Center for Land Use Education Annual Report July 2016 - June 2017
Key Accomplishments
Center Profile
The Center for Land Use Education (CLUE) is a joint venture of the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension (UWExtension) in collaboration with UW System institutions. It is a focal point for land use planning and management education, and represents the Wisconsin Idea at its best: The borders of the state are truly the border of the center’s work.
CLUE was established in 2000 to provide learning opportunities related to land use and related topics. Land use is impacted by a complex, and changing, set of issues that impact how we ultimately use the land. CLUE specialists, with input from our partners, continue to provide up-to-date, comprehensive education to help individuals and communities make well-informed land use decisions that result in a sustainable Wisconsin.
Mission: CLUE creates learning opportunities for communities to help them make sound land use decisions resulting in a sustainable Wisconsin.
Vision: Individuals and communities make well-informed land use decisions with conďŹ dence. Their decisions are legally, ethically, ecologically and economically sound. 4
Karen Blaha is a project associate. She holds a M.S. in Education from Northern Illinois University. She has a strong interest and is involved in local, sustainable food initiatives. Blaha supports CLUE staff and assists with publications and projects related to land use, sustainability and community food systems. Shiba Kar is an assistant professor and a sustainable energy specialist. Kar earned his Ph.D. in Forest Resources from Pennsylvania State University. He has a strong background and interest in teaching, collaborative research and outreach in energy policy and natural resources sustainability. Lynn Markham is a land use specialist. Markham has a M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Oregon. Her extension work focuses on land use tools and techniques to protect drinking water, lakes and streams; zoning and boards of adjustment/appeals; and sustainable communities. To assist communities, Markham provides research-based information, policy options and community case studies.
Staff Profiles
Anna Haines is the director of the center, a professor and a land use and community development specialist. Haines received her Ph.D. from UW-Madison in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Her extension, research and teaching focuses on planning and community development from a natural resources or environmental perspective, which includes comprehensive planning and planning implementation tools, such as zoning, and sustainable communities.
Rebecca Roberts is a land use specialist. She has a M.S. in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois. Roberts provides training workshops for plan commissions, zoning boards and other local land use officials. She also assists communities with comprehensive planning, public participation, plan implementation and the fiscal impacts of land use decisions. Aaron Thompson is an associate professor and a specialist. He received a Ph.D. from Purdue University and an M.S. in Natural Resource Planning. His extension, teaching and research focuses on using social data to understand key attitudinal characteristics that motivate agricultural landowners to engage in conservation efforts, to expand the use of spatial analysis techniques to visualize and respond to land use trends, and to identify pathways for improving public participation in the planning process.
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Partnerships
CLUE partners with local and state government, educational institutions and community groups to meet the needs of communities throughout Wisconsin. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources
UW-Extension State Specialists and County Educators Center for Community and Economic Development Center for Rural Entrepreneurship Center for Watershed Science and Educa on County Extension Educators Environmental Resources Center Local Government Center Lakes Program
Other Alliance for the Great Lakes eXtension Land Use Planning Community of Prac ce Local Government Ins tute of Wisconsin North Central Conservancy Trust Orton Family Founda on Ozaukee-Washington Land Trust U.S. Forest Service UW-Green Bay UW-Madison Department of Urban and Regional Planning Wisconsin Chapter of the American Planning Associa on Wisconsin County Code Administrators Wisconsin County Planning Directors Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin County, Municipal and Town Associa ons Wisconsin Wetlands Associa on
Grants were obtained from: Fund for Lake Michigan Oconto County Lake Management Planning U.S. Department of Agriculture/CSREES McIn re-Stennis U.S. Forest Service UW Extension Environmental Resources Center Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 6
The UW-Stevens Point natural resource planning major in the College of Natural Resources (CNR) prepares students to guide citizens in making community decisions, with a firm understanding of natural resource knowledge and social science skills. This ensures that our future planning professionals have a solid understanding of land use planning and its emerging challenges.
