Clean Lakes Alliance

Committee on Strategic Implementation
2021-11-12 02:30 - 04:00, 2021-10-08 03:30 - 05:00, 2021-09-10 03:30 - 05:00, 2021-08-13 03:30 - 05:00, 2021-07-09 03:30 - 05:00, 2021-06-11 03:30 - 05:00, 2021-05-14 03:30 - 05:00, 2021-04-09 03:30 - 05:00 (America/Chicago) and 8 more dates | Clean Lakes Alliance, 150 E. Gilman St., Suite 2600, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
The Clean Lakes Alliance Committee on Strategic Implementation provides guidance to our boards and executive staff on integrating lake cleanup initiatives with organizational resources, goals, and mission.

Board and committee members generally have previous involvement with Clean Lakes Alliance such as volunteering or attending events. Learn more about getting involved with Clean Lakes Alliance.

Clean Lakes 101 - Yahara CLEAN Compact: State of the Science
2021-04-14 08:00 - 09:00
Clean Lakes 101

Join us for this ONLINE edition of Clean Lakes 101 to learn about the state of the science behind water quality in the Yahara lakes.

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About this Talk

As part of the ongoing efforts of the Yahara CLEAN Compact, technical experts are evaluating and summarizing the fundamental concepts behind the water quality challenges facing the Yahara lakes. Through this expanded Yahara CLEAN Compact, we will account for accomplishments and progress to date, reevaluate phosphorus reduction targets, and set forth revised strategies, costs, and timelines to complete the needed work. Our overarching goal is to remove our five lakes and nine public beaches from the federally impaired waters list. At the same time, we will promote a culture of watershed sustainability that will benefit this and future generations.

The Yahara CLEAN Compact is currently updating our community’s strategy for cleaning up the Yahara lakes. An effective strategy requires an understanding of the state of the science about water quality, including goals for the lakes, progress toward those goals, and which actions have been most effective so far and promise to be most effective in the future. This presentation will summarize the work of the Yahara CLEAN lake science team seeking answers to these questions.

Yahara CLEAN Compact Background

The Yahara River Watershed and its five lakes define Dane County and Greater Madison’s sense of place. Lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa contribute significantly to the region’s economic vitality, recreational offerings, and local quality of life. Clean and healthy lakes are truly the benchmark of a healthy community. Large investments over the years have laid the foundation for future water quality improvements. However, our lakes remain federally impaired with intensifying climate impacts, such as heavy rain and runoff, and other headwinds threatening our progress. The Yahara CLEAN Compact seeks to improve the condition and usability of our lakes and beaches. It will do this by expanding and strengthening the community partnership to clean up our lakes, and unite around a common vision and action plan to which we can be accountable. Ultimately, it is a promise to cooperatively deliver bold solutions and actionable timelines that will improve water quality in our five Greater Madison lakes.

About our Speakers

Matt Diebel is Watershed Management Coordinator for Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, where he develops watershed management tools, programs and policies, and evaluates water quality trends. He previously worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the water quality and research programs. Matt has a BA in biology from Colorado College and a MS in water resources management and a PhD in limnology from UW-Madison.

Dr. Richard Lathrop has been working on Yahara lake water quality issues since 1975, first on a two-year federally funded project, then for the next 33 years as a research limnologist for the Wisconsin DNR. Besides his Yahara lakes research that led to a mid-career PhD from UW-Madison, Dick has led other successful restoration projects including removing phosphorus by bottom water withdrawal from Devil’s Lake and removing carp from Lake Wingra. After retiring from the WDNR, Dick continues to work and volunteer on various water-related projects, including the UW’s North-Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research project through his Honorary Fellowship appointment at the UW Center for Limnology.

Event Details

This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.

Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.

The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, and supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Clean Lakes 101: Healthy Land, Healthy Lakes
2021-03-10 08:00 - 09:00
Clean Lakes 101: Healthy Land, Healthy Lakes
Join us for this ONLINE edition of Clean Lakes 101 to learn about some of the ongoing lake improvement initiatives spearheaded by Dane County.

