In La Crosse County, officials and researchers are trying to organize a first of its kind effort to better understand wildlife at the local landfill. Not much is known about the plants and animals that live there.
When University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student Christa Booman first toured the La Crosse County Landfill, she was surprised to find a diverse ecosystem, and not just piles of waste.
“When I got out there I was like, this is really cool, like the way they are being sustainable,” she said.
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La Crosse County’s Solid Waste Department has been recognized for its innovative, sustainable practices. Plus, the majority of the landfill is actually forest, prairie, and marsh.
Booman decided she wanted to give back to the land that is often overlooked. Now, she’s helping organize the landfill’s first “BioBlitz.” That means for several hours, experts and volunteers will count and identify every plant and animal that they see.
It’s the first flora and fauna inventory of its kind at a Wisconsin landfill. Booman says they’ll see if there are any sensitive species that need better protections.
“It’s such a large area and it’s really important to preserve that habitat, especially if you have that property for long periods of time,” she said.
La Crosse County Sustainability Coordinator Nick Nichols says the BioBlitz will help shape the landfill’s management plan.
“We need to plan for 100 years of use of that property,” he said, “so this is a good way for us to get an inventory today of what’s on the site and then [ask], how do we take care of it and plan for the future?”
The group is still looking for volunteers to help count plants and animals.
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