Letter from the President 2022
Dear Pike Lake Neighbors -2022
I would like to acknowledge all of you who have become involved in the Pike Lake Neighbors Invasive Species Work Efforts. I would like to thank Duane Silkworth, Steve Anderson, Rita Erspamer, Charlie, Sarah, Judy, All of the Board of Directors, Bob Kary of the Rice Lake Association and Zach Wilson of the Iron County Land and Conservation Department for their hard work and efforts to try and stem, control and eradicate the Curly Leaf Pondweed infestations that are evident in Rice Lake, the Turtle River and Pike Lake.
This will take all of us with concerted annual efforts of monitoring, hand pulling and recording the whereabouts of this invasive species to try and get a handle on this situation. For your information the following work efforts have been undertaken and accomplished in 2020 and 2021:
2020 Grant Efforts/Funding – Surveys and Reports by White Water Associates – $7,500, Donated Surveys by Iron County – $2,455, Donated Labor and Equipment by Iron County -$1,022, Volunteer Labor Reported – 131.7 Hours-$1,781, Donated Equipment Purchases and Use – $933.
2021 Grant Efforts/Funding – Surveys and Reports by White Water Associates – $4,925, Donated Labor and Equipment by Iron County – $6,909, Volunteer Labor Reported – 191.5 Hours – $2,298, Donated Equipment Purchases and Use – $785.
We have been most fortunate to have been sponsored by the Rice Lake Association to secure the grant from the WDNR and have had exceptional help, guidance and hands on physical work efforts from Iron County via Zach Wilson. We sincerely hope that this cooperative work effort will continue into the future, as it does benefit Pike Lake, Rice Lake, the Turtle River, Lake of the Falls and the entire Turtle Flambeau Flowage Drainage Basin.
We have tentatively set the first hand pulling effort on Pike Lake and the upstream area of the Turtle River in 2022 for the first full week of June – June 6th thru June 11th. This effort will be coordinated with Zach Wilson and his crew from Iron County. If you can help, please do so. Your physical work contributes to our “in kind” contribution to satisfy the grant requirements. We will finalize this work effort early in 2022.
We had a Pike Lake Neighbors Officers and Board of Directors meeting just recently and addressed an agenda of items that needed attention, discussion and direction for 2022.
I believe that all of the reports from White Water are now on our website and available for your review.
Some other useful information:
We now have 35 members, that is good news. The more Pike Lake Property owners who become involved, the greater our collective impact. Our annual dues are $50 per member and will likely be due prior to our fall labor day meeting.
Duane and Steve A. will be setting up a every two weeks CLP pull and monitoring effort, that will be coming shortly to you. The more eyes on the water and arm pulling and raking removal , the better to try and keep CLP at bay.
Tentatively, We are planning another meeting and educational session for Labor Day Weekend. Last years was very successful and we will plan on brats for lunch again.
We are short one Board of Director Member, so if you are interested, please contact me, Rita or Duane.
Again, I would like to thank you for your interest and concerns for our irreplaceable natural resource – Pike Lake and hope that you continue to be involved in our future work efforts.
Sincerely, Steve Kubacki, President, Pike Lake Neighbors, Inc.