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About this Talk
In this month’s talk, we’ll hear from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and key staff members John Reimer and Kathy Kuntz as they review some of Dane County’s ongoing lake improvement initiatives in the Yahara Watershed. The Dane County Land and Water Resources Department leads and collaborates with organizations and agencies on innovative watershed scale approaches to improve water quality. These approaches vary in size and scope and include new technologies, research, and partnerships.
Suck the Muck: Breakthrough research in 2014 by Dane County in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), discovered that phosphorus concentrations in the stream sediments of Dorn Creek (northeast of Lake Mendota) are seven times greater than nearby crop fields. Much of the stream sediment is known as legacy sediment, deposits formed by erosion from farm fields accumulating over decades of farming. In the case of Dorn Creek, this sediment has existed since the late 1800s. For Lake Mendota, if the accrued legacy sediment remains at the bottom of the streams, it was calculated that it would take almost 100 years for the phosphorus to continue to leach out of the sediments and enter the lake. In order to reduce phosphorus concentrations and improve water quality decades sooner than 100 years, Dane County developed an innovative project to remove the phosphorus-laden sediment from the streambeds within the Yahara Watershed.
Yahara River Sediment Removal: Currently, water comes into the Yahara lakes faster than it goes out. Therefore, after repetitive and heavy rainfall events, the lake levels increase and can lead to flooding. The efficient movement of water through each lake is undermined by sediment build-up in the Yahara River. While sediment movement is a naturally occurring process, the accumulation of sediment in the Yahara River and lakes is greatly increased by human activity, including urban development and winter sand operations. Today, two inches of rain takes more than two weeks to leave the Yahara lakes system due to its sluggish nature.
Land Preservation: Dane County Parks has more than 12,000 acres of land that staff, volunteers, and partner organizations work to protect, improve, and restore. These restoration efforts include seed collection, controlled burns, forestry management, invasive species control, and land purchases.
Climate Change: In April 2020, Dane County issued an ambitious and comprehensive economy-wide climate action plan (CAP). The CAP lays out strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sources by 50% by 2030 with the ultimate aim of net zero emissions by 2050. Benefits of achieving CAP objectives go beyond climate—many of the strategies outlined in the CAP also yield substantial benefits to our lakes.
About our Speakers
County Executive Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. Joe sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. Joe was first elected as County Executive, the chief elected leader of Dane County, in 2011 after six years in the State Assembly and eight years as Dane County Clerk. Joe’s priority is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the opportunity to succeed. He believes investing in people pays big dividends. Joe knows this can work because he experienced it. As a teenager, Joe dropped out of high school. He was encouraged to return to education through a community program by people who believed in him. So he worked to earn his GED and went on to MATC (now Madison College) and graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in sociology. Now Joe believes it is his turn to give back to ensure that our children’s generation has access to the same opportunities that were available to him.
Kathy Kuntz, CC-P, is the Director of the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change. Kathy has more than 25 years of experience influencing consumers, businesses, and whole communities to adopt sustainable practices and technologies. Her work spans energy and water efficiency, transportation, waste reduction, beneficial electrification, and renewable energy. Prior to joining Dane County Kathy led Cool Choices, a nonprofit that worked with businesses and local governments to encourage sustainable practices.Prior to that, Kathy led Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program.
John Reimer (Dane County) is the Assistant Director of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. He specializes in water resources engineering and management. His areas of expertise include water level management, flood assessment, lake and river restoration, and stormwater management. He enjoys communicating complex water resource information and is dedicated to improving Dane County’s resilience to flooding and water quality problems.
Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Register here.
Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, and supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Clean Lakes 101: Love in the Lakes
2021-02-10 08:00 - 09:00
Clean Lakes 101
Join us Wednesday, February 10th to learn about how some of our lake friends express their love in an underwater world.
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About this Talk – Love in the Lakes
Organisms across the globe are faced with the same dilemma – how to pass on their genes to the next generation and give their youngsters the best possible chance at success. Things are no different for the creatures in the Yahara lakes. Pike, panfish, plants, and invertebrates all go to great lengths to find love, but take wildly different approaches. What makes each strategy successful, and why?
During the “Love in the Lakes” presentation, you’ll learn about the mating and reproductive strategies of several important species, which range from the heartwarming to the bizarre.
About our Speaker
Justin Chenevert (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) began his career in water resources hauling laundry baskets of invasive weeds from the muddy Charles River in Boston, MA. Despite the smell, he found he loved working with water, and moved to Madison in 2013 to pursue a master’s degree in Water Resources Management from UW-Madison. Justin worked for Clean Lakes Alliance from 2014 – 2016 in several capacities, including surveying lake users, supporting the volunteer water quality monitoring program, and analyzing water quality data. He is currently employed by the Department of Natural Resources in the Water Monitoring section, where he works on a variety of projects related to lake water quality, ecology, and citizen science. In his free time, Justin enjoys ice fishing and paddling on the Madison lakes and beyond.
Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.
The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, and supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Clean Lakes 101: Awards, Accomplishments, & Ambitions
2021-01-13 08:00 - 09:00
Clean Lakes 101
Online registration is now open for the January 13th Clean Lakes 101: Awards, Accomplishments, & Ambitions

