (printed out or shown on a phone). The fares for this service which connects Tomah, Viroqua, and Prairie du Chien with La Crosse, are normally $5 per ride (less with a pass).
Learn more about Transit Equity Days in the La Crosse area at https://tinyurl.com/TEDLaCrosse-2025 and about the national Transit Equity Day movement at https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/

FEBRUARY 15 - WISCONSIN TRANSIT SUMMIT      Join fellow transportation advocates on Saturday, February 15 for an impactful summit on multi-modal transportation! Are you passionate about creating a sustainable and connected future for Wisconsin? At this transformative summit where we will build relationships, strategize for legislative success, and plan for action to have an impact at upcoming lobby days and budget hearings. This summit is a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact on Wisconsin's transportation future. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this important conversation and drive meaningful change. Learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/25CMRTSummit

COMMUNITY TRAIL FARM     Thank you Josh Hein for speaking with us about the new Community Trail Farm being developed by the Outdoor Recreation Alliance. Josh told us a bit about ORA and its work building and maintaining trails for biking and hiking, the 277 acre farm, and plans for a community education and recreation facility. It’s a major undertaking that will take time; having connections with like-minded individuals and groups will help. View the program at https://youtu.be/XrXiqi0NbLg

CRSC BOARD UPDATE     Board member Avery Van Gaard has decided to resign her CRSC position due to expanding school, work, and life commitments.  We thank Avery for her seven years of service on the board.

Club member Dr. Chris Miller has been approved by the board to take over the open seat. Chris is interested in collaborating with other individuals and environmental organizations to increase our influence and our creative potential in our area. As a primary care doctor for 34 years. she is very aware of the promotion of health through connecting others with  the natural world and is interested in exploring the prescription of more green time by health care providers. In her personal life, Chris has worked to lessen plastic use, remove toxic products from her home, cook with whole foods, garden, compost, and create pollinator habitats. Welcome Chris and thanks!

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS     Congratulations to the following Coulee Region educators who will receive CRSC  Environmental Education Grants for the spring 2025 semester! We look forward to reporting on these projects this fall.

• Chelsey Myhre Foster at the Knutson Memorial Library in Coon Valley for the After School Club which will help bring educational speakers and service learning opportunities to participants in grades K-8.
• Amanda Ray, Northside Elementary School, La Crosse for a cave tour field trip for third grade students.
• Liz Ramsay, Longfellow Middle School, La Crosse, to start a school-wide juice and milk carton recycling program run by seventh grade students.
• Scott Linssen at La Crosse Central High School for a school fly fishing class.

ALDO LEOPOLD CELEBRATION     The celebration of Aldo Leopold started in Lodi in 2000 as a community group reading of A Sand County Almanac. The reading became an annual event, and "Leopold Weekend" became an official state event in 2004. Since then, many communities host programs about Aldo Leopold and his ideas, and the Aldo Leopold Foundation hosts online programs as well. 

In La Crosse, Aldo Leopold celebrations will kick off with a February 27 7 p.m. program at Viterbo University, hosted by the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership, celebrating the centennial of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. A 50-minute stage production of A Visit from Will Dilg will be followed by a discussion and audience Q&A. Learn more at https://www.viterbo.edu/db-reinhart-institute-ethics-leadership/visit-will-dilg

On March 1, a 9 a.m. program at the Nature Place in Myrick Park will look at “Water Ways in the Driftless: Leopold's Land (and Water) Ethics in a time of Deluge,” followed by more displays and programs and ending with an afternoon at the ORA Community Trail Farm. See https://www.viterbo.edu/db-reinhart-institute-ethics-leadership/aldo-leopold-celebration for more.

The Aldo Leopold Foundation will present three online speakers from March 4-6, including Margaret Renki, Camille Dungy, and Amy Tan. Get more information and register for the links at https://www.crowdcast.io/c/leopold-week2025

CLIMATE ACTION HOURS     More than 12,000 Sierra Club members signed up for the first monthly online program to lean about and understand what’s at stake for our future. Climate Action Hours are a place for concerned and overwhelmed people to make sense of what the Trump administration is throwing at us and take meaningful action together. In one hour a month, you'll get the key updates you need to know and take collective action to resist the Trump administration and their corporate polluter allies. These interactive gatherings will take place virtually, so you can join from wherever you live and take action alongside thousands of other Sierra Club advocates. Actions will change month to month, and might include calling your federal representatives or other decision makers, sharing your views on social media, writing a letter to the editor, practicing storytelling, and more. View past programs and register for the next Climate Action Hour, Wednesday February 26 at 5 p.m. Central time, at https://tinyurl.com/SCClimateHour25

