Ripple-Effects Wisconsin

Lots of great training opportunities coming up with WI Salt Wise including a Salt Wise success story from the City of Superior.

Check out all upcoming events at https://www.wisaltwise.com/

Announcing next week's Salt Wise Story: City of Superior
https://youtube.com/live/1zSDwfc1ulA

The City of Superior’s salt use has decreased significantly since 2014, saving them tens of thousands of dollars each year. Their most significant barrier was receiving approval to upgrade equipment. However, the annual cost savings and salt reductions have increased support for these investments.

The City of Superior Streets Department has implemented salt and safety trainings and an annual Snow Rodeo Challenge. The Snow Rodeo is kicks off with trainings that includes the "do's and don'ts" of plowing, areas of concern (hazards or missed plowing areas), and information about salt’s toll on our infrastructure and freshwater ecosystems. After the trainings, the drivers are broken into teams to complete an obstacle course. City of Superior operators take pride in their work and it shows!

League of Wisconsin Municipalities APWA Wisconsin
Superior Rivers Watershed Association

Campers at Lussier Family Heritage Center spent the morning learning all about stormwater, where our water goes and actions to protect our local lakes, rivers and streams. Thanks for your help planting our new downspout garden.

For downspout garden instructions and planting plans visit: https://ripple-effects.com/downspout-gardens.

Looking to start or expand a native garden or rain garden at a school or community site? Today is the last day to apply for our Free Native Plants for School and Community Projects Program. Plants will be available in August.

https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/grants-and-costshare/free-plants

Come out to Lussier Family Heritage Center this Sunday for our Environmental Fun Fair and stop by our rainfall simulator station to learn about actions you can take to keep our waters clean. This FREE fun afternoon will be full of hands-on activities centered around nature, recreation, and science.
https://www.facebook.com/events/7098711230237737

We want to hear from you! The Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership is looking for your input to help guide programs and resources to help keep Dane County waters clean. Thanks in advance for your time. https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/.../SV_4HOiK5lMXjWbG4e

Thanks to all who stopped by our table at last night's Love Our Lake/Bands by the Boardwalk event at McDaniel Park yesterday. It was a beautiful night to learn about ways to protect our local waters. McFarland Chamber of Commerce Lake Waubesa Conservation Association

Now accepting applications for the summer cycle of our Free Native Plants for School and Community Groups program. Applications are due July 19th. Plants will be available in mid-August.
https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/grants-and-costshare/free-plants

It's storm drain mural season! Kids from Huegel Elementary School, Crestwood Elementary School and Outdoors We Learn learned all about stormwater, where it goes, and actions we can take to keep stormwater runoff clean and protect our local waters. They then helped design and paint storm drain murals in their neighborhoods to teach their community where their runoff drains to. https://ripple-effects.com/Storm-Drain-Murals

Are you interested in protecting Dane County waters? The Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership is looking for your input to help guide programs and resources to help keep Dane County waters clean. Thanks in advance for your time. https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4HOiK5lMXjWbG4e

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers who helped distribute more than 35,000 Plant Dane native plants on Saturday. You were amazing!

Join us at the Henry Vilas Zoo this Saturday for Party for the Planet! Climb a tree, help plant the new sensory garden, take home a tree sapling, check out our rainfall simulator demo, and more.

Party for the Planet - Saturday, May 4th, 2024 - Henry Vilas Zoo Learn more about Party for the Planet - Saturday, May 4th, 2024 today!

Head over to Elver Park in Madison this Saturday for the Bilingual Environmental Education Fair! Learn about programs and resources available to help you take action this Earth Day. There will be lots of interactive exhibits and even FREE electronics recycling. Visit us at the rainfall simulator station and learn how our actions on land impact our local waters. https://www.wisconsinecolatinos.org/

Celebrate WI Water Week by installing a rain barrel! Rain barrels are available for Dane County residents to order and pick up through September. Customers can choose to pick up their barrels in Middleton or DeForest. To order visit www.ripple-effects.com/rainbarrels.

Join our friends at the City of Madison Water Utility to learn how road salt is impacting our local waters. WI Salt Wise

COMMUNITY MEETING TUESDAY APRIL 2 - Road Salt/Water Quality Please join us for a community meeting hosted by the City of Madison Water Utility and Streets divisions. No RSVP needed. Listen & share your thoughts. Location: 119 East Olin Avenue, Madison. www.cityofmadison.com/water

There are lots of great community and school projects still looking for some native plant donations to help make their garden a reality! Please consider donating to a local project so we can expand native gardens and rain gardens across the county for all to enjoy. https://ripple-effects.com/Order/Donate

Remember, storm drains are connected to our waterways. Our friends at Public Health Madison & Dane County follow up on reports of illegal discharges to storm sewer systems across Dane County. Concrete related discharges are common complaints. If you notice anything other than rain running down the curb into the storm drain, please report it-https://lwrd.countyofdane.com/illicit-discharges

The Concrete Bungle Concrete doesn’t go in the sewer, folks!

