2021 Annual Report

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When you come together for conservation

Anything is Possible I

’ve always believed that protecting our natural world is among the highest callings of humanity. However, during such uncertain times—while the world faces a global pandemic, political instability and war, and a climate that continues to warm unabated— some might suggest that our work to protect Wisconsin’s natural heritage and efforts to connect people to the land, and each other, is trivial by comparison. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While spending time over the holidays with my family in Banff, Canada, I was reminded of why we do the important conservation work we do, and why we do it together. Yes, it’s most certainly to protect the diversity of life and the natural systems that support and buoy humanity, but it’s also to share the beauty and wonder of nature with our community and those we love.

These shared experiences are written in our very DNA. For thousands of years, humans have seen sunrises and sunsets over beautiful landscapes, together. We’ve experienced natural phenomena that’s inspired spiritual meaning and awakening, together. It is the sharing of this wonder, beauty, and majesty of the world that makes life so special and sublime.

It is also in sharing that we find our inspiration and our commitment to one another—and perhaps one of the only ways to find lasting solutions to the environmental challenges ahead.

On the following pages, you’ll see examples of how your support is helping to create

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shared experiences and solutions that build a more hopeful future. Together, we’re building a more resilient Wisconsin while engaging and fostering a community of people that reflects our diversity and strengths. These stories of 2021 illustrate our commitment to sharing something bigger than ourselves.

In a year with such overwhelming uncertainty, 2021 taught me that by standing together we can build a more hopeful, diverse, peaceful, and beautiful world for our children and the generations that follow. Thank you for being a part of our collective journey, and for being a partner in the good and important work we do together at the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin.

With gratitude,

David Clutter Executive Director

The “Good Berry” of Spur Lake gets some good help

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enturies ago, their Ojibwe ancestors migrated from the East to find the place where “the food grows on the water.” In 1806, their tribe fought the Sioux to control the wild rice beds their ancestors led them to. Now, a new generation of the Sokaogon Chippewa are working to secure the future of this culturally and spiritually important plant.

Unfortunately, habitat loss due to climate change and overdevelopment has taken its toll on native rice plants. The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) estimates about half of the wild rice that once grew in Wisconsin is now gone and has named wild rice as the most vulnerable plant species to climate change.

To help restore wild rice beds found at Spur Lake State Natural Area in Oneida County, the Foundation, with support from the Brico Fund, is collaborating with partners to address climate resiliency head on. This project is a partnership with the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and others who have formed the Spur Lake Working Group. Together, they research, plan, and

implement changes to the property that consider the impacts of climate change, with the goal of making this site, including its wild rice beds, more resilient to changing climate conditions.

YOUTH PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE Sage, Hutson, Macy, Serena, Chloe, and Annika are teenagers who want to help. In recent years they were hired by the tribe’s Environmental Department to help on a variety of projects, including the Spur Lake wild rice restoration. The students helped remove beaver dams on Twin Lakes Creek, which forms the outlet of Spur Lake.

The beaver dams were artificially elevating the water level and reducing wild rice habitat within the lake.

“During workdays, they were able to develop a tangible connection to a lake that has been important to their community for so long,” says Nathan Podany, a hydrologist with the Sokaogon Chippewa Community.

“In the coming years, the ultimate manifestation of success would be for the youth who worked on Twin Lakes Creek to be able to harvest rice on Spur Lake and to know that their effort paid off.”

DNR regional ecologist Carly Lapin uses a tool to remove lily pads. Photo by Ben Meyer/WXPR.

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Protecting Wisconsin’s Birds— at Home and Away

Photo by Nick Bayly.

Birdathon donors make a difference for neotropical migrants

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merican Robins, Baltimore Orioles and Western Meadowlarks were the playlist for Barbara Duerksen’s childhood. They sang from the cottonwood trees and barbed wire fence while Barbara and her mother spent hours poring over a bird guide, figuring out what they were hearing and seeing on their Kansas farm.

When Barbara moved to Wisconsin in 1974, she was thrilled to discover even more songbirds—warblers, thrushes, vireos, and more. “Spring migration was an amazing show for me,” she said. Over the decades, birds have remained an important part of Barbara’s life in Wisconsin. She’s participated in bird surveys for the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, created bird habitat on her farm, and joined hundreds of bird-lovers in the Foundation’s Great Wisconsin Birdathon.

