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Upcoming Events:

July 22nd (Sunday 5-7pm) – Fishing for Youth: What works on Bush Lake

Location:  Bush Lake Chapter Lodge (7515 Izaak Walton Road). 

Description:  Learn about the fish in Bush Lake and their seasonal diet.  Learn about lures that mimic the diet of the many different, and feisty, fishes of Bush Lake.  If you want hands-on learning, this is the class for you.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter was founded by dedicated fisherman who understood the connection between the continuation of Minnesota’s outdoor heritage and how we treat our natural resources, like Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class and invite your friends / neighbors (however, class size is limited).  Attendees will also receive some lead-free lures, in exchange for some of the lead in your tackle box.

More Info: www.BushLakeIkes.org

 

 

July 25th (Wed, 6-7:30pm) – Water Smart Landscaping

Location:  Penn Library (8800 Penn Avenue). 

Description:  Learn how to design landscaping projects in your yard that will beautify your yard, use less water and help improve our lakes.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter received a grant from the Toro Corporation to provide outreach to Bloomington citizens to help create healthier landscapes that use less natural resources and help Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class (seats are limited) and invite your friends / neighbors.  If you want advice specific to your yard, email photos beforehand to the presenter (Gregg: bushlake@bushlakeikes.org)

 

 

August 5th (Sunday, 1 - 2:30 pm) – Water Smart Landscaping

Location:  Mn Valley Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (3815 American Boulevard East). 

Description:  Learn how to design landscaping projects in your yard that will beautify your yard, use less water and help improve our lakes.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter received a grant from the Toro Corporation to provide outreach to Bloomington citizens to help create healthier landscapes that use less natural resources and help Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class (seats are limited) and invite your friends / neighbors.  If you want advice specific to your yard, email photos beforehand to the presenter (Gregg: bushlake@bushlakeikes.org)

 

August 5th (Sunday, 6 - 7:30 pm) – Water Smart Landscaping

Location:  Bush Lake Chapter Lodge (7515 Izaak Walton Road). 

Description:  Learn how to design landscaping projects in your yard that will beautify your yard, use less water and help improve our lakes.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter received a grant from the Toro Corporation to provide outreach to Bloomington citizens to help create healthier landscapes that use less natural resources and help Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class (seats are limited) and invite your friends / neighbors.  If you want advice specific to your yard, email photos beforehand to the presenter (Gregg: bushlake@bushlakeikes.org)

 

August 14th (Tues, 6-7:30pm) – Water Smart Landscaping

Location:  Penn Library (8800 Penn Avenue). 

Description:  Learn how to design landscaping projects in your yard that will beautify your yard, use less water and help improve our lakes.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter received a grant from the Toro Corporation to provide outreach to Bloomington citizens to help create healthier landscapes that use less natural resources and help Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class (seats are limited) and invite your friends / neighbors.  If you want advice specific to your yard, email photos beforehand to the presenter (Gregg: bushlake@bushlakeikes.org)

 

August 26th (Sunday 5-7pm) – Trout in Bloomington, no, seriously.

Location:  Bush Lake Chapter Lodge (7515 Izaak Walton Road)

Description:  Learn about the trout in Bloomington and their seasonal diet.  Did you know that Nine Mile Creek used to be a trout stream, but they have disappeared because of decreasing water quality?  Local environmental watchdog Dick Duerre will talk about his long-term monitoring of Black Dog Lake and the Minnesota River.  Dr. Len Ferrington, from the University of Minnesota, has been doing biological-monitoring on a little-known spring-fed stream in Bloomington, and will share the details of his surprising findings. 

This event is FREE and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter was founded by dedicated fisherman who understood the connection between the continuation of Minnesota’s outdoor heritage and how we treat our natural resources, like Bloomington’s many lakes, ponds and streams.  

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free talks and invite your friends / neighbors (however, seating is limited). 

More Info: www.BushLakeIkes.org

 

September 5th (Wed, 6-7:30pm) – Water Smart Landscaping

Location:  Penn Library (8800 Penn Avenue). 

Description:  Learn how to design landscaping projects in your yard that will beautify your yard, use less water and help improve our lakes.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter received a grant from the Toro Corporation to provide outreach to Bloomington citizens to help create healthier landscapes that use less natural resources and help Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class (seats are limited) and invite your friends / neighbors.  If you want advice specific to your yard, email photos beforehand to the presenter (Gregg: bushlake@bushlakeikes.org)

 

September 16th (Sunday – time tbd) – Chapter Annual Meeting Extravaganza.