Teaching As a joint venture of UW-Stevens Point and UW-Extension, CLUE faculty and staff regularly participate in teaching activities on campus relating to land use and sustainability in Wisconsin. Three CLUE faculty, Anna Haines, Aaron Thompson, and Shiba Kar, hold partial appointments in the CNR and teach a variety of courses every year, including seven courses for the Natural Resource Planning major, four courses for the Sustainable Energy minor and two courses for graduate students. In addition, graduate students work with faculty on multiple projects. Rebecca Roberts and Lynn Markham participated as guest lecturers. Topics covered public participation, placemaking, land use, pesticides, and lakeshore management. Shiba Kar was a major advisor for Jake Slattery’s thesis work: Solar Photovoltaics (PV) Diffusion: Dimensions of Commercial and Industrial Energy Consumers in Wisconsin.
Student Success
The future of planning is cultivated on the UW-Stevens Point campus.
Anna Haines was a major advisor for Emily Usher’s thesis work: Landowner and Visitor Response to Landscape Restoration in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Aaron Thompson is currently advising Rebecca Wadleigh’s thesis work: Stakeholder-Driven Planning for Resilience in Wisconsin’s Forested Communities. Dr. Anna Haines and Emily Usher
Emily Usher was the recipient of the 2016-17 College of Natural Resources Outstanding Graduate Research Assistant Award.
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Student Success
Internships All Natural Resource Planning students are required to complete an internship. Haines oversees the program and currently monitors about 12 student internships. In the summer she visits each student in Wisconsin. Students work at federal, state, county and city agencies. They also work at land trusts and other organizations. Genevieve Adamski, NEON field intern, gathered data used to study the impacts of climate change, land use change and invasive species on natural resources and biodiversity. Ben Gutknecht, a Department of Transportation intern, worked on multiple projects including highway seeding guidelines, ArcGIS projects, and the Monarch conservation strategy.
Service Learning Many of the planning courses include service-learning components. Aaron Thompson creates opportunities for students studying Natural Resource Planning to engage directly with communities across Wisconsin. This year, students worked with the U.S. Forest Service, participating in the development of applied spatial, policy, and social science research to inform forest management planning for the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. The primary emphasis of this analysis was to identify future conservation targets, economic development goals, strategies for reducing conflict with new user groups (ATV and horseback trail riders) and enhancing visitor experience. Another group of Thompson’s students engaged in integrated resource management planning designed to support efforts to manage watershed issues for Bass Lake in Saint Croix County, WI.
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Students in Shiba Kar’s Integrated Natural Resource Management course contributed to the City of Stevens Point comprehensive plan through student projects on sustainability plan development. Kar’s Energy and Climate Change students completed projects provided energy policy and potential climate adaptation strategies to policy makers and local governments.
Shiba Kar’s students receive hands-on solar panel installa on instruc on at the Midwest Renewable Energy Associa on
As a part of UW-Extension, CLUE daily represents the Wisconsin Idea through our work in counties across the state. CLUE’s extension work is organized into three areas: training, publications and applied research. In 2016 CLUE topic areas included planning and zoning, land and water issues, transportation, sustainability, and related issues throughout the state.
Training CLUE provides training around the state on a variety of topics.
Planning and Zoning
Outreach
CLUE operates within the Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development (CNRED) program within the Cooperative Extension division of UW-Extension.
CLUE provides up-to-date, comprehensive training on planning and zoning that is modified to address specific local needs and interests. CLUE staff also regularly respond to land use questions from planning and zoning staff, past workshop participants, and others throughout the state. Rebecca Roberts conducts statewide Plan Commission workshops and related education. From July 2016 to June 2017, Roberts delivered seven plan commission workshops with emphasis on plan commission roles and responsibilities, comprehensive planning, zoning, subdivision regulations, and procedural responsibilities. These seven workshops reached over 250 local officials representing 75 units of government. Lynn Markham leads the development of Zoning Board workshops emphasizing the roles of the zoning board, the science and economics behind shoreland zoning and zoning board case law. Five Zoning Board Workshops were held throughout the state. Zoning workshops reached approximately 200 participants representing 58 units of government.
