LEAP: The Right Services at the Right Time

This past January Gathering Waters Conservancy launched Wisconsin’s Land Trust Excellence and Advancement Program (LEAP), a three-year program to deliver focused and enhanced services to Wisconsin’s land trusts.  LEAP offers customized services to land trusts through an application process, as well as universal services to all land trusts.

Earlier this month we began accepting applications for the second round of LEAP customized services.  There’s still time between now and December 2nd for Wisconsin land trusts to submit an application to receive these tailored, one-on-one services.

As the applications come in, we’re also focusing on new universally available services to land trusts in the coming year.  In the next week there are two especially terrific trainings that still have openings:

Friday, December 2nd at 11 a.m.
Ask An Expert Call: Is it Fund-raising or Not? Making Sense of Fund-raising Expenses
To register, please e-mail your organization’s name, participant names, and e-mail addresses today.

Wednesday, December 7th at 10 a.m.
LEAP Webinar: Succession Planning for your Land Trust
Come spend your lunchtime with national non-profit expert Andy Robinson. This 90 minute webinar is appropriate for all levels of knowledge and would be useful for board members, executive directors or operational directors. Because of the generous support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation through LEAP, this webinar is being offered at the discounted rate of $25 per connection to our members. Register by December 6th.

As we move to 2012, we want to be sure LEAP offers the right services at the right time to Wisconsin’s land trusts and are interested in talking with you about how to do this successfully.  Please contact Kate Zurlo-Cuva to talk more about how GWC can develop our programming to best meet your organization’s needs.

Celebrating Frog Bay

On Friday, November 18th, Bayfield Regional Conservancy closed on a superb property with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.  The following post is excerpted from an article by Dennis McCann in BRC’s newsletter

David Johnson remembers that when he bought a prime piece of Lake Superior frontage at public auction in 1980 he learned from a county clerk that the Red Cliff tribe had wanted the land but could not afford to put in a bid. It made him feel a bit funny to obtain onetime tribal land in such a way, he said recently, but not enough that he considered turning the property, which he knew would someday have much greater value, back to the tribe.

But fast-forward more than 30 years and that is exactly what is happening. In a move applauded by tribal officials, Johnson and his wife, Marjorie, are selling the property to the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, in partnership with the Bayfield Regional Conservancy. The acquisition will protect the now 88.6 acre property, including Johnson’s original 40 acres and an adjacent piece he added later, along with keeping in its pristine state the nearly quarter mile of sandy and pebble beaches offering views of five of the Apostle Islands.

Rose Gurnoe Soulier, tribal chairperson, said Red Cliff residents are elated at being able to again have access to a site that holds cultural and spiritual significance and which historically was within the reservation boundary and in tribal ownership.

Even better, that new access to what Soulier calls “this gem” will soon be enjoyed by more than just tribal members. In an unprecedented move for a Wisconsin Indian tribe, Red Cliff officials are planning to repurpose the property as Frog Bay Tribal National Park, open to both tribal and non-tribal members for hiking, birding, beach use and other recreational opportunities. The tribe will also use the property for gathering medicinal plants, nature-based educational activities and traditional and spiritual ceremonies, uses that will both protect the property and help preserve tribal traditions and way of life.

To further ensure long-term protection of the property, the Bayfield Regional Conservancy will hold a conservation easement on the land that will permanently restrict uses that are not compatible with protection of its conservation values, including subdivisions, development, excessive logging and more.

How the transfer came about involved more than a bit of serendipity. The Johnsons were longtime close neighbors and even closer friends with former Sen. Gaylord Nelson and his family. It was Nelson, of course, who is deemed the father of the Apostle Islands, and the view from the Johnsons’ Frog Bay property was of islands managed as part of the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness. It was Nelson’s daughter, Tia, who said Marjorie Johnson was “like a second mother to me,” who put the Johnsons’ in contact with Ellen Kwiatkowski at BRC and initiated discussions that led to tribal acquisition.

“One of things that I really like about this project is it brings so many groups together,” said Kwiatkowski. The purchase is being funded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program which provides funding for local units of government to acquire important coastal lands. This will be the first time that a Native American tribe receives funding from that program to reclaim coastal lands. The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program also provided a lot of technical support to help bring the project to fruition. Kwiatkowski noted, “This is our first partnership project with the Red Cliff Tribe and we see many opportunities for future collaboration. Our mission of land conservation is very much in alignment with the Native vision of land stewardship that looks seven generations into the future to evaluate sustainable land use.”

Big Gains in Voluntary Land Conservation Despite Recession

The Land Trust Alliance released the first national census of land trusts in 5 years and found that 10 million new acres have been conserved nationwide since 2005. The story was picked up by USA Today.