Last year, Barbara’s Birdathon team, Motmot Crew, joined 65 teams statewide to raise

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$108,000 for the Foundation’s Bird Protection Fund. She was inspired not only by the joy birds have brought her, but by their loss—North America’s birds are vanishing from Wisconsin’s fields and forests. According to a 2019 report published by Science, three billion birds have vanished across North America since 1970, a 29% decrease, and Baltimore Orioles are down 40 percent. Scientists say the loss of habitat is the biggest problem.

The good news is that Birdathon participants and donors like Barbara are helping make sure our beloved migratory birds have the habitat they need when they travel from Wisconsin to Latin America, through support of the Neotropical Flyways Project. The Foundation’s Bird Protection Fund has supported this project’s groundbreaking migration discoveries since 2018, and this past year alone granted $25,000 to the Neotropical Flyways Project

and its partners, Colombia-based nonprofit SELVA and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

TIMELY RESEARCH Revealing these secrets of migration is vitally important because migration is by far the most dangerous time for birds, accounting for 60-70% of annual bird loss.

“To safeguard the habitats that provide the fuel for journeys spanning continents and oceans, we first need to know where they are and when and how birds use them,” says Nick Bayly, the researcher leading the effort with SELVA. The Neotropical Flyways Project trains and equips local biologists and birdwatchers in nine countries to conduct bird surveys and research to see where birds stop, how long they stop, and the relative importance of different sites to providing birds the energy they need.

The goal is to use that knowledge to promote and support conservation programs in critical regions. As part of this effort, the Neotropical Flyways Project is also creating the next generation of conservation biologists and advocates in Latin America. “Already, people trained through the project are leading bird conservation efforts in their own local communities,” Bayly says.

That’s music to Barbara’s ears.

Foundation’s Grantmaking Soars

219 conservation projects

$1,109,816 granted across the state

134 grantee organizations

483 acres of land restored

3,524 people participated in projects

2,047 children participated in projects

30 State Natural Areas supported

Would you like to help?

Each year, Barbara rallies her team of birders and raises funds for the Great Wisconsin Birdathon. You can too!

The Birdathon is free and all skill levels are welcome. Funds go to our Bird Protection Fund, which supports the Neotropical Flyways Project, Piping Plover conservation, Whooping Crane reintroduction, and more.

Photo by Richard Armstrong.

Visit WIBirdathon.org to register or donate.

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Partners in Pollinator Protection M

onarchs flew into Carol Labuzzetta’s life 22 years ago—literally. “I was driving U.S. Highway 53 south from Holmen in the fall when 50 to 60 monarchs flew in front of my van. I had never seen anything like it in the past or ever again … the sheer number of them flying together. It was a moment of awe.”

That moment was an awakening for Carol, where she realized she could play a role in helping monarch butterflies. For the past two decades, she’s been planting milkweed and wildflowers that monarchs need— and sharing her enthusiasm with anyone wanting to make a difference. Her passion and drive to act now are grounded in hard data. Monarch populations have dropped 80% over the last 20 years. Loss of native milkweed and wildflowers are driving the decline, though climate change and other factors are also playing a role.

Carol sees herself as inspiring action.

She gives presentations to schools, civic groups, and gardeners about these iconic black and orange beauties and how to help them. “My talks shifted from, ‘This is the monarch life cycle, it’s cool!’ to ‘Monarchs are in trouble—we’ve got to do something!’” she says.

WHAT DO MONARCHS NEED MOST? The answer lies in the creation and protection of pollinator habitat—and on top of that, the funding, the partners, and the volunteers like Carol who can make that habitat a home for breeding monarchs.

That’s why the Foundation secured a $100,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund with funding support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Shell Oil Company, and Bayer Crop Science. The grant was matched by the Foundation’s Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Fund and is enabling the restoration and improvement of nearly

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2,000 acres of pollinator habitat across southwestern Wisconsin.