Location:  Bush Lake Chapter Lodge (7515 Izaak Walton Road). 

Description:  Learn about the proposals for the Constitutional Amendment for Dedicated Funding for Conservation.  Find out the details from a state-wide conservation-hero of our own time, Dave Zentner. 

This talk is FREE and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The Izaak Walton League was founded by 54 dedicated fisherman, in 1992, who understood the connection between the continuation of Minnesota’s outdoor heritage and how we treat our natural resources, like Bloomington’s many lakes, ponds, wetlands and streams. 

The Annual Meeting, open to members in good standing, will follow this discussion. 

More Info: www.BushLakeIkes.org

  

 

Date (Day) – Event

Location:         (time)

SPEAKER:  time: Speaker, Title - from where. 

PROGRAM TOPIC:    

Program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

meeting to follow program. 

Contact:     at (952) .

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Attend the event, and invite a friend.

 

Some Recent-Past Events

 

June 24th (Sunday, 5-7pm) – Water Smart Landscaping

Location:  Bush Lake Chapter Lodge (7515 Izaak Walton Road). 

Description:  Learn how to plan for landscaping projects in your yard that will beautify your yard, use less water and help improve our lakes.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

The Bush Lake Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is sponsoring this event.  The chapter received a grant from the Toro Corporation to provide outreach to Bloomington citizens to help create healthier landscapes that use less natural resources and help Bloomington’s many lakes and ponds. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Reserve a spot at this free class (seats are limited) and invite your friends / neighbors.  If you want advice specific to your yard, email photos beforehand to the presenter (Gregg: bushlake@bushlakeikes.org)

More Info: www.BushLakeIkes.org

 

April 27th, 28th & 29th (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) - IWLA Minnesota Division Annual Meeting

Location:  in Bloomington at multiple locations  (6:00pm Friday to 1 pm Sunday)

Description:  Our Bush Lake Chapter and the South Minneapolis Chapter (on Auto Club Road in Bloomington) are co-hosting the state IWLA annual meeting weekend here in Bloomington. 

THEME: Energy Production & Land Development FOR Clean Water

EVENT:

Friday evening - Social Event / Natural Resources Issues Discussion (share your thoughts)

            Location:  Bush Lake Chapter Grounds

Saturday morning - Program Topic / Discussion:  Sustainable Development / Low-Impact Development: Win/Win Strategies for Development & Environment. 

            Location:  Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Bloomington (across from city hall)

Lunch & Tours: Grab a lunch and hit the road for a tour of Bloomington’s natural history and future legacy.

            Location:  across Bloomington

Saturday afternoon:  Program Topic / Discussion:  Moving towards Energy Independence: the future of Bio-Energy in Minnesota.

            Location:  Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, BloomingtonSaturday evening:  Dinner & State Awards

Banquet

            Location:  Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Bloomington.

Sunday morning: Annual membership meeting of the Minnesota Division of the IWLA.

            Location:  Holiday Inn, Bloomington (sw of intersection of I-35W & 94th Street).

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Volunteers needed to help with the Friday night social and Saturday registration, tours, and logistical tasks on Saturday morning to late afternoon.  You can attend the programs and tours and the Dinner / Awards Banquet on Saturday if you are interested.  If you volunteer, you will EAT for FREE.

Contact: Gregg Thompson at (612) 618-8616 / bushlake@bushlakeikes.org  or Jill Crafton at (952) 944-5583.

 

April 21st (Saturday) - Spring Cleanup at the Chapter Grounds 

Location:  Chapter Grounds at Bush Lake (9am-12pm).

Description:  Social work event to wake the place up for spring.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Help launch the swimming raft, put out fishing dock, rake leaves and plant trees.  

What you can bring:  A rake and crazy stories.

Snacks and drinks will be provided for the volunteers.

Contact: Paul McCullough at  952-844-9984 mccullough.p@gmail.com. 

 

April 12th (Thurs) - Speaker at BLC Board of Directors Meeting at Lodge

Location:  Chapter Lodge at Bush Lake  (6:30pm - 8:30pm)

SPEAKER:  6:30-7:30pm: Kevin Proescholdt - Director, Midwest Wilderness & Public Lands Program - IWLA National Organization's Midwest Office

PROGRAM TOPIC:  The history of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and the Izaak Walton League.  

