Come to the Wisconsin Lakes Convention and get inspired by this entrepreneurial environmentalist!  Chad will speak to the group about the trials and triumphs of learning to navigate political as well as physical landscapes, while cleaning up 4 million tons of trash in our nations waterways.

 

Chad has come a long way from single-handedly pulling garbage out of the Mississippi River in his backyard 11 years ago. He established Living Lands & Waters (LL&W), a nonprofit organization, in 1998, and over the past ten years has grown this effort from one sponsor of $4800 to hundreds of corporate and individual sponsors with funding to run four barges, pay several full-time staff members and clean hundreds of thousands of miles of rivers and watersheds. LL&W conducts community river cleanups, educational workshops, riverbed restoration projects, the MillionTrees Project and Adopt-A-River Mile. Chad believes that individuals can make a difference by cleaning up our earth piece by piece. His commitment to this belief is evident and unfaltering.

 

Jeff Bode

Friday, Plenary Session

The Wisconsin’s Lakes Partnership is often cited as a national model for successful lake protection.  The model builds on a trusting relationship linking concerned citizens, lake organizations, local municipalities and state agencies and institutions.  Jeff will take us on a journey covering 30 years of learning from lakes and each other.  He will examine the effectiveness of the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership in addressing water quality, invasive species, water levels, stemming the loss of lake shore habitat and water use conflict issues on our inland lakes.  Jeff will remind us why we carry on this strong tradition of our Partnership and how we can continue to preserve and protect our legacy of WI lakes.

 

Jeff Bode has dedicated his professional and private life to the study of lakes and the people around them. His water studies include Limnology at the University of Wisconsin at the Center for Great Lakes Studies.  Since 1990 Jeff has been Chief of  The Wisconsin's Lakes, Wetlands & Aquatic Invasive Species Section in Madison, for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.  Over the past two decades Jeff has worked with the Wisconsin Association of Lakes and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, among others to develop a rich collection of tools such as grants, educational efforts and legislation.  These tools made possible efforts such as:

In 1998, Jeff was recognized for his work on lakes when he received the Wisconsin Lakes Stewardship Award from the WI Lakes Partnership for his accomplishments in community-based lake management.  Jeff says, “ that although he has worked on WI lakes for over thirty years, he never tires because WI lake people are so dedicated and WI lakes are so intriguing.”

 

Bill O'Connor

Friday, Plenary

The Nature of Lakes

 

Matthew J. Frank

Friday, Welcome

Appointed by Governor Doyle in September of 2007, Secretary Matthew Frank brings environmental enforcement experience and a love for the outdoors to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.  Among other important issues, Secretary Frank has prioritized developing a statewide water conservation strategy and curbing the spread of invasive species. 

 

Pat Rivers

Thursday, Lunch

Pat Rivers is the Project Manager for the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership.  He has worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for the past nine years.  His work experience includes stream trout management in southeastern MN and fisheries management on Leech Lake.  He received his undergraduate and M.S. degrees in Fisheries from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul.  Pat has been a national and Minnesota state member of the American Fisheries Society since 1995 and has served as the Minnesota Chapter Secretary/ Treasurer and Salmonid Technical Committee representative. 

 

Randy J. Stark

Thursday, Dinner

As the Chief Conservation Warden of the Bureau of Law Enforcement for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Randy Stark, along with his management team, is responsible for crafting policies and overseeing operations of the 208 wardens across the state.  Based on historical trends, Wisconsin-born and raised Stark believes that to protect and enhance our natural resources, we need to incorporate community wardening, coalition building, education and enforcement.  He is a proponent of public involvement, including Wisconsin's youth, when it comes to discussing issues and making informed decisions that impact our environment.

Randy's presentation will focus on some key people, challenges and events that shaped the history of the conservation movement in the United States since early 1800's.  He will tell the conservation story in a manner that he hopes will stimulate appreciation for the foresight, dedication and sacrifice of those who came before us, and provide inspiration to us in our day to tackle current conservation challenges on behalf of future generations.

 

Garey Bies, 1st Assembly District

Friday, Lake Stewardship Award Lunch

Representative Garey Bies (R - Sister Bay) serves the 1st Assembly District which covers Door and Kewaunee Counties.  He was elected to the Assembly in 2000.  Rep. Bies currently serves on the Assembly Natural Resource Committee and on the Tourism, Recreation and State Properties Committee.  This past legislative session Rep. Bies introduced in the Assembly that would institute a statewide restriction on the use of phosphorus in lawn fertilizer, modeled after Dane County’s successful ordinance. This bill passed the Senate in January. While this bill did not pass the full Assembly, it was strongly supported by lake constituents and the Wisconsin Association of lakes, and received a lot of attention by policy makers.

 

Garey Bies Assembly web page: http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=Assembly&district=1&display=committee

Thursday, 7:30-8:45pm

 

Wisconsin Lakes Convention Welcome Reception

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Friday Evening Activities

Friday, 8:00-11:00pm

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