Wisconsin Sedimentation & Erosion Control Inspector (WISECI) Best Management Practices
2021-10-20 - 2021-10-21
Learn techniques to manage construction site stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) and eliminate problems before they cause higher costs and slowdowns for your project. Save time and money by avoiding erosion and sediment releases. Learn about Wisconsin regulations and requirements for construction site inspection, EPA SWPPP requirements for inspections, proper documentation procedures, how to recognize poorly managed erosion and sediment control BMPs on construction sites, and guidance for keeping your projects in compliance with local, state and federal requirements. With this training, you’ll join the team of professionals with EPA SWPPP training and the Wisconsin-specific credentials of Wisconsin Sedimentation & Erosion Control Inspector (WISECI), as well as the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services – Soil Erosion Inspector.
Info here.

Clean Lakes 101: Yahara CLEAN Strategic Plan 3.0
2021-10-20 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Chicago)
The Yahara River Watershed contributes significantly to the region’s economic vitality and quality of life. Despite years of investment in water quality improvements, the watershed’s five lakes remain highly eutrophic, and intensifying climate impacts threaten to further deteriorate water quality.
The Yahara CLEAN Compact, a diverse coalition of 19 organizations and agencies, seeks to improve and protect regional water quality by strengthening community partnerships and uniting around shared, measurable goals. This presentation by the consultant team of SmithGroup and Urban Assets will describe the process and recommendations of the Yahara CLEAN Compact’s 3.0 Plan, a strategic playbook developed through community input for reducing phosphorus and bacteria in the lakes.
The plan outlines a comprehensive series of strategies to improve water quality and defines key roles and responsibilities of various landowners and managers within the watershed for contributing to healthier lakes. Everyone has a role to play. Register for this presentation to learn what you can do to restore cleaner lakes.
Info here.

SGSO Network Webinar - School Food Service and School Gardens
2021-10-20 13:00 - 14:00
Hear how school gardens can be intertwined with the work of school nutrition programs. We will share case studies related to school food service program funding and staffing support of school gardens, garden to cafeteria programs, and policies to support school gardening efforts. Bring your questions and ideas to share as we will allow time for Q and A.
We recognize that we ask multiple questions in our registration. This is to better inform our presenters and to share with our audience during our presentation. Thanks for sharing.
Info here.

How to harness social messaging for better citizen engagement
2021-10-20 13:00 - 14:00
Long gone are the days where government agencies should rely on brick-and-mortar locations to respond to the needs of the constituents.
Social messaging – using applications like Facebook or Twitter to interact with an organization – is replacing the phone as the preferred communication channel. During the pandemic, we saw those previously thought to be digitally excluded adopt social messaging as a way to stay in touch with their loved ones. For them, social messaging may be the only form of digital channel they will ever use.
This begs the question: should social messaging become the standard for citizen engagement?
Info here.

Forestry BMPs for Invasive Species
2021-10-20 13:00 - 14:00
BMPs – Best Management Practices for Forestry Invasive Species are voluntary practices that were developed to coincide and complement Legislative Rule NR 40 https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/nr/001/40.pdf which works as a way of classifying Invasive Species across the board. The BMPs are designed to be a practical response when addressing Invasives in a forested setting when logging practices are in place. They were adopted in September of 2009 and since that time we have trained thousands of Foresters, Loggers and Landowners on the practicality of implementing prior to planning a harvest especially when Invasive species are present.
Info here.

WASPS: Their Biology, Diversity, and Role as Beneficial Insects and Pollinators of Native Plants
2021-10-20 18:00 - 19:00
Author Heather Holm will be sharing from her new book, “WASPS,” which features approximately 150 species of flower-visiting wasps that occur in eastern North America, and the specific native plants and habitat each species depends upon.
Info here.

Imagine a Day Without Water
2021-10-21
No water to drink, or wash your hands with. No water to shower, flush the toilet, or do laundry. Hospitals would close without water. Firefighters couldn’t put out fires and farmers couldn’t water their crops. Disease would spread.
This year, we want to help you learn more about where your water comes from and where your water goes. We’ll take a deeper dive into the impact drinking water and wastewater providers have within your community. Many Americans take water for granted every day. But what would a day be like without water? Imagine a Day Without Water 2021 will be the seventh annual day to raise awareness and educate America about the value of water.
Imagine a Day Without Water is a national education campaign that brings together diverse stakeholders to highlight how water is essential, invaluable, and in need of investment. This year, the day of action will take place on October 21, 2021, and will include events, resolutions, student contests, social media engagement, and more, all across the country.
Info here.