Register for Clean Lakes 101

Clean Lakes 101: Awards, Accomplishments, & Ambitions
This special event will feature a presentation from Clean Lakes Alliance staff and recognize our 2021 Clean Lakes Community Award winners!
The Clean Lakes Community Awards recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of individuals and businesses working to protect our Yahara lakes. The awards honor the dedication of individuals and organizations making a difference in our watershed.
Join us for the awards presentation and a chance to reflect on our 2020 lake accomplishments.
Nominations
Do you know an inspiring individual or influential group making a difference in the Yahara River Watershed? If so, please submit an award nomination by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15th. Nominating an individual or organization is easy and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Click here to nominate an individual or group for an award.
Award Categories

New Lake Partner of the Year (business/organization): A new Lake Partner for Clean Lakes Alliance showing a level of commitment that goes beyond a first-time financial contribution.
Volunteer of the Year (individual/group): A dedicated individual or group of volunteers working to restore and preserve our Yahara lakes.
Lake Leadership (individual/group): An individual or business, government entity, or organization leading by example and demonstrating their commitment to being a catalyst for healthy lakes.
Project of the Year (individual/group): An initiative or project that improves the health of the Yahara Watershed
Founders Award (individual/business/organization): A devoted individual, business, or organization that has provided foundational support to Clean Lakes Alliance and our Yahara lakes.

2019 Award Winners

New Lake Partner of the Year Award – Patrick Ellestad of Edward Jones
Individual Lake Leadership Award – Jackie Hering of the Big Swell Swim series
Business Lake Leadership Award – Highland Spring Farm
Volunteer of the Year Award – MSCR Pontoon Program
Founders Award – Greg Dombrowski
Urban Project of the Year – Trash Talkers
Rural Project of the Year – Yahara Pride Farms’ manure composting program
Lake Champion – Joanna Burish
Read more about our 2019 award recipients.

Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Register for Clean Lakes 101
Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, and supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Community Board
2020-12-17 08:30 - 10:00 | The Edgewater, 1001 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703, United States
The Clean Lakes Alliance Community Board is made up of key stakeholders, business leaders, and experts who share the common goal of reducing phosphorus within the Yahara Watershed. Community Board meetings take place every other month.
Board and committee members generally have previous involvement with Clean Lakes Alliance such as volunteering or attending events. Learn more about getting involved with Clean Lakes Alliance.

Yahara Lakes 101 - A New Vision for the Yahara River Estuary
2020-11-11 08:00 - 09:00
Yahara Lakes 101 – A New Vision for the Yahara River Estuary
Join us for this ONLINE edition of Yahara Lakes 101 to learn about the issues that impact our lakes!
Register for Yahara Lakes 101
About this Talk
In this presentation, we’ll hear from representatives of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), UW-Madison, City of Madison, and the Town of Westport as they work together to create a long-term vision for a portion of the Cherokee-Yahara River Estuary.
The approximately 670-acre project area represents the primary inlet of water into Lake Mendota and is designated an Area of Special Natural Resource Interest (ASNRI) by the WDNR. Located on the north side of Lake Mendota, stakeholders seek to develop a long-term rehabilitation plan that will enhance (i) recreation, (ii) fisheries and wildlife, (iii) water quality and vegetation, and (iv) erosion and sediment trapping in the estuary. Key efforts include dedicated outreach initiatives such as public meetings, online surveys, and workshops to better understand local needs. Our speakers will report results from the joint effort and outcomes of the public engagement process.
About our Speakers
John Reimer (Dane County) is the Assistant Director of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. He specializes in water resources engineering and management. His areas of expertise include water level management, flood assessment, lake and river restoration, and stormwater management. He enjoys communicating complex water resource information and is dedicated to improving Dane County’s resilience to flooding and water quality problems.
Chin Wu (UW-Madison) is a Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also a faculty member of the Limnology and Marine Science, and Geological Engineering Programs. His research areas include coastal sustainability, wetland and lake restoration, water safety, and flood assessment and mitigation in the Yahara River chain of lakes. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and is devoted to addressing challenges of water resources science/engineering interacting with human activities under a changing climate.
Eric Knepp (City of Madison) has been the Madison Parks Superintendent since 2014. As Superintendent, he has worked with the community to invest in facilities and partnerships that improve connection to the public’s waterfront. Eric regularly engages with our lakes by swimming, fishing, kayaking, and spending time at the shoreline with his wife, two kids, and dog.
David Rowe (WDNR) is a native of Middleton, Wisconsin, and has completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from UW-Madison, Bachelor of Science Education in Biology from UW-Oshkosh, and a Masters in Fisheries Biology from Iowa State University. He began his career with the WDNR in 1998 as a Fisheries Research Technician and has held positions as Fisheries Management Technician in Antigo, and as Fisheries Biologist in Green Bay. Currently, David is the Fisheries Team Supervisor for the Fitchburg Fisheries Team and responsible for WDNR fisheries management in Columbia, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, and Sauk Counties.
Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Yahara Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media partner the Isthmus.