CLUE’s founda on publica ons include the Plan Commission Handbook (2012) and the Zoning Board Handbook (2006). CLUE provides electronic access to the handbooks free of charge on our website, and distributed more than 400 printed copies last year.
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Outreach
CLUE provides planning, zoning and leadership training through partnerships. Together with the Wisconsin County Code Administrators (WCCA), Lynn Markham co-coordinated and presented at the Zoning Leadership two-day program for new county zoning staff in January 2017. The program detailed the rationale behind types of zoning, the practicalities of administering zoning, and developing a network of zoning professionals. Twenty new zoning staff participated in the program.
“This training provides us with knowledge that will be very useful to us professionally. It provides us with an opportunity to compare and contrast the differences in how various coun es from around Wisconsin do things.” 2017 Wisconsin Zoning Leadership Workshop Par cipant
Markham also partnered with the West Central Wisconsin Zoning Association Administrative Assistant to present Zoning, Shoreland Zoning and Board of Adjustment Decisions for eighteen attendees in February 2017. Anna Haines continued development and conducted pilot presentations of the Land Use Activity with a future goal of publication. The activity, designed to be fun and interactive, involves participants in developing two communities, one unplanned and one planned. Discussion explores the issues and challenges of community growth and change, and community cooperation and conflict. This activity is targeted for students, officials and community members who know very little about land use planning and zoning.
Land Use Ac vity
Rebecca Roberts, Lynn Markham and Karen Blaha began development of a new web-based training program for plan commissioners and zoning board officials. The training includes text, video and resources to guide local officials in their roles and responsibilities. The content focuses on relevant laws, procedures and tools. Development is ongoing and will include testing and refinement before launching.
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2017 Wisconsin Zoning Leadership Workshop Par cipants
Rebecca Roberts and Aaron Thompson are working in partnership with the Alliance for the Great Lakes to facilitate multi-sector community conversations in the Green Bay and Lower Fox River Basin. The group is focused on developing community vision, building community capacity and supporting common action. Following their kickoff meeting in June, sector roundtables are planned for Fall 2017 and Winter 2018.
Land and Water Land use has an impact on Wisconsin waters. A growing segment of CLUE’s work helps decision makers understand these connections and make informed decisions. Lynn Markham presented groundwater protection information at the Wisconsin Land and Water Conference in Elkhart Lake and the Local Elected Leadership Conference in Middleton. She also presented information about community involvement in groundwater protection to members of the Chicago Center for Conservation Leadership Youth Group at UW-Stevens Point.
Outreach
Community Development
Markham presented shoreland zoning information and updates at the 2017 Wisconsin Lakes Convention and the Wisconsin Land and Water Conference. She co-presented to members of the Wisconsin Counties Association Shoreland Zoning Task Force and Agriculture, Environment and Land Use steering committee.
Sustainability CLUE is regularly involved in sustainability issues. Shiba Kar has consistently focused on sustainability and climate change matters. Kar presented workshops on home energy efficiency, climate change and climate and water adaptation issues and continues to work with local government on sustainable energy strategies. Lynn Markham continued to share data on pesticides in drinking water and food and their effects on health. She spoke about pesticide impacts at the Early Childhood Education Conference in Menomonie, at the Midwest Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair in Custer and at two UW-Stevens Point Natural Resources classes.
Aaron Thompson as a member of the UW-Extension Community Vitality & Placemaking team, received the 2017 Wisconsin Top Rural Development Initiative for their work with the Baileys Harbor community in designs for new residential development, sustainability and downtown revitalization efforts.
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Outreach
Publications CLUE creates a variety of publications annually to reach our audiences.