Program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Directors meeting to follow program. 

Contact: Jill Crafton at (952) 944-5583.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Attend the event, promote the event, and invite a friend.

 

March 30th & 31st (Friday-Saturday) - Great Waters Fly-Fishing Expo

Location:  Bloomington Sheraton (NW corner Hwy100 & 494 intersection). 

Description:  Learn more about the enjoyment of fly fishing - from fly-tying & casting training for kids and adults, vendors of equipment, guides and fly-fishing vacation trips.

Event has an entrance fee (I think its around $5 / each, but theirs is probably a free or cheap deal for kids). www.greatwaters2007.com

Our Ikes chapter is sponsoring and staffing an Izaak Walton League booth at the Expo on Friday evening and Saturday, all day.  Booth / Display setup and take-down will be taken care of by others. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Volunteers needed to help at the Izaak Walton League booth.  It’s a good chance to learn more about the Izaak Walton League and why we’re involved with Fly-Fishing Expos and also a chance to chat with some interesting fly-fishing people (amateurs to experts) and learn a lot, if you want.  If you volunteer with us, you get in FREE.  Volunteers are needed anytime on Friday afternoon-evening, and Saturday morning to late afternoon.  Stay for a couple of hours or stay for 15 minutes so that another ‘staffer’ can take a bathroom break.  You can also help by just promoting this event to a friend.

Contact: Gregg Thompson (612) 618-8616  email me at:  bushlake@bushlakeikes.org.

 

March 15th (Thurs) – Speaker at Bush Lake Chapter Board of Directors Meeting

Location:  Chapter Lodge at Bush Lake  (6:30pm - 8:30pm)

SPEAKER:  6:30-7:30pm: Brad Redlin - Director, Agriculture-Policy Program - IWLA National Organization's Midwest Office. 

PROGRAM TOPIC:  Farm Bill 2007: How Farm Policy Effects the Environment, even in Bloomington.  

Program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Directors meeting to follow program. 

Contact: Jill Crafton at (952) 944-5583.

 HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Attend the event, and invite a friend.

 

Feb. 11th (Sunday) – Izaak Walton’s 414th Birthday & Bush Lake Chapter Chili Feed Social Event

Location:  Chapter Lodge at Bush Lake (2-5pm).

Description:  Enjoy some delicious chili recipes and get to know your fellow Ikes, or learn about membership with the Bush Lake Chapter of the IWLA.  Get the skinny on things going on in Bloomington.

Event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ((please bring a Food Shelf donation).

 

Feb. 3rd (Saturday)-  Bloomington Energy & Environment Expo  

Location: Bloomington City Hall (9am-1pm).

Description:  Find vendors and information on home energy-use reduction / cost-saving practices.  Also find out information that can help you help the environment.

Event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ((please bring a Food Shelf donation).

HOW YOU CAN HELP:  Attend the event

 

Feb. 3rd (Saturday)-  Wetlands Summit: Cultivating a Land Ethic

LocationNormandale Community College .   - (8am-5:30pm)

Description:  2nd Annual Wetland Summit sponsored by Izaak Walton League and coalition of other conservation groups to raise awareness of wetland policy and impacts, at the local, state and federal level.  Presentations and discussion on impacts of agricultural policy on conservation of wetland and prairie habitats, ecosystems functions, soils, and water quality.  Last year's Wetland Summit had over 300 attendees.

(2006):

November 20th (Monday) 7- 8pm 

- Energy Conservation (and Cost Savings) at Home

 

Join us to learn about 'Home Energy Audits' and energy conservation tips for your home.  Home Diagnostic Specialist Kevin Brauer, with the non-profit Mn Center for Energy and the Environment, will show us assessment tools that they use to identify specific areas in your home that are wasting energy and money.   Check out their cool infra-red camera that can see into walls to find insulation weak spots.  Learn how to make you home (or any building) more energy efficient, saving money, energy and reducing emissions. 

 

Have questions about things to look for in a new furnace, hot water heater, windows, insulation, light bulbs or anything home energy related?  Kevin is a warehouse of knowledge and practical experience in energy conservation.  Last year Kevin did a Home Energy Audit at the caretaker's cabin and we learned a lot (including the most effective use of our funds) for making energy efficiency improvements. 