Foundation volunteers like Carol were trained on monarch monitoring techniques and have been surveying sites across a dozen public lands in southwestern Wisconsin, including Governor Dodge State Park, Hogback Prairie State Natural Area, and Yellowstone Wildlife Area. Partner organizations like the Wisconsin DNR are planting native prairie and milkweed across this network of habitat—a big step to reaching Wisconsin’s statewide goal to plant 120 million milkweed plants by 2038.

This partnership also includes the Driftless Area Land Conservancy’s Southern Driftless Grasslands initiative, which is using some of the grant funding to work with private landowners to add habitat near the project sites, helping to expand the project footprint and create a corridor of habitat for pollinators.

DNR Driftless Area District Ecologist, Armund Bartz, says the partner-based funding is vastly accelerating restoration work at two of his sites, Rush Creek and Hogback Prairie State Natural Areas.

“We run on gifts and grants and it’s very expensive to plant prairie,” he says.

“Normally, we might plant 5 or 10 acres.”

This partnership with the Foundation allows 40-acre plantings with more species diversity. It’s on a scale that will truly help make a difference.

WHAT’S NEXT? “Everybody can help monarchs,” Carol says. “Planting milkweed and spreading the word about how important habitat is are the two most important things you can do.” Learn about planting milkweed and improving pollinator habitat with resources from our partners at the Wisconsin Monarch Collaborative, Monarch Joint Venture, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, and the Wisconsin DNR.

Did you know?

Monarch butterflies smell and taste with their antennae and legs which are covered with sensory cells called chemoreceptors. These chemoreceptors help monarchs find milkweed to lay their eggs on. Wisconsin’s prairies are especially important for monarchs and other pollinators in trouble. Fifty-four of Wisconsin’s 72 counties are part of the core breeding ground for the eastern migratory population of monarchs. Milkweed is the only source of food monarch caterpillars will eat and adult monarchs feed on a wide variety of native wildflowers. It’s going to take a team effort to ensure they survive. That’s why your support of these conservation efforts is so important.

Photo by Eric Preston.

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170

2,575

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Field Trips

Participants

Partners

28 60,000+ Years

Lives Changed!

Photo by Beth Meyerand.

Thank you for a fantastic 2021 Field Trip Season! To find a field trip in your area, check out the 2022 Field Trip Guidebook at wisconservation.org/field-trips/guidebook

Inspiring Youth Who Care W

ith a barred owl on her arm and wonder in her eyes, Elsa shows us what the future of conservation looks like.

For several years now, Elsa Moritz and her mom, Beth Meyerand of Middleton, WI, have been participating in the Foundation’s Field Trip Program. This annual program provides opportunities for people all over Wisconsin to connect to nature in ways that are meaningful to them.

Elsa’s eyes light up when she talks about her adventures. “The field trips are always way cooler than you think a nature hike is going to be. It’s like walking into a nature documentary—but it’s right here in Wisconsin! It’s totally mindblowing how much cool stuff is just in our backyard. It’s a really unique experience that I’ve never quite gotten at summer camps or other extracurricular activities; it’s totally next level!”

feelings of confidence, purpose, and belonging. And for Elsa, her field trip experiences fostered passion and leadership among her peers.

Her mom, Beth, smiles, “Because I have always loved nature so much myself, it is profoundly meaningful to have played a role in exposing Elsa to the unique beauty we have in Wisconsin. I am so proud that as an adult she wants to play an important role in preserving the natural world around us.”

FIELD TRIPS IGNITE ACTION Elsa has enrolled in a science curriculum at Madison Country Day School called Environmental Science and Society. It’s a two-year sequence for high school juniors and seniors in the International Baccalaureate program who are passionate about the environment. She also started a social awareness and activism club at school with several environmental

“The Foundation trips were a priceless bonding experience for us, creating memories we'll both cherish for a lifetime, and igniting in her a passion and love of nature.”

For many teenagers in Wisconsin, high school should be a time to explore the world around them and potentially discover a passion that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

With so many distractions from electronics and social media, the average child can spend up to 44 hours per week in front of a screen, and less than 10 minutes a day outdoors.

The Field Trip Program helps to address this obstacle and connect children and families to nature, close to home. For young people especially, nature encourages

causes and joined the Dane County Youth Environmental Activist group.