Land Use Megatrends Series Each year CLUE releases a new publication in the Land Use Megatrends series. Using maps, data and images, the series highlights emerging policies and trends impacting land use in Wisconsin. Haines, Roberts, Markham, Kar, Blaha and Nathan Sandwick (UW-Extension), collaborated to produce the Land Use Megatrends: Transportation publication released in Winter 2017. Topics included how people and goods move throughout the state, social aspects of transportation, land use policy, economics, human and environmental health, and emerging trends. Haines and Roberts are working on the next issue of Megatrends, which will focus on Forests. This is an update to a previous Forests edition.
Shoreland Lynn Markham authored and published Fish Hotel, a 32 page full-color children’s book that shows how leaving trees in lakes benefit fish and other animals. It accompanies the adult publication on the same topic, A Second Life for Trees in Lakes. Markham distributed over 500 copies of Fish Hotel and the accompanying poster to 136 nature centers, 80 public libraries, 28 county-wide lake associations and several individuals who purchased it. She also designed an accompanying poster that summarizes key points in Fish Hotel. Fish Hotel was effectively publicized through press releases, UW-Extension Lakes newsletter, website and Facebook reaching 555 people.
“What a truly wonderful book this is! The illustra ons are astounding! The last picture blew me away...by showing what could be and should be possible with real lake stewardship... This is a brilliant book! 12
Engbretson Underwater Photography
Markham’s work with youth this year included leading discussions and interactive exercises about fish hotels, how to write a book and help fish and how shoreland zoning affects fish. She reached children through the Portage County Library, Woodside Elementary in Wisconsin Rapids and UW Stevens Point College Days for Kids.
Sustainability Lynn Markham regularly posts articles about community sustainability to the Central Wisconsin Sustainability Blog and Facebook page which has over 420 followers. Markham and Karen Blaha collaborate to deliver a bi-monthly sustainability newsletter that highlights current articles that include pesticide, local food, energy, water and climate change issues reaching over 135 subscribers.
Outreach
Markham also published the 9th annual article, Keeping Lakes in the Family: Children’s Books Help Us Share the Magic of Lakes, through UW-Extension Lakes Fall 2017 Lake Tides newsletter which reaches over 30,000 readers. The article recommends children’s books about water activities enjoyed at lakes.
Presentations Anna Haines, Shiba Kar and Aaron Thompson conducted a total of 14 scholarly presentations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The following presentations are a sampling of their work: Haines, Anna. 2017. Local Regulations and Nonmetallic Mining, American Institute of Professional Geologists, Sand Mine Life Cycle Seminar, Eau Claire, WI. Haines, Anna & Thompson, Aaron. 2017. Agricultural Land, Farms and Other Statistics, Food, Land & Water Project, Working Lands Workgroup. Madison, WI. Haines, Anna & Moss, Myra. 2017. A Dialogue Prompt for Housing and Land Use Policy in a New Administration, National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) Conference, Big Sky, MT. Haines, Anna. 2017. Foundation of Practice in Community Development Level 3 Sustainable Communities: Introduction to Sustainable Communities. eXtension & North Central Regional Center for Rural Development.
NACDEP poster par cipa on
Kar, Shiba. 2017. Landowners’ perception and interest in growing bioenergy crops in Washington State, National Extension Energy Summit, Knoxville, TN. Thompson, Aaron, Paulson, N. 2017. Keynote Speaker. Change Society, Change Individuals, Change Water Quality: Integrating Social Science in Lake Planning. Northwest Wisconsin Lakes Conference: Hayward, Wisconsin. Thompson, Aaron, Peroff, D. 2017. Social Science Tools. Wisconsin Water Thinkers Network Gathering: Green Lake, Wisconsin. Thompson, Aaron. 2017. Foundation of Practice in Community Development Level 3 Sustainable Communities: Natural Resources. eXtension & North Central Regional Center for Rural Development.
