September newsletter

CRSC ACTION GATHERING -  September 18 at 5:30 p.m. - First Congregational Church, Main & Losey [NOTE NEW LOCATION!]   Join us at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, September 18 at the First Congregational Church, Main & Losey, for pizza, education, and action. [NOTE NEW LOCATION!] This month’s CRSC Action Gathering will focus on transportation access and equity in preparation for national Week Without Driving (WWD), October 1 through 8. WWD brings attention to our current car-centric transportation systems and how that affects those who can’t or do not drive and our environment and climate. We’ll learn more about what we can do to participate in WWD and take action for more and better transportation choices in our area and state. Please email CRSIerraClub@gmail.com or call or text 608-315-2693 with questions about this event. EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

LUNCH & LEARN: ALDO LEOPOLD'S LAND ETHIC - September 9 at noon - Online    Join us for a Lunch and Learn on Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic on September 9 at noon. In his classic work A Sand County Almanac (1949), Aldo Leopold called for an ethic that respected land as “a community to which we belong.”  That land community included “soils, waters, plants, animals, and people.” Curt Meine will explore Leopold’s legacy for the emerging water ethic here in Wisconsin and beyond. Call 608-315-2693 for access information or visit https://tinyurl.com/wisc-aldotalk to register.

THE ROADLESS RULE ACTION HOUR - September 14 at 5:30 p.m. - Online     Join us on Monday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m. for an online program that includes a screening of "Why We Need the Roadless Rule" along with some discussion and time to write comments for the Roadless Rule. Visit https://tinyurl.com/wisc-roadless to register for the link.

VS. GOLIATH - GREATER CHACO - September 1 at 7 p.m. - Online     Join us at 7:00 p.m. on September 1 for a virtual screening of VS GOLIATH: Greater Chaco. What happens when ordinary people take on billion-dollar industries? The sacred Greater Chaco region of New Mexico, ancestral homeland of the Pueblo and Diné peoples, is under siege from a relentless surge of oil and gas extraction. After a life-changing call to Standing Rock, young Sandia Pueblo leader Julia Bernal returns home to confront the same forces threatening her own community. Uniting with Diné elder Daniel Tso and an intergenerational coalition, they lead a powerful fight to defend tribal sovereignty and protect Chaco for future generations. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Julia Bernal and Daniel Tso, the protagonists of the film, and will be moderated by Judith LeBlanc, Executive Director of the Native Organizers Alliance. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/sc-chacofilm

AUGUST ACTION GATHERING REPORT     by Chris Miller, CRSC Board Member
We gathered at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship on August 21. Our initial discussion focused on updates about the Data Centers in Wisconsin. Please see the brief power point at https://tinyurl.com/crsc-dcupdate826. The action step was to sign a letter to gubernatorial candidate, David Crowley, expressing our support of a moratorium on Data Centers...not forever...but for now until a more robust guidelines can be developed in managing data centers. Kelda Roys’ plan for working with data centers was reviewed and will be included in the letter to David Crowley.

We then had an outstanding presentation by Carol Wesley. She is a prominent director and leader for Lights Out Wisconsin. She also works closely with the Kickapoo Valley Dark Sky Initiative. She covered the science behind dark sky lighting; the money saved by dark sky lighting; and how to fashion your residence with dark sky lighting. The actions taken were 1) the personal commitment to use dark sky lighting; 2) personal commitment to spread the word; and 3) several participants will join with Carol to engage and motivate Kwik Trip’s exploration of dark sky lighting. 

She spoke of her concern with the recent approval from the FCC for the Reflect Orbital Space Mirror Project. This is a 60-foot-wide mirror that will be sent into space. The mirror will be capable of reflecting the sun to earth during the night. There are major groups not in favor of this including: professional and amateur astronomers; dark sky advocates, aviation and public safety experts; legal scholars and spatial activists. The action was to engage and motivate Sierra Statewide Chapter to act against this FCC decision. 

Carol has provided these summaries of her presentation and the issues we discussed.

THE VALUE OF DARK SKIES FOR ALL LIFE ON EARTH

Outdoor lighting is necessary for a productive modern society. However, there are penalties we are paying with increased light pollution which causes glare, light trespass and sky glow. 
Light scattered through the atmosphere brightens the night sky, making stars and planets difficult to see due to the reduced contrast. Light pollution also prevents the human eye from fully dark-adapting and reaching its maximum sensitivity. Sometimes, the more light there is at night, the less we can see. Light pollution tends to be most acute in urban environments, have pronounced ecological effects, and potentially influence human circadian rhythms. Light pollution also disrupts ecosystems, wastes energy, increases impacts of climate change and can have adverse health effects in humans. 

When properly designed and installed, dark sky friendly outdoor lighting has many benefits, including but not limited to:
•    Improves energy efficiency and Reduces carbon footprint
•    Preserves night skies and Enhances wilderness character
•    Provides for basic human safety and Enhances human health
•    Enhances historic authenticity and Reduces operational and cyclic maintenance costs
•    Minimizes impacts to wildlife and visitors
•    Provides opportunities for economic development through astronomy-based tourism

Dark sky friendly lighting fixtures provide immense practical, financial, and ecological value. By directing light strictly downward and using warm, low 1800-2700 Kelvin rated bulbs, they eliminate wasted energy, reduce electricity costs by up to 70%, and minimize glare. Additionally, they protect nocturnal wildlife and preserve stargazing visibility. 

