4-Hers clean up on Earth Day
Brown County 4-H Federation adopts Somen Wildlife Area
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NEW ULM -- About a dozen Brown County 4-H Ambassadors and leaders braved a sub-freezing windchill on Earth Day Saturday at the Somsen Wildlife Management Area (WMA) just west of New Ulm.
The Brown County 4-H Federation formally adopted the 49-acre WMA in 2022.
4-H Ambassadors cleaned up the WMA and roadside ditches, discussed future plans for its care and management with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Brown Soil and Water Conservation District.
4-H ambassadors have been learning about 4-H projects, outdoor careers, and outdoor activities to better understand and care for the land, said Brown County 4-H Extension Educator Janessa Palmer.
Minnesota DNR Assistant Regional Wildlife Manager Joe Stangel said WMAs are most often used for hunting but they are also good for hiking.
"This WMA was originally donated by the late Henry Somsen, formerly of New Ulm. Another piece of land was purchased by the Izaak Walton League from New Ulm," said Stangel. "It was originally set up as a waterfowl refuge and for Giant Canada Goose restoration. It was deed-restricted (closed) to hunting because it is a waterfowl refuge. You can come out here and enjoy the waterfowl."
Somsen WMA is now a wildlife sanctuary.
Stangel said the 4-H Federation adopting the WMA is sort of like adopting a highway. He talked about how the WMA that often includes a good amount of water, is managed.
"Public water is controlled by a pump. We work in partnership with area farmers to run the pump. We pay for it," said Stangel.
Future plans are to clean up and care for the WMA.
An Adopt-A-WMA sign was installed at the site.
4-H Ambassadors began the day cleaning up the ditch and WMA.
Items found during the cleanup included an old recipe book page and what appeared to be a very old soda pop can found by Chloe Johnson of Morgan.
Palmer told 4-H Ambassadors that Stangel and Brown Soil and Water Conservation District Technician Dru Larson, who also came to the event, said 4-H has many different projects related to wildlife conservation and that Stangel and Larson are really great contacts, resources and mentors for projects and they know the local and state laws related to them.
"What you're doing here today is a 4-H project in itself. Other projects are about trees and birds. Joe has a long list of projects," said Palmer.
"Think of this (WMA) as your outdoor classroom. You can do a number of outdoor projects out here," Stangel said.
4-H Ambassadors at the event said their Earth Day concerns included global warming, pollution, especially water pollution and poaching.
The WMA program was designed to establish informal agreements with volunteers to provide maintenance services on certain WMAs. Volunteer efforts may be recognized on signs expressing appreciation.
For more information, visit dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/adopt-wma.html