BACKYARD BIRD COUNT     Join the world in connecting to birds February 14–17, 2025. In as little as 15 minutes identify and count birds, then submit your counts. Learn more at https://www.birdcount.org/ 

KNOWLES-NELSON LOBBY DAY     Knowles-Nelson Lobby Day, a chance to advocate for our environment, will take place in Madison on March 12.  Hosted by Team Knowles-Nelson, Lobby Day will kick off at the Wisconsin Masonic Center with a morning of advocacy programming to prepare you for meetings with your legislators. The team will provide materials and key talking points about the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Then, you’ll head to the Capitol for pre-scheduled meetings with legislators and their staff. As meetings wrap up, we’ll reconvene with an informal networking session to debrief and connect with fellow advocates.

All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this important day for our state’s future. Together, we will make a difference in shaping conservation policy.  
Learn more at https://knowlesnelson.org/lobbyday/  

MORE FEBRUARY EVENTS

• Now through Feb. 24: Kickapoo Valley Reserve Creative Communities Canvas Project. kickapoovalley.wi.gov/Events/Annual-Events/Creative-Communities/
• Feb. 1: Nature Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse
• Feb. 1: Black River State Forest Candlelight Hike at 5:30 p.m. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/black-river-state-forest-candlelight-hike/
• Feb. 2: Story Time on the MTU Electric Bus at the La Crosse Public Library at 2 p.m. https://www.lacrosselibrary.org/event/bus-storytime-mtu-40754
• Feb. 3: Film - The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks at 5:15 p.m. La Crosse Public Library https://www.lacrosselibrary.org/event/movies-mission-rebellious-life-mrs-rosa-parks-40254
• Feb. 4, 8, 11, 12, 19, 25: MVC Volunteer for the Wild. Times & locations vary. https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/february-2025-volunteer-wild
• Feb. 5: Driftless Birds with Craig Thompson, WI DNR at 7 p.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park. https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/enviro-wednesdays-3-2025-02-05/
• Feb. 6: WI Hazardous Waste and Solid Waste: 2024 Report Card for Wisconsin's Infrastructure at Noon online https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsd--grzgqEtSUIgcNzRMfdBWdwfvbZo1C
• Feb. 7-16: Jackson In Action Winter Hike Series at Lunda Community Park. https://www.jacksoninaction.org/winterhike4
• Feb. 13: The Light Eaters - How The Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth 7 p.m. Online https://www.crowdcast.io/c/the-light-eaters
• Feb. 15: Winter Frostival at Lunda Community Park from 2 to 4 p.m. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/winter-frostival/
• Feb. 18: Spring Primary  https://myvote.wi.gov
• Feb. 19: Coulee Audubon - The Amur Falcon in Mongolia at 7 p.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park. https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/free-bird-programs-2025-02-19/
• Feb. 20: Creating habitats for native bees. 5:30 p.m. La Crosse Public Library https://www.lacrosselibrary.org/event/native-bees-39375
• Feb. 21: Science Cafe 6 p.m. JavaVino, La Crosse
• Feb. 22: Repair Cafe 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. La Crosse Public Library https://www.lacrosselibrary.org/event/repair-cafe-40717
• Feb. 26: Fireside Family Story Time at 5 p.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park. natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/free-fireside-stories-at-the-nature-place-2025-01-29/

January Newsletter

 

JANUARY 14 at 6:45 p.m. COMMUNITY TRAIL FARM with Josh Hein, Outdoor Recreation Alliance. ONLINE.     The Outdoor Recreation Alliance, or ORA Trails, in La Crosse, has taken on its biggest project yet! With the purchase of a 277 acre old farm just minutes from downtown, ORA is creating a space that is truly for everyone. Plans include building 15 miles of trails, restoring various prairies and savanna, removing invasive species, enhancing wetlands, and improving trout habitat and stream ecology. ORA is also teaming up with schools, universities, municipalities, and other organizations to establish education and community programs and events that celebrate all the space has to offer. We will hear from Josh Hein, ORA’s Trail Farm Project Administrator, about the organization and the project, with time for your questions following his talk. Register for this online program at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HWlLbYKyQ023yg3-ZdoA6Q and, after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you would like to join the meeting by dialing in on your phone, please call 608-315-2693 or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com to sign up. You can learn more about the Community Trail Farm at oratrails.org/trail-farm. 