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

Reflect Orbital, a California-based space technology company, plans to test a satellite carrying a giant reflective mirror 59 feet by 59 feet. The company expects its inaugural test mission, Eärendil-1, to launch later this year and hopes to have 36 satellites in orbit by 2027.

By 2035, Reflect Orbital aims to launch up to 50,000 satellites to provide sunlight to Earth-based solar panels and to redirect sunlight back to Earth from low Earth orbit.
The demonstration mission aims to test whether sunlight can be reflected onto specific locations on Earth. 

The reflected light would illuminate an area around 3 miles wide, with the satellite repositioning its mirror roughly every 4 minutes as it circles the planet. The technology goal is to reflect sunlight back to Earth to illuminate streets and neighborhoods without electricity, enhance light exposure for agriculture, and to provide additional sunlight to data center and other industrial sectors solar energy farms  and other solar farms after dark, increasing energy generation. 

On August 6, 2026, several environmental organizations, including Earthjustice, DarkSky International, Environment America, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, and the American Bird Conservancy filed a petition for the FCC to rescind its approval.

Learn more here: https://darksky.org/news/darksky-and-allies-ask-the-fcc-to-reverse-its-approval-of-the-reflect-orbital-space-mirror

OWLS!  This spring, CRSC awarded several Earth Month environmental education grants. We received a bundle of delightful thank you notes from students at Southern Bluffs Elementary School in La Crosse. Their CRSC grant helped pay for a visit from an owl and educators from the International Owl Center in Minnesota. Here are their messages:

Dear Sierra Club - Thank  you for donating money so we could learn about owls. I like the owls. You should go to the Houston Owl Center. from Brooklyn

Dear Sierra Club - The most interesting thing I learned about owls is owls can spot creatures to eat from a mile away! Sincerely, Leo

To Sierra Club. Thank you for letting the owl come to our sckool.

Dear Sierra Club, the most interesting thing I learned about owls is that they grow really big and have hollow bones. Sincerely, Leighton

Dear Sierra Club. The most interesting thing I learned about owls is they grow really big. Sincerely Mallory

Dear Sierra Club, The most interesting think I learned about owls is that they grow really big. Thank you for supporting us! Sincerely, mav

Dear Sierra Club, the most interesting thing I learned about owls is that they grow really big and have hollow bones. Sincerely, wes

Dear Sierra Club. Thank you. I loved the owl. Bridget

WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING, OCT. 1-8     How do you get around? What if you couldn’t drive? How do limited transporta-tion options affect indiv-dual’s autonomy and ability to live full lives? How do car-centric policies affect carbon emissions, pollution, family finances, health, and safety? Consider signing up for the Week Without Driving experience. Learn and think about changes we can advocate for to make life better for everyone. Sign up here: https://weekwithoutdriving.org/join Learn about local WWD events at https://tinyurl.com/wwdlacrosse. WWD is supported at the national, state, and local levels by the Sierra Club.  

CLIMATE FELLOWS!     Sustainability Institute Climate Fellows Program is a cohort-based leadership and learning experience that empowers young adults to design, implement, and lead meaningful climate action projects in the La Crosse community. Through a partnership between the Sustainability Institute and City of La Crosse, this program looks to build on previous Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF) success - taking what worked, tweaking what didn't and mixing in our wins from a past program - MPower.

Sustainability Institute Climate Fellows combines hands-on project development with collaborative learning, mentorship, and connections to local sustainability. Fellows will join the cohort to explore past projects, make connections to the City of La Crosse's Climate Action Plan, learn from local leaders, and ultimately develop/execute a climate action project in our community. By blending education, collaboration, and real-world action, Climate Fellows equips participants with the skills, confidence, and experience to discover their role in advancing a more sustainable and resilient future.

The Climate Fellows program is open to high school graduates ages 18-24 who are passionate about making a positive impact in their community through climate action. No experience is necessary! Learn more at https://www.sustaininstitute.com/cfp. Apply by NOON on September 23. 

