Our Upper Chain O'Lakes used to be abundant with wild rice along its shores,
specificially, in Manomin Lake (named for wild rice), Pope Lake, and Knight Lake.
Today we rarely see it, as it struggles to survive.
The on-going efforts by Friends of Hartman Creek State Park to restore wild rice to the Upper Chain O'Lakes continued through 2024.
This initiative, rooted in environmental stewardship, highlights the power of community collaboration and nature’s resilience.
Wild rice, or manoomin, holds ecological, cultural, and historical significance around the Chain O'Lakes. Not only does it provide critical habitat and food for wildlife, but it also serves as a cornerstone of Indigenous traditions and local biodiversity. However, wild rice is facing challenges from yard fertilizers (and run-off), boaters unknowingly disrupting root systems during critical spring growing seasons, shoreline development, an influx of geese and swans, and invasive plant species like non-native cattails and purple loosestrife.
In our previous BLOG (read here) we mentioned how wild rice is an annual plant, reseeding in the fall from ripe seedheads is critical for this plants survival.
The wild rice planted in the fall of 2023 came up strong in the spring 2024. Large vibrant stalks with plump seedheads were seen along the shorelines on Manomin Lake and Allen Lake (Hartman Creek State Park).
These pictures were taken in August 2024;
Unfortunately, by September the seedheads had been heavily grazed by geese and muskrats preventing most the plants from completing their cycle and naturally reseeding.
Friends of Hartman Creek State Park remain focused on reestablishing this important native plant on the Upper Chain.
Thanks to a generous donation from Waupaca Chain O'Lakes Association (WCOLA), they were able to purchase additional seeds for another round of reseeding this past November. To test the wild rice's resililence, some shoreline areas were left unseeded to observe how well it regenerates naturally.
This restoration effort highlights the delicate balance between ecological restoration and wildlife dynamics, underscoring the importance of adaptability in conservation work.
We invite you to follow along as the Friends of Hartman Creek continue this important work. We'll continue to share updates and progress on the restoration of wild rice in the Upper Chain O'Lakes.
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Waupaca Chain O'Lakes Association
Stewardship and Resources Committee
Chair(s): Julie Mazzoleni, Fawn Johnson