JANUARY 7 - CHAPTER BOOK CLUB     The first book club selection of the new year is Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet by Ben Goldfarb. Sign up for the 7 p.m. discussion, held online, at https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7013q000002HuZmAAK&mapLinkHref= or call or email to learn how to join by phone. Crossings is an eye-opening account of the global ecological transformations wrought by roads, from the award-winning author of Eager. Some 40 million miles of roadways encircle the earth, yet we tend to regard them only as infrastructure for human convenience, so ubiquitous they’re practically invisible to us. But wild animals experience them as entirely alien forces of death and disruption. In Crossings, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb travels throughout the United States and around the world to investigate how roads have transformed our planet. A million animals are killed by cars each day in the U.S. alone, but as the new science of road ecology shows, the harms of highways extend far beyond roadkill.

JANUARY 5 - ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS DEADLINE!     Applications for CRSC environmental education grants of up to $200 each are due by January 5! Schools or community organizations involving young people at the elementary and middle school level within the CRSC region (Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties) are eligible to apply. Applications may be completed online, emailed or mailed. Please share this information with educators you know! Learn more at www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education or www.tinyurl.com/CRSC-Education. 

JANUARY 23 - WISCONSIN CHAPTER VIRTUAL VOLUNTEER FAIR     Start the new year by learning how you can get involved and make a difference. There are countless ways to volunteer with the Sierra Club and this event will help you find your fit and get started.There are in-person, virtual, regular, or occasional opportunities that fit all types of schedules. Join the virtual volunteer fair to learn more, ask questions and meet others who are also looking for ways to make a positive impact and protect the environment. Register here for the 6:30 p.m. fair: https://tinyurl.com/WISC-2025VVF

CRSC BOARD ELECTIONS     Congratulations Dorothy Lenard, Flo Sandok, and Avery Van Gaard who were elected to the  CRSC Board of Directors for 2025-2027! Thanks to all who voted! And special thanks to Carol Miller whose term has ended. The CRSC Board meets monthly to plan club activities and coordinate actions with local and state club members and allies. The next board meeting will be online at 6:30 p.m. on January 28. CRSC members may attend. Email or call for access information.

OUTINGS LEADER TRAINING     If you have a love for the outdoors or have special places or activities you'd like to share with others, please consider becoming an outing leader. As an outing leader you are the bridge that helps connect the people and places in your community. Once trained, you plan the outing and we will help promote it - let’s work together to get people outside in 2025! Leader training may be done online OR there will be one full in-person day on March 23rd in the Black River Falls area. For longer, overnight outings or water based outings, additional training is required. If you are interested, sign-up by filling out the interest form at https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/Wisconsin?actionId=AR0493110 or contact Heather at heather.wittrock@sierraclub.org for more information.

RIGHTS OF NATURE     CRSC member Diane Cain forwarded information about the Rights of Nature movement, a decades-long effort, deeply rooted in indigenous knowledge, to officially recognize the natural world and its right to survive and thrive in our legal processes. Since 2006, communities, states, and countries have used the RON to combat environmental degradation and species extinction. In 2008, Ecuador became the first country to recognize RON in its constitution. In Wisconsin, the Ho-Chunk Nation, the Wisconsin Farmers Union, and the Milwaukee County Board have passed RON resolutions. If you are interested in signing the petition encouraging Governor Evers to “enshrine the Rights of Nature in our communities and constitution,” sign here:  https://www.change.org/p/rights-of-nature-unite-wisconsin  Learn more about the RON movement in Wisconsin at https://www.rightsofnaturewi.org/

2024 YEAR IN REVIEW     by Kathy Allen, CRSC Board president      Our Coulee Region Group kept busy this year, hosting our own programs and co-hosting events with partners! Here are some highlights from each month.

