Spur Lake is a 113-acre, shallow, muck-bottom lake in eastern Oneida County that historically supported very good wild rice crops of cultural and ecological significance. Wild rice declined noticeably during the 1990s, and it is now largely absent from Spur Lake. Carly and Nathan will discuss the efforts of a collaborative working group to understand why wild rice has disappeared from Spur and explore options for bringing it back.

Carly Lapin, WDNR, and Nathan Podany, Sokaogon Chippewa Community Environmental Department

Recorded December 1, 2023

Carly Lapin works as the North-central Wisconsin District Ecologist for WDNR’s Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation, based in Rhinelander. She monitors, restores, and protects State Natural Areas across 9 counties and assists with monitoring and protection of rare species. 

Nathan Podany works for the Sokaogon Chippewa Community Environmental Department, where he manages the physical, chemical and biological aspects of their surface water program.