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Applied Research
The role of research is a critical one as embedded in the Wisconsin Idea. CLUE conducts research focused on planning and zoning issues, and offers mapping and spatial analytic services. GIS Research Mapping is a powerful way of illustrating land use issues. CLUE student staff create maps that tell the story of land use as it relates to a variety of topics. Eric Sonnleitner and Chris Anderson, Land Use Planning majors, began data collection and creation of maps for the upcoming Megatrends Forest. The maps will include data on forest health, management, economics and local policy.
Land and Water Land and lake planning and management relies on applied research. CLUE conducts policy review, mapping and analysis, and social science research to assist decision-making in these activities. Integration of applied social science research that enhances watershed planning and management efforts across Wisconsin is an area where CLUE continues to grow our programming to support local communities. A multi-year partnership initiated by Aaron Thompson with the Green Lake Association is a perfect example of how engaging social science research can provide critical information to support collaboration between agricultural producers and lake stakeholders. CLUE staff developed a landowner survey tailored to the needs of local conservation professionals that will be used to develop new programs, policies, and partnerships to support water quality protection efforts in Big Green Lake. In addition, Thompson led efforts to expand capacity to support human dimensions of water research through new partnerships with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Water Thinkers Network, UW-Extension Lakes, Alliance for the Great Lakes, and many others.
In 2017, Aaron Thompson earned the Quality of Teaching - Team Award from the Wisconsin Extension Environmental & Community Development Association. 14
Aaron Thompson led the development of a GIS modeling process to identify forested areas of special conservation significance in northern Wisconsin. Building upon this regional landscape analysis, a team of CLUE researchers worked to identify towns where development pressure places additional stress on forest conservation efforts. Private forest landowners CLUE interns, Mike Mills and in fifteen of these communities were asked to Eric Sonnleitner work on GIS participate in a survey assessing attitudes toward urban mapping development, land conservation options, and changing forest conditions. This work will guide the development of new approaches to coordinate landscape protection efforts amongst different stakeholders and improve local decision making related to identifying areas for growth and for conservation.
Applied Research
Conserva on Planning
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Applied Research
Anna Haines and graduate student, Emily Usher, completed research in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to assess visitor, nearby landowner, and regional resident values and perceptions before and after restoration activities occur as parts of it are restored from forest cover to the open conditions of the historic pine barrens. Emily Usher’s completed her thesis, Landowner and Visitor Response to Landscape Restoration in the ChequamegonNicolet National Forest. This research provides valuable information to the United States Forest Service (USFS) managers and contributes to the literature regarding impacts of landscape restoration on human communities. Haines, Usher and others are working on reports and manuscripts based on this work.
Sustainability Shiba Kar and graduate student, Jacob Slattery, completed research that examined factors influencing the adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy technology by Wisconsin’s business sector. Slattery also examined the barriers and challenges businesses encounter in employing solar technology. Data collected over the course of this study will help generate a more transparent community of information central to renewable energy technology diffusion and innovation. It contributes to assisting policy makers in tailoring smarter interventions to make the adoption of solar PV easier for corporate sector energy consumers.
Professional Publica ons Anna Haines worked on several manuscripts focused on wetlands, regulations, forest parcelization and an article based on the graduate work of Emily Usher. Haines also reviewed eight articles for peer-reviewed journals including, but not limited to, the Journal of Planning Education and Research, Journal of the Community Development Society, Journal of Environmental Management, and Landscape and Urban Planning. Shiba Kar worked on four manuscripts with emphasis in bioenergy crops, landowner perceptions and energy consumption density. Three were submitted and are under review. Kar also reviewed two articles for two peer-reviewed journals, Forest Policy and Economics and Small-scale Forestry. Aaron Thompson worked on six manuscripts. Two were submitted and are under review. Thompson also reviewed articles for the Landscape Journal, the Journal of Agricultural & Human Values and the Journal of American Water Resources Association.
