The Ice Age Trail passes through the O.J. Noer Turfgrass Facility and the neighboring University Ridge Golf Course. Since the coronavirus pandemic and reconstruction of a nearby road, that segment of the trail has experienced a huge increase in use. The trail had grown over with many invasive species while many of the prairie giants (such as burr oaks) were being engulfed in underbrush. The Alliance felt this should be the year to clean up the trail over the winter season, so they approached Bruce Schweiger, superintendent of the O.J. Noer Facility in December.

The Alliance’s Ed Spoon met with Schweiger to develop a plan for getting people and equipment to the area and disposing of the brush after cleanup. The volunteers gained access to the trail through O.J. Noer and conducted the cleanup on the golf course.

“This group was a dedicated and hardy bunch,” says Schweiger. “If you remember, around the holidays southern Wisconsin experienced a bomb cyclone winter storm with blowing and drifting snow, high winds and more. On that very day the Ice Age Trail Alliance had seven people brave the elements, and they created a massive amount of brush.”

After clearing, Schweiger and the Alliance volunteers determined that burning the brush might be the only option for removal. But there was a problem. In the City of Madison, burning large piles of brush is now allowed. The team hoped that a brush burning permit could be obtained, but it was a daunting task. Schweiger and Phil Davidson, superintendent of University Ridge Golf Course, began a conversation with the fire department.

“The City of Madison Fire Department was extremely helpful and directed us to other people that had obtained this special permit in the past, who we could use for guidance and expertise,” says Schweiger. “The Ice Age Trail Alliance also had great resources and a very detailed safety policy for burning.”

After weeks of emails, telephone calls and on-site meetings the permit was issued. Burning was completed on the planned date with no problems.

Schweiger has nothing but praise for the Ice Age Trail Alliance saying everyone was enjoyable, easy to work with and communicative. He also suggested that anyone who uses the trails or even enjoys the outdoors volunteer with the group, perhaps next winter as the Alliance clears a much longer section that passes through the University Ridge Golf Course.

“On the CALS campus, we have many students, staff, professors and clubs that could learn or share their valuable information with this very selfless group,” says Schweiger. “I encourage you to volunteer for a project just for a day. I bet you will find yourself returning for more fun and sense of accomplishment. If work at the golf course does not interest you take look on their website. They have a multitude of places and volunteer opportunities.”

The project by the numbers:
43 individual volunteers
576 hours of volunteer time
7 work days
14 brush piles burned
35 ft. X 35 ft. X 8 ft. was the size of the largest brush pile
3 rabbitats, or purpose-built brush piles left for wildlife habitat, were constructed

Contact:
Ed Spoon
Volunteer
Dane County chapter
Ice Age Trail Alliance
edspoon@charter.net
https://www.iceagetrail.org/get-involved/volunteer/chapters/dane-county/