The Alliance’s report includes state-by-state analysis and shows that total protected acreage in Wisconsin exceeds 280,000.  Gathering Waters Conservancy helped spread the news about the National Census and Wisconsin’s success in this release.

Other highlights of the National Land Trust Census include:

• Voluntarily protected land increased 27% between 2005 and 2010.
• A total of 47 million acres — an area twice the size of all national parks in the contiguous U.S.  — are now protected by land trusts.
• Operating budgets for land trusts are up 36% since 2005.  State and local land trusts nearly tripled operating endowments in 5 years to ensure that land trust-protected land stays protected.
• The preservation of family farms and ranchlands is now a priority for 61% of land trusts, up from 21% in 2005.
• Urban parks, gardens or open spaces is now a priority for 27% of land trusts, a threefold increase over respondents in 2005.

Gathering Waters Conservancy completes an annual survey of Wisconsin’s land trusts and released a Wisconsin census report  in 2010.  Similarly impressive results included a 261% increase in acres protected by land trusts in Wisconsin from 2005 – 2009.

Land Protected by Land Trusts in Wisconsin

Celebrating Our Partnerships this Fall with the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust

In October, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust sponsored  a unique opportunity to showcase its partnerships to the Land Trust Alliance’s Rally conference participants.  OWLT has been innovative with neighboring industries including the Fondy Food Market, Mequon Nature Preserve, and Sprecher Brewery.  Follow along as the participants make a few stops along their beautiful fall hike.  Or, better yet, head to Milwaukee’s north side and re-create the journey yourself!

Hikers start off at the Mequon Nature Preserve

OWLT executive director Shawn Graff addresses LTA Rally field trip participants at the Mequon Nature Preserve

Steve Petro of the Fondy Market takes pride in the field trip lunch presentation. Fresh vegetables prepared for the lunch were grown just ½ mile from the Forest Beach Migratory Preserve in a partnership with Afterglow Farms.

Field trip participants end the day with smiles at the Sprecher Brewery. Here the group gets a tour before sampling the wares.

This is the third of a three-part series featuring the terrific field trips offered at Rally in Wisconsin last month.  We hope they inspire you to get outside and love the places that make Wisconsin special.

Now Accepting LEAP Applications!

We are now accepting new applications for land trust participation in Land Trust Excellence & Advancement Program (LEAP) customized services.  We are very excited to have the resources to continue LEAP in the coming two years and have opened up a second round of applications.

Early this year, Gathering Waters launched LEAP, a program of services for land trusts that are both universally available as well as customized.  We have brought LEAP to Wisconsin land trusts jointly with the Land Trust Alliance in order to work with land trusts to uphold our perpetual conservation obligations as a community.

Photograph by Adrienne Wallner

LEAP universal services are open to all Wisconsin land trusts and consist of trainings, workshops, and other opportunities available throughout the year.  Customized services are available to select land trusts by application.   Selected participants will receive a customized suite of intensive services in 2012 and 2013 including an assessment, implementation plan, coaching and mentoring, and a grant to accomplish a major goal or task.

To apply for customized services please complete an application and submit it by Friday, December 2, 2011.  Questions can be directed to Kate Zurlo-Cuva or MaryKay O’Donnell from the Land Trust Alliance.

The Milwaukee River Basin Like You’ve Never Seen It

We were so impressed by the field trips our member land trusts offered at the Land Trust Alliance’s Rally that we’re giving you a glimpse of the action.  Last week we featured some gorgeous shots of the Ice Age Trail in the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest near Parnell Tower and today it’s a trip along the Milwaukee River with the River Revitalization Foundation.  Join the lucky Rally participants and see what this organization has done for the Milwaukee’s riverfront!

The Milwaukee river basin was a bit windy but the weather was excellent, crisp and sunny.

During the 2+ hour hike, we worked our way through a 2.5 mile loop from the east to the west bank, including stops at the Urban Ecology Center and Riverside Park.

From this magnificent location, hikers walked back along the estuary to Milwaukee’s Ale House on the river for a beer and some cheer.

These photos are part of a three-part series.  Check back next week to see our final set of highlights from Rally in Wisconsin.

The Northern Kettles in All Their Fall Glory

Attending the Land Trust Alliance’s Rally gives us a few key reminders about our work.  That we are here to uphold perpetual land conservation, that we have lots to learn from each other, and that our landscapes are stunning and worth protecting for our grandchildren’s grandchildren.  If you were lucky enough to join in on a field trip with Kevin Thusius of the Ice Age Trail Alliance, you got to witness this scenery.

These photos are part of a three-part series.  Check back to see more of highlights from Rally in Wisconsin in the coming weeks.