Great opportunity to get a free rain garden kit from the Friends of the UW-Madison Arboretum . Applications due April 14th.
https://foamadison.org/grass-to-garden/ UW-Madison Arboretum

Grass-To-Gardens! - Friends of the Arboretum (FOA) Friends of the Arboretum (FOA) is proud to sponsor the third annual “Grass-To-Garden” initiative! As an organization, FOA’s mission is to build positive relationships between people and the land through the support of the UW–Madison Arboretum. We are excited to continue our mission with this...

Thanks to all who attended our Rain Garden Coaching Sessions this morning and to the coaches who helped out on this beautiful Saturday. https://ripple-effects.com/Rain-Gardens

Native plant orders will be accepted through March 19th or while supplies last. Lots of great species to choose from including pre-selected rain, downspout and pollinator garden kits. Order today!

Plant Dane | Ripple Effects This page provides information regarding the Plant Dane program, including how to order and donate native plants.

Did you know that you could donate native plants through Plant Dane to help local school and groups groups across Dane County? We have more than 40 local groups looking for native plant donations to create or expand their native gardens. For a list of projects to donate to visit https://ripple-effects.com/Order/Donate

Now accepting Plant Dane native plant orders! Orders accepted thru March 19th or while supplies last. www.ripple-effects.com/plant-dane

Local Winter Maintenance Training opportunity for those who manage or maintain sidewalks, parking lots or driveways in Dane County. www.wisaltwise.com

Announcing our first Smart Salting Workshop of 2024!
https://www.wisaltwise.com/Winter-Salt-Certification
This engaging class is consistently well-received by those new to the industry and operators who have been plowing for 30+ years! Open to anyone involved in the world of winter maintenance from private property management to public facilities to municipal streets. Share from your experiences and walk away with next steps for your organization!

Winter Salt Awareness Week starts Monday! Register today www.wisaltwise.com. WI Salt Wise

Announcing our 2024 Winter Salt Awareness Week line up!
Hilary Dugan, University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology, Sawyer Bailey, AdkAction, Bill Hintz, University of Toledo, Bill Quackenbush, Ho-Chunk Nation, Jeremy Weso, Menominee Nation News, Laura Fay, University of Montana Western Transportation Institute.

Register today for a week of rockstar livestreams from experts across the spectrum of winter maintenance operations to conservation and freshwater ecology!
https://wisaltwise.com/Take-Action/Salt-Awareness-Week

Thinking of adding a rain garden or downspout garden to your landscape, but have some questions or don’t know where to start? We can help! Register for our Dig Into Rain Gardens-1:1 Coaching Session- March 2nd. Participants will meet individually with a rain garden expert to look at their specific site using an online mapping application and get help planning their garden. Cost is $20 for a 30 minute session. https://ripple-effects.com/Event/Detail/1777

Pollution that enters our storm drains ends up in our local lakes, rivers and streams. Spread the word about stormwater pollution and solutions by helping to design and paint a local storm drain. https://ripple-effects.com/Storm-Drain-Murals

Calling Dane County schools and community groups! Consider adding a native garden or rain garden to your landscape this spring. Not only are native plants interesting and beautiful, but they provide habitat for wildlife and help protect our waters. Apply for our Free Native Plants for School and Community Groups Program today.
https://lwrd.countyofdane.com/grants-and-costshare/free-plants

Winter has finally arrived in WI! It's a great time to learn how to keep sidewalks, driveways and roads clear without using excessive salt that can pollute our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater. Check out Winter Salt Awareness Week live streams the week of Jan. 22nd. WI Salt Wise

Winter Salt Awareness Week kicks off in less than 3 weeks. Join daily livestreams to learn about the growing problem of salt pollution in our freshwater and what's being done to protect our lakes, streams, and drinking water.
https://wisaltwise.com/Event/Home/SignUp/1723
Ripple-Effects Wisconsin Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Dane County Parks Capital Area Regional Planning Commission DPW Milwaukee City of Madison Engineering Milwaukee Riverkeeper Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network Waukesha County Parks City of Superior Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance League of Wisconsin Municipalities

Winter Salt Awareness Week is just around the corner. Tune into daily webinars to learn about salt pollution and solutions from experts here in Wisconsin and across the nation. Register at www.wisaltwise.com.
WI Salt Wise