Foundation Supports DNR and Community Conservation Projects

The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin bucked the trend of dire economic news by making one of its largest gifts to support the conservation programs of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR.)  Over $313,000 in gifts was presented at the March 2009 meeting of the state’s Natural Resources Board.

“During these tough economic times, we are more committed than ever to supporting public conservation projects that benefit everyone who lives in or visits Wisconsin,” noted Charlie Luthin, executive director of the Foundation.  “We have a responsibility to protect the gifts of nature that contribute to our economic health and our overall quality of life,” Luthin continued. “We are proud of our historic relationship with the DNR.  This gift is just another sign of our strong partnership to protect Wisconsin's resources for our families and the future,” Luthin concluded.

Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank thanked the Foundation for its support of the agency's work on behalf of the state's natural resources and its citizens. “The DNR truly values its strong partnership with the Natural Resources Foundation,” Frank said. “In the midst of a national economic crisis, the needs of our state lands and wildlife depend more than ever on all partners contributing what they can. The Foundation’s donation helps the DNR continue its work with rare and endangered species, conservation education and community conservation efforts and more,” Frank said.

The gift will be split among twenty different programs identified as conservation priorities by DNR and Foundation staff.  The largest portion of the gift, over $146,000, will go to support rare and endangered species, including Kirtland’s warblers, Karner blue butterflies, box turtles and others on state and federal lists.  Nearly $120,000 will support invasive species control and land management at Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas.  Finally, almost $30,000 will support community conservation and property management programs with another $20,000 to support conservation education projects.

Kim Grveles, Assistant Zoologist and Ornithologist with the Natural Heritage Inventory at the DNR, credited the Foundation for her successful work with the rare Kirtland’s warbler.  “Because of Foundation funding, we are finding new Kirtland's warbler locations, monitoring nesting events, documenting nest outcomes, and increasing nest productivity by safe-guarding the nesting site from predatory and human disturbances,” said Grveles.

With increased cuts to government programs, Grveles’ was blunt in her assessment, “If it wasn’t for the Foundation, I’m not sure I would have a job.”  Grveles continued, “In these tough economic and political times, I can count on them to be enthusiastic about the work that I do and to offer encouragement for finding new funding sources.  They are an amazing, talented and resourceful group of people who never seem to tire of the hard work that keeps successful conservation projects going in Wisconsin.”

With the announcement, the Foundation brought its total cash contribution to conservation programs at the DNR to nearly two million dollars since 1986. Bruce Braun, chair of the Foundation’s board, was eager to share the credit for that record, “the public has embraced our mission and thousands of donors have made this gift today possible. We are truly fortunate to live in a state with both abundant natural resources and a population that holds an equally abundant respect for those resources.”  

In addition to the March gift for conservation programs at the DNR, the Foundation also announced $10,000 in small grants to community conservation projects through its C.D. Besadny Conservation Grants Program.  The program provides financial support to public and private organizations and agencies working on conservation projects at a small-scale, local level.

A complete list of funded projects referenced above can be seen below:

Conservation Projects Funded at the DNR:

Rare and Endangered Species

-Kirtland's Warbler Conservation & Management ($20,000)
-Kamer Blue Butterfly Population & Habitat Program ($35,000)
-Karner Blue Butterfly Management at Quincy Bluff SNA ($10,000)
-Wood Turtle Conservation ($26,500)
-Box Turtle Management at Rocky Run SNA ($20,000)
-Important Bird Areas--Site Management Plans ($18,850)
-Trumpeter Swan Monitoring ($10,900)
-Bird Stopover Project ($5,000)

State Natural Areas (SNAs)

-Staff Support--Central Office ($25,000)
-South Central Region SNA Team ($20,000)
-Northeast Region SNA Team ($20,000)
-LaCrosse SNA Team ($33,500)
-Chiwaukee Prairie Management ($10,000)
-Spread Eagle Barrens SNA Management ($11,050)

Conservation Education
-Great Wisconsin Birding & Nature Trail - Develop CD-Rom of all 5 guidebooks ($10,000)
-Invasive Species Field Guide ($10,000)

Community Conservation & Property Management
-Landowner Incentive Program ($20,000)
-Bat Conservation Plan ($5,000)
-Woodland Dunes Nature Trail - Tread Improvement ($1,688)
-Turtle-Flambeau Flowage--Fishery Habitat Improvement ($1,500)

C.D. Besadny Conservation Grants

-Brillion Nature Center “VolunTeens Program”

-Dane County Chapter, Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation “Restoring Native Plant Communities Along the Ice Age Trail”

-Lake Ripley Management District “Native Prairie Seeding of Lake Ripley Preserve”

-Montello Historic Preservation Society “Marquette County: The Heart of John Muir's World”

-Northern Lights Master Gardeners Association “Children's Learning Garden: Wetlands”

-Rock Trail Coalition, Inc “Janesville to Beloit Bike Trail”

-St. Thomas Aquinas Academy - Grade Four “St. Thomas Aquinas Academy Fourth Grade Environmental Improvement Project”

-University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Student Chapter of the Society of Ecological Restoration “Karner Blue Butterfly Habitat Restoration”

-Whitehall School District Agri-Science Department “Stream Restoration: Learning By Doing”

-Wisconsin DNR “Lemonweir Bottoms State Natural Area Site Reclamation and Invasive Species Removal”