The Conservation Professional Training Program is a program of UW–Madison Division of Extension providing conservation training courses to help you deliver smarter solutions to farmers and rural landowners. From introductory courses for new employees to advanced training for conservation advisors, we provide diverse trainings to ensure you have the skills you need to succeed.
Conservation Calendar
We offer face to face, online and blended training to conservation agencies, private sector consultants and landowners across Wisconsin, the Midwest, and the US. View conservation-related events and trainings offered by us and our partners throughout the state.
Events Key
Extension Events
Partner Events
Calendar of Events
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1 event,
Online Course: Virtual Herbicides & Longleaf 201 Academy
The Herbicides & Longleaf 201 course will guide you in the selection of forestry herbicides to advance your ecological restoration and longleaf management objectives. The Virtual Academy consists of a […]
3 events,
Strip-till, no-till, animal integration, and solar field day
Strip-till, no-till, animal integration, and solar field day
Join Chris Gunderson at his rolling 1,600 acre farm in Spring Valley, Minnesota to learn about his approach to controlling erosion and filtering and storing water with regenerative agriculture methods […]
Aligning mosquito control with pollinator protection
Aligning mosquito control with pollinator protection
Mosquitoes are a public health nuisance; not only can their obnoxious bites ruin your picnic, but the diseases they carry sicken millions of people across the globe every year. The […]
3 events,
Restore native habitat
Restore native habitat
Marbleseed, stiff goldenrod, golden alexander. These native plants, and more, are an important part in the balance of nature in Wisconsin that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years […]
Mussel workshop
Mussel workshop
Be a part of a research project in the Sugar River! As part of a grant from the Wisconsin Citizen-based Monitoring Partnership Program, USRWA and Wisconsin DNR are hosting a […]
2 events,
Every farm matters
Every farm matters
With more and more landowners owning smaller and smaller farms, it can be easy to think that your farmland doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. During this workshop, […]
2 events,
Mussel workshop
Mussel workshop
Be a part of a research project in the Sugar River! As part of a grant from the Wisconsin Citizen-based Monitoring Partnership Program, USRWA and Wisconsin DNR are hosting a […]
Ephraim swamp field trip
Ephraim swamp field trip
Ephraim Swamp is an important wetland bound on the north, east, and south sides by the Niagara Escarpment and upland areas. These rare coastal wetlands play a crucial role in […]
0 events,
1 event,
National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration
NCER is an interdisciplinary conference on large-scale ecosystem restoration presenting state-of-the art science and engineering, planning and policy in a partnership environment. NCER brings together scientists, engineers, policy makers, planners […]
8 events,
Salt Symposium 2021
Salt Symposium celebrates the minimization and optimization of salt use. We work with professionals from across industrial and economic sectors by examining state-of-the-art research developments and advanced best practices for […]
Focusing In: Using Imagery and Analytics Across Agriculture and Forestry
Focusing In: Using Imagery and Analytics Across Agriculture and Forestry
Organizations use imagery daily for visualization and reference purposes, but visualization is only one of the many ways that imagery can deliver value. Join our latest agriculture and forestry joint […]
Focusing In: Using Imagery and Analytics Across Agriculture and Forestry
Focusing In: Using Imagery and Analytics Across Agriculture and Forestry
Organizations use imagery daily for visualization and reference purposes, but visualization is only one of the many ways that imagery can deliver value. Join our latest agriculture and forestry joint […]
Utilizing 4R Nutrient Management Best Practices
Utilizing 4R Nutrient Management Best Practices
Part 1: Keeping Agriculture Sustainable through 4R Basics Part 2: Improving Water Quality through 4R Phosphorus Management Info here.
