Our Summer-Fall Newsletter is Here! Although the printed newsletter won't be hitting mailboxes for another week or so, you can enjoy an early read online right now! Read or download the PDF here. Every day, our community is working to create a bright future for the Driftless. In our 2023 summer-fall newsletter, you'll find their stories - landowners who leave legacies of conservation, students who strive to tackle climate change, partners who build each other up to protect grasslands, and much more. Check them out and get inspired!
Conservation Groups Call on Agencies to Deny Request for CHC Line to Cut Through Refuge
DALC joined the National Wildlife Refuge Association and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation to call on the federal Rural Utilities Service to protect vital public lands and reject a land exchange proposal by transmission line developers that would result in the construction of up to 20-story towers through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Read the press release about this issue from the Environmental Law & Policy Center, or look at our newly updated timeline of CHC news here.
Join Us on the Driftless Trail Make a difference for the Driftless Trail this fall! We have two opportunities coming up in early October: a workday on Friday, October 6th, 9am - 1pm, and a free Trail Building Workshop on Saturday, October 7th, from 8:30am - 4pm. Both will be held at the Taliesin property in Spring Green. The workshop is limited to 12 people. Find more details and registration links in our event calendar. Both of these events will be led by Willie Bittner, who owns and operates Great Lakes Trailbuilders. Trail building is a fun social activity and very rewarding. We hope you can join us!
Installing Solar Panels on Rural Properties Learn all about choosing an installer, grants to apply for, tax rebates, site selection, post-installation items such as kW generation and billing, and more! This workshop, offered by the Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative, will be held on Friday, October 20th, from 1-3 at the Cates Family Farm in Spring Green. The leaders are Eric Cates, Dick Cates, and Peter Fiala from the Legacy Solar Wisconsin Cooperative. Please register here.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our bi-weekly volunteer workdays continue at our beautiful ambassador properties. Get outside, make a difference, and enjoy the Driftless!
Saturdays at Spring Valley: Usually 1st and 3rd Saturdays, but some date changes in Oct. Upcoming dates: 10/14, 10/21
Sundays at Sardeson: 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. Upcoming dates: 10/1, 10/15
Wednesdays at the Wetland: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. Upcoming dates: 10/4, 10/18
Find more details and let us know you're coming at our Volunteer page.
Notes From the Field September is the month the Land Trust Alliance holds Rally, the national land trust conference. Although I didn't go this year, I heard from my coworkers who did attend that Wisconsin was well represented - as we ought to be! Not only do we have over 40 land trusts and many other amazing conservation organizations, but our state has been home to some truly world-changing environmentalists, from Sigurd Olson to Aldo Leopold to Gaylord Nelson. Although state funding has gotten increasingly hard to come by, our incredible land trust community has continued to carry on Wisconsin's legacy of innovation and care, protecting land, water, and wildlife for future generations. You are the cornerstone of this work. Thank you for believing in conservation in Wisconsin! Emilee Martell Development Associate emilee@driftlessconservancy.org
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