Wisconsin Science Festival
2021-10-21 - 2021-10-24
The four-day Wisconsin Science Festival features events throughout Wisconsin for people of all ages. Activities include hands-on science experiments, live Q&A sessions and interviews with scientists, demonstrations, performances, behind-the-scenes tours and more. Teachers and school districts are encouraged to preregister to participate in our virtual field trip live sessions with scientists covering a wide variety of topics.
Don’t miss your chance to explore the fascinating world of fungi, dive into archaeology, experiment at home, discover the variety of species in Wisconsin during our statewide BioBlitz and more!
Info here.

USDA Office Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
2021-10-21 03:00 - 16:00
As the Partnerships Liaison for the Office, Joe will highlight successes of the Urban Agriculture Planning and Implementation grants and Compost and Food Waste Reduction grants, both of which are managed by the office, outcomes from the office’s 2-year tenure, and the new Urban Agriculture Federal Advisory Committee and the new FSA Urban and Suburban Pilot County Committees. Information will be helpful for districts and municipalities to identify new partnering opportunities and other ways to engage with the office.
Info here.

EddMAPs Training
2021-10-21 10:00 - 11:00
Join Invasive Species Program Coordinator Matt Wallrath of Upper Sugar River Watershed Association for this training on how to ID and report invasive plant species! Matt will explain why invasive species are a problem for our environmental and economic heath. Top species of concern will be presented with tips for how to ID invasive species, followed by a short training on how to use Eddmaps and the mobile Eddmaps Pro app to report species right in your own backyard or nearby park.
Info here.

Spatial and Temporal Scaling of Biofilter Media Performance Data and Updates to WinSLAMM
2021-10-21 10:00 - 11:00
There are many publications reporting the performance of isolated stormwater controls, but relatively few that have examined how the use of many of these controls function at larger scales and for long periods of time. Researchers, stormwater managers and regulators need to know answers to such questions as:

Are source area distributed controls effective in reducing outfall discharges?
Can results from small-scale laboratory and pilot-scale field experiments be up-scaled to large, long-term installations?
How robust are stormwater controls for extended periods?
How do local groundwater conditions affect bioretention performance, and what is the potential for groundwater contamination?

This presentation summarizes the results from several research projects that Bob Pitt and their students have been involved with that address scaling issues and these questions. Specifically, they have found that carefully conducted small-scale and short-term laboratory and pilot-scale tests can be useful when extrapolated to full-scale installations. These tests need to use actual stormwater and the tests need to be conducted in a manner that accurately represent expected conditions. Obviously, scaling up these results are also highly dependent on the amount of the stormwater directed to the controls. Small “hot spots” need priority treatment, but since they usually only represent small runoff amounts, moderately contaminated areas representing greater amounts of the runoff are also usually needed for effective watershed-scale benefits. Also, unintended consequences of large-scale implementation of infiltration may adversely affect the local groundwater, and/or poorly understood local soil and groundwater conditions may adversely affect the performance of the stormwater controls.
Info here.

Organic Certification and Organic Cost Share
2021-10-21 12:00 - 13:00
Learn how to apply for organic cost share, how to become certified organic and about resources and assistance available to farmers pursuing organic certification. Short overview presentation with additional time for Q&A to follow.
Hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), and the Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Info here.

Using EPA’s EnviroAtlas and Recovery Potential Screening Tools to Support Sound Decision Making
2021-10-21 12:00 - 14:00
EPA’s EnviroAtlas and the Healthy Watersheds Program’s Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool are decision-support tools that assist users in determining where and how to take action to ensure successful ecosystem management. Well-informed planning is crucial to restoring and protecting watersheds to ensure benefits to society and the environment. Please join EPA’s Watershed Academy for this webcast to view a live demo of EnviroAtlas and the Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool and to hear how these tools can be used. This webcast will provide an overview and demonstration of these user-friendly, accessible, data-rich tools.
Info here.

Usable Science for Producers: Helping Cattle Producers Make More Informed Decisions about Soil Carbon and Grazing
2021-10-25 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar will provide semi-arid rangeland cattle producers with supplemental grazing and soils information coupled with research data to make informed management decisions.
Join us as we discuss why soils may respond differently to cattle grazing at various locations. During the webinar, we will highlight some grazing and soils terminology and identify research gaps that may be contributing to differing research outcomes. The presenters will also discuss the results from two field derived research projects in Wyoming. This presentation may help clarify some questions producers may have about grazing, soil health, and soil carbon.
Info here.