MORE SEPTEMBER EVENTS 

• 9/ 2: Nature is More Than Meets the Eye at The Nature Place. 7 pm. https://tinyurl.com/926-envweds
• 9/ 2: Coon Creek Community Watershed Council Fifth Anniversary Party 5:30 pm E6136 Jore Rd, Westby cooncreekwatershed.org
• 9/ 3, 4, 5: Monarch Butterfly Journey. Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. https://explorelacrosse.com/event/monarch-butterfly-journey-2/
• 9/ 3: Toxic Taps - Iowa’s Water Quality Crisis 6:30 pm Online https://www.youtube.com/@thelibrarychannel/streams
• 9/ 3: Invasive Brush Removal 9 am Water’s Edge Woods, Jackson County https://tinyurl.com/mvc091226
• 9/ 5: Family Friendly Nature Saturday at The Nature Place. 9:30 am. 
• 9/ 5: Nature Scavenger Hunt 10 am Wildcat Mountain State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/121816
• 9/ 5: Snake, Rattle, & Roll! 4 pm Perrot State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/128511
• 9/ 6: Raptor 101. 10 am Perrot State Park. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/129206
• 9/ 6: Wildlife in Your Backyard 4 pm Perrot State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/128516
• 9/ 9: Swift Night Out at the Concordia, 1127 La Crosse St. 6:30 pm https://tinyurl.com/cbrswifts
• 9/11: Science Cafe - Grazing & Grassland birds. 6 pm at JavaVino. www.facebook.com/LaCrosseScienceCafe
• 9/12: Outdoor Adventure! 9-11 am. Black River Falls School Forest, W9420 Castle Mound Rd https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/outdoor-adventure/
• 9/12: All Abilities Stroll 10 am. BRF District 1 Community Center https://www.jacksoninaction.org/abilities
• 9/12: Friends of the Blufflands Second Saturday Hike. 8 a.m. at the first parking area on the left going up Bliss Road. Email friendsoftheblufflands@gmail.com for more.
• 9/12: MVC Science in the Stream: Black River Mussel Survey 10 am to noon. Get details from Karen Solverson (karen@mississippivalleyconservancy.org) or 608-784-3606, ext. 8.
• 9/12: Incredible Insects at The Nature Place. 10 am. https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/driftless-area-bioblitz-incredible-insects-free-family-program/
• 9/12: Gardens & Grazing at St. Joseph’s Ridge 5:30 pm https://tinyurl.com/mvc-fspa2026
• 9/15: DRIVE ELECTRIC VIROQUA 5 pm Western TC parking lot https://vced.energy/event-directory/
• 9/16: Coulee Audubon meeting 7 pm The Nature Place https://www.facebook.com/CouleeRegionAudubon/
• 9/19: Exploring the Night Sky 6:30 pm Perrot State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/127366
• 9/19: Trash clean-up at Kickapoo Bottoms. 9 am https://tinyurl.com/mvckicktrash
• 9/23: Driftless Dialogue: Monarch Butterfly - Biology & Conservation in a Changing World 5:30 pm Kickapoo Valley Reserve https://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar
• 9/30: Seed Collection at New Amsterdam Grasslands. 9 to noon. https://tinyurl.com/mvcgrassseed
• 9/30 - La Crosse Citizens Climate Lobby meeting 6:30 p.m. Contact info@lacrosseccl.org for details.

:

Saving the Driftless

 From Wisconsin Conservation Voters:

In late 2025, residents of Grant County learned a $1 billion data center was being quietly planned near Cassville, a process conducted behind signed NDAs and zoning meetings with zero public comment.

 

Across Wisconsin, tech giants are eyeing rural communities to build massive, energy- and water-hungry facilities. But local residents are rising up to defend the Driftless Area’s unique landscape.

 

As local resident Pete Moris put it: “These are decisions that will impact our area for generations to come. We are stewards here for a short time, and I do not want to be the generation that screws this up.”

 

▶️ WATCH THE PREMIERE: Saving the Driftless Area on YouTube

 

The real cost of Big Tech’s invasion:

• Massive cooling demand uses tremendous amounts of water.
• 
  
• Shifting energy costs onto local families. As opponent Melodie Betts shared, “People cannot afford to pay for extra electricity… People can’t even afford the extra 20 or 30 dollars of gas in their gas tank.”
• 
  
• Developers use NDAs and secretive meetings to shut down community input.

“Our quality of life is way more valuable than any promises a data center developer is going to bring,” Moris said. “Putting people ahead of profits is what we’re seeing resonate with folks.”

 

Can a rural community stop Big Tech from reshaping Southwestern Wisconsin?

 

Watch the 10-minute video on YouTube, leave a comment, and share it with friends to help spread the word.

August Newsletter

 

AUGUST 4 FILM - VS. GOLIATH - APPALACHIA at 7 p.m. online. Deep in the hollows of the Appalachian Mountains, the construction of a fracked gas pipeline rips through mountaintops, forests, and streams, bearing down on rural communities across Appalachia. Russell, an Army veteran who once swore an oath to protect and serve his country, now finds his home, waters, and forests under threat. He enlists in the battle to defend his community. Russell joins forces with people along the pipeline route, including Georgia, an apple farmer in Virginia; Maury, a retired schoolteacher in West Virginia; and Crystal and Jason, Indigenous community leaders in North Carolina. Together, they form a movement that faces numerous setbacks as they take on the multibillion-dollar corporations behind the pipeline. When one of the nation’s most powerful politicians intervenes, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown. After the film, stay for a live Q&A with questions via the chat feature. Register for link: https://tinyurl.com/scfilm-vsgolapp

AUGUST 4 WISCONSIN CHAPTER BOOK CLUB at 6"30 p.m. online. The Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter’s book club will meet online from 6:30 to 7:30. This month’s book is Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization by Bill McKibben! Whether you’ve read the book or not, you’ll enjoy the conversation! Every eighteen hours, the world puts up a nuclear power plant's-worth of solar panels. At the same time, combustion continues to melt our poles, poison our bodies, and drive our global inequality. And it is no longer necessary: For the first time in 700,000 years, we know how to catch the sun's rays and convert them into energy. Bill McKibben tells the story of our sudden spike in power from the sun and wind, tracing the arrival of plentiful, inexpensive solar energy, which, if it accelerates, gives us a chance not just to limit climate change's damage, but to reorder the world on saner and more humane grounds. Register to participate: https://tinyurl.com/wisc826book

AUGUST 5 HIGHWAY CLEAN-UP at 6 p.m. The July clean-up didn’t work out, so we’re trying again on August 5. We’ll work on River Valley Drive, meeting at 6 p.m. at the pumping station just west of the intersection with Gillette Street, and then spread out to pick up litter. Bags and vests are available or bring your own. We’ll work for about an hour and then gather (optional) at Rudy’s on La Crosse Street for refreshments. 

