Science on Tap

Terry Daulton

UW-Madison Trout Lake Station volunteer and retired environmental educator

Drawing Water: Building Science Understanding through the Arts

December 16 @ 6:30 at the Alley

What happens when a group of artists and scientists explore the complexity, beauty and future of northern lakes? Beginning in June of 2010, a group of artists and scientists came together to collaborate on an environmental education project now called Drawing Water. The goal was to combine the insights of artists and scientists and create something out of the ordinary; to visualize life below the surface, travel back through time, and glimpse possible futures. Since that time, the University of Wisconsin – Madison Center for Limnology Trout Lake Station in Boulder Junction has been fostering art/science collaborations with over 25 artist in residence. In 2022 the station launched a new initiative, bringing together teams of student artists, scientists and professional artists to work together around research topics from wild rice habitat health to fisheries. The Station teamed up with WDNR Escanaba Fisheries Research and the Lac Du Flambeau Tribal Natural Resources scientists to tailor mentoring for six student artists. The resulting art show Aquatica traveled during the spring and summer of 2024 including to the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland. The combined work of Drawing Water can be seen at our website Drawingwater.weebly.com or at periodic shows and education events. This talk will share insights from the program, as well as broader ideas around art/science collaborations and the compelling stories and ideas that emerge when creative forces join together.

Terry Daulton’s pastel paintings reflect her deep ties to the landscape and her background as a biologist and environmental educator. Her work as a field biologist in the northwoods provides inspiration for her artwork. Daulton states, “For me painting is both personal and a teaching tool. I hope that I can help others to develop a closer relationship to the natural world and to discover their own creative energies.” Terry’s work on art/science collaborations includes interpretive exhibits, nature trail brochures, and creation and coordination of the travelling exhibition “Paradise Lost: Climate Change in the Northwoods” which was seen by over 100,000 visitors in the Midwest. She also created and coordinated the show “Drawing Water” which brought together artists and scientists at University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology field station at Trout Lake. This project launched UW-Madison’s work with Ecological Reflections, a network of arts and humanities collaborations at National Science Foundation funded Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) projects across North America. She continues this work for UW as a volunteer, bringing presentations and exhibits to conferences and meetings and partnering with UW scientists on the recently established Artist in Residence program at Trout Lake. She shows her work at a number of northwoods galleries and can be contacted at terryldaulton@gmail.com

Peggy Burkman

Retired National Parks Service Biologist

Canada Yew, A Keystone Species of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

November 18 @ 6:30 at the Alley

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore hosts one of the best landscape scale representations of Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) in the Great Lakes states. As a keystone species, Canada yew has a considerable influence on the park’s ecosystems related to its abundance. Learn which plant and animal species benefit through interactions with this important species in the Lakeshore.

Peggy retired at the end of May after 22 years at Apostle Islands. Prior to that she worked as a Wildlife Biologist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and held Fire and Landscape Ecologist positions for the U.S. Forest Service. She also completed a dissertation titled “Enhancing human motivation in group settings relative to climate change”, and currently volunteers to promote action on the issue. 

Arne Martinson

Northern Mushroom Tours

Mushrooms Of The Apostle Islands: Revealing The Fascinating Fungi Of The Northwoods

October 21 @ 6:30 at the Alley

Join Arne Martinson, a local mushroom expert, for a photographic journey through the incredible and unique fungal ecology of the Apostle Islands. We will discuss new discoveries, hidden treasures, and the incredible stories of often overlooked organisms.

Arne Martinson is a mycologist and photographer from Bayfield, Wisconsin, who specializes in mushroom education. He is the former vice president of the Wisconsin Mycological Society and the owner of Northern Mushroom Tours, an educational tour company based in Bayfield.