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UW-Extension Climate Change Task Force (Haines, Kar)
Service
Service is an expectation of UWStevens Point and UW-Extension, and allows staff to share expertise and participate in governance activities. Community Vitality & Placemaking Team (Thompson) Land Use and Wetlands Training Team (Haines, Roberts)
College of Natural Resources Academic Advising, approximately 20 students per faculty member (Haines, Thompson, Kar) Building Commi ee (Haines) Dean’s Council (Haines) Human Dimensions Natural Resource Management Strategic Planning (Roberts, facilitator) Interna onal Programs Commi ee (Haines) Internship Commi ee (Haines) Major Night Presenta on Program (Thompson, coordinator) Search and Screen Commi ee for Human Dimensions faculty posi on (Haines; Kar) Graduate Commi ee (Thompson, Chair, HDNRM representa ve) Land Conserva on Society (Thompson, faculty advisor) Student Research Symposium (Kar, Commi ee member, judge)
UW-Stevens Point Commencement Student Speaker Selec on Commi ee (Kar) Diversity Council (Kar) Graduate Council (Thompson, CNR representa ve) Ins tu onal Review Board (IRB) Commi ee (Haines) Search and Screen Commi ee for Director of Diversity and College Access (Kar) Student Government Associa on Green Fund (Kar, steering commi ee) Campus Solar Poten al Assessment (Kar, Student Intern Supervisor)
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Service
State and Na onal American Planning Associa on (APA) - Wisconsin Chapter (Roberts, Board of Directors) APA-Minnesota Chapter Awards, (Roberts, reviewer) Department of Natural Resources Shoreland Team (Markham) EPA 2016 Environmental Educa on Model Grants Program (Haines, reviewer) eXtension Land Use Planning Community of Prac ce (Haines, Treasurer; Roberts) Green Bay Conserva on Partners: Landscape Blueprint Conserva on Plan (Thompson) Journal of Planning, Research and Educa on (Haines, editorial board) North Central Conservancy Trust (Thompson, board of directors) WWA, Wetlands Science Advisory Conference (Haines, poster judge) Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (Roberts, grant reviewer) Wisconsin Water Thinkers Network (Thompson, leadership team) Food, Land and Water Project, Working Lands Workgroup, Land + Water Conserva on Associa on (Haines, co-chair; Thompson) Wisconsin Ini a ve on Climate Change Impacts, Sustainable Communi es (Haines, co-chair; Kar) Wisconsin State Energy Extension Partnership Ini a ve (Kar) Wisconsin State Wood Energy Team (Kar)
Community Airport Commission, Stevens Point, WI (Haines) Central Rivers Farmshed Local Food School Fundraiser (Markham) Green Team at Frame Presbyterian Church (Markham) Jensen Center/Amherst Youth Soccer (Roberts) McKinley Center Elementary School, Junior Achievement Program (Kar) North Central Conservancy Trust (Thompson, President ) Plan Commission, City of Stevens Point (Haines) Shama, Inc. (Kar) Stevens Point Area League of Women Voters (Markham) Water and Sewer Commission, Stevens Point, WI (Haines)
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Notes The Center for Land Use Education annual report includes activities from July 2016 through June 2017. This report is available on the CLUE website on the About Us page: www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/clue/pages/about.aspx. All photos are courtesy of CLUE. An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX, Title VI and American with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. La Universidad de Wisconsin-Extensión, un empleador con igualdad de oportunidades y acción afirmativa (EEO/AA), proporciona igualdad de oportunidades en empleo y programas, incluyendo los requisitos del Título IX (Title IX), Título VI (Title VI) y de la Ley para Americanos con Discapacidades (ADA). Copyright © 2017 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, d/b/a the Division of Cooperative Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
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Center for Land Use Educa on University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 800 Reserve Street Stevens Point, WI 54481 www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/clue www.facebook.com/uwex.clue