Work is continuing on a major project to identify areas adjacent to the Cedarburg Bog that supply groundwater needed to protect critical habitat there.

The project is being managed by Joanne Kline, longtime Bog Friend and an Environmental Analysis and Review Specialist with the Wisconsin DNR.

Very soon you will be able to follow the project online via a Google Earth map on the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program Web site click here . It already has some of the previous years' grants posted so keep an eye on the site.

The Cedarburg Bog is a groundwater dependent ecosystem. Groundwater affects the Bog's water supply, which in turn affects its plant communities and the populations of many rare plants and animals. Land use and development in areas where groundwater is recharged have the potential to change the quality and quantity of water reaching Cedarburg Bog. Determining how groundwater flows to and through the Bog and identifying the groundwater recharge areas is essential to protecting this critical habitat. Supporting scientific studies to protect Cedarburg Bog is a major goal of the Friends.

The first phase of this project consists of developing a local scale water table map and mapping the stratigraphy of the Cedarburg Bog area to understand local groundwater flow. To do this we examined well logs and previous hydrogeologic studies in the area. A second phase will refine these maps using a variety of methods and then examine the relationship of groundwater flow to surface water features and to known rare species habitat. Groundwater dependent rare species of particular interest are the Hine's emerald dragonfly and the eastern prairie white-fringed orchid.

The project is funded by the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog through a grant from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and support from the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ozaukee and Washington Counties, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Discover and explore the Wonderful Waters of Oz! Treasures of Oz turns the spotlight on Ozaukee's river and wetlands on June 16.

Tour eight unique natural sites -- including the Cedarburg Bog -- with docents, tours, opportunities for photography, birding, hiking, and geocaching. Enjoy food, music and much more at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve, 4970 Country Club Road, Belgium. Collect passport stamps to trade for raffle tickets.

The 1,656-acre Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area is a conifer swamp, the largest example of the least abundant type of wetland in southeast Wisconsin. It contains large expanses of cedar-tamarack swamp forest, in addition to marshes, shrub carr, swamp hardwoods, and both deep and shallow bog lakes, plus the unusual feature of a string bog, which may be the southernmost string bog in North America.

Hike the half mile, ADA compliant trail to beautiful Watts Lake, complete with interpretive signs. Members of the Friends of Cedarburg Bog's board of directors will offer special guided walks at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. The first walk will pay special attention to the bog's birds, while the others will cover a wider range of flora, fauna and natural history.

Ozaukee County is home to almost 40 miles of the Milwaukee River and has close to 30% of its acreage in wetlands, providing rich wildlife habitat, water filtration, water recharge and flood control. So at other Treasures sites you can explore our river banks and miles of winding trails. Learn about this watershed and see the world famous fish habitat restoration complete with engineered fishways. Discover the natural beauty that comes when a river is restored to natural rapids with dam removal. Travel upriver to see fish spawning areas.

Details for this free, family-friendly event can be found at www.treasuresofoz.org. For more information,contact Marjie Tomter This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As the buds and flowers begin to pop, spring offers the chance to capture the changing seasons. Phil Waitkus, President of the Urban Ecology Center Photography Club, shares six important tips for making your spring photographs really memorable. And when you are doner reading them, click on the Bog Friends Blog tab at left and plan your entry in our photo contest!

1. Zero In. When you are inspired to take a photo, step back and ask yourself, “What part of that picture really interests me?” This will help you zero in on the central subject of your photo. This simple step is amazingly important.

2. Look at the subject from many angles.  Walk around it; look from above and below, and if possible from behind.  Captivating flower images can be captured from different angles. Try them all! 
3. Get as close as you can.  Fill the frame with your subject, while still keeping everything in focus (or at least the most important parts).  In flowers, this is usually the central stamen. The rule is; when you think you’re close enough, get closer! 

The lilies above get lost in the background, but below, the lilies fill the screen and the focus is on the stamen.  The message of these two shots is, when you think you're close enough, get closer!

Photo credits: Audrey Waitkus

4. The Rule of Thirds.  The most important part of the image is not in the center of your view finder or screen, but at a position 1/3 in from either side and about 1/3 down from the top or bottom. The visual impact of a subject can suffer from center positioning. As a rule, things on the edge of a picture tend to gain visual importance so keep insignificant things away from the edge.
5. Take note of the light.  One would think bright sunlight would be the best for flowers.  However, this is rarely the case.  If your options are limited, pick subjects in the shade.  The best time for flower photography, and most everything else, is in the early morning or evening. Flowers and buds with early morning dew or holding water drops after a rain are magical.
6. Take your time.  Hold your camera steady or use a tripod (if available).  Your pictures’ sharpness and quality will really improve.

yourself, "What part of that picture really interests me?" This will help you zero in on the central subject of your photo. This simple step is amazingly important.