• January - We awarded two environmental education grants, one to the Longfellow Middle School Outdoor Adventure Club in La Crosse and another to Westview Elementary's first graders in Platteville for a Monarchs and Milkweed project. See reports from the recipients in our September newsletter online.
• February - With the Wisconsin Chapter, we co-hosted an online program about the Sierra Club’s new "Transit to Trails for All" initiative as part of Transit Equity Days. A recording of the program is still available on the Chapter's Facebook page (Find "Videos" in the "More" tab).
• March - We co-hosted a "Know Your Co-op" educational webinar about rural energy, electric rates, and getting involved in your local Rural Electric Co-op. Many of our group members in rural areas belong to rural electric cooperatives. A recording is also available on the Chapter's Facebook page.
• April - With several local partners, we co-hosted a "Spring into Energy Savings" program about the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act for homeowners and the climate. We also co-sponsored a very popular screening of "Bad River" at the Rivoli in La Crosse and completed our first roadside cleanup along River Valley Drive.
• May - We hosted an online program, Climate Action in a River City,  with La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds. During his time as co-chair of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, the mayor attended international conferences on climate and plastics. A recording of this program is available on our group's Facebook page (search for CRSC - Coulee Region Sierra Club).
• June - We hosted a "Transit to Trails For All" outing to Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s Hass Tract trail (see photos in our July newsletter). We also co-hosted a rally for clean energy and press conference outside of the Dairyland Power Cooperative annual meeting at the La Crosse Center. And just for fun, we held our summer group potluck at Goose Island!
• July - We completed our second roadside cleanup of the year.
• August - We awarded our 2024 High School Environmental Stewardship Award to Logan High School's Rachel Greany (read more in our September newsletter). We also tabled at the City of La Crosse Parks Department's Bluff Bash, a celebration of outdoor recreation.
• September - We hosted "Clean Energy Benefits and YOU", an online program with Quinn Rowe from WI Conservation Voters. Quinn summarized the information from the program in our October newsletter.
• October - We completed our final roadside cleanup of the year, co-sponsored Week Without Driving, and tabled at an "Understanding Project 2025" event organized by the UW-La Crosse College Democrats to raise awareness about potential impacts on climate and clean energy programs.
• November - At the Wisconsin Chapter awards, our group board member and newsletter editor Cathy Van Maren received the JJ & Pat Werner Award, the chapter’s highest honor, given to Sierra Club leaders who have shown an undying commitment to its goals and missions throughout the years. You can see the presentation on the Chapter's Youtube page.
• December - We closed out the year with a spirited holiday potluck at the home of one of our board members!

VEGANUARY     Veganuary is a world-wide event that encourages and supports people to be mindful of how our food choices affect our health, environment, and climate.  Those who sign up for the month-long challenge will receive information, recipes, support, and ideas to try a more climate-friendly way to eat. Learn more and sign up at https://veganuary.com/en-us/

KNOWLES-NELSON LOBBY DAY     Knowles-Nelson Lobby Day, a chance to advocate for our environment, will take place in Madison on March 12.  More details will be available in our February newsletter for those who might wish to share rides to this important event. Learn more at https://knowlesnelson.org/lobbyday/    

MORE JANUARY EVENTS

• Jan. 2: Kickapoo Valley Reserve Creative Communities project begins. http://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Annual-Events/Creative-Communities/
• Jan. 3, 7, 16, 18, 30: MVC Volunteer for the Wild. Times & locations vary. https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/january-2024-volunteer-wild
• Jan. 4: Jackson in Action Wazee Wonderland Snowshoe Walk. 10 a.m. https://www.jacksoninaction.org/kcfitness-snowshoe
• Jan. 4: Nature Saturday at The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse. 9:30 a.m. https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/nature-saturday-2-2025-01-04/
• Jan. 9: Wisconsin League of Women Voters WI Drinking Water and Wastewater: 2024 Report Card for Wisconsin's Infrastructure Noon. Online. https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/event/wi-drinking-water-and-wastewater-2024-report-card-wisconsins-infrastructure
• Jan. 10-19: Jackson In Action Winter Hike Series at Wazee Lake. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/jackson-in-action-winter-hike-series/2025-01-10
• Jan. 10: Science Cafe - Sleeping in a Society of Insects. 6 p.m. JavaVino, La Crosse. https://www.uwlax.edu/calendar/?e=31668
• Jan. 11: Kickapoo Valley Reserve Winter Festival http://kickapoovalley.wi.gov/Events/Annual-Events/Winter-Festival/
• Jan. 11: Candlelight Hike/Ski/Snowshoe at Wildcat Mountain State Park. 5 p.m. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/100976
• Jan. 15: Coulee Audubon annual membership potluck & meeting at 6 p.m. at the Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse. https://www.couleeaudubon.org/html/events.html
• Jan. 15: Wisconsin Forests At Risk webinar Noon Online. https://wigreenfire.org/opportunities-now-2024-wisconsin-forests-at-risk/
• Jan. 25: Jackson County Winterfest at Skyline Golf Course. 5 p.m. https://www.jacksoninaction.org/winterfest
• Feb. 1: Black River State Forest Candlelight Hike at 5:30 p.m. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/black-river-state-forest-candlelight-hike/ 

