We had another great year on Bush Lake, many thanks to all our members and volunteers from the community that makes it all possible. Here is a brief recap of our activities, outreach and programs this year.
We started the year at the Richardson Nature Center Ice Harvesting Day teaching folks about how to use less salt in winter to protect our waters. We followed this with our annual Wood Duck Days on Normandale Lake and Bush Lake. We have around 40 wood duck houses we monitor and maintain on these two lakes. Join us again this winter after the ice thickens.
In March, we tabled at the Richardson Nature Center's Spring Scavenger Hunt, where we shared information about our Chapter and promoted the importance of pollinator gardens.
In April, on Earth Day, we made Bush Lake a little better by cleaning up trash and litter around the lake. As always, we found way too much trash! You can help Bush Lake by picking up litter when you see it, leaving single use plastic at home, and checking the beach and grounds before you leave to make sure you and others leave only footprints. Also in April, our Board Treasurer, Vicki Bonk, was awarded the Judge John W. Tobin Award. The Tobin Award goes to League members whose outstanding volunteer contributions make a difference. Not only is Vicki our Board secretary, but is an incredible advocate for native plants, pollinators and other wildlife. In May, we held our Chapter Spring Clean Up and new member orientation and potluck.
In June, we once again partnered with the Bloomington Optimists for the annual Bloomington Kids' Fishing Fair. This is a great event that brings in many kids and families for a fun morning of fishing on Bush Lake. Our focus is not only getting kids outdoors fishing, but also raising awareness and getting people to '"Get the Lead Out" by replacing their lead tackle with non-toxic alternatives.
The IWLA National Convention was held in Maryland in July. Our Chapter was represented at the convention by Jill Crafton, our Board Treasurer and National Director. The League's 2025 convention will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
In August, we hosted a Reptiles and Amphibians program. Attendees learned all about turtles, tortoises, frogs, toads, lizards and more. We saw rescued turtles and a snake then toured our property to hear about our turtle and wildlife conservation work. We found a baby snapping turtle which was safely returned to the lake!
Throughout the year, we encouraged our members and Bush Lake residents and users to Take the Pledge to protect Bush Lake from Aquatic Invasive Species. Lake Pledge is a set of short, entertaining videos showing how to protect our lake from Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). AIS can impact swimming, paddling, fishing and aesthetics and cause irreparable damage to the lake ecosystem. Thank you to everyone that took the pledge. If you haven't yet, it is not too late: Lake Pledge
We were also elated to have had chimney swifts and purple martins nesting at the Chapter for the first time, in modern times. Stay tuned to a future newsletter for more info on these cool birds that need our help.
Thank you to all our members for making this year a great success! We sincerely appreciate your contributions that make our conservation organization a strong one.