 

If you want to learn about some simple tips that will save energy and money, you can't afford to miss this.  For more info, contact Gregg at 612-618-8616.  The presentation is open to the general public.  A Board of Director's meeting will follow the presentation.

 

 

Recent Events:

 

October 16th (Monday) 6:30-9pm  - Global Warming and Minnesota

Global Warming is the defining issue of our age and will be for many generations to come.  Learn how it affects Minnesota in particular and what actions everyday Minnesotans are taking to curb and mitigate its impacts.  J.Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director for Fresh Energy, shared her expertise and perspective with us Monday October 16th, from 7-8pm at the chapter lodge.  The presentation was open to members and the general public, to understand the basics, work toward positive strategies, and encourage collaboration within our communities.  

 

Hamilton serves on the board of the U.S. Climate Action Network and helped found Congregations Caring for Creation.  In 2005 she studied global warming policy in Europe via a leadership fellowship from the European Union.  She holds degrees in geography and environmental studies from Dartmouth and the U of MN and was formerly assistand professor of geography at George Washington University in Washington DC, where she taught graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental geography and energy policy.  Fresh Energy's web resources are at www.fresh-energy.org.

 

The presentation was followed by the business portion of the board of directors meeting.  For more info, call Jill Crafton at 952-944-5583.

. 

 

September 24th (Sunday) 4- 6:30pm  - Chapter Annual Meeting

Our chapter held their 70th Annual Meeting with election of officers and other board members.  A Board of Directors meeting preceeded the Annual Meeting.  A Corn Roast & Brat Feast followed the meetings. 

 

August 22nd (Tuesday) 7- 8:30pm  - Sustainability and Local Community Planning

Our chapter hosted a forum on “Sustainability and Local Community Planning.”  The forum included our IKE members, city council members, planning commission members and the general public from the Bloomington area.  

 

The goal of this session was to get people talking about these issues and to get new people involved in the long-range planning processes in their local communities. Bloomington is currently in the process of updating their long-range strategic plan.

 

August 7th (Monday) 7- 8:30pm  - Training for Water Quality Testers (Eden Prairie)

 

Our chapter members put on a training program for local volunteers to learn about how to test their local lakes and streams for their water quality.  Our program was hosted by the Starring Lake Outdoor Center, in Eden Prairie.  This location had close walkable access to demonstrate simple water quality testing methods on Starring Lake and also Riley Creek.  

 

 

July 17th (Monday) 6:30pm - 8:30pm  - Building and Grounds Discussion Group

 

Chapter members joined in a brainstorming session to discuss future improvements to/rebuilding of the chapter lodge building and improvements to the chapter grounds.  This will kick-off forming an ad hoc committee to make recommendations to the board and membership later this year.  Attending members shared ideas about what should be done to improve our chapter’s physical facilities and environment to better serve our mission.  For more info or to volunteer, call Paul McCullough 952-844-9984 or Karen Shragg 952-888-1305.

 

June 19th (Monday) 6:30pm - 8:30pm  - Training for Water Quality Testers

 

A hands-on training session on how to do simple but valuable water quality tests of lakes, streams and rivers.  The session was led by Dick Duerre, co-founder of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and veteran environmental activist in the area. Dick has been monitoring the Minnesota River and Black Dog Lake for over 25 years and is seeking volunteers to assist in this important project.  We showed how to do readings of Bush Lake with secchi disks then travelled to the Minnesota River/Black Dog Lake to do tube readings on one of the dirtiest rivers and lakes in Minnesota. Learn how to record and report your readings to the MPCA and local watershed districts. To volunteer/more info call John Crampton, 612-396-6010

 

May 7th (Sunday) 12:00 noon-4:00 pm  Spring Workday II at the Chapter Grounds

- spread new beach sand

- help build a new retaining wall by the parking area, so that our sand doesn't wash into the lake

- take a wildlife & wildflower tour of the grounds with the caretaker

 

May 6 & 7th (Sat. & Sun) - Living Green Expo at State Fairgrounds (details at www.livinggreenexpo.org)

 

April 29-30th (Sat. - Sunday) - IWL Mn Division Annual Meeting - New Ulm (details at www.minnesotaikes.org) 

 

April 23rd (Sunday) 6:00 pm-9:00 pm  Will Steger at St. Andrews Church (Eden Prairie) - Presentation on Global Warming.  Also featuring Paul Douglas of WCCO.