Regional Climate Adaptation Science Symposium
2021-10-26 - 2021-10-27
Please join us to learn about NE Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) research, hear about our new science plan, and discover resources and tools that support climate adaptation. The symposium will also include discussions focused on identifying emerging research and management needs, and it is our hope that it will foster new partnerships and strengthen existing collaborations.
Due in part to the increasing focus on climate change by myriad sectors of our society, this is a particularly exciting time to be working in the field of climate adaptation science! Help us harness this momentum as we chart the future for NE CASC!
Info here.

Aquia Engage
2021-10-26 - 2021-10-27
Engage is about you. About our community. And about our shared commitment to bringing radically innovative ideas to life. Whether you’re a marketer, an IT pro, or anyone else who touches digital experiences, you’re welcome here.
At Engage, we gather to explore, learn, and be together. Expect two full days, jam-packed with brilliant ideas, impressive accomplishments, and all the super-smart, fully actionable insights you can handle. Don’t miss a minute.
Info here.

Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Academy
2021-10-26 - 2021-10-27
The Academy goal is to provide high quality training for local government staff that maintains and improves the delivery of conservation work and meets the shared expectations of BWSR and local resource management boards. We consider BWSR Academy a training opportunity for local government staff. Academy participants value practical and interactive training that directly supports specific skills and concepts they can apply on the job. To learn more about BWSR Academy priorities and guiding principles, please visit our BWSR Academy page. Training sessions should be designed to engage the audience in their learning rather than simply providing information. WebEx has tools to interact and engage with the audience.
Info here.

Smart Salting for WI Roads Workshop
2021-10-26 08:00 - 13:00
Free 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, budget and our waters.
The training will include: best management practices to keep paved areas safe, benefits of using a liquid salt system, guidance on how to determine the right amount of salt to use, and case studies from local applicators.
Info here.

Plastics Pollution
2021-10-26 09:00 - 10:00
Leah Holloway, Program Manager for Milwaukee Riverkeeper – Together we’ll learn how plastics get into our environment, why they are so harmful, why they are so hard to get rid of, and steps we can all take, individually and collectively, to make a big difference.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations for the Alliance for the Great Lakes, will present on the issue of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Don will discuss the scope of the problem in the Lakes from the Alliance’s perspective and how the Alliance encounters plastic pollution through their annual adopt-a-beach program, as well as their role in working to ban the use of plastic micro-beads in personal care products. The presentation will also focus briefly on various state and federal efforts to regulate plastics in freshwater environments and make recommendations on how to think about the effort to regulate plastics holistically so as to reduce the harmful effects of plastics on natural resources such as the Great Lakes.
Please register by Friday, October 22, at https://conta.cc/3hgM5nR
This webinar is being sponsored by the Great Lakes Committee.

Enhancing Farm Revenues with Conservation Practices and Ecosystem Services
2021-10-26 10:00 - 11:30
Farmers interested in implementing conservation practices, or providing other ecosystem services, may find themselves eligible for additional revenue streams. In this webinar, we’ll talk about NRCS initiatives that provide cost-shares and rental payments, as well as several up-and-coming benefits programs for things like nutrient reduction, watershed protection, carbon sequestration, and solar energy production. Join in the conversation as Andy Larson of FFI interviews Tera Johnson, CEO of Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, about practices that have worked for their farm clients.
Info here.

Recovery of the monarch butterfly: Federal and state legislation that can provide hope for this iconic animal
2021-10-26 13:00 - 14:00
Monarch butterflies are one of North America’s most iconic animals. Weighing less than a penny, monarchs can fly up to 3000 miles from summer breeding grounds to overwintering sites in Mexico and have captured the imagination of generations of people as one of our largest and most striking butterflies. Unfortunately, North American monarchs are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, pesticide use, disease and climate change. Scott will discuss both current and proposed legislation that could help to protect and restore habitat for the monarch butterfly.
Info here.

2021-10-27 08:30 - 09:30
The Wisconsin Academy and partners will convene a virtual Summit to share practical resources and explore emerging issues in local energy planning and resilience in Wisconsin communities. Local government and tribal leaders and representatives from organizations actively serving as resources to these communities are invited to attend the Summit.
The Summit will consist of a keynote speaker, a plenary session (featuring Steve Vavrus), and breakout sessions. Sessions include the following with more speakers to come!