Veterans Harvest: A Virtual Conference for Veterans in Agriculture
Veterans Harvest: A Virtual Conference for Veterans in Agriculture
*Please note that this conference is part of the AgrAbility National Training Workshop Virtual Sessions. If you are already registered for those sessions, you do not need to register again for […]
Field Day: Full Circle Community
Field Day: Full Circle Community
Join us for a tour of Full Circle Community Farm and see pollinator and riparian buffers that were established last year. Full Circle Community Farm is a multi-generational organic farm […]
Fall harvest
Fall harvest
Workshop participants will learn basic horticulture principles and practices associated with organic vegetable production while exploring how to harvest, wash, and pack vegetables for a variety of local market outlets. […]
4 events,
Non-Metallic Mine Reclamation: Permit Determinations
Non-Metallic Mine Reclamation: Permit Determinations
On August 4 from 10:00-11:00 a.m., tune in to the final webinar in Non-Metallic Mine Reclamation webinar series, which will cover reclamation permitting and following topics: Approval/Denial Modifications–process and requirements […]
Invasive plants: ID and management
Invasive plants: ID and management
The Green Thumb Gardening series will give you the practical knowledge to keep your home garden thriving! University of Wisconsin–Division of Extension educators and local horticulture experts will provide in-depth […]
2 events,
Wisconsin Vegetation Standards Training
Wisconsin Vegetation Standards Training
Establishing permanent vegetation benefits our soil, water, and wildlife resources. This course will review the main conservation practices that require the establishment of permanent vegetation. We will discuss species characteristics […]
4 events,
Wisconsin Vegetation Standards Training
Wisconsin Vegetation Standards Training
Establishing permanent vegetation benefits our soil, water, and wildlife resources. This course will review the main conservation practices that require the establishment of permanent vegetation. We will discuss species characteristics […]
Field Day: Turtle Creek Regenerative Farm
Field Day: Turtle Creek Regenerative Farm
Join us for a farm day with organic farmer, Janet Gamble, at Turtle Creek Gardens! We will learn about organic farming, integration of livestock, and practices that make the farm […]
Nitrate Webinar Series
Nitrate Webinar Series
Presented by the Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, this webinar series will touch on the science and economics around workable […]
Plant-insect interactions
Plant-insect interactions
Plants have both beneficial and antagonistic relationships with insects: they rely on insects for pollination but also must contend with the numerous insects trying to eat them. This course will examine […]
4 events,
Waseda Farms Tour
Waseda Farms Tour
Waseda Farms is home to cattle grazing on more than 500 acres of beautiful perennial grass pastures in Baileys Harbor. The Certified Organic farm raises cattle, pigs and chickens and […]
Medicinal Herb Production
Medicinal Herb Production
The 2020 MOSES Organic Farmers of the Year, Jane Hawley Stevens and David Stevens, have been growing organic herbs on their 130-acre farm for the past 32 years and have […]
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Identification Training
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Identification Training
Do you want to learn more about how you can help monitor for aquatic invasive species when you are out on the lakes and rivers? Join us for this free […]
Plant-insect interactions
Plant-insect interactions
Plants have both beneficial and antagonistic relationships with insects: they rely on insects for pollination but also must contend with the numerous insects trying to eat them. This course will examine […]
0 events,
1 event,
Basic Wetland Delineation Training Workshop
This workshop introduces participants to the basics of wetland delineation fieldwork and the paperwork that needs to be filed. Lectures on vegetation, soils, hydrology and methodology prep participants for field […]
9 events,
WI Agri-Business Association Leadership Development Academy
As our current business leaders retire from the work force, many companies are finding that they need to "push" our emerging leaders up the corporate ladder much quicker than planned. […]
Smart Salting for WI Roads Workshop
Smart Salting for WI Roads Workshop
Training for winter maintenance professionals who remove snow, apply road salt or maintain snow removal equipment used on roads. Learn how using the right amount of salt can save time, […]
Managing Scarce Water Resources
Managing Scarce Water Resources
Part 1: Boosting Water Quality through Sound Agronomy Part 2: Linking Water Use Efficiency with the Carbon Cycle and On-Farm Sustainability Info here.
How to Start Your Own Pollinator Garden Webinar
How to Start Your Own Pollinator Garden Webinar
Bees, butterflies and birds - our hard-working pollinators - are on the decline. Without these vital creatures, our flowers, fruits and vegetable wouldn’t pollinate and grow. YOU CAN HELP! Growing […]
Barrier Removal and Aquatic Organism Passage in Lake Systems
Barrier Removal and Aquatic Organism Passage in Lake Systems
Aquatic species need to move, oftentimes migrating between different ecosystems and locations throughout their lives. Lakes provide crucial habitat for many species but sometimes the connections between lakes and other […]
Riparian Forest Buffer
Riparian Forest Buffer
The Chesapeake Bay Program – On the lessons from implementing a watershed-wide riparian forest buffer program. The one-hour presentations will be followed by break-out discussions focused on challenges, strategies, and […]
Soil Health Field Day
Soil Health Field Day
What's covered? Roller crimping Alternative forages Drone seeding demo Seeding equipment Contact Lance Klessig to RSVP - (608) 780-2134. See flyer for more details.
