Conservation Articles

Our Work – Articles about Friends’ work regarding conservation.

Friends volunteers work to control invasive species on Long Island

Friends volunteers work to control invasive species on Long Island

Purple loosestrife flower headHundreds of vibrant magenta or purple flowers standing three to seven feet tall over Apostle Islands wetlands may look pretty, but dig a little deeper into the story of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and you'll understand why this invasive plant poses an ongoing threat. A single plant can produce a million seeds or more. And left to multiply, these highly aggressive plants from Asia and Europe can choke out native vegetation, leaving wildlife without proper food, nesting grounds, or shelter. The plants flower from July into the fall. Removing the flower...

Plovers Welcome: Volunteers prepare nesting locations

Plovers Welcome: Volunteers prepare nesting locations

The seemingly endless sand beaches of Long Island may look, to us, like the perfect place for a summer picnic or barefoot stroll. But to piping plovers, those same beaches are something much more important.Long Island is the most important habitat in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and, until 2019, the only successful nesting spots in the park for this federal, tribal, and state endangered species. Along with the Michigan Island sandspit, its beaches were designated as “critical habitat” for the species in 2001 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and until 2019, Long Island was the...

Silent night, starry night: Photographer Travis Novitsky on the Lake Superior night sky

Silent night, starry night: Photographer Travis Novitsky on the Lake Superior night sky

“Oftentimes the most notable quality of the night is the silence,” photographer Travis Novitsky told the crowd at a recent program in Bayfield. “To hear that silence you need to push everything out of your mind and let yourself truly be in that moment. That's why I like the night sky so much. It's the easiest way I can quiet my mind and just be there in the present. When I'm gazing up at the sky, especially on such a quiet night, I feel utterly and completely relaxed and refreshed.”Spirit Tree under the Milky Way - Travis Novitsky photoTravis Novitsky’s program, a part of our Dark Sky Star...

The stars aligned: After a successful Dark Sky Star Bright event, planning begins for next year

The stars aligned: After a successful Dark Sky Star Bright event, planning begins for next year

Well over 1,000 people attended one of the more than 50 events that made up our Dark Sky Star Bright festival this year – art exhibits, candlelit dinners, astronomy programs, author talks, film-screenings, saunas under the stars, and more. “The response to our first-ever festival was out of this world,” says Jeff Rennicke, Executive Director of Friends of the Apostle Islands.Festival goers enjoy the indoor planetarium and other activities in the Bayfield Pavilion - Jon Okerstrom photoInside the planetarium - Bob King photoAurora corona display - Bob King photoThe success of the new event, a...

How smart lighting choices can protect our precious night sky, save energy and money – a Dark Sky Star Bright Festival event

How smart lighting choices can protect our precious night sky, save energy and money – a Dark Sky Star Bright Festival event

The Dark Sky Star Bright Festival celebrates our precious night sky, and as the crowd gathered at the Honest Dog Books event space on Tuesday learned, it's more than that. Friends of the Apostle Islands Executive Director Jeff Rennicke put it this way. "We also wanted to make sure that when people got inspired and learned about the sky, they could take that next step. And the next step is okay, what can I do about it? In my home. In my business. In my community. How do I help, one lightbulb at a time?" To answer that question, outdoor lighting expert, Electrical Engineer and Dark Sky...

Stories, songs and science fill day two of Bayfield’s Dark Sky Star Bright Festival

Stories, songs and science fill day two of Bayfield’s Dark Sky Star Bright Festival

It was standing room only at Apostle Islands Booksellers on day two of the Dark Sky Star Bright Festival in Bayfield. The nine-day festival organized by the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore features more than 50 events tied to celebrating and preserving our precious night sky. During his bookstore appearance, Michael Laughing Fox Charette told stories, sang and performed with a variety of flutes and a drum to present "Dark Skies from the Asnishinaabe Perspective." He is a Native American storyteller, poet, and member of the Red Cliff Band of...

First-ever Dark Sky Star Bright Festival is off to a stellar start in Bayfield

First-ever Dark Sky Star Bright Festival is off to a stellar start in Bayfield

An indoor planetarium, night sky painting and other activites drew hundreds of people to Bayfield's Lakeside Pavilion for the kick-off of the first Dark Sky Star Bright Festival. They came from as near as Bayfield, Washburn and Ashland to as far away as St. Paul, Duluth, Cloquet and Virginia, Minnesota. The nine-day event organized by the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshor features more than 50 events designed to celebrate and draw attention to the spectacular night sky we are fortunate to enjoy on the Bayfield peninsula.In just three hours, 170...

Autumnal swan song at Little Sand Bay

Autumnal swan song at Little Sand Bay

Even if you're the only human exploring a section of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, that doesn't mean you're alone. Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore board member Neil Howk proves the point during a recent visit to Little Sand Bay.I went to Little Sand Bay yesterday (October 21st) to enjoy the fall colors before an approaching weather system could strip many of the remaining leaves from the trees. Though the colors were still nearly at their peak, the overcast sky, brisk temperature, and a stiff northwest breeze kept most visitors away. Mine was the only car in the...

International Dark Sky Week focuses attention on the starry skies over the Apostle Islands

International Dark Sky Week focuses attention on the starry skies over the Apostle Islands

The Apostle Islands have some of the most beautiful night skies in the country. Will you help us work to keep them that way?  In 2024, Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has launched our Starry Skies Initiative. It's designed to identify and monitor light pollution threatening the lakeshore, and to engage in public outreach, increase awareness, and pursue potential certification for the Apostle Islands as an International Dark Sky Park through the Dark Sky International.In the months since then, the Wisconsin chapter of Dark Sky International has formed. Friends Executive...

Raspberry Island birds of yesterday and today

Raspberry Island birds of yesterday and today

When you visit the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Friends board member Neil Howk is your guide, you're in for a treat. As a retired park ranger specializing in telling the stories of the islands, Neil has a special way of immersing park visitors in the rich history and natural beauty in the park. This summer, Neil volunteered at the Raspberry Island light, where he paid special attention to the bird populations - many of which have been on the island for more than a century. I spent nine days in early August on Raspberry Island as a volunteer-in-park leading tours of the historic...