Contact
Join Us
Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Logo

Plants and Animals Articles

Discover the Park – Wildlife

Friends volunteers tend Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden, first of many gardening opportunities

Friends volunteers tend Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden, first of many gardening opportunities

May 22, 2026 | , ,

Prairie Alumroot - Jon Okerstrom photoThe first green shoots emerge from the warming earth as spring arrives in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Outside of park headquarters in Bayfield and on the grounds of iconic island lighthouses, the gardens will grow, with help from green-thumbed Friends of the Apostle Islands volunteers.A team of five volunteers recently worked in the Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden, clearing away last year's plant debris, pulling weeds, placing signs identifying the plants and refreshing the wood chips covering the paths. The project organizer says the garden...

Unfinished business – returning to the mouth of the Sand River

Unfinished business – returning to the mouth of the Sand River

Oct 29, 2025 |

You might think the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is so vast and so wild that it doesn't change much. But when you visit more than once and pay attention to the details, you soon discover that change is constant. Friends board member Neil Howk shares a case in point on the way to the mouth of the Sand River.In mid-September, Mark Peterson, Garry Miller, and I took three sea kayaks to Little Sand Bay for a paddle trip along the mainland shoreline west toward Big Sand Bay. Our goal was to reach the mouth of the Sand River and paddle up into the slough. We made it within about a mile of...

Autumnal swan song at Little Sand Bay

Autumnal swan song at Little Sand Bay

Oct 22, 2025 |

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...

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore biologist Peggy Burkman retires, reflects on the Lakeshore she loves

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore biologist Peggy Burkman retires, reflects on the Lakeshore she loves

Jun 26, 2025 | ,

After more than two decades of work in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore biologist Peggy Burkman retired in May. Her appreciation for the islands extends from the many native animals, birds and plants that inhabit the islands, to the important ecosystems and beyond. Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore board member Neil Howk sat down with Peggy to ask ten questions about her work, her adventures and her love for the Lakeshore.Neil: Why did you apply to work in the Apostle Islands?Peggy: I think that my path to the Apostle Islands started when I was a kid because I fell in...

Taking the long view during a walk on the Lakeshore Trail

Taking the long view during a walk on the Lakeshore Trail

Dec 10, 2024 |

There's nothing like a walk in nature to recharge your batteries and clear your mind when life gets complicated. Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore board member Neil Howk notices the small but important things, as he takes us along for a hike on the Lakeshore trail, accessed from Meyers Beach.The days are getting shorter and there’s a long winter ahead. Usually, I look forward to winter because I love to cross country ski. This year, however, knee replacement surgery will force a change in plans. I’ll not only miss the ski season, but spending time outdoors will be a real...

The many berries of Raspberry Island

The many berries of Raspberry Island

Sep 14, 2024 | , ,

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 and took time to take stock of the many berry populations on the island, as well as what's changed since the days of lighthouse keeper Francis Jacker in the late 1800s. The Ojibwe name Miskominikaani-minis refers to the “island of...

Bear encounters in the Apostle Islands: safety tips to help campers and visitors minimize the risk

Bear encounters in the Apostle Islands: safety tips to help campers and visitors minimize the risk

Sep 5, 2024 | , , , , ,

When visiting the Apostle Islands, it's important to understand that these islands are wild places and to be bear aware. Oak and Outer Islands are currently closed to camping and day-use because bears have been escalating their encounters with humans and have caused property damage. The current National Park Service advisory (as of September 5, 2024) says,"These closures are necessary to ensure visitor safety and bear well-being." As background, the park service adds, "Black bears are an important component of the native wildlife community within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and park...

Friends volunteers prepare Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden for a vibrant summer display

Friends volunteers prepare Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden for a vibrant summer display

Jun 6, 2024 | , ,

The Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden outside of National Park Service headquarters in Bayfield is ready to put on a vibrant show this summer, thanks to volunteers with Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.The volunteers gathered on a sunny day in late May to remove weeds, invasive species and debris from the prior growing season, to give the desired plant species the room to grow and bloom.Volunteers tend the Gaylord Nelson Memorial Garden - Bob Jauch photosDuring last fall's garden clean-up, volunteer Erica Peterson said, “We started a nursery in the garden so that next year we...

Retiring NPS Division Chief Julie Van Stappen reflects on decades of service to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Retiring NPS Division Chief Julie Van Stappen reflects on decades of service to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Dec 28, 2023 | , ,

After dedicating more than three decades of work to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Julie Van Stappen retires as Chief of Planning and Resource Management at the end of 2023. Julie grew up in Chicago; she spent vacations and later summers in northern Wisconsin. Her love of - and appreciation for - nature and science grew during her college years, during which she studied geology, earned an advanced degree in aquatic ecology and gained experience in the US Forest Service and at various locations in National Park Service before landing her dream job at the Apostle Islands National...

In search of the sandiest place in the park

In search of the sandiest place in the park

Oct 29, 2023 |

You might say that sand is an important part of the Apostle Islands and one of the reasons why people come to visit them. The islands have a foundation of sandstone that is nearly a billion years old. Island shorelines feature a variety of spectacular sandy beaches. The Devils Island Sandstone produces the area’s signature sea caves. Julian Bay beach on Stockton Island is known for the “singing sand” that squeaks when you walk on it. A 2004 visitor survey revealed that walking on the beach was the second most popular activity for park visitors, second only to sightseeing. Sixty-six percent...

Full Article Listing

Recent Articles

Topics