On Saturday morning April 12 at 10 a.m., Tracy Hames, the executive director of the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, will be in Gays Mills to speak about the proposed iron ore mine area in the Bad River Watershed, of the Penokee Hills, one of Wisconsin's great places. Tracy's talk will be in the Gays Mills Village Hall at 16381 Highway 131.

Before returning to Wisconsin in 2011, Tracy worked for decades protecting, restoring and managing large wetland projects on the Yakama Indian Reservation in eastern Washington state.

The Wisconsin Wetlands Association is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, restoration, and enjoyment of Wisconsin’s wetlands.

Co-sponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project and the Lower Kickapoo Initiative, this event is free of charge and refreshments and coffee will be available. Call 872-2297 with questions

Tracy and staff have spent much time last summer assessing the wetlands of the proposed mine project area in the Bad River Watershed of the Penokee Hills.

Presentation will cover the Penokee Hills Iron Mine Proposal and:

• what is known about where the project will be located;

• what is known about the proposal;

• wetlands of the proposed iron mine project area;

• the role wetlands in the project area watershed health;

• potential project impacts to wetlands and the health of the Bad River watershed, including the Kakagon/Bad River Slough estuary.