You can reach out about Mushroom Tours and learn more about Arne at: https://northernmushroomtours.com/

Peter Levi and Jamie Dobosenski with The Nature Conservancy‘s Wisconsin Chapter, Ian Harding with Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Then and Back Again: a Lake Trout’s Tale of Recovery

Lake Trout in the Great Lakes hold important ecological, social, cultural, and economic value to the Lake Superior region. Yet their populations were severely diminished by non-native sea lampreys and overfishing and have only recently been declared rehabilitated after extensive multi-decade and multi-jurisdictional efforts. Despite this recovery, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have found evidence that we have not had complete recolonization of Lake Trout on historic spawning shoals in the Apostle Islands after conducting spawning assessments on historic sites across the Apostle Islands. A new project by Red Cliff and The Nature Conservancy along with other partners seeks to determine why one spawning shoal complex has maintained a resilient population of Lake Trout while other historic spawning shoals have never seen recolonization after Lake Trout recovery. The success of Lake Trout recovery, and the well-being of other species throughout our region, will depend on the resilience of our freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems into the future.

Peter is the Director of Conservation Science for The Nature Conservancy’s Wisconsin Chapter. He has studied freshwater ecology and conservation science around Wisconsin and farther afield, with special interest in the ebb and flow of nitrogen and phosphorus from ecosystem to ecosystem.

Jamie is a Fisheries Ecologist for The Nature Conservancy’s Wisconsin Chapter and works on various fisheries projects across the Upper Great Lakes. Jamie has over a decade of experience working on Lake Superior and spent time with the USFWS, WIDNR, and USGS before being employed by The Nature Conservancy.

Ian is the fisheries biologist for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. He has over a decade of experience working on Lake Superior which includes his graduate research and work with Tribal governments.

September 16 @ 6:30 at the Alley

Kevin Brewster

Superior Rivers Watershed Association

Cattails: The good, the bad, and the ugly

August 19 @ 6:30 at the Alley

Cattails are a common sight in our water rich environment, but what are they doing for or to the ecosystem? In this talk Kevin will discuss the differences between our local and non-local cattails, the history of how invasive cattails spread in our region, and their impact on our local environment, particularly in the Fish Creek Sloughs. 

Kevin Brewster is Superior Rivers’ Restoration Coordinator. Check out Kevin’s bio here!

Nisogaabokwe Melonee Montano, Evan Larson (Department of Environmental Sciences & Society, University of Wisconsin-Platteville), and Bazile Minogiizhigaabo Panek (Good Sky Guidance)

A Wilderness Act: Reconsidering Fire in Great Lakes Forests

A Wilderness Act Documentary

THURSDAY July 17 @ 6:30pm at the South Shore Brewery Tap House, Washburn

In this short documentary film titled A Wilderness Act, Indigenous and Western ways of knowing come together through the collaboration of a Anishinaabe scholar and college professor to redefine our understanding of wilderness and argue for the return of fire to our forests. Join us for this special screening followed by a panel discussion with the co-director, co-producer, and stars of the film!

Nisogaabokwe – Melonee Montano, is a mother, grandmother, and an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She is a Grad Student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in the Natural Resources Science & Management Program under the Forestry Department. She’s held the role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge Outreach Specialist for Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) where she helped assess climate change impacts on treaty resources and potential threats to Ojibwe culture and lifeways. Prior to GLIFWC she was Red Cliff’s Environmental Programs Manager where she has also served on various committees including EPA’s Regional Tribal Operations Committee, Alliance for Sustainability, Treaty Natural Resources, the Integrated Resources Management Plan, and is currently serving on the Great Lakes Compact Commission. She holds a B.S. degree in Healthcare Administration with a Native American and Environmental Studies emphasis. Lastly and most importantly, she is a lifelong student of her cultural ways.

Evan Larson is a father, husband, teacher, scientist, and enthusiast of wild places. Evan’s childhood took place in the woods of central Minnesota, helping his parents tend 80 acres of mixed hardwood forests. Drawn by mountains, oceans, and forests, his formal education includes an Environmental Science bachelor’s degree from Willamette University, degrees in geography from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (M.S.) and the University of Minnesota (PhD), and a Faculty Fulbright fellowship to Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall. Less formally, Evan’s philosophy of life has been informed by significant doses of reflection, books, chainsaws and firewood. Evan is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Environmental Sciences & Society at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he works with students through the Tree-Ring, Earth, and Environmental Sciences Laboratory to better understand environmental change over past centuries.

