Friends of County Grounds Park march 2021 Updates |
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Monday, April 12 at 7pm Friends of County Grounds Park (FOCGP) Monthly Meeting - All are welcome to join, still being held via Zoom, we typically have 10-15 people join
- Standing committees/topics include park improvement, communications, wildlife, outdoor classroom, and health/wellness
- Send email to friendsofcountygroundspark@gmail.com to request a link
- FOCGP monthly meetings are at 7pm, the 2nd Monday of every month, all year long
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Saturday, Apr 17 @ 2pm County Grounds Park / Sanctuary Woods History Tour - Jonathan Piel has extensively researched and documented the history of the relics in County Grounds Park. As tour guide, he includes photos, maps, stories that bring over a century of park history alive including visiting many of the remaining remnants. The ~1-mile guided hike includes several pre-designated stops: 120-year old field-stone stairs, split-boulder pavilion, 110-year-old 6' stone dolphin vase, former waterfalls, old-growth oak forest, former sunken gardens, and extensive onsite mental health hospital history. As featured in, Michelle Madden’s “111 Places in Milwaukee That You Must Not Miss”.
- This year this tour includes 1950s video in addition to historic photos
- Just like 2020, the 2021 tours currently are limited to 10 attendees due to COVID. Out of an abundance of caution, and with respect for all participants, masks are still required regardless of status.
- Eventbrite Sign-Up
- Got questions? More tour details are included at the end of the newsletter
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Sunday, Apr 18 @ 2pm County Grounds Park Cemeteries Tour - Mike McBride has been studying, authoring, and advocating about the County Grounds paupers’ cemeteries for 3 decades. As tour guide, he will share the engaging history of lost and found graves including the origins of “potter’s cemeteries” featured around the world for 2000 years, who was interred here in Milwaukee, and how our ancestors lived and died in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This tour will facilitate a discussion on the thousands of remains exhumed throughout the county grounds since the early 90s and the current disposition of remains for academic study.
- Just like 2020, the 2021 tours currently are limited to 10 attendees due to COVID. Out of an abundance of caution, and with respect for all participants, masks are still required regardless of status.
- Eventbrite Sign-Up
- Got questions? More tour details are included at the end of the newsletter
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Saturday April 24; 9am-noon Milwaukee Riverkeeper® Spring Cleanup - Are you passionate about our environment? Join the 26th Annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup! Help remove trash from around the multiple ponds within County Grounds Park.
- Perfect activity for individuals or families. Bring personal masks and a sense of adventure.
- Milwaukee Riverkeeper will provide gloves, trash bags, and a FREE t-shirt to every volunteer!
- All interested participants MUST register in advance which includes a sign digital waiver
- COVID coordination includes:
- All participants must wear a mask
- Non-family members must be at least 6 feet apart
- No food or beverages will be provided – each participant is encouraged to bring their own water
- There are multiple staggered arrival times for 10 people each
- 9, 9:30, and 10am
- Volunteers can stay as long as desired until noon
- Additional training, coordination, safety equipment will be provided onsite
- Come to the County Grounds Park entering at 87th and Watertown Plank, going north. You’ll pass the Milwaukee County Cemetery, and a table will be setup at the corner as the meeting point. Please continue driving ~2 blocks to the parking lot in the center of the park, and walk back to the meeting point for registration. See park map at: www.countygroundsfriends.org
- Got questions? Send email to friendsofcountygroundspark@gmail.com
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Photo Courtesy of Eddee Daniel 2021 Park Improvements - In 2021, Milwaukee County Parks Department has suspended processing any new requests for parks improvements by community groups
- Friends of County Grounds Park has still found a few areas we can pursue, including articles in this newsletter, and certain service events below
- More info on times and signups coming soon!
- Saturday April 24; 9-12; Milwaukee Riverkeeper® Spring Cleanup
- Sunday May 2; time TBD; Invasives Removal (dames rocket & garlic mustard)
- Saturday Aug 29; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- Saturday Sep 4; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- Saturday Sep 18; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- Saturday Oct 2; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- Sunday Oct 17; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- Saturday Oct 30; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- Saturday Nov 13; time TBD; Buckthorn Removal
- A summary of some 2020 events can be found here:
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Bluebird Houses - The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Milwaukee County Parks Department – Natural Areas – are sponsoring 12 bluebird houses within County Grounds Park
- These are being installed in April, and there will be some advanced utility marking to ensure safe installation. There is no other construction/development planned.
- These bluebird houses are being monitored weekly by trained MCW graduate students of the medical college
- We ask that anyone not trained within this program refrain from approaching the birdhouses so they are not “over-loved”. We request that people and their pets keep a 25+ feet distance from these birdhouses to provide a more optimal habitat.
