March 10, 2022 at 2:32 p.m.
Northwoods Businesses for Clean Waters targets stakeholder businesses
Northwoods Businesses for Clean Waters targets stakeholder businesses
The Northwoods Businesses for Clean Waters program partners with area businesses to help them find ways to make positive impacts on area surface water. This may include something such as native plantings or rain gardens to slow runoff into a lake. It may also look to find ways to limit the spread of invasive species. According to Cathy Higley of the Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Department, the program can be utilized by those businesses in a variety of ways.
The idea came about a few years ago when staff was reviewing the invasive species plan for the county. This led to several people getting together to pool their thoughts and ideas about the program and what it should look like moving forward.
"We actually found, when we picked things apart a little bit with our programming, that there was a bit of a gap," Higley said. "There was a lot of lake residents and schools and other people involved in AIS prevention, but not as many opportunities were really presented to business owners even though they were actually there." When the group started delving into the situation, they looked at programs such as the Healthy Lakes program and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) cost share program, which were being underutilized by business partners in the area. Businesses, she said, are eligible for assistance through those programs, but up to that date, they had not been served through those channels.
She said the group decided to look at the problem a bit closer. Many area businesses, she said, are interested in learning more and doing more in the way of water quality issues and lake health, but they have been underserved with help in that area.
"Business people are busy running their businesses," she said. "They might not be thinking about how they can complete projects they want to complete when it comes to water quality, but that is where we come in." The Northwoods is a special place, she said, with one of the highest concentrations of fresh inland lakes in the world. Those lakes and waterways are vital to the economy of the Northwoods.
Every business is unique, Higley said, so each plan will look different. However, the businesses will not be going it alone. Each one will be paired with a conservation expert to help them reach their goals. The vision is to create a 10-year partnership, building tools and best practices to reach the specific goals of the business.
The idea is to work with businesses to create a plan during times such as the shoulder seasons, when perhaps they are not as busy as normal. The county and its partners look to provide technical assistance, depending on what the business wants. They help to create a conservation plan.
"It's not anything super in depth," she said. "It's just more of a communication tool so we know what they want to see with their business and where they want to see improvements with their stewardship toward lake conservation and river conservation."
The four major buckets into which Higley said most projects fit will be aquatic invasive species prevention, water quality, stormwater and runoff and shoreline habitat. In all of these, the focus is on keeping surface water in good condition and helping businesses learn how to take care of their surface water.
The program's approach is "Partner, Protect, Promote." Partnerships between area businesses and conservation professionals are at the heart of the program. This interaction is vital in finding a way to protect lakes and rivers while allowing communities in the Northwoods to thrive.
Under the umbrella of "protect," there are several items, which Higley mentioned: focus on aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention and detection, shoreline restoration and protection of water quality. Partnerships allow area businesses the opportunity to seek out grant funding sources for projects.
Promotion involves raising awareness on a community-wide level. Business owners involved in the program can help raise awareness and build support for initiatives that fall under the program. Partners also benefit from public recognition and building a reputation as an environmentally aware entity.
The Vilas County Lakes and Rivers Association, Higley said, is spearheading the program as a fiscal sponsor. Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association is also a fiscal sponsor. In any program, there are costs involved. Materials costs and other small funds needed are provided by these entities. For larger amounts, the group looks to DNR grants for funding.
Higley gave an instance where an area business was looking to put in a rain garden to manage their runoff. When she did the site visit, she determined the business would actually need three rain gardens to achieve their desired results. This was a bit more of an undertaking, requiring more funding, of course. The Healthy Lakes Program funds practices within 1,000 feet of a lake shoreline, she said, but this business was on the Eagle River Chain in an area considered a river, and the land was just outside of the footage required for rivers in the Healthy Lakes Program. There was still a need for stormwater mitigation, however. Vilas County Lakes and Rivers Association, however, was able to look at their budget and offer partial funding to complete the project. Higley said she looked to get that underway this coming field season.
The county, she said, also has access to a DATCP engineer to help with projects as well.
In terms of grants, Higley said, businesses would not write or hold their own grants. Most grants are not given to individual land owners. Rather, they funnel through a qualified lake organization or some sort of municipality. For instance, the county, or VCLRA could apply for the grant for a business, taking the grant writing pressure off of the business owner's shoulders.
Several businesses and other organizations are involved in the program. This includes the Vilas County Land and Water Department, Oneida County Land and Water Department, the Lac du Flambeau Tribe and North Lakeland Discovery Center.
Due to the nature of the partnerships, as well as the length of the commitment, Higley said the conservation experts involved look to get approximately three businesses per year involved in the program. That said, she felt it would take a while for those involved in the program to get around and contact all of the businesses they would like to touch base with. However, any business looking to get involved can contact either county land and water conservation department or county lake association. More information about Northwoods Businesses for Clean Waters can be found on the Vilas County Lakes and Rivers Association website vclra.org.
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