An update, an announcement, and a great Labor Day tradition!
BBQ - A Great Event!
The First Annual Death's Door BBQ was great ... the people were wonderful (25 teams!), the weather cooperated and the food I sampled - brisket and pork - delicious! Lots of activity here on the Island at a time that is often a very quiet weekend. Amazing to watch the empty space around the Airport mushroom into a little community in just a few hours. Congratulations and a Big Thanks go to the BBQ Committee and the Washington Island Chamber of Commerce for all their hard work!!! Let's hope the results will allow a Second Annual BBQ. (It doesn't have to be an annual event but it sure would be nice to see the Island host another event like this in the future.)
In other news,
Friday August 24th: Draft Compehensive Conservation Plan Released
Photo by Ginni Glass
The photo above is of the former Life Saving/Coast Guard Station on Plum Island and that Island (as well as Pilot Island) is included in the draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan. While I am still scrambling with the tech side of this blog, I believe this Link to Plan will get interested persons to the CCP itself.
From the News Release - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released for public review and comment a draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for islands in the Great Lakes that are managed as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. This announcement covers two island refuges in Lake Michigan that are managed by the staff at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The island refuges are Gravel Island and Green Bay NWRs. The Refuges consist of 5 islands in Lake Michigan off the tip of the Door County Peninsula (Gravel, Hog, Pilot, Plum and Spider Islands).
The draft CCP sets wildlife, habitat, and public use priorities and guides management decisions on these Refuges for the next 15 years. All aspects of the island Refuges are addressed by the CCP, including important fish and wildlife habitats, public use, and current management activities.
An open house event will be held on Monday, September 10, 2012 from 5-8 p.m at the Washington Island Community Center Rutledge Room, 910 Main Road. Washington Island, WI. Interested citizens may stop by any time during the open house, and stay as long as they wish, to speak with refuge staff or submit comments. Comment forms will be made available so that written comments can be submitted in person or mailed in later.
Comments are due by September 23, 2012 and can be mailed to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Conservation Planning, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458; or e-mailed to: r3planning@fws.gov (please put Great Lakes Islands CCP Comment in the subject line). Paper copies and/or compact disks are available in limited supply by making a request through the website or calling (612) 713-5477.
For more information on the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service visit http://midwest.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfwmidwest
Labor Day Weekend is Fast Approaching ...
That means: Friday, August 31st - Eric Lewis & Friends - Return to the Red Barn -
Show starts at 7:30 pm!
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It's hard to see Labor Day come and yet in some ways, it's a good thing too. I do look forward to the cooler, crisp times of Autumn. Weather continues to be warm here and there are still flowers in bloom - just different ones!
Have a good week!