Housing: Affordable & low-carbon footprint
Infrastructure Resilience
Electric Vehicles
Utilities: Partnerships & Programs

Info here.

Considering Root Traits for Improved Native Plant Development and Restoration
2021-10-27 09:00 - 10:00
Trait-based ecology aims to link specific plant traits, or characteristics that affect fitness, to community assembly, biodiversity, and ecosystem function. Trait-based approaches are increasingly being used to understand plant establishment and survival in restoration settings. In this talk, I will discuss how considering plant traits can improve plant selection for revegetation of systems threatened by drought or competition. I will focus on early seedling and root traits, as they hold great promise for better understanding plant establishment and survival in stressful systems.
Info here.

Techniques and Concepts for Improving Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency to Benefit Both People and Wildlife
2021-10-27 13:00 - 14:00
Join us as we discuss the value of nature-based solutions for improving coastal habitats while adding to the resiliency of these valuable ecosystems to the increased risks associated with climate change.
Climate change with associated sea level rise and increased coastal flooding is jeopardizing the value and function of many coastal ecosystems including sand dunes, shorelines and tidal marshes. In this session we will discuss how nature-based solutions using properly selected and adapted plant materials as well as innovative techniques improves ecosystem services and helps to create a more resilient coastal landscape
Info here.

Smart Salting for Parking Lots and Sidewalks
2021-10-28 08:00 - 12:00

WiWiC Conservation Educator Network: Launch Meeting
2021-10-28 10:00 - 12:00
Are you a conservation educator working with women landowners in Wisconsin?
You’re invited to the launch of an inclusive new network of conservation educators to collaboratively support each other in our conservation outreach and work: WiWiC Conservation Educator Network
The goal of this network, facilitated by the Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC), is to regularly connect educators who work with women farmers and landowners, to share best practices and challenges, to develop cooperative strategies for effective programming, resource sharing, and how to work most effectively together.
Info here.

Environmental Impact of Buildings
2021-10-28 11:30 - 12:30
A part of the Yale Forest Forum: The Future of Wood Building Products in a Changing Climate
Wood is a renewable resource that has wide material applications in many industries. Wood products sourced from sustainably managed forests store carbon and can play an important role in combating climate change. Recent innovations in the use of wood have led to the development of new products that can replace traditional fossil-based carbon-intensive materials, particularly in the construction and energy sectors. Understanding the potential environmental impacts and societal implications of increases in both conventional and emerging wood products across their respective life cycles, as well as their possible reuse in a circular construction economy, is critical in assessing the climate mitigation potential of wood vs. other materials.
What is the future role of forest products in addressing climate, resources, societal, and environmental challenges? What are the environmental, economic, and societal implications for using more forest products? Hear from speakers representing forestry, industrial ecology, architecture, conservation, and academia.
Info here.

The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative: Regional Coordination, Adaptive Management, and New Treatments for an Invasive Grass
2021-10-28 12:00 - 13:00
The Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic weeds (FICMNEW) represents an unprecedented formal partnership between 18 federal agencies with direct invasive plant management and regulatory responsibilities spanning across the United States and territories.
During quarterly open meetings, FICMNEW members interact on important national and regional invasive plant issues and share information with various public and private organizations participating with the federal sector to address invasive plant issues.
Info here.

New Farmer U
2021-10-29 - 2021-10-30
New Farmer U covers farm financial and business management for intermediate beginning farmers—3-6 years of farming experience—or anyone who is ready to plan for future success.
Info here.

Monitoring Pollinators in Wetlands: Opportunities for Citizen Scientists
2021-10-29 10:30 - 11:30
Many Wisconsin volunteers participate in monitoring projects to track the distribution and abundance of pollinators. These projects collect data crucial to conservation research and land management, but wetlands are underrepresented in the monitoring efforts. Join citizen-based monitoring coordinator Eva Lewandowski to learn more about how data collected by citizen scientists help scientists and land managers. Eva will also discuss opportunities for volunteers to monitor bees and butterflies in wetlands and other habitats across the state.
Eva Lewandowski is the Citizen-based Monitoring Coordinator at the Wisconsin DNR, and she serves on the board of the Citizen Science Association. She earned a PhD in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota.
Info here.
