Upper East River Fish & Wildlife Habitat Improvement
The Wisconsin DNR evaluated the Upper East River and determined the major barriers to sustainable fish and wildlife populations. The Brown County Land and Water Conservation team plans to combat these barriers by installing and promoting stream corridor buffers, edge of field practices, various habitat enhancements, and other restoration practices at four key sites. Ultimately, […]
Kinnickinnic River Trash Collector
As Milwaukee’s most urbanized watershed, the Kinnickinnic generates a high volume of trash. The river flows through a low-income community and has long been neglected, but in recent years projects are coming together to revitalize this corridor. Harbor District, Inc. is working to make the KK’s turnaround a source of community pride by installing and […]
Restoration and Invasive Species Control at WI State Natural Areas and surrounding Landscapes
Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas (SNAs), comprising 687 preserves across the state, facilitate valuable research and education, preserve genetic and biological diversity, provide refuges for rare species, and serve as benchmarks for determining impacts of use on managed lands. Yet invasive species and a lack of active management threatens many SNAs. Funding for this project supports […]
National Estuarine Research Reserve
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has selected UW-Green Bay as a preferred National Estuary Research Reserve (NERR) site, making Green Bay the third site in the Great Lakes and the sole representative for the Lake Michigan-Huron biogeographic region. Support from the Fund will create a position at UW-Green Bay responsible for completing the […]
Reconnecting Coldwater Habitat and Improving Road Stream Infrastructure Resiliency in NE Wisconsin
Road stream crossings such as undersized culverts or poorly constructed bridges can block the passage of aquatic organisms and lead to road flooding during heavy rain events. The barriers that restrict fish movement also isolate populations and decrease genetic diversity, which could impede the species’ ability to adapt to climate change. With the Fund’s support, […]
Planning for Resiliency in the East River Watershed
Due to recent severe flooding, the East River Watershed has become one of the highest loading sediment and nutrient tributaries to the bay of Green Bay. The Nature Conservancy will dedicate a full-time staff person to developing a publicly-supported and actionable restoration plan for the East River. The project will work with the communities of […]
UW Parkside Wetland and Mesic Forest Improvements
This 210-acre project site was a farm field when University of Wisconsin-Parkside purchased it in the 1960’s. The severely degraded site sits immediately south of the Pike River, which has seen extensive restoration efforts upstream, and the project has potential to meet several ecological goals in the area. For example, UW Parkside has recently been […]
Beerline Trail Plaza Green Infrastructure
The Beerline Trail Plaza has been a popular and safe gathering spot for residents and business owners to come together to celebrate the arts. The Fund’s first ever grant to Riverworks will improve this public amenity by addressing localized flooding and drainage issues that render the space unusable several times throughout the year. The Beerline […]
Promoting Soil Health in Ozaukee County with Cover Crop Seed
Ozaukee County is leading the way in efforts to work with farmer-led groups to address water issues. This project subsidizes the cost to farmers of purchasing seed for planting cover crops with the Ozaukee County-owned interseeder, helping reach Ozaukee County’s goal to plant between 1,500 and 2,000 acres of cover crops in 2020. The ultimate […]
Water School 2020
Each year, roughly 30 community leaders participate in Milwaukee Water Commons’ “Water School.” Participants discuss and learn about community issues like flooding, lack of water access, and water conservation and study green infrastructure plans and other aspects of Milwaukee’s Water City Agenda. This year, Milwaukee Water Commons will design a program to re-engage the 25 […]