Bazile Minogiizhigaabo Panek comes from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe where he was born and raised. His culture is an integral part of his life, as he consistently participates in cultural events and ceremonies. In 2023, Bazile founded Good Sky Guidance and is currently the CEO. Good Sky Guidance is a consulting firm specializing in the integration of Indigenous Knowledges and culture in environmental initiatives and advising institutions on respectful tribal community engagement. This Fall, Bazile will be a graduate student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities studying for a Master’s Degree in Natural Resource Sciences and Management and a PhD in American Indian Studies. Bazile also works as the “Fire-Plan Research Coordinator” at University of Wisconsin-Platteville for a National Science Foundation-funded project that combines various ways of knowing to help heal fire-dependent lands and cultures in the Great Lakes region.

Jenna Ingersoll, Family Doctor

Northlakes Community Clinic

Weight Science; Where are we in 2025?

June 17th @ 6:30pm at Honest Dog Books, Bayfield

Over the past five to ten years weight-loss drugs have taken off in popularity, becoming some of the most common drugs in the US. This comes after three decades of climbing rates of obesity among Americans. The science of weight and weight-loss are complicated.  Jenna will dive into these complexities and discuss the array of potential responses to or treatments for obesity from nutrition to physical activity to surgery to the newly popular weight-loss drugs.

Jenna Ingersoll is a family medicine physician at NorthLakes Community Clinic in Ashland and Iron River. She has a special interest in obstetrics and addiction medicine. Outside of work, she spends most of her time chasing after her very active 3-year-old son with her husband Jordan. 

Anthony Valentine, General Surgery Physician Assistant

Tamarack Health

History and application of the DaVinci Surgical Robot

May 20th @ 6:30pm

In this presentation, Anthony will discuss the history and development of the robot, its evolution in application in different surgical specialties and its advantages in surgery.

 

Tony Valentine, PA is a general surgery physician’s assistant at Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center with nearly 35 years of clinical experience. He has worked as a physician’s assistant for cardiothoracic, orthopedics, and general surgery/colorectal specialties.

 

He also has over 30 years of experience in the military with the Army National Guard as a combat medic and an Army physician’s assistant. He’s been on four deployments, three of which were combat-related, and he’s currently in the 34th Infantry Division, as the Chief of Clinical Operations for the division.

 

He’s married with six children and lives in Ashland, WI. He enjoys spending time with his wife and children, fishing, hiking and golfing, as well as a variety of martial arts.

Adrian Wydeven, Timber Wolf Alliance

Gray wolves in Wisconsin: What’s their impact on deer, ecosystems, and the future management in the state?

April 15th @ 6:30pm

This presentation will discuss the biology and ecology of wolves in Wisconsin, and how wolves are impacting deer and forest ecosystems.  Adrian will also examine the current and future scientific management of the state wolf population. 

Adrian obtained a BS degrees in Biology and Wildlife Management at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1976, and a MS degree in Wildlife Ecology from Iowa State University at Ames in 1979. From 1980 through 1982, he worked as an assistant wildlife area manager in northeast Missouri. In 1982 he returned to Wisconsin to work for the Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife manager in Oshkosh, Appleton, and Shawano 1982-1990. From 1990-2013 Adrian moved to Park Falls, heading up the state wolf recovery and management programs and other programs on non-game wildlife in northern Wisconsin. He was involved with monitoring and management of American martens, surveys for lynx, investigations of cougar observations, surveys of other carnivores, serving on the state wolf, furbearer, elk, marten, and bat advisory committees, as well as other state and federal wildlife advisory committees.

