Apostle Islands Region Place-Based Workshop

May 30 - June 3, 2007
Ashland, WI

Thanks to the generosity of the Nelson Institute, CHE is organizing a place-based workshop in the Apostle Islands region of northern Wisconsin for May 30 to June 3, 2007.

The goals of this workshop are to explore the many facets of the region's environmental history, to meet with area residents to learn how they engage with their places, and to build community among CHE members. We will stay at Northland College in Ashland, and visit the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Madeline Island, the estuaries along Lake Superior, the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center, local working forests, state natural areas, orchards, tourist sites, fisheries, and Duluth.

Preliminary Schedule:
Wednesday May 30 we will depart Madison at 7:30 am and drive to Ashland. We will spend several hours at the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center, talking about community involvement and the human and ecological history of the region.

Thursday May 31 will be spent visiting Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and discussing issues relating to tourism in the town of Bayfield and its environs. We'll begin by meeting with Superintendent Bob Krumenaker to learn about issues facing the park. After a morning at park headquarters and Little Sand Bay, we'll have time to explore Bayfield before hearing an afternoon panel discussion about tourism at the Bayfield Pavilion. Dinner will be followed by a presentation about the public practice of environmental history by Warren Nelson and Betty Ferris of the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua.

Friday June 1 will be focused on watershed, forestry, and farming issues. We'll start with a kayak trip into the Fish Creek estuaries and Whittlesey Creek wildlife refuge, led by a UW-Extension outreach coordinator. We then plan to meet with people involved with community forestry, watershed issues, farming, and fishing.

Saturday June 2 will be devoted a trip to Duluth that will focus on cultural history. We'll spend the evening visiting the south shore ports of Port Wing, Herbster, and Cornucopia.

Sunday June 3 will be spent on Madeline Island, with a tour of the historical museum, explorations of La Pointe, then a visit to Big Bay state park, with a 2:00 pm departure for Madison. We estimate an arrival time back in Madison of about 9:00 pm.