December Newsletter

 

JOIN COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB FRIENDS AND MEMBERS FOR A WINTER HOLIDAY POTLUCK on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. CRSC board member Dorothy Lenard will host at 1925 Main Street in La Crosse. Please bring some food to share and/or a holiday dessert. DUE TO GLUTEN ALLERGIES, PLEASE BRING ANY BREAD ITEMS IN THEIR OWN SEPARATE CONTAINERS, ALREADY CUT. Beverages will be provided. If you can, please bring your own foodware (plate, utensils, cup or mug). To help us plan, please RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/24CRSCWinterPotluck and if you can offer or need a ride, sign up to carpool at https://tinyurl.com/24CRSCPotluckRide. Questions? Contact us at CRSierraClub@gmail.com or 608-315-2693.

DECEMBER 4 - 100 YEARS OF PROTECTION     The Chippewa Valley Group of Wisconsin Sierra Club will host an online program on Wednesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and its work protecting the fish, birds, other wildlife, habitats and special ecosystems of the upper Mississippi River. Zoom link: https://sierraclub.zoom.us/j/98649563954  For dial in information, please call 608-315-2693.

DECEMBER 14 - CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT     Audubon's 125th Christmas Bird Count will be held from Dec 14, 2024 to January 5, 2025! Feeder counters, people who count birds at their home bird feeder, are invited to participate.  A feeder count can be as simple as a single count of the birds that are present at any time on that day (10 minutes will do) or it could be a compilation of multiple counts from different times throughout the day.  Any level of time and effort is a big help and greatly appreciated! To participate, contact Coulee Audubon as soon as possible at couleeregionaudubon@gmail.com.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS     For spring 2025, CRSC will offer grants of up to $200 each for environmental education projects to schools or community organizations involving young people at the elementary and middle school level within the CRSC region: Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties. Applications may be completed online, emailed or mailed. The deadline for applications is January 5, 2025 with awards by January 31. Learn more: sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education. Funding for this program is possible thanks to an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, shared dues from club memberships, calendar sales, and donations made by community members. To donate, email CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693. 

OUTINGS LEADER TRAINING     If you have a love for the outdoors or have special places or activities you'd like to share with others, please consider becoming an outing leader. As an outing leader you are the bridge that helps connect the people and places in your community. Once trained, you plan the outing and we will help promote it - let’s work together to get people outside in 2025! Training includes two sections. The first section is ‘Sierra Club Leader Training’ which covers Sierra Club specific policies and guidelines, and the second is ‘Basic First AID/CPR.’ Both are required in order to be certified by the Sierra Club to lead outings.
Leader training may be done online OR there will be one full in-person day on March 23rd in the Black River Falls area. For longer, overnight outings or water based outings, additional training is required. If you are interested, sign-up by filling out the interest form at https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/Wisconsin?actionId=AR0493110 or contact Heather at heather.wittrock@sierraclub.org for more information.

MORE DECEMBER EVENTS

• Dec. 3: Film: Our Planet - Behind the Scenes at 5:30 p.m. at the Lunda Center, Black River Falls. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/friends-of-the-black-river-invites-public-to-its-movie-night-and-anniversary-celebration/
• Dec. 4: Enviro Wednesday, 7 p.m., at The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/enviro-wednesdays-3-2024-12-04/
• Dec. 6, 11, 19: Mississippi Valley Conservancy prescribed burn preparation at Sugar Creek Bluff from 9 a.m. to 1 p,m. RSVP at https://forms.office.com/r/r73f4LYFXn
• Dec. 7: Holiday Happening at Kickapoo Valley Reserve http://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar/
• Dec. 7: Nature Saturday,. 9:30 a.m., at The Nature Place, Myrick Park https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/nature-saturday-2-2024-12-07/
• Dec. 15: Full Moon Forest Bathing Walk starting at Riverside Park in La Crosse $ https://www.rejuvenature.earth/upcoming-events/full-moon-forest-bathing-walk-mrhcb-2ysa4-st7n7-aweys
• Jan. 7, 2025: WI Chapter Book Club - Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet by Ben Goldfarb. 7 p.m. Online,  https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7013q000002HuZmAAK&mapLinkHref= 