In February 2013, he began to work as a Forest Wildlife Specialist, promoting forest management practices that enhanced or protected habitat for various forest wildlife species working closely with foresters, land agencies and landowners. Adrian retired from the DNR on January 3, 2015. He worked part-time as coordinator of the Timber Wolf Alliance with the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute (SOEI) at Northland College in Ashland, WI, from September 2015 through June 2017. He continues to volunteer as the Chair of the Timber Wolf Alliance Advisory Council, and does contract with the SOEI for workshops and talks; does volunteer wolf, bird, bat surveys, and Snapshot camera surveys for WDNR; and is active as a volunteer with Wisconsin Green Fire. He continues working on issues involving wolf conservation, other carnivores and wildlife in general. Adrian and his wife Sarah live near Cable, Wisconsin.

Adrian has published many papers on wolf management and ecology, and is the senior
editor of Recovery of Gray Wolves in the Great Lakes Region of the United States: An
Endangered Species Success Story (2009). Recovery of Gray Wolves in the Great Lakes
Region of the United States | SpringerLink

Rob Croll and Hannah Panci with Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and Karina Heim with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve

Ganawenindiwag – Working with Plant Relatives to Heal and Protect Gichigami Shorelines

March 18th @ 6:30pm

Ganawenindiwag empowers users to grow, promote, and use plant beings specifically from natural plant communities adapted to coastal areas of Gichigami (Lake Superior) to heal and protect shorelines. It is designed for Tribal and non-tribal coastal-land caretakers, resource managers, landscape planners, and anyone who interacts with the Gichigami shoreline. This guide was developed by a collaborative team led by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. From its inception, the intent of this planting guide has been to blend different ways of knowing to share about plants in a way that intentionally elevates the knowledge and the guidance of Indigenous communities. The Ojibwemowin title, Ganawenindiwag (they take care of each other) was chosen because it describes the plant–human relationship from the Ojibwe perspective. Long ago, according to the Ojibwe creation story, the plant beings agreed to care for humans by giving us things we need to survive. Our responsibility is to treat our plant relatives with respect, reciprocity, and gratitude; use their gifts in a good way; and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Rob Croll is a policy analyst in the Division of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) where he coordinates the Climate Change Program. The GLIFWC Climate Change Program was created with the goal of integrating Scientific and Traditional Ecological Knowledges to provide a holistic and culturally appropriate approach to climate adaptation in the Ojibwe Ceded Territories in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. As Program Coordinator Rob oversees the activities of CCP staff, serves as liaison to tribal, state, federal, academic and NGO partners and works directly with counterparts at the eleven GLIFWC member tribes. Rob is a member of the Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu author team and the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium Leadership Team. Rob is originally from Southeast Pennsylvania and now resides in the 1842 Ojibwe Ceded Territory.

Hannah Panci is a scientist in the Climate Change Program at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). Her primary projects include climate change adaptation planning for the Ceded Territories, work on the Tribal Adaptation Menu, a plant phenology project, and a seed collection project. She uses both Traditional and Scientific Ecological Knowledge to look at the impacts climate change will have on treaty resources on which GLIFWC’s 11 member tribes rely. She is originally from Eagle River, Wisconsin and now lives in Ironwood, Michigan where she moved to find lake effect snow.

Karina Heim has worked at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve for seven years. As the Coastal Training Program (CTP) Coordinator, she watches to see where there are persistent land and water challenges facing local communities and then, with many collaborators, develops learning events and supports that help decision makers take informed and inspired actions to protect the local coastal system. Karina is originally from Fairbanks, Alaska and studied and practiced land use planning in the Twin Cities before finding her way to Duluth to live and work by Chigami-ziibing (the St. Louis River). 

Nicole Watson, PhD. of Michigan State University

Return of the Grayling

February 18th @ 6:30pm

Arctic Grayling were once the dominant stream salmonid in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan. My research focused on considerations for the reintroduction of Grayling to Michigan with a focus on their early life interactions with Brook and Brown Trout. 

