Lulu Rendezvous
WWA’s 2005 Annual Meeting and Field Day


Saturday, September 24, 2005
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Lulu Lake Preserve
Walworth County, WI

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Join us for a day of wetland fun featuring both canoe and walking tours of the fabulous wetlands at this high quality natural area recognized for its species richness and water quality. We’ll have tours of several of the site’s wetlands (including some by canoe or kayak), activities for kids, and live music! Plan to spend the whole day - it’s going to be a great time.

Special thanks to our host, The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin, and to Gerald H. Emmerich, Jr. for allowing us to share with you his wonderful photos of Lulu Lake Preserve on this webpage.

Parking at the site is limited so we encourage you to make arrangements to carpool with your friends and family.



DIRECTIONS (Click here for map)
From Milwaukee (a 35-minute drive): Take I-43 south to Hwy 20 west to Cty Hwy N north. In Troy Center, N changes to Nature Road at Hwy J. Take Nature Road 1.5 miles past J and turn right at the driveway marked N9564.

From Madison (a 75-minute drive): Take US Hwy 12 ~8 miles past Whitewater to Hwy 20; go straight on Hwy 20 and follow to Cty Hwy J. Go straight on J to Nature Road; turn left and drive 1.5 miles, then turn right at the driveway marked N9564.

Once on the preserve, follow the driveway as it curves to the right and passes the garages. When the road forks, keep to the left. Lakeview Lodge will be on your left as you pass the hill. Parking is available in front of Lakeview Lodge or a little further past the Lodge in an open field. Parking is limited at this site so please carpool with your friends and family, and park with space-conservation in mind.



SCHEDULE
See details for tour participants below. Note: This event will be held rain or shine. Please bring weather-appropriate clothing and footwear.

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM Kids Activities including live native wetland animals, wetland puzzles, a nature scavenger hunt, and a make-your-own-button station. On the porch at Lakeview Lodge.
9:15 - 11:15 AM Canoe Tour with Jerry Zeigler. Paddle out into Lulu Lake, known for its high water quality, then down the Mukwonago River to Eagle Spring Lake. See first-hand the difference between these two neighbor lakes and the impacts of development: Eagle Spring Lake is home to more than 500 waterfront homes, while Lulu Lake has only three. Leader Jerry Zeigler has extensive knowledge of the Mukwonago watershed, and has been volunteering for The Nature Conservancy since 1982. Seven canoes will be available, or you may bring your own canoe or kayak. All participants must sign a waiver prior to embarking on the tour. Meet at the canoe launch at the lake down the hill from Lakeview Lodge.
9:30 - 11:00 AM Kids’ Wetland Exploration. Explore nearby nature with wetlands expert (and mom) Alice Thompson. Use dip nets to explore insects, tadpoles, and other marsh life, and investigate your collections under a microscope in Lakeview Lodge.
9:45 - 11:15 AM Wetland Walk with Shirley Ellis. A volunteer for The Nature Conservancy at Lulu Lake Preserve for eleven years, Shirley will share her knowledge of the site’s history and restoration efforts with you as you tour the many wetland communities at the Preserve, including deep marsh, sedge meadow, alkaline fen, and leatherleaf bog.
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM Wisconsin Wetlands Association Annual Meeting, including election of the Board (read about board candidates here).
12:15 PM Raffle drawings for two Vortex Solo waterproof monoculars, donated by Eagle Optics. Tickets for sale at the WWA booth in the Lakeview Lodge, $1 each, $10 for 12 or $20 for 25.
12:15 - 1:00 PM Picnic lunch with entertainment by WWA staffer Erin O’Brien. Sandwiches, beverages, and snacks provided, or bring your own picnic! Lawn chairs, blankets, etc. welcome. Thank you to Willy Street Coop, Ground Zero, Marigold Cafe, and Subway for their donations of food for our picnic.
1:30 - 3:30 PM Canoe Tour with Ron Kurowski. Paddle across Lulu Lake to the site of a former calcareous fen where a few hardy fen plants still survive. Beach your canoes and then take a short walk to a lovely bog on a part of Lulu Lake owned by the Department of Natural Resources. Leader Ron Kurowski is the Park Naturalist for the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Southern Unit. Seven canoes will be available, or you may bring your own canoe or kayak. Meet at the canoe launch at the lake down the hill from Lakeview Lodge.
1:45 - 3:30 PM Wetland Walk Galen Smith. Visit Lulu Lake Preserve’s fen and bog with wetland plant specialist Galen Smith. Galen is a member of the Board of Directors of WWA and is a retired professor from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
2:00 - 3:30 PM Kids’ Wetland Exploration. Use your eyes, ears, hands, and wetland tools including dip nets to explore insects, tadpoles, and other marsh life out in the wetlands of Lulu Lake Preserve. Investigate your collections under a microscope back at Lakeview Lodge. Tour leaders: Samantha Foster, Michelle Jonovic, and Kristin Smith, biology students from UW-Whitewater.

