TOWN OF BELLE PLAINE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Shawano County restoration project is a step closer to becoming complete.
The initiative is happening near Gibson Island on what’s known as the Cloverleaf Lakes about 8 miles northeast of Clintonville.
About a dozen volunteers took to the trail near the boardwalk Wednesday morning, working to improve habitat in the area.
“We have a long list of plants. We have five different shrubs, like currants, elderberry, cranberry, winterberry. And those are for the birds,” said Joy Krubsack, Town of Belle Plaine.
Krubsack is also the project organizer. She says native grasses and sedges should flourish in the area as well.
She tells FOX 11 the new vegetation replaces unwanted varieties like Black locust trees, and this invasive called Japanese knotweed.
“It will get into wetland areas. And that’s what they’re really concerned about is all the wetland areas, and bogs, because this doesn’t allow anything natural to grow where the animals and birds like.”
Working alone or in teams, it took volunteers four hours to put more than 800 plants in the ground.
“I love it that people are coming together and keeping it natural, instead of it becoming an invasive clog,” said Krubsack.
Dennis Thornton, Town of Belle Plaine Supervisor, lives on the Cloverleaf Lakes too.
“It’s very important for the town for recreation and for people in the whole area.”
Volunteer Georgiana Castellanos says she’s doing this for her grandson Harvey.
“It’s wonderful. It’s being in nature. My grandson will have places to go because of work done now. In 30 years, 40 years, this will all still be here.”
The improvements cost about $4,200.
Grants from The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and Clintonville Area Foundation paid for the project.