EIPC
2020-11-04 02:30 - 03:30, 2020-10-07 03:30 - 04:30, 2020-09-02 03:30 - 04:30 | Verex Plaza, 150 E. Gilman Street, Madison, WI
The Clean Lakes Alliance Economic Impact and Policy Committee (EIPC) is focused on assessing the economic value to the community of our lakes and providing guidance on policy issues related to cleaning up the lakes.

Board and committee members generally have previous involvement with Clean Lakes Alliance such as volunteering or attending events. Learn more about getting involved with Clean Lakes Alliance.

Yahara Lakes 101, Leaf-Free Streets: Reducing Urban Phosphorus
2020-10-14 08:00 - 09:00
Yahara Lakes 101
Join us for this ONLINE edition of Yahara Lakes 101 to learn about the issues that impact our lakes!
Register for Yahara Lakes 101
About this Talk
Trees have long been a valued feature of the urban landscape. They provide a host of benefits such as habitat, aesthetics, energy savings, and noise reduction. Trees are also an important part of the urban hydrologic cycle. The functions and value of trees have recently gained attention as viable tools in the management of urban stormwater.
Research on the interactions between urban trees and stormwater quantity and quality has revealed a double-edged sword. A community with dense overhead tree canopy may benefit from reduced stormwater runoff volume through interception, transpiration, and infiltration but may also suffer from excess nutrients leached to nearby receiving waters from leaf litter. This presentation will highlight ongoing research that will help environmental managers assess how municipal leaf collection and street cleaning programs can limit the amount of phosphorus in stormwater runoff.
About our Speaker
Bill Selbig is a research hydrologist at the Upper Midwest Water Science Center of the U.S Geological Survey. For the past 25 years his research has focused on characterization of pollutants in urban runoff, identification of their sources, and evaluation of the techniques and practices designed to treat them. Much of his research has been used to stimulate or amend stormwater policy and guidance in the United States. Bill also leads a team of USGS scientists who study urban stormwater and green infrastructure around the Great Lakes as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. In addition to his work at the USGS, Bill serves as science advisor for several national stormwater research groups.
Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Yahara Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.
The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media partner the Isthmus.

Community Board
2020-10-07 08:30 - 10:00 | Verex Plaza, 150 E. Gilman Street, Madison, WI

Fore! Lakes Golf Outing
2020-09-11 | Nakoma Golf Club, 4145 Country Club Rd., Madison, WI, 53711, United States
Fore! Lakes Golf Outing
Friday, September 11, 2020
Nakoma Golf Club
4145 Country Club Road
Madison, WI 53711
LEARN MORE

Contact us at 608-255-1000 learn about opportunities for the 2020 event, including foursomes and sponsorships.
About Fore! Lakes
Clean Lakes Alliance hosts the annual Fore! Lakes Golf Outing to support ongoing lake protection and improvement efforts. The event is designed, organized, and led by a team of dedicated and talented volunteers.
Dedicated volunteers and committee members enlist community volunteers and secure sponsors for 18 holes and prizes for a raffle. By bringing in foursomes, Fore! Lakes draws in new stakeholders to our lake improvement efforts.
We are pleased to partner with Nakoma Golf Club for this event on Friday, September 11, 2020.
Fore! Lakes Golf Outing fulfills public outreach and community involvement elements of Clean Lakes Alliance’s mission, strengthens public-private partnerships, raises funds for our operations and projects to improve water quality, and builds partnerships with the golfing community.
Fore! Lakes Sponsors
Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, or contact Development Director Laura Strickland at laura@cleanlakesalliance.org.

Yahara Lakes 101: Shorelines, Clean Water, & Healthy Lakes
2020-09-09 08:00 - 09:00
Yahara Lakes 101
Join us for this ONLINE edition of Yahara Lakes 101 to learn about the issues that impact our lakes!