SAVE THE DATE!     Wisconsin Chapter Virtual Volunteer Fair - January 23, 6:30 p.m. online. Start the new year by learning how you can get involved and make a difference. There are countless ways to volunteer with the Sierra Club and we would love to help you find your fit and get started. We have in-person, virtual, regular, or occasional opportunities that fit all types of schedules. Join our virtual volunteer fair to learn more, ask questions, and meet others who are also looking for ways to make a positive impact and protect the environment.
Learn more and sign up to attend at  https://tinyurl.com/WISC-0125VolFair

COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB BOARD ELECTIONS INFORMATION     Thank you for participating in the democratic process of electing your local Sierra Club representatives! Enter your member number and then vote for up to four candidates to begin two-year terms in January 2024. Candidate bios are below. Please complete one ballot per member (both members in a Joint membership may cast ballots). You will receive a link to the online ballot and your member number in an email OR via postcard. We must have your member number so your ballot can be verified by the Election Committee. Please vote either with the online ballot OR by printing, completing, and mailing a paper ballot (Call 608-315-2693 to have a paper ballot mailed to you.)

** All ballots must be received by midnight December 30, 2024 **
To use the ballot shown below, complete and mail it by December 20 to 1815 Cameron Ave. La Crosse, WI 54601.

Dorothy Lenard - Dorothy recently retired from her role as an Administrator for the School of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Math at Viterbo University. She has a degree from Michigan Technological University in Forest Hydrology and a Master’s in Servant Leadership from Viterbo. She and her husband Rich grew up in a small bay town on Lake Michigan surrounded mostly by State land. Yes, she loves and misses the lake effect snowfalls and outdoor saunas in the winter. Having lived in all regions of the United States, they eventually chose the Driftless area to settle down in and raise their three children. She has been active in numerous community activities and boards. Her passion is studying the environment, especially water protection. While on the La Crosse City Council, she worked with others to pass in 2009 the City of La Crosse and County of La Crosse Strategic Plan for Sustainability. In the summer, her family has a huge community garden in their yard where their specialties are garlic and perennials. Preparing and sharing sustainable food with family and friends is her favorite hobby.

Flo Sandok - Flo has spent the last 50 years of her life working on environmental issues. She lobbied and worked actively on pesticide and herbicide reduction, particularly in her community (Rochester, Minnesota) and was part of a group passing legislation in Minnesota to require schools to notify parents if they sprayed lawns. Flo formed an environmental group called Global Action which she contacts to write emails and lend support to issues on a frequent basis. Her theory is that having an email backup group to amplify messages is very helpful. She has been a longtime supporter of protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, having testified at hearings, and has been a long-time member of Sierra Club. She was part of the Rochester Sierra Club when they won grants to acquire land for area parkland. Flo has trained with Beyond Plastics and belongs to Viroqua Plastic Free which is working with the local Chamber of Commerce to put on waste-free events and hosting a series of education forums at the public library. She is deeply interested in wildlife conservation and is working with the Wisconsin Farmers Union to draft language to make their policies more beneficial to wolves. She has lobbied in the legislature in St. Paul and is committed to reducing climate change wherever possible. Flo’s home in Viroqua, has geothermal and solar and they drive an electric car. Flo is committed to working for a livable planet.

Avery Van Gaard - Avery was born and raised in La Crosse, as well as rural Vernon County. She has worked as a crew lead at Coulee Region Ecoscapes, a local landscaping business that centers planting native plants, installing rain gardens, and supporting other ecologically beneficial practices. She has served on the board of the Coulee Region Sierra Club group for several years and was previously a representative of the group to the Executive Committee. When she is not working, Avery has assisted in the group's campaigns and events - from the 2017 Water Quality Forum to the current "Ready for 100" campaign.

Bluffland event cancelled

Due to lack of interest, we are cancelling the November 16 Bluffland Work Day outing. We will try another outing this winter and it will be announced in our newsletter.

Chapter Awards Date Change

CHAPTER AWARDS DATE AND TIME CHANGE!

The online Chapter Awards program originally planned for November 13 has been moved to Wednesday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. Please register for this event at https://tinyurl.com/WISC-24Awards or call 608-315-2693.