The Arrival of Winter: December Phenology

December in the Kinnickinnic Watershed is a quiet kind of beautiful; the month when the landscape exhales, settles, and reveals the details we miss in busier seasons. Winter Solstice on December 21^st marks the darkest day of the year; the sun will begin setting later and later after that. The river runs dark and cold, carrying ribbons of steam on the coldest mornings. Ice forms first in the quiet backwaters, delicate and glassy, spider-webbing outward as the temperatures drop.

Along woodland edges and old fencelines, highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) becomes one of the month’s most striking splashes of color. Its translucent red berries cling long after the leaves have fallen, glowing against grey tree trunks and fresh snow. They’re a reliable winter food source for birds, as robins, cedar waxwings, and grosbeaks stop by to pluck the softened fruits. If you’re walking near the Kinni or along prairie edges, look for those bright clusters, a small reminder that not all color disappears in winter.

December phenology is subtle but full of story with berries hanging like lanterns, frozen prairie grasses whispering, ice gathering in slow increments. Everything rests, but nothing is truly still.

Recipe: Powdered-Sugar Coated Cranberries

(Important note: Although highbush cranberries are great for wildlife, they are not ideal for human eating—they can be bitter and unpleasant, and some lookalike species aren’t edible. For the recipe below, use store-bought whole cranberries.)

Ingredients:

2 cups (1 bag) fresh cranberries
2 cans of Sprite, sparkling water, or juice
1 cup powdered sugar (for coating)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, empty 1 bag of cranberries and 2 cans of Sprite, sparkling water, or juice of your choice.
Let berries soak for 2-4 hours or, for best results, let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Strain berries but do not pat dry.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar (or enough to fully coat) to the berries in a large bowl and shake to coat.
Place coated berries on a sheet pan and bake at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
Let cool and enjoy.

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.

Jane Taylor

Social Media & Community Outreach Coordinator

jane@kinniriver.org

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.

Click Here to Become a Member or Renew Your Membership!

Golden Years Nature Club: Adventures For Every Season Of Life

With support from a grant provided by the Inclusa Foundation, we were able to create the Golden Years Nature Club. The Golden Years Nature Club was designed to help senior citizens across Pierce and St. Croix County reconnect with the beauty of nature through engaging, educational, and meaningful nature-based programs. Outreach Coordinator, Jane Taylor, has developed a variety of nature-based activities designed to spark curiosity, build connections, and inspire participants to get outside. Hosted at Bay Harbor Living Facility, programs such as Trees and Teas, Birding and Bingo, and Nature Journaling have quickly become favorites, as they aim to effortlessly blend education with creativity and fun. The programs created by Jane encourage the participants to slow down, notice the details around them, and rediscover the joy that comes from being outside.

Continue reading the article in the latest edition of the Kinni Keeper! This issue highlights our achievements over the year, including conservation successes, updates on our programs, staff transitions, and features on our interns. The newsletter will be mailed to members this week. You can view the edition by clicking here or by visiting our website at www.kinniriver.org.

Finally, the time has come to frost seed our 29.5-acre prairie restoration at the Headwater Preserve. Habitat Creations LLC will do the planting. I hope to have some photos to share with you next month. For the past three years, KRLT staff, contractors, and volunteers (over 500 hours worth) have been prepping the site by controlling invasive buckthorn and boxelder, logging the pine, burning over 75 brush piles, and spraying weeds. A WDNR Invasive Species Control Grant, NRSC EQIP Grant, Tropical Wings Grant, Star Prairie Fish & Game Grant, and Pheasants Forever Grant, along with individual donations, helped pay for the restoration. I hope to see the benefits of all these collaborative organizations and individual efforts to restore the prairie beginning this spring when the first of the pioneering prairie seeds take hold. The project will be completed following a prescribed burn in 2029.

Our work on our preserves never ends, and there will be a need to conduct volunteer work parties throughout the winter. I plan to do the following work this winter:

1) Headwaters – Clear and burn downed trees within the oak savanna.

2) Headwaters- Cut and spray red oak regrowth within the prairie.

3) Kelly Creek – Cut and burn dead and down invasive trees along the trail system.

If interested in volunteering, contact Molly at: molly@kinniriver.org to be added to the volunteer list.

Marty Engel

Land Stewardship Manager

marty@kinniriver.org

KRLT Work Parties

As the weather shifts, KRLT is tentatively planning multiple work parties at the Headwaters and Kelly Creek Nature Preserve during the winter months. You can stay connected to these upcoming opportunities by visiting our website in the events page or through our Facebook page. If you are interested in being added to our volunteer email list, please reach out to Molly Barritt-Luebke at molly@kinniriver.org.

A great way to support KRLT if you are 70 1/2 or older is through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). It is one of the easiest ways to support the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust and provides year-end tax benefits.

Making an IRA Rollover gift is easier than ever

• Contact your IRA administrator. With the popularity of the IRA rollover, most administrators provide forms and a procedure to help you make a rollover gift.

• You can direct a transfer of up to $108,000 to be made this year from your IRA to a qualified charity.

• You will pay no income taxes on the amount transferred.

• Note: Because you are not claiming the transferred amount as income, you will not receive an income tax deduction for your gift.

• Please contact us to let us know how you would like your gift to be used.

Your QCD gift has an immediate, tangible impact right here in the Kinnickinnic River watershed. By choosing a QCD, you turn a required retirement distribution into a powerful, lasting legacy of clean water, healthy lands, and community outreach. To learn more, visit our planned giving information page on the KRLT website by clicking here.

I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the support we have received in 2025 from our members, foundational partners, volunteers, and the communities throughout the Kinnickinnic River watershed. Your efforts are making a positive impact on the health and future of the river and its vital ecosystems. Without your support, none of these successes would be possible!

If you haven't had a chance to renew your membership this year or become a member, there's still time! If you're able to, please consider making an additional gift as well. The donations we receive now play a crucial role in ensuring our financial success for the coming year. If you have any questions about the different ways you can support us, please feel free to contact me. I'm here to help!

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,