Bush Lake Chapter - Izaak Walton League of America upcoming events

Chapter Fundraiser - Nurture Nature (04/22/2026)

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Help us Nurture Nature with supporting our conservation and restoration efforts!

Donate online or send a check. Get started by clicking here! All donations are tax deductible.

For over 25 years the Bush Lake Chapter has been providing wildlife habitat and protecting water quality by ecologically restoring our 5-acre property. We manage invasive plants and weeds and plant beautiful native plants, trees, and shrubs. This provides food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, and also makes our grounds a beautiful place for our members and their guests to enjoy.

Following up on some recently completed prescribed burns, our next step is to bring in some professional restorationists. For a couple of decades we've been battling some particularly persistent invasive plant species like Leafy Spurge, Crown Vetch, European Bellflower , etc. The goal of this fundraiser is to raise enough funds to hire experienced native plant restoration professionals to conduct targeted invasive plant species control at the Chapter in 2026.

Every dollar counts! Depending on how much money we raise, your donation may be used for:

Hiring a restoration company at the Chapter in 2026
Purchasing additional native plants and seed and materials used for restoration management
Preventing the introduction and spread of invasive plants and animals
Promoting and protecting pollinators, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and other wildlife
Getting kids and adults outdoors, and environmental education for our community and others

Donate online or send a check- Click Here

All donations are tax deductible. We thank you for your support!

Learn more by watching this short video- click here

Come Roll With Us - Lodge Painting Party (09/13/2026)

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMT

The Lodge needs a little face lift and we are gathering out at the Bush Lake Chapter Lodge to get 'er done!

Please bring any painting supplies you have lying around (drop cloths, sanders, scrapers, brushes, rollers). We'll have some supplies, but could always use more!

This event will be split into multiple days:

Prep/Scrape: Sunday, Sept. 13 - Prep/Scrape

9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Come when you can and stay as long as you'd like!
Sign up for a slot: CLICK HERE

Paint: Monday, Tuesday, & Wed.(Sept. 14, 15, 16).

4:30 P.M. to dark
Again, come when you can and stay as long as you'd like!
Sign up for a slot: CLICK HERE

With a little bit of elbow grease, the Lodge will have a new coat of paint for our Annual Meeting!

Bush Lake Chapter Annual Member Meeting (09/19/2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Come one, come all to the Bush Lake Chapter's Annual Member Meeting! Saturday, September 19th, 2-5pm. Meet your fellow Ikes, hear a Chapter update, honor conservation and Chapter champions, watch or participate in the canoe race, and eat some good food!

Please register to help with planning- it's quick and easy.

Chapter News and Updates
Annual Member Meeting, Board Election, & Awards
Almost Annual Canoe Race
Potluck- Please bring a dish or hors d'oeuvres to share. Chapter will provide tableware and non-alcoholic beverages.
Compost and recycling will be available- let's try to make it a zero-waste event!
Please bring lawn chairs. Event will be held outside, weather permitting.

Canoe Race: If you would like to participate in the canoe race, please bring lifejackets (using your own canoes), and please do not drink alcoholic beverages before or during the race.

We hope to see you there! Contact the Chapter President, Rick Wheeler, with questions.

Mushrooms 101 (09/20/2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Join us for Mushrooms 101 presented by Erica Tava Johnson, Education Chair of the Minnesota Mycological Society. The Minnesota Mycological Society has been studying and teaching about fungi since 1899, and this program is designed for beginners; no prior mushroom knowledge needed.

Erica will give an introduction to the world of fungi, covering what mushrooms are, the roles they play in our woods, and how to begin identifying common Minnesota species using a few simple, repeatable steps. She will bring physical specimens for close examination. September is the prime season for mushrooms, so there may be some tasty treats she's prepared to share.

After the presentation, weather permitting, we will head outside for a short foray — a group walk where we stop, observe, and practice identifying the fungi growing right here on chapter grounds. Mushrooms found along the way can be identified on the spot or brought back to the lodge for a closer look together.

Members of all experience levels are welcome. Bring your curiosity and comfortable walking shoes.

Open to the Public.

Bush Lake Migratory Bird Day (10/03/2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!

Join us for our Bush Lake Migratory Bird Hike! Oct. 3rd at 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Oct. 10th is World Migratory Bird Day, but the birds are on the move so we'll count them a bit early!

Our early morning hike will be led by our Special Birder Stephanie MacPhail. Come wish our feathered friends a safe voyage to their wintering grounds.

Want more birding?...Steph will continue the count around Bush Lake that day until lunch and submit our Migratory Bird numbers and species to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cornell will use it to help track populations and migration patterns. It's citizen science all the way! ALL levels of experience are welcome. Afterwords, feel free to come to the Lodge at 11:30am for some pizza and comradery.

Then, with newly renewed vigor - if you'd like, join us for our Buckthorn BUST starting from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- see the Buckthorn Bust event for signup! We'll split it into two shifts, but any/all help is welcome!

Buckthorn Bust - Ikes Adopt a Woodland (10/03/2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

We will be working directly with Three Rivers Parks District staff to start our 1/2 acre buckthorn bust immediately north of the Chapter. This project is a direct result of our young Ike, Fall Owens, who created a petition letter. This will connect the buckthorn removal between the Chapter and the 10 acres being restored which will also start this Fall by NMCWD, TRPD, and City of Bloomington. This will be a lot of work with other weekday volunteer dates coming...but please join Tony, Denise and Fall with the first big day. Below are the times of both shifts...feel free to come to one or the other...or Both :)

We will be providing pizza in the lodge for lunch.

9am-11:30am (First Shift)
12:30pm to 3:30pm (Second Shift)

Pumpkin Fest (10/29/2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Celebrate the season with the whole family at the Bush Lake Chapter’s annual Pumpkin Fest on Thursday, October 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Lodge! Enjoy an evening packed with fun activities, including a nature hike scavenger hunt, pumpkin carving, a pumpkin piñata, s'mores around the campfire, and a special guest speaker presentation on bats. Reserve your spot today!