 

Nicole graduated from Michigan State University in early 2024 with a doctoral degree in Fisheries Ecology and Management with a dual degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. My research focused on Arctic Grayling early life history, water choice, and competition and predation with Brook and Brown Trout. I lived and worked as a Fish Biologist and Analyst for two years in Alaska. I moved to Ashland this past summer to join USGS as a Fishery Biologist on Lake Superior.

Allison Allen, Northlakes Community Clinic

Pain and the Brain

Tuesday, January 21st @ 6:30pm

In recent years our understanding of pain has changed; it’s NOT “all in your head” but it is (mostly) “all in your brain!” And our brains, amazing as they are, can make mistakes. This talk will walk you through the brain’s role as pain gatekeeper, and the different ways it processes and “decides” about the pain we experience over time.  Along the way some tips for working with your brain to address pain will be shared as well. 

 

Allison Allen, Ph.D. is  a clinical psychologist and the Chief Behavioral Health Officer at NorthLakes Community Clinic. She has over twenty years of experience working with a range of issues, and more recently has become fascinated by our rapidly evolving understanding of neuroplasticity, learning, pain and the brain.

Abi Fergus

Wildlife Tracking: Taking Another Animal’s Perspective

Tuesday, December 17th @ 6:30pm

Alex Lehner, US Forest Service

The Buzz About Native Bees: Ecology and identification of native bees (and how you can help!)

Tuesday, November 19th @ 6:30pm

Alex Lehner is a wildlife technician for the Washburn Ranger District of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. She has been working there for 10 seasons, and had been doing bee surveys for 6 years. She will be discussing the ecology and life cycles of native bees and how you can identify them, and discuss how you can get started on identifying native bumblebees. She will also talk about ways that you can help native bees and share resources.

Dr. Tom Fitz, University of Minnesota, Duluth

Geology of the Apostle Islands of Northern Wisconsin

Tuesday, October 15th @ 6:30pm

See Tom’s bio below!

City of Ashland Public Works and Utilities Department

Microfiltration and Water Distribution Systems

Tuesday, September 17th @ 6:30

The City of Ashland drinking water supply comes from Chequamegon Bay. Using surface water as a potable water supply has many advantages but also presents challenges. City staff will provide an overview on the science and technology used to treat the water supply and ensure it is delivered throughout the area as safe drinking water. Specific focus will be placed on the microfiltration system used at the City water treatment plant.

Eugene “Bo” Bélanger, owner of and brewer for South Shore Brewery

The Art and Science of Brewing

Tuesday, August 20th @ 6:30

Heather Wisner, first responder and K9 handler for local search and rescue services

It Costs an Arm and a Leg; The journey to assisting Human Remains Detection Dogs in North America

Tuesday, June 18th @ 6:30pm

Heather’s talk will explore the science behind k9’s role in search and rescue.

Heather Wisner is from Ashland Wisconsin. She is a graduate of Northland College and her masters was completed through Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona. Heather is a K9 Handler for the local SAR team and has been involved in Search and Rescue both for almost ten years. Her journey with her K9 Obi who was adopted from Catkins in Park Falls, WI lead her to completing her Masters Degree in K9 Research. Heathers research lead the way to create the first Search and Rescue K9 bill for the State of Wisconsin with Representives Beth Meyers and Chanz Green. That bill became state law in the spring of 2024. Heather was invited to speak on her research in Miami, Florida last year at the first K9 Science Conference in the country and just recently spoke in Canada on this topic. Heather continues to be an advocate for SAR, K9 training and is working to add additional state laws. Her K9 partner Obi and her newest partner Rey continue to keep her busy as she continues to research K9s, train in SAR and support K9 handlers in North America

Elle Lozinski, Mashkiziibii Natural Resources Department

Piping Plovers on the Point

Tuesday, May 21st @ 6:30pm

Elle will share about the endangered Piping Plovers and the threats they face, along with the work being done to help them bounce back. She’ll be highlighting our very own local population found out on Chequamegon Point, along with some of the unique challenges that this site can pose.