AUGUST 21 CRSC ACTION GATHERING at 5:30 p.m. at 401 West Avenue South, La Crosse. Join us at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 21 at 401 West Avenue South for pizza, education, and action. This month’s CRSC Action Gathering will focus on a recent Trump administration grant of $19 million for the Columbia Energy Center, a coal-fired plant co-owned by Alliant Energy, Madison Gas and Electric and Wisconsin Public Service in south central Wisconsin. What does this mean for our clean air and water goals, for climate action, for the fight to end fossil fuel use? Please email CRSIerraClub@gmail.com or call or text 608-315-2693 with questions about this event. EVERYONE IS WELCOME! 

MORE AUGUST EVENTS

• 8/ 1: MVC Bee ID & Conservation Walk in Grant County. https://tinyurl.com/mvcbeewalk
• 8/ 1: River Valley Raptors 2 pm Goose Island Park https://tinyurl.com/laxparksgi26
• 8/ 2: Birding for Anyone. 8 to 9 a.m. Woods Trail, Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. 904-553-2609
• 8/ 3: International Owl Awareness Day Celebration 8:30-5 Houston, MN https://www.internationalowlcenter.org/owlawarenessday.html
• 8/ 5: Lessons from the Tainter Creek Grazing Project 6 pm Munsch Farm, S995 Bagstad Ln, Coon Valley https://cooncreekwatershed.org/
• 8/ 5: Enviro Wednesday at The Nature Place 7 pm https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/
• 8/ 7: Glaciers in Wisconsin 9 am McMullen County Park, Warrens https://tinyurl.com/augwarrensevents
• 8/ 8: River Valley Snakes 2 pm Vets Park Shelter 2, West Salem https://tinyurl.com/laxparks26
• 8/ 8: Night Sky Viewing 8-10 pm Wildcat Mountain State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/124761
• 8/ 9: Solar Viewing 1-4 pm Wildcat Mountain State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/124766
• 8/12: The Viroqua Line - RR book talk 2 pm McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua https://tinyurl.com/mcintoshrrbooktalk
• 8/12: Trout Stream Restoration Workshop 8:30-4:30 Online https://www.uwlax.edu/events/?e=33906
• 8/12: Soil Health Field Day 8 am-noon. N5356 County Road M, West Salem tinyurl.com/mvcaug26events
• 8/13, 15, 19: MVC Invasive Brush Removal. See link for details. https://tinyurl.com/mvcaug26events
• 8/15: Fascinating Fungi 10-noon The Nature Place https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/
• 8/15: Universe at the Park 7:30-10 pm McMullen County Park, Warrens https://tinyurl.com/augwarrensevents
• 8/20: Transit Talk & Treats. 4:30 to 6:30 pm People’s Food Co-op, La Crosse., tinyurl.com/transittalk-820
• 8/22: The Mississippi Flyway 1 pm Goose Island Park https://tinyurl.com/laxparksgi26
• 8/22: River Valley Raptors 2 pm Vets Park Shelter 2, West Salem https://tinyurl.com/laxparks26
• 8/22: Exploring the Night Sky 8-10:30 pm Perrot State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/127366
• 8/25: State Sierra Club Action Hour 6 p.m. Online https://tinyurl.com/wisc-826ah
• 8/26: Lunch & Learn - Wake Boats noon Online https://tinyurl.com/wisc-ll-wakeboats
• 8/26: La Crosse Citizens Climate Action meeting at 6:30 p.m. https://community.citizensclimate.org/groups/home/1241 
• 8/27-29: The Mystery of Migration 3 online programs https://swibirds.org/all-events?tag=mighty+migrations
• 8/28: Purple Loosestrife 5:30 pm Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge https://explorelacrosse.com/event/purple-loosestrife-presentation/
• 8/28: Universe in the Park 8-10 pm Perrot State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/127371
• 8/29: Macroinvertebrate Mayhem 1 pm Vets Park Shelter 2, West Salem https://tinyurl.com/laxparks26
• 8/29: Wildlife Rehabilitation 2 pm Goose Island Park Shelter 2 https://tinyurl.com/laxparksgi26 

 

 

AUGUST 16 - WILD INSIDE film at 5:30 p.m. at the Rivoli in La Crosse. 

On February 2, 2023, Flaco — a male Eurasian eagle-owl, the largest species of owl in the world — was discovered missing from his cage at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. What follows when Flaco, who had lived his entire life in captivity, was released in New York City is a surprising story revealing the delight, concern, and fascination of millions in the city and beyond.

Join the International Owl Center to view and discuss the film at the Rivoli in La Crosse on August 16 at 5:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl.com/816owlfilm

Note: contains themes and situations around animal death that may be troubling for very young children.

 

WISCONSIN CHAPTER TEAMS FUNDRAISER CONTINUES THROUGH AUGUST 12! Learn about our teams and how you can support them here: https://donorbox.org/wisconsin-summer-2026

Electrek Solar Car Challenge

 

On Saturday, July 25, Summit Environmental School, 1800 Lakeshore Drive (French Island), La Crosse, will be the check-in site for students entered in the Electrek Solar Challenge.

Contestants will arrive at the school between noon and 3:30.

This year's route covers 1550+ miles from Minneapolis, MN to Amarillo, TX, on the Great River Road and Historic Route 66. Over 40 teams from the United States, Canada, Belgium, and The Netherlands are registered to compete. 

The events start with scrutineering and the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix track qualifier at Brainerd International Raceway on July 21-23. Solar cars will then head to Minneapolis for a display day at the University of Minnesota. 

On July 25th solar cars start the American Solar Challenge at the University of Minnesota. They will arrive at the Finish Line at Arts in the Sunset in Amarillo, TX on August 1st. 