Register for Yahara Lakes 101

About this Talk
As the interface between our continually-changing landscapes and lakes, shorelands are a critical component to maintaining healthy and balanced aquatic ecosystems. So what does a healthy shoreline look like?
In this month’s ONLINE Yahara Lakes 101 talk, Patrick Goggin from the Extension Lakes program at UW-Stevens Point will present on characteristics of natural shorelines and how systems of native plants provide significant benefits to our lakes and rivers. Based on work the Extension Lakes team is doing, this talk will highlight the biodiversity of wildlife and plants that utilize the land-water zone of shorelands and call attention to current challenges related to shoreland health.
Attendees will find Patrick’s overview of the Wisconsin’s Healthy Lakes and Rivers Grants program particularly helpful – a grant that identifies improvements that any waterfront property owner can embark on to enhance wildlife habitat and promote clean water on their waterbody. Lastly, Patrick will provide a guided tour of the Healthy Lakes and Rivers website portal, a tool to help lakefront property owners understand and implement beneficial actions in their own communities.
About our Speaker
Patrick Goggin works with the Extension Lakes team, collaborating on the development of educational programming and materials for people of the lakes. Areas of interest for him include helping lake organizations with their community goals, sharing lake management tools and resources for aquatic ecosystems, and aiding people in gaining a better understanding and appreciation for the native flora of Wisconsin lakeshores. He works for the University of Wisconsin-Steven’s Point College of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension out of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Service Center in Rhinelander.
Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Yahara Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.
The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, monthly sponsor Madison Area Technical College, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media partner the Isthmus.

Yahara Lakes 101: Pheasant Branch Conservancy
2020-08-12 08:00 - 09:00
Yahara Lakes 101

Join us for this ONLINE edition of Yahara Lakes 101 to learn about the issues that impact our lakes!

Register for Yahara Lakes 101

About this Talk

In this month’s talk, we’ll hear from representatives of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Dane County, and City of Middleton about the recently purchased, 160-acre farm directly north of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. The property acquisition is the largest conservation preservation investment in Dane County’s history, costing nearly 10 million dollars.
Pheasant Branch Conservancy is a natural area owned by the Dane County Parks Department, the City of Middleton, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The area is also host to the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a dedicated group focused on restoring, protecting, and promoting the conservancy as an ecological whole. The conservancy is a natural area made up of many types of diverse habitats, including wetlands, prairies, and forests. Home to a wide variety of animals and plants, the land contains the headwaters of a stream which flows into Pheasant Branch Creek before it reaches Lake Mendota.
Restoring the additional Dane County property to natural prairie will help to improve infiltration of rainwater into the ground. Prairie plants often have better root systems than crops, allowing prairies to absorb the rainwater where it falls instead of running off into the nearest waterway. The deep root systems also hold soil in place, which reduces the amount of sediment lost with runoff. Dane County expects to prevent more than 2.6 million gallons of runoff each year through increased infiltration into the natural landscape.

About our Speakers

County Executive Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. Joe sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. Joe was first elected as County Executive, the chief elected leader of Dane County, in 2011 after 6 years in the State Assembly and 8 years as Dane County Clerk. Joe’s priority is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the opportunity to succeed. He believes investing in people pays big dividends. Joe knows this can work because he experienced it. As a teenager, Joe dropped out of high school. He was encouraged to return to education through a community program by people who believed in him. So he worked to earn his GED and went on to MATC (now Madison College) and graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in sociology. Now Joe believes it is his turn to give back to ensure that our children’s generation has access to the same opportunities that were available to him.
Lloyd Eagan (Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy) graduated from Smith College with a degree in Environmental Biology and moved to Madison – the birthplace of limnology – to pursue a master’s degree in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. After several water quality planning jobs, she became Dane County’s FIRST Lakes and Watershed Coordinator. She spent nearly 35 years working for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, serving more than six years as the regional director of the south-central region, and for the final two years of her career she returned to her water roots and served as Water Leader for the southern half of Wisconsin. She currently serves as the co-president of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
Mark Wegner (Assistant Director for Conservancy Lands/Forestry for the City of Middleton) is leading the response and recovery effort from the 2018 flooding for the Public Lands Department. Over the past 10 years, Mark has overseen Middleton’s response to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in a proactive response that diversified the urban forest of Middleton. In his spare time, Mark is an aspiring tri-athlete. The Middleton Public Lands, Recreation & Forestry Department is responsible for over 1,100 acres of park and conservancy land, 27 miles of multi-use paths, and comprehensive recreation programming for the community. The Department is a 4-time gold medal finalist with the National Recreation & Parks Association and is home to the Wisconsin Parks & Recreation Association (WPRA) 2019 Recreation Professional of the Year and the 2019 Park Professional of the Year.

Event Details

This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.

Yahara Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.

The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, monthly sponsor Hy Cite Enterprises, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media partner the Isthmus.
