Immerse yourself for two days, Tuesday and Thursday, July 10^th and 12^th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM to learn about the unique ecology of northern Wisconsin lakes from four area experts with at least 70 years of combined experience in the field. Fe University is honored to present a Lake Ecology Workshop in four sessions with Heather Palmquist, Susan Knight, Carol Warden, and Patrick Goggin. Each session is 2 hours long with a catered lunch served between morning and afternoon sessions both days, included in the fee. The location is the Oma Town Hall, 16 miles north of Mercer on the corner of Hwy 51 and Town Hall Road.

Students will come away from this class with a thorough understanding of the intricate relationship between northern waters and the plants and animals that inhabit and surround them and some practical applications as well. Organized by Heather Palmquist, the impressive team of experts teaching this class are the best in the field.

The first session, Waters of Wisconsin, will be taught by Susan Knight, Associate Scientist and Interim Direction of the UW Madison, Center for Limnology, Trout Lake Station, July 10^th, 10:00 AM to noon. Students will explore the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of lakes, streams, wetlands and ground water, their unique issues, and their contributions to the aquatic landscape in the state.

The second session on Aquatic Plants, July 10^th, 1:00-3:00PM, will be led by Carol Warden, Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist, UW Madison, Center for Limnology, Trout Lake Station. Just as trees and wildlife comprise the forests, so do aquatic plants and critters make up the lakes. In this segment students will learn what plants and animals live in the waters, how to identify them, and why they are important.

Patrick Goggin, Lake Specialist, UW Extension Lakes, will teach Session III, Change on Wisconsin Lakeshores, July 12^th, 10:00 AM to noon. Patrick will share the story of change on Wisconsin lakeshores over the years and what those changes have meant for lake health and clean water. He will discuss the importance of diversity of life along lakeshores and show some examples of how to restore clean water and habitat.

After hearing from all the experts on what creates a healthy aquatic ecosystem, Heather Palmquist, County Conservationist Department Head, will discuss Where We Go From Here in Session IV, July 12th, 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Learn how the Iron County Land and Water Conservation Department can work with landowners to design, permit, fund, and maintain conservation projects small and large. Conservation practices will not only help restore the health of the water, but they will also increase the value of lakefront property investments.

For registration forms and more detailed information on course sessions and instructors, please visit www.feuniversity.org. (If you have trouble using Google Chrome, just use any other browser). The fee for the class is $35 minus $5 for early bird discount if you register before June 26^th. The fee includes a catered lunch at noon each day. The course satisfies the continuing education requirements for the Master Naturalist certification. Download registration forms or pick them up at the Mercer Library or the Iron County UW Extension Office in the courthouse in Hurley. You may drop off completed forms at the same locations or mail them to Fe University, PO Box 63, Hurley, WI 54534. For questions, call 715-476-2881 or 715-561-3098.

Founded in 2014, Fe University is a non-accredited, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to continuing education for seniors over 50. Younger folks are welcome also. Partial funding for Fe University is provided by the Gogebic Range Health Foundation.