Rally Training – It’s the Real Deal

We’re home and recovered from a long weekend of intensive seminars, workshops, field trips, and receptions at Rally, the Land Trust Alliance’s annual training event.  This year, we were proud to host the thousands of participants in our great state and enjoyed the opportunity to learn from land protection experts from around the country.

We got the latest information from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, participated in conversations that will help us take climate change into account with our work, were joined by several top attorneys and land trust leaders to ask ourselves, “are we doing the right thing” with perpetual conservation easements, and convened our Wisconsin land trust council to discuss future programming for our community.

We were especially excited to celebrate our Land Trust Excellence & Advancement Program with a reception sponsored by our board member Art Harrington and Godfrey & Kahn.  We are nearly one year in to this signature partnership program with the Land Trust Alliance and are proud that it was highlighted at Rally this year.

Rally is always a unique opportunity to learn from those around us.  The workshop sessions were incredibly useful as were the conversations in the hallway.  The energy was palpable in the conference center and though we left exhausted, we left filled with a sense of elation for what we do.

Next year’s Rally is in Salt Lake City on September 29-October 2.  See you next time in the mountains!

Telling Our Stories

Saving land is a critical tool for conservation that often carries high price tags and emotional connections with it.  We live to tell these unique and engaging stories and applaud the land trusts that do this so well.  We’ve noticed recently that Wisconsin land trusts are telling their stories in many different venues.  We’re so impressed!

Glacial Lakes Conservancy is the local non-profit land trust for Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Calumet and Fond du Lac Counties – a big territory spearheaded by one very dedicated executive director.  For Glacial Lakes, online communications tools are essential for success.

Glacial Lakes Conservancy’s new website offers the land trust an opportunity to make their stories front and center.  “GLC’s refreshed website features our Grasshopper Hill Preserve project as well as our partnership in the the Lake Michigan Shorelands Alliance as one of the land trusts of the Lake Michigan Basin,” notes the Conservancy’s executive director, Vickie Hall.  She adds, “This project is exciting for us because it represents GLC’s first campaign to purchase, own and manage land.”

The Ozaukee Washington Land Trust has also recently invested in its events calendar to engage its donors and supporters in their fun and challenging work on-the-ground.  We have also eagerly followed the Facebook news from Ice Age Trail Alliance, Bayfield Regional Conservancy, Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust, Tall Pines Conservancy, and River Revitalization Foundation, among many others.  Mississippi Valley Conservancy has created its own YouTube channel where it posts videos about its work protecting the blufflands, prairies, wetlands, and streams in southwestern Wisconsin.

Stay connected with the excellent work being done by Wisconsin’s land trusts by checking in on these great outreach efforts!

Tall Pines Conservancy Concert on the Farm

On Saturday, October 1st, Tall Pines Conservancy hosted its first ever Concert on the Farm as part of their annual Fall Harvest festival.  For the past 3 years Tall Pines has been gathering at a local barn to celebrate the results of their work over the previous year.

This year, the Fall Harvest is at one of the first 16 farms chosen to participate in the PACE program to highlight the importance of working lands in Southeastern Wisconsin and across the state.  The inaugural Concert on the Farm was held at the Zwieg Maple Acres farm.  Zwieg Maple Acres is a 6th generation Dairy farm operating in Ashippun and Lebanon since 1856.

After Tall Pines worked to establish an Agricultural Enterprise Area in the Towns of Ashippun and Oconomowoc, Joe Zweig was the first landowner to step up to enroll in the PACE Program.  “He and his son, Kyle, contacted me and said they wanted to preserve their farm and do it with Tall Pines and through the PACE program,” notes Susan Buchanan, Tall Pines’ executive director.  Kyle is the 6th generation working on the farm and plans to continue the agricultural tradition.

Adds Buchanan, “This family just gets the importance of combining working lands with conservation to protect Wisconsin’s specialness.  They have an absolutely picture perfect 250-acre working farm that is a great model for PACE and, with three generations currently living on the farm, they are great spokesmen for the program.  They have hosted a variety of meetings and events on their farm for us, including our “Ride to the Barns” for the last two years.”

This year’s event featured a book signing and concert by Michael Perry and the Long Beds.  Michael was the perfect fit for an event like this.  His books, most recently, Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting, chronicle the highs and lows of farm life in rural Wisconsin.

Additionally, Fall Harvest showcased local food prepared by a local chef in the town of Lebanon.  Bodhi Personal Chef and Catering specializes in sourcing local & seasonal food and in 2010 Bodhi won the Milwaukee Iron Chef Competition.  One of this year’s features will be beef burgers made from Scottish cattle raised in the area and seasonal vegetable salads.

We at Gathering Waters are very excited to announce this marquee event for Tall Pines Conservancy.  It is just another example of the great work being done by Wisconsin’s land trusts and another reminder that we can all play a role in helping protect the places that make Wisconsin special.