Elle is a self proclaimed local bird nerd. She grew up in Southwestern Minnesota and went to school at Southwest Minnesota State University. Elle’s time there resulted in her working with reptiles and insects, until her career took a sharp turn. After graduation, Elle wound up getting a job as an ornithologist at Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department. Slowly, she eventually fell in love with our feathered friends and has gone from never birding to getting out regularly. This is her third year involved with the Chequamegon Point Piping Plover Project and over the three years it’s always been her favorite part of the job.

Henry Quinlan, US Fish and Wildlife Service

Lake Superior Sturgeon

Tuesday, April 16th @ 6:30pm

Lake sturgeon are the largest fish in the Great Lakes. They are slow growing and live considerably longer than we do – estimated up to 150 years old. The Native Americans living on the southern shores of Lake Superior taught us that there were 4 rivers in the area where lake sturgeon once spawned and thrived. Unfortunately, human influences such as over-harvest, dam construction and operation, and degraded water quality severely impacted these populations to the point where lake sturgeon were no longer present in two rivers and their numbers were much reduced in the other two rivers. Fortunately, through cooperation and collaboration among many agencies, institutions, and organizations lake sturgeon populations are once again thriving in two rivers and significant advances in population recovery is being made in the other two locations. Henry will talk about key projects such as habitat restoration, genetically based stocking, and regulatory changes that have contributed to rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in Lake Superior.

Henry Quinlan is a supervisory fish biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ashland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office. He and his family moved to Ashland in 1996. Prior to coming to Ashland, he worked on sea lamprey control in Marquette, Michigan, in wetland delineation and regulatory review with the Army Corps of Engineers in Waukesha, WI, as a Peace Corps volunteer conducting environmental education in Guatemala, and with the Wisconsin DNR Green Bay office. He earned his master’s degree from UW-Green Bay and his bachelor’s degree at St. Norbert College.

The Fish and Wildlife Service’s Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program has Conservation Offices working on each of the Great Lakes. The Ashland office geographic area of responsibility is the Lake Superior basin. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

As federal employees Henry and his colleagues work to conserve native Interjurisdictional Fish species, fulfill Tribal Trust Responsibilities, control and detect aquatic invasive species, and conserve, restore and enhance aquatic habitats. At the Ashland office, Henry has worked with Tribal, State, federal, academic, and non-governmental partners to conserve and rehabilitate depleted lake sturgeon and brook trout populations throughout Lake Superior. Today, he will share recent successes being made for lake sturgeon populations in Lake Superior. 

Julie Van Stappen, Resource Stewardship Director and Kasey Arts, Biological Technician with the Apostle Islands NL, National Park Service

Marten on the Apostle Islands — What a Story!

Tuesday, March 19th @ 6:30pm

The mystery and intrigue of the “little hunter” (Waabizheshi) of our archipelago – learn about how the state endangered American marten, an Ojibway clan animal, were “discovered” on the Apostle Islands and how a collaboration of Park, Academic, Tribal and State scientists have been working to uncover their secrets: How long have marten been on the islands? Where and how many are there? Which islands appear most important to the population? What’s special about the islands while their populations truly struggle on the mainland? What are they eating out there? Do they travel from island to island? Are they genetically related to mainland marten? How are they so stinking cute?! Are they as soft as they look? And what in heaven’s name is subnivean?! The more we’ve looked, the more we continue to learn.

Kasey Arts graduated from Northland College in 2016 with a degree in Biology and Natural Resources. During her time at Northland she spent time in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore volunteering on the early stages of the still functioning camera project. She went on to earn her Masters of Science from the University of West Georgia in Biology, focusing on the adaptive behaviors of federally threatened eastern spotted skunks. She was lucky enough to return to the area in 2020, and has worked for the park seasonally and now permanently as a biological technician. Her current interests include the management of publicly controversial species (aka skunks, bats, wolves), and the early response to incoming forest health threats to the park (emerald ash borer, Oak wilt disease, spongy moth). What has kept her at Apostle Islands is not only the astounding natural resources but the amazing people she gets to work with.