Along the way solar cars will make the following stops:

• La Crosse, WI: July 25th
• Normal, IL: July 26th-27th
• Edwardsville, IL: July 27th-28th
• Rolla, MO: July 28th
• Carthage, MO: July 29th-30th
• Tulsa, OK: July 30th
• Elk City, OK: July 31st – Aug 1st

Come on down to cheer on these students! Free and open to all!

Teams Fundraiser

The Wisconsin Chapter Sierra Club is working to protect land, air, water, wildlife, ecosystems, and our climate from the forces that would exploit, mine, extract, pollute, and harm them. Their small but mighty staff is aided by teams of volunteers from around the state who help plan and prioritize actions and campaigns that benefit all of us. These teams also network with other state and regional groups to help strengthen and amplify efforts.

Once a year, the teams hold a fundraiser to ensure they have resources to prepare, promote, and carry out their actions.

That fundraiser is going on now through August 13, with a special online program on Wednesday, July 29 at 6:30 p.m. The itinerary includes some of Wisconsin’s dark sky locations, a visit with Scott Lind, president of the Kickapoo Valley Dark Sky Initiative, and special segments, created by our volunteer-led teams, sharing how their campaign work connects to the nocturnal world.

This event is free to attend with opportunities to donate to support the work of our volunteer-led campaign teams throughout the evening. All proceeds help support the work of the Wisconsin Chapter right here in our beautiful state.

We'll have some fun playing Dark Sky Trivia and those who make an online donation of $5 or more will receive a fun glow-in-the-dark sticker.

Sign up to join us here!

Visit theTeam pages to learn more and donate:

• Wildlife Team
• Water Team
• Transportation Team
• Tar Sands Team
• Lands Team
• Beyond Coal Team

July 23 Driftless Karst

 

History, Hydrology, and What It Means For Us

DRIFTLESS KARST

Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 p.m.

Kickapoo Valley Reserve

ORA Trails 25th Anniversary

ORA Trails 25th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrating the First 25. Building the Next 25.

Thursday, July 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. - Freight House

Twenty-five years ago, a group of passionate volunteers came together with a vision: to create more opportunities for people to get outside through trails. What began as Human Powered Trails has grown into ORA Trails—a community-powered organization that has built and maintained miles of trails, inspired thousands of volunteers, connected people with nature, and created places where lifelong memories are made. 

Learn more and get tickets ($25 each) at https://www.oratrails.org/calendar/

FOB Bumblebee Hike

From Friends of the Blufflands:

Join us on Saturday, 7/18, for a bonus hike in addition to our Second Saturday hikes, to search for and identify bumblebees and to identify the plants on which they are nectaring and gathering pollen. This hike, "Bumblebees and Blooms" will complement the one on 7/11 which focused on other native bees. Led by Mike O'Brien and others, we will search for common and rare bumblebees...and maybe see the federally endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee!

When: Saturday, 7/18, at 9:00

Where: Park near W5788 Thistledown Drive in Arbor Hills

Difficulty: This is an easy hike on mowed trails on a small, flat, planted prairie right next to the parking area with boatloads of bumblebees! Wear long pants, good hiking shoes, and bring water and a snack if needed. We'll have bug spray and some printed bumblebee guides.

La Crosse Bike Rodeo!

 

BIKE RODEO! THURSDAY, JULY 23 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Myrick Park lower level trailhead parking lot

Join the City of La Crosse for an afternoon of bicycle skills training, music, and more!

This program is "geared" towards elementary aged youth who would like to increase confidence and skills maneuvering on their bicycles including yielding, stopping and looking both ways as well as what to do around other riders. Complimentary bike quick checks and helmet fittings will also take place.

Youth are encouraged to bring their bicycle and helmet to participate in the skills course.

Volunteers are welcome! Please sign up if you are interested in volunteering.

Birders

 

This Saturday, July 11th from 8 to 9 a.m., explore the Myrick Park Marsh Loop! The meet up is inspired by the Feminist Bird Club with a goal of establishing a local chapter here in the Driftless region. You can learn more about them here: https://www.feministbirdclub.org/ 

CONTACT: NicoleBrookeEllis@gmail.com (904) 553-2609 for more information. 

No birding experience required!

July newsletter

 

July 7, 6:00 p.m., Online Line 5 Reroute Update     Enbridge's Line 5 Pipeline transports oil across Wisconsin and Michigan into Canada. It has spilled over one million gallons of oil and is being operated well beyond its intended lifespan. The proposed Line 5 reroute is 41 miles long and would allow the pipeline to continue operating over the opposition of the Bad River Band, on whose land the pipeline is currently trespassing. Hundreds of thousands of people from those near the Line 5 pipeline to every state in the country have taken action to oppose Line 5 and highlighted the need to shut down the pipeline and protect the Great Lakes, tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, and our climate and environment.

In February of this year, Enbridge began clearing the right of way for the Line 5 reroute as the legal case challenging their state permits for the projects continues. Despite the serious concerns raised by the Bad River Band and the environmental groups, Enbridge is proceeding with construction and preparing for the intensive, risky work they’ve proposed. Over the last few months, Enbridge’s behavior has raised concerns about the threats Line 5 opponents have warned of for years. Join us to hear an update on what's happening with Line 5 and how you can plug in to protect the Great Lakes, tribal sovereignty and our climate!

