Article by Tex Hawkins from the Winona Post, 6/15/2016
Neither thunderstorm nor technical difficulties with race timing could prevent the eighth annual Trinona event from being a huge success last Sunday, as the weather cleared and the sound of bagpipe music and cheers filled the air. Lake Winona, as usual, provided a stunning backdrop for the event, even more naturally beautiful and inviting this year, thanks to the diligent efforts of the park maintenance staff and Community Services Director Chad Ubl.
The Healthy Lake Winona group of local citizens and conservation professionals has been working closely with the city, universities, and local schools to monitor and address water quality and recreational opportunity issues raised by a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency assessment and report. In order to keep the lake fishable, swimmable, healthy and attractive to visitors and residents alike, action is needed to reduce lawn fertilizer runoff and contaminants from storm drains, to eliminate feeding of geese and ducks that concentrates their manure along the lake shore, and to create natural vegetation buffers wherever possible to filter out sediment and nutrients that would otherwise dirty the water.
Just before the triathlon, members of Healthy Lake Winona had an opportunity to walk the trail from Lake Park Lodge to Mankato Avenue and evaluate progress that the city and the schools have been making toward a more naturalized border between mowed areas and the water’s edge. They were impressed with the improvements that have been made in managing the lake shore, particularly from the portion opposite the small maintenance shed by the ball fields to the east end of the lake.
Here, the lushness and diversity of flowering plants, and the attraction to birds and beneficial insect pollinators, is most apparent. Harmful invasive plants like leafy spurge have been selectively removed by middle school students, and there is evidence that purple loosestrife is being controlled by beneficial bugs that are now able to move freely within the buffer. A buffer restoration extension is also being developed as a demonstration project between the area opposite the ball fields and Franklin Avenue to heal badly eroded shoreline and discourage waterfowl concentrations along this portion of the trail.
Throughout summer and fall, as flowering plants such as milkweed reach their peak, monarchs and other butterflies will become a very common sight to hikers and bikers. Dragonflies of all kinds will be visible patrolling over the buffers to prey on midges and mosquitos – so will the young birds raised in the shelter of low shrubs, which help anchor the shore and prevent erosion. Late in the fall, some of these shrubs can be selectively trimmed, as most of the herbaceous cover dies back. But even this residual cover is important for rabbits, squirrels and year-round resident birds, so less cutting and mowing on the edge of Lake Winona not only reduces some maintenance costs, it keeps things naturally beautiful.
Today, Winona’s economy is dependent on natural health and beauty. Tomorrow, this will be even more true, as progress is continuously made toward a fully sustainable future. A healthier Lake Winona is a goal that can be achieved — in fact it is already being achieved, thanks to the leadership of our city officials and the diligent efforts of our park maintenance staff.
Neither thunderstorm nor technical difficulties with race timing could prevent the eighth annual Trinona event from being a huge success last Sunday, as the weather cleared and the sound of bagpipe music and cheers filled the air. Lake Winona, as usual, provided a stunning backdrop for the event, even more naturally beautiful and inviting this year, thanks to the diligent efforts of the park maintenance staff and Community Services Director Chad Ubl.
The Healthy Lake Winona group of local citizens and conservation professionals has been working closely with the city, universities, and local schools to monitor and address water quality and recreational opportunity issues raised by a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency assessment and report. In order to keep the lake fishable, swimmable, healthy and attractive to visitors and residents alike, action is needed to reduce lawn fertilizer runoff and contaminants from storm drains, to eliminate feeding of geese and ducks that concentrates their manure along the lake shore, and to create natural vegetation buffers wherever possible to filter out sediment and nutrients that would otherwise dirty the water.
Just before the triathlon, members of Healthy Lake Winona had an opportunity to walk the trail from Lake Park Lodge to Mankato Avenue and evaluate progress that the city and the schools have been making toward a more naturalized border between mowed areas and the water’s edge. They were impressed with the improvements that have been made in managing the lake shore, particularly from the portion opposite the small maintenance shed by the ball fields to the east end of the lake.
Here, the lushness and diversity of flowering plants, and the attraction to birds and beneficial insect pollinators, is most apparent. Harmful invasive plants like leafy spurge have been selectively removed by middle school students, and there is evidence that purple loosestrife is being controlled by beneficial bugs that are now able to move freely within the buffer. A buffer restoration extension is also being developed as a demonstration project between the area opposite the ball fields and Franklin Avenue to heal badly eroded shoreline and discourage waterfowl concentrations along this portion of the trail.
Throughout summer and fall, as flowering plants such as milkweed reach their peak, monarchs and other butterflies will become a very common sight to hikers and bikers. Dragonflies of all kinds will be visible patrolling over the buffers to prey on midges and mosquitos – so will the young birds raised in the shelter of low shrubs, which help anchor the shore and prevent erosion. Late in the fall, some of these shrubs can be selectively trimmed, as most of the herbaceous cover dies back. But even this residual cover is important for rabbits, squirrels and year-round resident birds, so less cutting and mowing on the edge of Lake Winona not only reduces some maintenance costs, it keeps things naturally beautiful.
Today, Winona’s economy is dependent on natural health and beauty. Tomorrow, this will be even more true, as progress is continuously made toward a fully sustainable future. A healthier Lake Winona is a goal that can be achieved — in fact it is already being achieved, thanks to the leadership of our city officials and the diligent efforts of our park maintenance staff.