The first of this season’s The River Talks – a free learning series – will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 10, at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr., Superior, WI, on Barker’s Island), with “Islands Without Black Ash: Caring for Wetland Forests,” an in-person presentation by Kirsten Rhude, stewardship coordinator at the Lake Superior Reserve.

Black ash trees are abundant along the St. Louis River Estuary and Lake Superior’s coast. However, the non-native emerald ash borer reached the region in 2013, threatening these trees and the habitat they provide. Come learn about the importance of these coastal wetlands and the restoration efforts to help steward wetland forests long into the future.

Additional The River Talks will be held January 14, February 11, and April 8, 2026. The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Individuals may request an interpreter, materials in an alternative language or format, or other services to make this event more accessible, by contacting the Reserve at least 20 days before the event. There’s no added cost to you for these services.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law.