LAKE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE

By Bob Baker


This has been an unusually prolific year for purple loosestrife in and around Lipsett Lake. Since around the first of August, the Loosestrife Commandos (Kirk Hexum, Doug Mulville, Bob Baker, Ruth Baker, Jon Hansen, and Mark Hansen) have cut, bagged, and sprayed roughly 80-100 purple loosestrife plants primarily from the west side of Lipsett. Locations ranged from Hexum’s shoreline and yard, to the Nelsen’s properties, to the Anderson’s shoreline across from Doris Perry, to one plant along the Baker’s boardwalk. The fact that a number of these outbreak locations are isolated from the lake suggests that birds and wind have been primary vectors for seed transport.


As many of you know, purple loosestrife is an invasive species introduced from Europe and Asia with a very showy purple spike-like flower. It invades marshes and lakeshores and crowds out cattails, bulrushes, other native plants, and adversely affects wildlife. It is also very difficult to eradicate once established because a single adult plant can disperse 2 million seeds annually! The Loosestrife Commandos made an effort to carefully bag the cut flower heads to hopefully minimize seed dispersal before spraying the cut stems with Rodeo (a wetland-friendly herbicide provided to us by the Burnett County Conservationist).


We will have to be especially vigilant over the next few years to reduce the loosestrife outbreaks and hopefully eradicate this invasive plant. In that regard, all Lipsett Lake property owners are encouraged to contact either Bob Baker or Greg Heber if you suspect you have seen purple loosestrife anywhere in/around the lake.


Other Newsworthy Items:


Northwest Lakes Conference was held June 24 in Minong and was attended by Greg Heber, Grace and Jon Huth, Ruth and Bob Baker. The group separated and managed to attend all of the 16 different sessions offered at the Conference. Session topics ranged from Eurasian Water-Milfoil Prevention and Control Strategies, to Wisconsin Water Law, to Frog Identification. One concrete outcome was that we acquired 75 copies of a very colorful 1-page handout on Invasive Wetland Plants in Wisconsin that will be made available to attendees at the Association meeting Labor Day weekend.


Aquatic Plant ID Workshop Parts I and II.


Part I: On July 9, Brad Morris, the Burnett County Invasive Aquatic Species Specialist and his two Interns, conducted a hands-on plant ID workshop at the Government Center in Siren. Attending from Lipsett Lake were Libby and Mary Bearden, Ken Dacas, Chuck Edwards, Greg Heber and Tanya Ives, Grace and Jon Huth, Jon and Elizabeth Hansen, Ruth Kunze, Scott Lundgren, Ruth and Bob Baker, and Bob Margo.


Part II: On August 13, in the rain, Brad Morris, his two Interns, and Mark Sundeen from the Wisconsin DNR conducted a second plant ID session, but this time on Lipsett Lake rather than in a classroom. Attending were: Ruth and Bob Baker, Mary Bearden, Jon Hansen, Mark Hansen, Greg Heber, Tanya Ives, Doug Mulville, and Sally Nelsen.


One final note: If you have not already done so, please sign up to work a 2-hour shift at the public landing on Labor Day weekend. We need to continue our vigilance in preventing additional invasive plants and animals from entering Lipsett Lake.  (See the previous post for more information on how to sign up.)