REGISTER FOR LINK: tinyurl.com/wisc-Line5Info-0726 

JULY 8 HIGHWAY CLEAN-UP     It’s time for the summer highway clean-up on our club’s section of River Valley Drive. We’ll meet at 6 p.m. at the pumping station just west of the intersection with Gillette and then spread out to pick up litter. Bags and vests are available or bring your own. We’ll work for about an hour and then gather (optional) at Rudy’s on La Crosse Street for refreshments. 

JULY 12 PSC HEARING PREP     Learn how to provide powerful testimony for upcoming 
Public Service Commission hearings on issues related to data centers. Several pending proposals call for an explosion of new gas plants which will increase power bills and methane emissions. Sign up for this 6 p.m. online webinar at https://tinyurl.com/WISC-pscprep726 

NO ACTION GATHERING IN JULY     There will be no local Action Gathering in July. We will resume in August. Watch for details in the August newsletter.

SUPPORT OUR TEAMS!      Our dedicated volunteer teams are fighting to stop the worst impacts of climate change, safeguard Wisconsin’s lands and wildlife, and ensure that when you turn on the tap, your water is safe to drink. This is your chance to support them and the important work they are doing for our environment and our communities. From now through August 13, each team will be raising funds and offering fun ways to celebrate grassroots activism and Wisconsin’s special places. Donate to your favorite team!
•    Wildlife Team: tinyurl.com/wisc-wildlife26
•    Water Team: tinyurl.com/wisc-water26
•    Transportation Team: tinyurl.com/wisc-transport26
•    Tar Sands Team: tinyurl.com/wisc-tarsands26
•    Lands Team: tinyurl.com/wisc-lands26
•    Beyond Coal Team: tinyurl.com/wisc-nocoal26

And, on July 29 at 6:30 p.m., join us online for a fun evening to celebrate the grassroots advocacy of the Wisconsin Chapter and explore how our work matters to the parts of our environment that come alive at night. Donate any time at: https://sc.org/DarkSkies

Revisiting Plastics at the June Action Gathering     by Chris Miller, CRSC Board Member

“Plastic pollution free world is not a choice but a commitment to life – a commitment to the next generation.” - Amit Ray, Indian author and spiritual master

We decided on the theme of reawakening ourselves to the plastic dilemmas for these reasons:
•    Plastic Free July started in Australia in 2011. It is now one of the largest environmental campaigns on the planet. We wanted to jump on board this global movement. 
•    Ninety-one percent of plastics are still not recycled.
•    These statistics lead to a tendency to feel helpless, become discouraged, and feel less empowered. So we wanted to re-imagine what can be done, how we can be inspired, and how we can feel empowered again. 

The narrative that consumers are the ones to blame has been perpetuated by the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry. Through targeted advertising and promotion of waste management solutions that rely on individual choices, like recycling, the fossil fuel industry has once again relied on manipulation and strategizing to keep us looking away from them and their responsibility.

We watched CAN WE FIX THIS? Why the plastic pollution problem is so much worse than you think

The key point: We cannot clean our way out of our plastic dilemma. 
What can be done?
•    Reduce how much we make: packaging material, single use beverage
•    Reduce how much we use
•    Make more reusable and refillable options
•    Design more products to be recyclable
•    Scale up waste collection in underserved countries: 4 billion people lack access
•    Expand recycling capacity by double
•    Make recycling cheaper and more profitable than landfills
•    Use science to redesign plastic so it can be used over and over
•    Build places where plastic can be stored and by products not disturb the environment
•    Reduce waste we export to lower income countries

You can see that these are all depend on system changes. The hopeful note is that if we did these things, we can cut our total plastic waste by 90% by 2040! So the most important action individuals can take is to advocate for system change like that illustrated in the zero waste hierarchy.

While we can’t fix the problem through individual choices alone, we can still choose to practice a joyful zero waste lifestyle and to incorporate principles into our lives. Practicing zero waste is a great way to resist dominant models of linear consumption, reduce our exposure to chemicals, save money, and inspire others to take action.   

We took action:
•    We signed a letter to the mayor educating him about Plastic Free July and advocating that he make plastic waste a priority in the Climate Action Plan.
•    Will work to set up a tour of Harters Recycling to educate ourselves on really what is going on with recycling in our area.
•    We took individual pledges that inspired us all including using plastic-free household items, being more mindful of use, using a metal refillable cup or bottle, using Ridwell, writing to companies about packaging, talking to others, including children, about zero waste. 

View the PowerPoint presentation from our Action Gathering at https://tinyurl.com/crsc-plastic0626 and check out the Sierra Club’s Room-By-Room Plastic Free Action Guide at https://www.sierraclub.org/Sierra/plastic-free-guide-room-by-room. You can read more about the Zero Waste movement at https://www.zerowaste.com.

We invite you to make your own pledge on July 1 at https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/pledge/

"We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly." - Anne Marie Bonneau, @zerowasteche 

CRSC POTLUCK     Despite threatening weather and a few rain drops, our annual summer potluck was a great success. Many old and new friends gathered to share great food, stories, and plans. We learned a bit about upcoming state and local club initiatives and how we can be involved in the many challenges facing our environment. Thanks to all who attended!
Because of the unsettled weather, our tour of Southern Bluffs School’s Prairie was postponed until this fall. More details will be announced when it’s rescheduled.

COULEE REGION YOUTH     by Aditi Muduganti, Grade 12, Onalaska High School
Project Get Outdoors is a La Crosse initiative that connects youth experiencing mental health challenges with local natural spaces. A school club started by La Crosse teachers last fall has been taking students on weekly trips to local bluffs, creeks, and forests. Both efforts are built on the same idea: that young people are spending less time outside and that it matters. 