Fall harvest
Fall harvest
Workshop participants will learn basic horticulture principles and practices associated with organic vegetable production while exploring how to harvest, wash, and pack vegetables for a variety of local market outlets. […]
7 events,
Soil Health Institute’s 6th Annual Meeting – Soil Health: Enriching Soil, Enhancing Life
Soil Health: Enriching Soil, Enhancing Life will be an online virtual meeting designed to connect the science of soil health with the information requested by farmers and the environmental benefits […]
Grazing on Conservation Lands
Help take a forage cutting amid 40 head of beef cattle managing 60 acres of CRP mid-contract management. Help determine how much longer the cattle should be grazing before the […]
Smart Salting for Parking Lots and Sidewalks
Smart Salting for Parking Lots and Sidewalks
Training for winter maintenance professionals who remove snow, apply road salt or maintain snow removal equipment used on roads. Learn how using the right amount of salt can save time, […]
Basics of Pond Management
Basics of Pond Management
This webinar will cover the basics of pond ecology and managing ponds for varied uses, irrigation and recreation - swimming or fishing. Algae/aquatic plants and their management and water quality […]
Effective Agricultural Practices for Nitrate in Groundwater
Effective Agricultural Practices for Nitrate in Groundwater
Speakers from three states (Kansas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin) will share information about their efforts to work with agricultural partners to reduce nitrate in groundwater sources of drinking water. Info here.
Native Plants and Pollinators
Native Plants and Pollinators
The Green Thumb Gardening series will give you the practical knowledge to keep your home garden thriving! University of Wisconsin Division of Extension educators and local horticulture experts will provide […]
5 events,
Advanced Wetland Delineation Training Workshop
The Advanced workshop provides more in-depth training in wetland delineation methodology and field experience. Successful completion of the Basic Wetland Delineation Training Workshop is a prerequisite for admission. This course […]
My Happy Place – Understanding Your Property
My Happy Place – Understanding Your Property
Where is your happy place? If you had to describe it what would you say? Would you describe the trees and plants? Join us as we take you on a […]
Hazelnut Field Day
Hazelnut Field Day
Visit the West Madison Agricultural Research Station to learn more about Wisconsin hazelnut varieties. UW- Madison extension agent, Jason Fischbach will lead us through a ‘hazelnuts 101’ in the classroom […]
6 events,
Conservation Observance Day
Conservation Observance Day
Come celebrate Conservation Observance Day on August 13 with 2020's conservation farmers of the year, Kevin and Carolyn Parr of Harmony Farms. Learn more about successful farming and managed grazing […]
2021 Lake Michigan Day
2021 Lake Michigan Day
Welcome to the 8th Annual Lake Michigan Day! It is the day we celebrate this precious freshwater resource and highlight the many ways people protect and restore our waters throughout […]
Visible and invisible mending: An intersection of art and ecology
Visible and invisible mending: An intersection of art and ecology
Ecological restoration, the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem, is a process of mending. In mending, there is much promise –- for both lands and people. Nancy Aten’s […]
Nitrate Webinar Series
Nitrate Webinar Series
Presented by the Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, this webinar series will touch on the science and economics around workable […]
Pasture Walk on Grazing Annuals, Converting Cropland
Pasture Walk on Grazing Annuals, Converting Cropland
Topics Covered: Grazing diverse summer annual forage crops in a traditional corn/soybean rotation, converting cropland to pasture, planting peppers, watermelon, cucumbers, & squash into pasture, use of Arrowquip chute for […]
2 events,
Identifying Raptors in Fall Migration in Wisconsin
Identifying Raptors in Fall Migration in Wisconsin
The goal of this course is to learn to identify and monitor raptors during migration. We will especially focus on learning how to identify raptors in flight; that is how […]
Field Day: Prairie Walk in Pepin County
Field Day: Prairie Walk in Pepin County
View a prairie up close and take a field walk side by side with NRCS staff, conservation coaches and neighbors that can build our knowledge of prairies, prairie establishment and […]
1 event,
Silverwood County Park Field Day
Silverwood County Park Field Day
Visit with small vegetable and flower growers; Learn about Indigenous corn and cover cropping, using small equipment; what it takes to start a heirloom orchard and Savanna Institute’s tree installation […]
1 event,
Using Social Science for Stakeholder Engagement
Using Social Science for Stakeholder Engagement
This live, online module introduces the novice participant to prominent social science disciplines, important social science questions, and ways in which social science can be used to meaningfully and systematically […]
7 events,
Journey 2050 Virtual Workshop
Journey 2050 Virtual Workshop
Engaging Students in World Food Sustainability- This free, cross-curricular program engages students in discussions about sustainably feeding the world. Functional in a virtual or in-person setting, the seven-level game and […]
Benching and Boulders: Restoring Stream Hydrology and Habitat for Wildlife and Water Quality
Benching and Boulders: Restoring Stream Hydrology and Habitat for Wildlife and Water Quality
Join us to learn about stream restoration goals, strategies and benefits on the Little Sioux River. Hear from Brian Cuperus and Darrick Weissenfluh about a recent stream restoration and mussel […]
Protecting Pollinators and Managing Their Habitats
Protecting Pollinators and Managing Their Habitats
Part 1: Leveraging IPM for Pollinator Protection and Sustainable Crop Management Part 2: Protecting Pollinators and Building Biodiversity on the Farm Landscape Info here.
