2013 Annual Report of the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, Inc.

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2 2013 Annual Report of the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, Inc. Stronger Together: In 2013 Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) proved that it could accomplish a great deal by realizing the promise of our recent reorganization. In 2012, WLWCA took the bold step of merging the parent WLWCA organization of Land Conservation Committees (LCC), comprised of about 425 County Board appointed members, with the organization that represented 350 professional conservation staff, the Wisconsin Association of Land Conservation Employees (WALCE). The combined organization retains the WLWCA name but now has the strength of LCC elected officials combined with their professional staff. In this last year WLWCA established its working committees which do the heavy lifting of program implementation. Please visit the WLWCA website to see their guiding principles, make-up, and activities. Through its committees, WLWCA strengthened its work with its partner agencies: the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, UW- Extension, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The strong commitment of our partners was critical to our success in In addition to its agency partners, WLWCA could not have achieved its legislative successes without a revitalized relationship with the Wisconsin Counties Association. We look forward to continuing work with WCA in A significant development in 2013 was the endorsement of WLWCA by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Both at the local chapter and state office level, Farm Bureau supported the role of locally led conservation. This is a relationship we hope to maintain. We are also grateful to the many other conservation and environmental non-profit organizations who helped advance our mission as well as theirs. Developing unified voices on issues of concern were vital to the success of our legislative and programmatic efforts.

3 WLWCA Board Chair and Vice President Charles Chuck Wagner Kewaunee County LCC WLWCA Board Vice Chair and President Greg Baneck Outagamie County LCD Conservation Program Successes: Restoration of county staff funding - The staff and WLWCA membership, along with its many partners, lobbied the state Legislature successfully to restore staff funding in the Governor s budget in one of the few conservation victories in the Biennial Budget. On average, each Wisconsin county will receive an average of $12,500 in additional staff funding in 2014 and 2015 due to that restoration of funds. This was a primary goal of WLWCA in WLWCA Committees In 2013, the standing committees of WLWCA were actively working to advance locally led conservation efforts. Here is a summary of their primary activities: o Legislative/Administrative Committee - Kurt Calkins, Columbia County Land and Water Conservation Department, Chair: This committee developed WLWCA s strategy to restore staff funding through the Biennial Budget process. Individual members of the committee spent significant time working with their own representatives. The committee organized the response and achieved modifications to proposed changes to ATCP50 (Soil and Water Resources Management rules) which would have limited county ability to implement conservation practices. The committee also developed the written response to SB 349, the Regulatory Certainty Act, which would have greatly limited local control over the environmental aspects of reclamation plans for industrial sand mines. 2

4 o Technical Committee Paul Sebo, Washington County Land and Water Conservation Division, Chair: WLWCA s Technical Committee meets quarterly to advise staff and agencies on timely technical issues regarding conservation planning, certification, and practice design and implementation. This committee organized another successful annual Technical Tour showcasing various best management practices unique to a specific county. This year the 2013 Technical Tour attracted in more than 40 attendees who visited various farm operations in Marathon county including a ginseng farm, a robotic milking dairy with intensive managed grazing, and a 500-cow compost barn as part of an organic dairy operation. The Technical Committee also works closely with the PIC committee to develop the educational technical sessions at WLWCA s annual conference. o Professional Improvement Committee (PIC) Dale Konkol, Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department, Chair: The PIC is responsible for developing and implementing an annual professional improvement conference. WLWCA s 2014 conference is scheduled for March 10-12, 2014 in Appleton. The conference includes over 30 breakout sessions geared towards both LCC supervisors and LCD staff and includes WLWCA s annual business meeting. The PIC also promotes and coordinates the WLWCA Training Scholarship Fund. Training Scholarships are designed to help cover the expenses of WLWCA members who would otherwise be unable to afford a particular professional development opportunity or leadership training program. o Outreach Committee Paul Backhaus, Washington County Land and Water Conservation Division, Chair: An Outreach Committee was formed in 2013 which hit the ground running by coordinating feature articles on conservation success stories in the May issue of the Wisconsin Counties Association magazine. o Youth Education Committee Tracy Arnold, Wood County Land Conservation Department, Chair: WLWCA formed a Youth Education Committee in October 2013 to oversee and expand on the current education programs and to increase conservation awareness among youth across the state. The committee is made up of 14 members who are passionate about advancing conservation and youth education. Local contests will be completed by the end of January 2014 and the area contests completed by the end of February Finalists from the speaking contest will participate at the WLWCA Annual Conference in March with the winners speaking at the conference luncheon on Monday, March 10. The Wisconsin Envirothon will take place on Thursday, April 17, 2014 at UW-Stevens Point-Tree Haven, Tomahawk, Wisconsin. 3