That outdoor access requires real work to maintain. La Crosse County has spent years cutting energy use across county buildings and recently installed solar panels at sites including Goose Island and the downtown offices as part of a larger push toward carbon neutrality by 2050. A recent county survey found strong majorities of residents worried about clean drinking water and ecosystem loss. The county is now developing a Community Sustainability Plan and seeking resident input to shape it. 

The City of La Crosse is moving alongside that work. The Climate Action Plan Steering Committee has backed goals this year to expand the urban tree canopy, increase renewable electricity generation, and improve recycling access for renters. The School District already has solar running at three schools, with a fourth on the way. For the students hiking bluffs on Tuesday mornings and the county planners meeting on Monday nights, the work is pointing in the same direction.

MORE JULY EVENTS

• 7/ 1, 18, 28: Mississippi Valley Conservancy Work days. https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events
• 7/ 1: Who Is In The Creek? with Coon Creek Watershed. 6 pm. Bohemian Valley Fishery Area, Hwy G https://tinyurl.com/whosinthecreek
• 7/ 2: Author talk - “WISDOM FROM THE WOODS: A Year of Gentle Guidance From Mother Nature” Noon at McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua. https://tinyurl.com/viroquabooktalkJuly
• 7/ 8: Wisconsin Conservation Voters Listening Session 6 to 7 pm at The Nature Place, La Crosse. https://tinyurl.com/26wcvlisten
• 7/ 9-11: Basic wetland and aquatic plant ID at UWL Prairie Springs Center. https://www.uwlax.edu/events/?e=33684
• 7/11: Second Saturday Hike - The Dance of the Native Bees at 9 am at the Upper Hixon Parking Lot, La Crosse. https://tinyurl.com/fobbeehike
• 7/11: Bat Ecology Cave Tour 9:30 am at Kickapoo Caverns Nature Reserve. Must register. https://tinyurl.com/mvcbatcavetour
• 7/11: Youth Outdoor Fest 10 to 2 at Pettibone Park. https://www.fws.gov/event/youth-outdoor-fest-2026
• 7/11: Paddle in Lunda Park 4 to 6 pm Black River Falls. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/friends-of-the-black-river-2026-paddle-schedule-paddle-in-the-park/
• 7/12: Friends of Kickapoo Valley Reserve Garden Tour. https://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar
• 7/15: Author Talk - “The Burntwood Anthology” 6 pm Turtle Stack Brewery. https://davidnashcollective.com/
• 7/16: Author Talk - “A Year at a Beaver Pond” 5:30 pm at McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua. https://tinyurl.com/viroquabooktalkbeaverpond
• 7/23: Enhancing Biodiversity on Your Land: Habitat Improvement from 6 to 8 pm at Nature Nooks Retreat in Vernon County. MississippiValleyConservancy.org/events
• 7/25: Dragonfly Discovery from 10 am to Noon at The Nature Place. https://tinyurl.com/tnp-dragonflies
• 7/25: Universe in the Park 8 pm Wildcat Mountain State Park. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/124756
• 7/29: Field Trip to Foraker School in Vernon County. https://mcintoshmemoriallibrary.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=358691
• 8/ 1: MVC Bee ID & Conservation Walk in Grant County. https://tinyurl.com/mvcbeewalk 

SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE SEEKS UWL STUDENT FOR EVENT PLANNING AND ENGAGEMENT INTERNSHIP FOR 2026-2027. Read more and apply here.

June Newsletter

 

June 17, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. SUMMER POTLUCK at Goose Island County Park, Shelter #3!  

Make or buy some delicious food to share, bring your own beverage and your personal picnic kit (plate, utensils, cup/bottle), and bike, carpool or drive to Goose Island Shelter #3 on Wednesday, June 17. Bring your bug stuff, too! Starting at 5:30 p.m., we’ll talk, eat, share news about current Sierra Club campaigns, and enjoy another summer along the river together.

If you would like to tour the Southern Bluffs school prairie before the potluck, please see below.

If you are driving, consider offering a carpool ride. Offer or seek a ride at https://tinyurl.com/CRSCJune26Ride or call 608-315-2693. 

You do not need to be a Sierra Club member to attend, though the Sierra Club is doing some pretty important work and welcome new talent and energy! Join here: https://tinyurl.com/CRSC-joinus 

June 17 at 4:45 p.m. TOUR THE PRAIRIE at SOUTHERN BLUFFS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!      Tour the prairie established at Southern Bluffs Elementary School with the help of a CRSC Environmental Education grant! Meet at the school parking lot, 4010 Sunnyside Drive, by 4:45 p.m. and Southern Bluffs teacher Darcy Lenz will guide us to the prairie. The school is just five minutes from the site of our annual summer potluck! See above for a link to the carpool option!   

JUNE 2 - BOOK CLUB     This month’s book club is hosted by the Sierra Club’s Transportation Access and Equity Team. Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar is, “a beguiling and absurdly hilarious mix of history, politics, and reportage. Slate staff writer Henry Grabar brilliantly surveys the nation’s parking crisis, revealing how the compulsion for car storage has exacerbated some of our most acute problems— from housing affordability to the accelerating global climate disaster—and, ultimately, how we can free our cities from park­ing’s cruel yoke.” 
RSVP for this online event June 2 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at https://tinyurl.com/WISC-PavedBook or call 608-315-2693 for access information. 