- Thanks, in advance, for your support
- Got questions/suggestions? Send email to friendsofcountygroundspark@gmail.com
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New Park Map - Friends of County Grounds Park have developed a map that improves navigation, parking, and wayfinding at the park. This map is available below and on the main page of our website at: www.countygroundsfriends.org
- This map is the collective effort of the active Friends Group, and not recognized or endorsed by the Milwaukee County Parks Department, who is still resolving elements before publishing their map
- Visitors and their dogs are all welcome at County Grounds Park. Like all Milwaukee County Parks, by law leashes are required for all dogs at all times. The law also requires picking up after dogs, and this map includes the locations of (5) trash receptacles around the park (in red)
- Got questions/suggestions? This map is a living resource. Send email to friendsofcountygroundspark@gmail.com
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Tree Survey - There are over 35 different species of trees in County Grounds Park / Sanctuary Woods
- In 2021 Friends of County Grounds Park has volunteers executing tree surveys in coordination with the Parks Department
- The survey is for trees of 10cm in diameter or larger and includes collecting data on tree species, GPS coordinates, and circumference/age
- Objectives include:
- Future Tree Planting - Identify where the friends group can plant more trees (location, diversity, etc)
- Education – identifying prominent specimens of each for future tours (possible self-guided)
- Remediation – tracking where buckthorn has been removed, and the forest evolution over time
- Funding - Help quantify the forest benefit as support information for any future grant applications
- We have wonderfully qualified people leading the process, and welcome additional volunteers for executing the ongoing survey
- The GPS coordinates help us merge our data with Parks Department data. This also empowers data collection without the need for metal tree tags. Data collection is via a computer tablet with a built-in GPS.
- If you are willing to sponsor a $200 data collection tablet, or want to volunteer, please send an email to friendsofcountygroundspark@gmail.com
- The photo below is of a burr oak that was recently surveyed, and estimated at 390 years old!
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Future Tours - FOCGP has an incredible slate of tours planned for 2021 – thanks to all our volunteers!
- Sign-ups will be posted ~3 weeks before each month’s tours along with extended descriptions
- These postings will be communicated via newsletter, website, and Facebook
- If others desire future limited email updates, sign up at: https://tosahistory13.wixsite.com/tosa/signup
- If you are receiving this email, you already signed up for updates on our website
- Tour Summary:
- Saturday, Apr 17; 2p; History Tour - Jonathan
- Sunday, Apr 18 2p; Cemeteries Tour - Mike
- Saturday May 1; 9a; Forest Bathing - Sheila
- Saturday May 1; 2p; History Tour - Jonathan
- Saturday, May 22; 8:30a; Birding Tour - Carl
- Saturday May 22; 11a; 1950s Life on County Grounds - Nancy
- Saturday May 22; 2p; History Tour - Jonathan
- Sunday May 23; 2p; Forest Tour – Charlie
- Tuesday June 8th, 10a; Forest Bathing - Sheila
- Saturday, Jun 12; 10a; History Tour - Jonathan
- Saturday, Jun 12; 2p; Hydrology Tour - Cheryl
- Sunday, June 13, 11a; 1950s Life on County Grounds - Nancy
- Sunday, Jun 13; 2p; Cemeteries Tour – Mike
- Saturday, Jul 17; 2p; Tree Identification Tour - Caitlin
- Saturday, Jul 17; 5p; History 2.0 Tour – Jonathan
- Saturday, Aug 14; 10a; History Tour – Jonathan
- Sunday, Aug 15; 2p; Cemeteries Tour - Mike
- Saturday, Sep 11; 10a; History Tour - Jonathan
- Saturday, Sep 11; 3:30p; Monarchs Tour – Jim & Barb
- Sunday, Sep 12; 10a; Tree Identification Tour – Caitlin
- Sunday, Sep 12; 2p; Forest Tour – Charlie
- Saturday, Sep 18; 3:30p Monarchs Tour – Jim & Barb
- Saturday, Sep 25; 10a; Forest Bathing - Sheila
- Saturday, Sep 25; 2p; Coyote Tour - Danielle
- Saturday, Oct 16; 10a; History Tour - Jonathan
- Saturday, Oct 16; 2p; Fall Colors Tour - Caitlin
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More Information Regarding Guided Tours - Tours are free, donations are appreciated. The tour guides are volunteering in support of the non-profit Friends of County Grounds Park (initiatives include conservation, invasives removal, signage, trail building, and communications). Donations to the Friends group of any amount are appreciated and $4/person per tour is a wonderful value. If so inspired, donations can be made:
- Again, these tours are free, any donations are based on your inspiration
- County Grounds Park has no formal address, but can be found and navigated to via Apple/Google/Waze Maps searching “Sanctuary Woods Parking”. That parking circle is 0.5 mile north and west of 87th & Watertown Plank Road. Eventbrite requires an address, but this address only gets you close. The tour begins and ends at the parking lot in the center of the park, see park map at: www.countygroundsfriends.org
- Dress for the weather, we will hold tours unless there is lightning. There are no onsite restrooms. Tours are suitable for people of all ages.
- Most tours are ~1 mile, with regular stops. The paths are not suitable for mobility impaired. Special access tours can be facilitated by contacting the email below.
- Friendly pets on leash are welcome on the following tours: History, 1950s Life on the Grounds, Hydrology, Tree Identification, History 2.0, Forest, and Fall Colors
- Pets are not allowed on the following tours: Cemeteries, Forest Bathing, Birding, Monarchs, and Coyote
- Got questions? Send email to friendsofcountygroundspark@gmail.com
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Reporting Suspicious Activity - Unfortunately, the Milwaukee County Grounds have come under increased abuse during the COVID crisis. Perhaps increased boredom is leading to more extreme behavior. Perhaps perpetrators believe there is less use and oversight. This has decreased in the past 6 months thanks to very engaged visitors and more presence by the county sheriffs.
- The Milwaukee County Grounds is patrolled and enforced by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department. Please be part of the solution and directly report any suspicious activity:
- Sheriff: 414-278-4788
- Fire or medical emergency: 911
- Thanks for helping take clear ownership for our shared space
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Sincere appreciation for a community that has been such good stewards for this precious space. We have a lot to be proud of, the ability to make a difference, and hope for the future. Thank you!! |
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