Stand Level Management: Desired Forest Conditions, Structure and Composition
Stand Level Management: Desired Forest Conditions, Structure and Composition
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forest Ecology Working Group (FEWG) and NCTC, working in collaboration with many FWS programs and partners, have developed a monthly lecture series to address […]
Opportunities, Strategies and Programs for Reducing County and Municipal Utility Costs through Solar Energy
Opportunities, Strategies and Programs for Reducing County and Municipal Utility Costs through Solar Energy
Solar energy programs provide an opportunity for local governments to reduce their utility costs, freeing up budgets for other essential services. In this webinar, the panel will share a variety […]
Fall harvest
Fall harvest
Workshop participants will learn basic horticulture principles and practices associated with organic vegetable production while exploring how to harvest, wash, and pack vegetables for a variety of local market outlets. […]
7 events,
Systems Approach to Organic Farming
Systems Approach to Organic Farming
Rodrigo Cala, one of the new community organic specialists with MOSES, grows certified organic produce, raises pastured chickens using the Tree Range® system, and rotationally grazes Katahdin hair sheep. He’ll […]
Infusing Eco Therapy into Your Day
Infusing Eco Therapy into Your Day
Our daily routines can be overwhelming at times so exploring ways to relieve stress are useful to achieving a calm and relaxed day. This session will give you a better […]
Racial Equity and Environmentalism
Racial Equity and Environmentalism
Join August M. Ball, founder, and CEO of Cream City Conservation as she outlines how compounded disparities impact communities of color in every corner of society. Be it socio-economic, political, […]
Writing Effective Survey Questions
Writing Effective Survey Questions
Surveys are a popular information collection tool to help coastal managers understand their stakeholders and quickly assess large populations. Unfortunately, because of their popularity, many people untrained in survey creation […]
Climate Impacts on Local Flora and Fauna – Field Trip
Climate Impacts on Local Flora and Fauna – Field Trip
Baileys Harbor is home to many critical, threatened and endangered plants and animals. These species rely on the specific conditions which are found right along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Even […]
Rain Gardens: Planning, Construction and Plants
Rain Gardens: Planning, Construction and Plants
The Green Thumb Gardening series will give you the practical knowledge to keep your home garden thriving! University of Wisconsin Extension educators and local horticulture experts will provide in-depth and […]
Stony Brook Field Event
Stony Brook Field Event
Tour of the restored section of the Sohrweide Farm View an Electrofishing Demonstration Learn more about the Trout in the Classroom program at Chilton School District Find out about current […]
2 events,
Basic Ag for Conservationists
Basic Ag for Conservationists
Join us to better understand the basics of agriculture through a multi-component course taught by experienced local, state and federal conservationists. This training is intended to provide conservation professionals with […]
WFU Summer Conference 2021
WFU Summer Conference 2021
Wisconsin Farmers Union is very excited to host our first in-person meeting in over a year! You are invited to join us on beautiful Lake Wissota at WFU Kamp Kenwood […]
1 event,
Nitrate Webinar Series
Nitrate Webinar Series
Presented by the Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, this webinar series will touch on the science and economics around workable […]
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2 events,
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
This field day will highlight organic research conducted at UW–Madison, as well as information about best practices for organic production. Lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required. To register, send […]
Fall harvest
Fall harvest
Workshop participants will learn basic horticulture principles and practices associated with organic vegetable production while exploring how to harvest, wash, and pack vegetables for a variety of local market outlets. […]
2 events,
North American Manure Expo
Manure Expo 2021 will feature live presentations, panel discussions plus a host of on-demand presentations from some of the industry’s leading experts. Two live event days and a virtual tradeshow […]
UW Agronomy and Soils Field Day
UW Agronomy and Soils Field Day
This field day will feature field plot tours and UW research updates on soil fertility and management, pest management, Kernza® production and other grain production systems, and many other topics. […]
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Seven Principles for Selling Conservation
Seven Principles for Selling Conservation
Join us for the National Watershed Coalition Webinar on Seven Principles for Selling Conservation, using those principles to sell several aspects of Watershed Project work, including addressing mitigation efforts, and […]
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Conservation News
Northern Soil Compaction Conference
Do you feel like soil compaction is squeezing your yields? Are you wondering what you can do about it? The University of Minnesota Extension is proud to partner with Manitoba Ag and Resource Development and North Dakota State University to bring you the Northern Soil Compaction Conference. This virtual event will be held on June 22nd and 23rd from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm CT.
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