|
When Winter Pairs Up - February Phenology
| | |
February may look like nature’s pause button: bare trees, frozen ground, and a river moving quietly through the cold, but beneath that stillness, the season is full of connection. With Valentine’s Day at its heart, February is a fitting time to notice that many mammals are focused on mating and pair bonding. Winter may seem like an unlikely backdrop for romance, yet for several species, this quiet month is exactly when relationships are formed that will shape the rest of the year!
Coyotes are amongst the most vocal of February, as mated pairs strengthen bonds and call to one another with yip-howls that echo through the night. Foxes are also courting this month, using playful chasing, scent marking, and sharp, high-pitched calls to find and attract mates. Skunks and raccoons begin breeding activity during late-winter warm spells, leaving wandering tracks in the snow as males travel in search of females. Even deer, whose peak breeding has passed, remain connected as does carry the next generation, and bucks focus on recovery after the demands of winter courtship.
As you walk the preserves, February invites you to look more closely at what might otherwise feel like an empty landscape. Paired tracks moving together, fresh markings on snow or tree trunks, and nighttime calls drifting through the cold all hint at the quiet partnerships unfolding around the Kinni. Love in winter is subtle, resilient, and patient, reminding us that even in the coldest months, the natural world is already preparing for spring.
| |
Happen to see something interesting during your next walk along the trails? We want to see! Send a picture to me at Jane@kinniriver.org for a chance to have your story highlighted on social media or next month's e-newsletter.
| | |
Please Consider Making A Donation Today!
Your support provides critical financial resources to help continue KRLT's mission of protecting the beauty and health of the Kinnickinnic River and its watershed.
| | |
Land Stewardship
Preserve Management
Winter is an ideal time to take care of land management needs on our preserves. Last year we had a contractor gridle and treat invasive species on Kelly Creek. We are currently working on Kelly Creek Preserve, clearing the dead box elder trees that threaten our trail system if these trees fall over. If interested in volunteering, contact Molly at: molly@kinniriver.org. She will then get you on the volunteer list.
Watershed Management
Conservation easements are important tools used to protect sensitive areas within a watershed. The KRLT is in the process of securing a 143-acre conservation easement in the very headwaters of the South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River Sub Watershed. Why is this important?
The South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River was recently designated as one of Wisconsin’s Brook Trout Reserves. With our help, these reserves stand a greater chance of surviving the impacts of climate change.
Brook trout are a beautiful yet sensitive fish. They are the only stream trout native to Wisconsin, and their homes are the cold, clear streams that meander the state's landscape. But brook trout are losing their homes. Two of every three streams they reside in now are projected to be too warm in 30 years. The South Fork is one of those places considered to be a brook trout stronghold where streams can stay cold and brook trout thrive.
These reserves require action from all of us to continue to provide critical habitat for brook trout and places for Wisconsin anglers to pursue them. We need to take action to preserve the cold water in these strongholds and protect brook trout from other threats.
For more information on brook trout reserves, visit this website:
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/trout/BrookTroutReserves
| | |
KRLT Volunteer Opportunities
Work parties are tentatively planned for February 11, 18, and 25th to remove dead and down box elder trees along the trail system at Kelly Creek Nature Preserve. Time and parking location are subject to change as we begin burning brush piles.
Information about the upcoming work parties will be posted the week of each date due to changing weather conditions.
If you are interested in volunteering for future events and are not yet on our communications list, please click here to add your email.
| | |
School District of River Falls - Community Education
Managing Your Rural Property to Protect the Kinni
We all make an impact on our land. Learn ways to naturally enhance your property to help protect our water. We will talk about methods of soil and water conservation, from small butterfly gardens to large habitat restoration, and how you can access advice and possibly funding for your efforts. You have the ability to make a difference! Click here to register.
INSTRUCTORS: Becky Brathal, Aleisha Miller, Maureen Ash
DATE: Monday, February 23rd
TIME: 6:30 – 8:00 pm
PLACE: River Falls High School, Room D102
CLASS FEE: $10
MATERIALS FEE: $5
| | |
St. Croix Valley - Wisconsin Master Naturalist
The Wisconsin Master Naturalist program supports a network of well-informed volunteers and instructors dedicated to conservation service, leadership, and lifelong learning. Through expert-led trainings out in nature and in the classroom, Master Naturalists are equipped to address environmental challenges facing the state. Make a positive impact through stewardship, citizen science, and educational activities. Aleisha Miller is helping with a local training that meets one Saturday a month, March-August. Registration opens January 12. The link has specific information. Click here to register.
INSTRUCTOR: Jen Vieth, Aleisha Miller, Ash Goldbeck
DATE: Sa - March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, July 18, Aug 15
TIME: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
PLACE: Locations across the St. Croix River Valley
CLASS FEE: $300
| | |
Mark your calendars for Nature Fest 2026 on Saturday, October 3rd!
Stay tuned for sponsorship options, volunteer opportunities, activities, and much more!
| |
 | | I have lived in River Falls for 28 years and have always loved the Kinni. We are truly fortunate to have this river in our backyard. I have also felt a need to help improve and protect the Kinni. For many years now, I have been a volunteer with the local Trout Unlimited chapter’s stream improvement crew. It’s a great way to spend a winter day. I joined the KRLT board seven years ago as another way to help conserve and protect the beauty and health of the Kinni and its watershed. I am excited about all the projects KRLT has ongoing. We have been averaging one new conservation easement per year and, since 2020, have protected an additional 250 acres, bringing our total to over 2100 acres in the watershed protected by easements. In our Headwaters Preserve, an old pine plantation is being converted to a prairie, which was seeded in December. There are now prairie strips along the access lanes to two of our preserves. At Kelly Creek Preserve, we continue to control invasive species and to plan for a universally accessible trail. Nature Fest, a day of celebration, activities, music, and food along the river, is in its third year. Our intern program has been a great success with fabulous students, and this will continue. Mark Ritzinger’s watershed tours are a fascinating way to learn about our river. Through the hard work of our dedicated staff, our educational programs have been expanding (Golden Years Nature Club, Rooted Together, and Kinni Explorers).
I am very proud to be part of KRLT and all the amazing work this organization is doing. We are doing great things for a great river, and I look forward to continuing that progress in 2026. And thank you to all our members and volunteers who have made this possible.
Dave Gregg
KRLT Board President
| | |
I recently took a hike at Drewiske Nature Preserve to take in the winter scenery. The woods were quiet and still, but also full of life. As I walked down the trail, an immature Bald Eagle flew through the trees. The moss and ferns covered in snow were still green. Wild spaces like our nature preserves create a sanctuary throughout all of Wisconsin's seasons, and the protection of these ecosystems has been possible with your support! With KRLT's community programs like Rooted Together, Golden Years Nature Club, and the Kinni Explorers, we are able to create stronger connections to nature.
| |
If you know someone who is passionate about the Kinnickinnic River watershed, invite them to become a member. With each new member, our community connections grow stronger, enabling us to make an even greater impact in protecting the Kinnickinnic River and connecting people to it. For more information about memberships, click here!
Have questions about KRLT Memberships or ways to support KRLT? Give me a call at 715-301-0753.
Together, we can protect the Kinni,
| |
Kinnickinnic River Land Trust
Business Members
| | The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that works with the community to conserve and protect the beauty and health of the Kinnickinnic River and its watershed. | | | | |