5 WLWCA s work at the Capitol o Staff testified on state Senate and Assembly bills in support of increased funding for watershed projects using Clean Water Fund monies. These bills became law this last summer. DNR is now taking applications for project funds for Adaptive Management pilot projects to support county staff and other water resource protection needs. o WLWCA testified successfully in opposition to SB 349 which would have severely limited local control over the operation of industrial sand mining and reclamation. SB349 is now being redrafted to address concerns over preemption of local control. Training (staffed by Chris Schlutt and Brooke Weber, WLWCA) WLWCA is now coordinating a reinvigorated State Interagency Training Committee whose mission is to improve the capacity of conservation staff and supervisors throughout Wisconsin through a broad range of courses and training opportunities. WLWCA established four curriculum development teams to outline the needs of our membership and partners to provide improved assistance to landowners who wish to conserve and enhance land and water resources. The teams include: Professional Development, which is identifying a curriculum to improve communication, managerial, clerical, and public service skills; Program and Policy, which will establish the basic training and on-going policy updates needed for all conservationists to understand their authorities as well as conservation implementation issues; Engineering Conservation Practices, which will identify the specific technical training needed to be certified and proficient in the planning, design, and installation of engineered conservation practices; and Nutrient Management and Non-engineered Conservation Practices, which will identify training to improve the planning and implementation of non-point source pollution reduction practices. Standards Oversight Council (staffed by Gini Knight, WLWCA) The Standards Oversight Council (SOC) is an inter-agency program sponsored by USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; UW Extension; and managed by WLWCA. In 2013, The Standards Oversight Council took on two large projects: the revision of NRCS Standard 590, Nutrient Management and the development of DNR Standard 1080, Permeable Pavement for storm-water management. Both projects are complicated, controversial, but important practices to improve water quality. WLWCA staff facilitated two diverse teams of more than 14 experts each in monthly meetings to advance the development of these two conservation practices. SOC also completed a new website to increase user participation and outreach; refined, promoted, and compiled its biennial Technical Standards Needs Survey to gather statewide input used to create a two-year Work Plan; and coordinated multiple broad review comment periods for various newly revised NRCS conservation practice standards. 4

6 Envirothon- (staffed by Kim Warkentin, WLWCA) Nineteen teams from twelve schools and over 25 volunteers participated in the rain or shine event on April 19, Congratulations to Luxemburg-Casco High School s Team A and Island City Research Academy s Team B for winning first place in the high school and middle school categories. Teams spent the day outdoors taking on field challenges in Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, and Wildlife. The competition also included team presentations featuring grazing land management plans. This year was the second year Wisconsin Envirothon allowed middle schools to compete at the event, helping them prepare for the high school competition. Luxemburg-Casco High School represented Wisconsin at the North American Envirothon: Sustainable Management of Rangelands at Montana State University- Bozeman on August 4-9. The team applied their field knowledge to another region s environment and continued to broaden their understanding grazing lands. The 2014 Wisconsin Envirothon will take place on Thursday, April 17 at UW-Stevens Point- Tree Haven, Tomahawk, Wisconsin. o Poster and Speaking Contest (Staffed by Kim Warkentin, WLWCA) The 55 th annual State Conservation Awareness Poster and Speaking Contests were held at Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday, November 3, Fifteen speakers and 48 posters represented counties statewide. The poster artists made their posters using the 2012 National Association of Conservation Districts Stewardship Theme Soil to Spoon, which focused on the many connections between the foods people eat and the land it comes from. The speakers selected their own conservation topics. Poster artists and speakers at the state level competed previously, taking first place at county, and then regional levels. The first place winning speaker from each division was invited to present their award-winning speech at the 2013 WLWCA Annual Conference during the awards banquet on Tuesday, March 12. First place winning posters were submitted to the NACD Poster Contest, which took place during their annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas February 27-30, The annual Conservation Awareness Poster and Speaking Contest is fully funded by the contributions and generosity of membership during the WLWCA Annual Youth Education Silent Auction and Raffle. 5

