This Giving Tuesday, your gift will forever protect a wetland
DALC is working to acquire Ringelstetter Wetland, a 154-acre property along the Wisconsin River. Thanks to generous donors, conservation partners, and the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, fundraising is almost complete - but we need YOU to get across the finish line!
Our goal is to raise our final $6,400 on Giving Tuesday, one week from today! Mark your calendars to join this worldwide day of generosity, or donate today here.
Transmission line opposition parade a success
The legal battle to prevent the construction of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek (CHC) transmission line continues in the courts. Meanwhile, the dedicated cadre of NO-CHC activists are not sitting quietly on the sidelines! They continue to express their opposition in colorful, creative ways, like our recent vehicle parade through Cross Plains. Read more and check out a news story covering the event here.
Piece of Praise: Amazing work by volunteers and WisCorps members at DALC preserves this year
With Thanksgiving coming up this week, we wanted to share our gratitude for the dozens of people who gave their time, energy, and passion to help keep DALC's preserves ecologically healthy and ready for recreation in 2021. The dedicated volunteers who participated in DALC's many workdays provided nearly 750 hours of service, and crews of hardworking WisCorps members made huge improvements to priority projects. Our Director of Conservation Programs, Cindy Becker, offers a heartfelt Piece of Praise on our Community Highlights page.
New deer hunters enjoy learning opportunities at Spring Valley Tract
The deer sightings were abundant and so was the shared knowledge at a Learn-To-Hunt weekend hosted by the National Wild Turkey Federation at DALC's Spring Valley Tract. New hunters were paired with experienced mentors to learn about safe and sustainable deer harvests, while experiencing the Spring Valley Tract through the unique lens of a hunter.
"It's a beautiful and diverse property," says participant Dr. Adena Rissman, of UW-Madison's Forest and Wildlife Ecology Department. "It's neat to be so close to Madison but feel so far away... It was a great reset for me, to have a different sense of time. I loved seeing the slow sunrise and the sudden burst of light on the leaves. I got to think about where our food comes from, and I enjoyed getting to meet Fil and learn about the history of the property. It was really lovely."
Providing opportunities to connect to the land like this is a highlight of DALC's work. Our goal in 2022 is to offer more outdoor events for all kinds of hobbies!
Notes From the Field
Continuing along the theme of gratitude, I was reminded recently of how grateful I am to have this job. It combines my passion with my education and training, I get to work where I live, and I connect daily with members of my conservation community. In a time when I often feel so helpless to the many conflicts we are navigating, I know there is one area where I have the power to do good - working to protect the Driftless Area. I'm profoundly grateful for that opportunity.
And extending that, I'm grateful to all of you - staff, board, volunteers, donors, and all the members of our community that make this work possible.
Thank you - thank you - thank you! You all have the power to do something good for the world - take joy in those actions!
Jennifer Filipiak
Executive Director
jennifer@driftlessconservancy.org