Julie Van Stappen, recently retired from an awesome career of over 40 years with the National Park Service, where she had the opportunity to do work she loved. She found her “park” early in her career at Apostle Islands where she has worked in resource stewardship for the last 35 years. Her most recent position was the Resource Stewardship Director where she led the natural and cultural resource stewardship, park-wide planning, environmental compliance, lands and public affairs programs for several years. Prior to that she helped develop and led the park’s natural resource and research program. Before coming to Apostle Islands she was a seasonal at Glacier National Park, where her passion for National Parks began. She did her thesis work at Olympic National Park, worked at Regional Offices in Washington and Nebraska, and a Washington level office in Colorado. She earned her M.S. Degree in Aquatic Ecology from U.W. Stevens Point and B.S. Degree in Geology from U.W. Oshkosh. On a personal note, she’s an avid cross-country skier and hiker, loves to explore wild places, travel and garden, but mostly spend time with family and friends – especially her little grand-daughters.

Rob Croll, Hannah Panci, and Melonee Montano of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

Aanji-bimaadiziimagak o’ow aki (the world is changing)

Tuesday, February 20th @ 6:30pm

Climate change is affecting beings (species) and ecosystems in the upper Midwest Ceded Territories, with which Ojibwe people have maintained relationships for centuries. As climate change continues, the ability of tribal members to exercise their off-reservation treaty rights to meet spiritual, ceremonial, medicinal, subsistence, and economic needs will be increasingly impacted. Aanji bimaadiziimagak o’ow aki, the second version of the GLIFWC Vulnerability Assessment, is an attempt to weave together Traditional and Scientific Ecological Knowledge to examine the climate change vulnerability of a set of culturally important beings in the upper Midwest Ceded Territories.

Rob Croll is a policy analyst in the Division of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) where he coordinates the Climate Change Program. The GLIFWC Climate Change Program was created with the goal of integrating Scientific and Traditional Ecological Knowledges to provide a holistic and culturally appropriate approach to climate adaptation in the Ojibwe Ceded Territories in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. As Program Coordinator Rob oversees the activities of CCP staff, serves as liaison to tribal, state, federal, academic and NGO partners and works directly with counterparts at the eleven GLIFWC member tribes. Rob is a member of the Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu author team and the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium Leadership Team. Rob is originally from Southeast Pennsylvania and now resides in the 1842 Ojibwe Ceded Territory.

Hannah Panci is a scientist in the Climate Change Program at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). Her primary projects include climate change adaptation planning for the Ceded Territories, work on the Tribal Adaptation Menu, a plant phenology project, and a seed collection project. She uses both Traditional and Scientific Ecological Knowledge to look at the impacts climate change will have on treaty resources on which GLIFWC’s 11 member tribes rely. She is originally from Eagle River, Wisconsin and now lives in Ironwood, Michigan where she moved to find lake effect snow.

Nisogaabokwe – Melonee Montano, is a mother, grandmother, and an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Outreach Specialist for Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) where she helps assess climate change impacts on treaty resources and potential threats to Ojibwe culture and lifeways. She is also a Grad Student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in the Natural Resources Science & Management Program under the Forestry Department. Prior to GLIFWC she was Red Cliff’s Environmental Programs Manager where she has also served on various committees including EPA’s Regional Tribal Operations Committee, Alliance for Sustainability, Treaty Natural Resources, the Integrated Resources Management Plan, and is currently serving on the Great Lakes Compact Commission. She holds a B.S. degree in Healthcare Administration with a Native American and Environmental Studies emphasis. Lastly and most importantly, she is a lifelong student of her cultural ways.

Dr. Tom Fitz, Professor of Geoscience, Northland College

Mineral and Rock Composition of Glacial Deposits in Ashland County, Wisconsin

January 16th, 2024