7 Finance WLWCA remains secure financially. Because of the strong support from our agency partners, WLWCA was able to pursue its existing programs and expand its role in training and outreach, two areas of specific priority identified by the WLWCA Board of Directors. Expanded funding by both DATCP and USDA-NRCS was key to this effort. The Standards Oversight Council Coordinator program was again supported by DNR, USDA-NRCS and DATCP in 2013 and 2014 funding is also secured. WLWCA expenditures are primarily for program related functions and conservation advocacy. Administration consumes about 15% of total expenditures Revenue 2013 Expenditures DATCP Grant DNR Grant NRCS Grant Dues/Donati ons Conferences Envirothon Funds Administration SOC Program Training/Outre ach Program NRCS Training Initiative WLWCA Advocacy Envirothon Special thanks for in-kind support goes to all the donors to our annual silent and live auctions! Governance WLWCA s policy is formulated by its 16 member Board of Directors and 6 member Executive Committee with input from its advisors. The WLWCA by-laws, which are available on the association website, govern its function. WLWCA committees and staff execute that policy. The WLWCA Board of Diretors and Executive Committee, staff and advisors are listed on the following page. 6

8 WLWCA Board of Directors Area 1: Lake Michigan Bill Schuster, Treasurer, Executive Committee Door County SWCD Chuck Wagner, Chair, Vice President of Exec. Committee Kewaunee County LWCC Area 3: Southeast Peter Sorce Washington County LCC Perry Lindquist, Secretary, Executive Committee Waukesha County LRD Area 5: Western Marilyn Pedretti La Crosse County PR&DC Ben Wojahn Vernon County LWCD Area 7: Northwestern Tom Fratt Ashland County LCD Bill Thomas Iron County LCC Staff Executive Director: Jim VandenBrook Executive Assistant: Kim Warkentin Training & Outreach Program Coordinator: Chris Schlutt SOC Program Manager: Gini Knight Training & Outreach Specialist: Brooke Weber Area 2: Lake Winnebago Greg Baneck, Vice Chair, President of Executive Committee Outagamie County LCD Joe Piechowski, Executive Committee Waushara County LWEC Area 4: Southern Kurt Calkins Columbia County LWCD Dale Hood Grant County LWCC Area 6: West Central Fritz Garbisch Clark County LCC Kelly Jacobs Eau Claire County LCD Area 8: North Central Tom Rudolph, Executive Committee Oneida County Conservation & UWEX Education Committee Carolyn Scholl Vilas County LWCD Board Advisors Susan Butler, FSA Jimmy Bramblett, NRCS Beth Mason, NACD Dan Bahr, WI Counties Assn. Richard Castelnuovo, DATCP Amy Callis, DNR Ken Genskow, UWEX To Serve County Land and Water Conservation Committee and Departments to Conserve and Enhance Wisconsin s Natural Resources Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, Inc. 702 East Johnson Street Madison, Wisconsin Phone: (608) Fax: (608) Web site: Cover photography provided by Wikipedia, Flickr photographer ~Darin~, and DNR Flickr photography 7