JUNE 19 - CRSC ACTION GATHERING     Join CRSC members and friends on Friday, June  19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. learning about important environmental issues and taking action together to make a difference. We’ll watch a short educational video and then learn what we can do to work toward shared goals. Plus, there’s pizza! Questions? Call 608-315-2693 or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com.

JUNE 23 - CHAPTER ACTION HOUR     Every month, the Wisconsin Chapter offers friends and members the opportunity to learn about a current environmental concern and take action together. Fall elections will bring new legislative leaders and possibilities. At the same time, federal policies and programs are changing rapidly. RSVP for this online event, from 6 to 7 p.m. online, at https://tinyurl.com/WISC-626Action or call 608-315-2693 to learn how to participate by phone. 

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS     CRSC awarded several Earth Month environmental education grants this year. We’ll report on them over the next few months. First up, a report from Darcy Lenz, Southern Bluffs Elementary School in La Crosse.
On (Earth Day), Southern Bluffs was able to host two programs thanks to generous support from the Sierra Club! The $200 grant helped offset the $625 fee to host both programs.

Grades 3-5 International Owl Center Presentation - Owls and Us Game Show
This was hands-on and very engaging! Students learned basic facts about owls in Wisconsin, their role in the ecosystem, human-owl interactions, and then students learned about ways to help keep owls healthy. Kids were fired up!

PK-2 International Owl Center Presentation
The Owl Center gave a wonderful presentation to the younger students. Our program was called, “So You Want to be an Owl “ (interactive program on owl behavior) for the K-2nd grade group. The students were excited and engaged in learning about the owls. There was a lot of interaction with students which kept their interest and the questions coming. 

MORE JUNE EVENTS

• 6/ 1: Documentary Film Screening - “Dear Sirs” at 6 pm in the Holmen Area Community Center. https://tinyurl.com/holmendearsirs
• 6/ 3: Friends of the Blufflands annual meeting. 7 p.m. at The Nature Place, La Crosse. 
• 6/ 6: National Trail Days at Kickpoo Valley Reserve. https://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar
• 6/ 8: Driftless Eco Explorers 11 a.m. Holmen Library https://tinyurl.com/drftlsxplore
• 6/ 8: Driftless Eco Explorers 11 a.m. Great River Landing. https://lacrossecountylibrary.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=345216
• 6/ 9: Kane Street Community Garden Open House, 4 to 6 pm https://www.facebook.com/share/1aeYTmDfWW/
• 6/10: Ride SMRT 2 Viroqua & Transportation Liberation video. https://lacrosseata.blogspot.com / 608-315-2693
• 6/13: Procession of the Species at ArtSpire 11:30 am. https://artspire.thepumphouse.org/2026-performing-arts/
• 6/13: Critter Mobile at Vets Park, West Salem. Shelter 4. 1 pm. https://tinyurl.com/wsvetsparkprograms26
• 6/13: Bluff Country Snakes at Goose Island County Park. 2 pm.https://tinyurl.com/GIPark-snakes
• 6/17: Planting for Pollinators 10-11 am and 1-2 pm N5727 County Rd Z, Onalaska https://wigrr.com/series/planting-for-pollinators-upper-mississippi-river-national-wildlife-and-fish-refuge-onalaska-wi/
• 6/20: Midsummer Fest at Norskedalen. https://www.norskedalen.org/events/midsummer-fest/
• 6/20: River Valley Raptors at Goose Island County Park. 2 pm. https://tinyurl.com/GIPark-snakes
• 6/20: T.R.I.P An Archaeology Walking Tour. 10 - noon. Trempealeau Library. https://swmlibrary.org/calendar/
• 6/24: Citizens Climate Lobby meeting at 6:30 p.m. Email info@lacrosseccl.org for details.
• 6/25: Thinking Big about Wisconsin Passenger Rail conference 1:30 to 4:30, Oriental Theater, Milwaukee. https://www.hsrail.org/events/thinking-big-about-wisconsin-passenger-rail/
• 6/27: The Critter Mobile at Goose Island County Park. 2 pm. https://tinyurl.com/GIPark-snakes
• 6/27: Bluff Country Snakes. Vets Memorial Park, West Salem. Shelter 2 at 2 pm. https://tinyurl.com/wsvetsparkprograms26
• 6/27: Free E-Recycling 8 to noon. N5550 Dynamic Way, Onalaska. https://www.facebook.com/share/1D3DBJ8JpK/

Birding 101

 

Saturday, May 30 from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at The Nature Place

Bird watching is one of the most popular pastimes in the United States, with approximately 96 million adult participants. The benefits of bird watching extend beyond simple enjoyment. Numerous studies have documented the health benefits of exposure to nature, particularly birds. Birdsong has been shown to be an especially effective tonic for personal well-being.

This fun course is designed to introduce bird watching fundamentals to interested adults. The morning will include a brief lecture on birdwatching basics followed by a two-hour birding hike in the La Crosse Marsh with local bird experts.

Registration is required.  No experience is necessary, but curiosity and a sense of awe are welcome. Bring binoculars if you have them; a limited number of binoculars will be available.

Presenter Bio:

Craig began working in natural resource conservation when gas was 96 cents per gallon. Now retired, much of his career focused on migratory bird conservation. He is a co-founder and President of Driftless Birds, an organization dedicated to accelerating bird conservation in the Driftless Area. When not watching birds in Wisconsin, he often leads bird watching tours in Latin America.