Information for Lulu Rendezvous Tours: See the remarkable diversity of habitats at Lulu Lake Preserve! Tour the preserve with one of several knowledgeable field trip leaders (on foot or in a canoe), or take a self-guided walk. Please note that all of the guided tours will be limited to 20 participants: sign up in Lakeview Lodge. Walks may involve some uneven terrain and that portions of some trails are narrow and vegetated. Bring a water bottle and dress appropriately for the weather, walking, and wading. We recommend "marsh wear": long sleeved shirt, long pants, rubber boots or other shoes you don’t mind getting wet or muddy, a wide-brimmed hat, and mosquito repellant. Be aware that Lyme disease is present in this part of the state. Prevent tick bites by wearing clothes that cover your skin and by checking your skin and clothing for ticks after participating in a field trip. Poison ivy also grows in the Preserve, so please use common sense and caution to protect yourself.

RAFFLE
We are delighted to be raffling off two Vortex Solo Waterproof monoculars at Lulu Rendezvous. Raffle details here.


A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
We'll need lots of help from our fellow wetland enthusiasts to make our Annual Meeting and Field Day a successful event. If you'd like to help with any of the volunteer jobs below, please contact Katie Beilfuss at 608-250-9971 or katie@wiscwetlands.org.

Set Up Crew - Help event organizers set up signage, tables, chairs, decorations and refreshments. Some volunteers will set up specific areas (e.g. registration table, WWA display/merchandise table, kids’ activities table). Do other set up tasks as needs arise. Several volunteers needed 7:00 - 9:00 AM

Parking Assistant - Help direct guests arriving by car to find parking. Parking is very limited at the site so we need to help people park as "economically" as possible. Walkie-talkies and safety vests will be provided. Volunteers needed particularly 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM.

WWA Display and Field Trip Signup Staff - Assist arriving guests with schedule of events and direct them as appropriate to bathrooms, food, field trip meeting points, etc. Direct guests to guided walks sign up sheet. Sell WWA merchandise including Restoration Handbooks, T-shirts, Marsh Grounds coffee, postcards, and posters. Handle incoming money, keeping track of sales by item for follow-up accounting. Represent WWA; encourage non-member guests to join and members to renew. Maintain supply of WWA and related brochures and information for distribution. Volunteers needed throughout the day (2 people at a time preferred).

Kids’ Activities Assistant - Staff activities for kids/families, helping kids/parents to understand and carry out activities. Make buttons using supplies and equipment provided. Keep supplies stocked and area generally tidy. All materials and activities provided. This volunteer job would be appropriate for an older kid with some interest in and experience with helping younger kids. Volunteers needed throughout the day.

Take Down Crew - Help event organizers clean up and take down signage, tables, chairs, decorations, and refreshments. Some volunteers will help with cleanup during the day (e.g. after the lunch). Some volunteers will take down specific areas at the conclusion of the event (e.g. registration table/WWA merchandise table, kids’ activities). Several volunteers needed 2:00 - 5:00 PM.

Field Trip Helpers - Help field trip leaders with trip logistics, including getting participants organized and meeting point, helping canoe-trippers with pfds, canoes, and paddles, answering questions (or helping get questions heard and answered by trip leader), hanging back with slower walkers/paddlers, and otherwise helping the field trip leaders lead a successful, enjoyable, safe walk/canoe trip. Three volunteers needed 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon (one each for canoe trip, walk, and kids’ walk), and three volunteers needed 1:45 PM - 3:30 PM (one each for canoe trip, walk, and kids’ walk).