Her mom is proud. Like many adults, Beth believes young people are the future of conservation and it’s up to us to get them outdoors in Wisconsin’s special lands, waters, and wildlife.

“I would strongly encourage adults to take the children in their lives on as many Foundation Field Trips as they can. The trips themselves can be so much fun for kids, but it's what happens afterward that's really special. Watching kids recall what they saw and learned, and then incorporate it into their worldview is incredibly special.”

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Bringing New Faces To The Field The Foundation launches new Diversity in Conservation Internship Program

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rian Duong was thrilled to find himself at the bottom of a future manure pit.

The earthy smell of clay and layers of soil types that surrounded him presented a new puzzle he hoped to unlock.

The Lawrence University junior used a small shovel to pry loose a soil sample for testing. He listened intently as the soil scientists, engineers, and a farmer explained why some soil had a bluish tint and what soil layers revealed about the land before it was a forest. The task at hand? Building a manure pit that would protect water quality over the long haul.

“I’m soaking in these opportunities and making the most of them,” says Brian, part of the first cohort of students in the Foundation’s Diversity in Conservation Internship Program. “I’m a first-generation college student,” he explains. “My dad emigrated from Vietnam when he was nine years old. Opportunities like this weren’t present in my parents’ lives.”

Brian, along with two other students, received a $5,000 stipend for his summer work with conservation partners.

“We recognize that the conservation field historically has not been inclusive, equitable, or diverse,” says Cait Williamson, Director of Conservation Programs. “This new internship program is one way we can take action with our partners to help diversify Wisconsin’s conservation community and provide meaningful experiences for the next generation of conservationists.”

Oftentimes, traditional internships do not provide a stipend, which can discourage many talented and qualified applicants to pursue fields in natural resource protection, land conservation,

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and water resource management. By providing pay and bringing interns together for weekly mentoring and seminars, the Foundation’s new internship program hopes to be attractive to students from all walks of life, including those with diverse backgrounds.

OPPORTUNITY SPARKS INTEREST Paired with Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist Julie Peterson, Brian helped inspect farms with permanent conservation easements that protect wildlife habitat while also allowing for farming. Brian met and learned from engineers, soil scientists, tribal elders, school groups, waterfowl ecologists, prairie botanists, private landowners, and more.

“These interactions keep students engaged and provide exposure to the technical side of natural resource conservation. It shows how networking with partners is so important in accomplishing conservation on the landscape,” Julie says.

Brian agrees. “This summer experience has been nothing but eye-opening for me. So much so, that I added a geoscience minor to my degree because I am now interested in taking soil science classes, something I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. Through this entire experience, I can now see a possible future in conservation for myself and I hope that both my academic and personal career will stay connected within the field of conservation.”

That’s exactly what the Foundation hopes for Brian and future students of this growing program.

The Diversity in Conservation Internship Program was funded in 2021

by Foundation donors and the We Energies Foundation. Its goal is to ensure that the future conservationists of Wisconsin reflect the diversity of those interested in making a difference. The Foundation is grateful for our partnership with last summer’s host organizations, including the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust, Pheasants Forever, and Wisconsin Wetlands Association, as well as our academic partner Lawrence University who co-developed this program with the Foundation.

Learn more about this program, including how you can donate to support the next cohort of interns, by visiting wisconservation.org/diversity-in-conservation-internship

Photo courtesy of Brian Duong.

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Our way of life depends on healthy waters

You Can Make All The Difference

Photo by Joshua Mayer.

Wisconsin is changing. Our rivers, lakes, and streams face new development pressures with each passing year. By making a planned gift through your will today, you can protect the Wisconsin you love beyond your own lifetime.

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Photo by Eric Ian Photography

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or Bill Cairns, the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway is a second home. This iconic stretch of river, which runs 92.3 miles from the dam at Prairie du Sac to its mouth at the Mississippi River, does more than just ebb and flow—it inspires.

Bill grew up in nature, hunting and fishing Wisconsin’s lands and waters. With a lifetime of experiences under his belt, he cherishes the interconnectedness of all living things. He’s spent hours tracking deer in the fall and watching wood ducks return in spring along the Riverway.

He knows the river’s currents and backwaters, and how its waters change with the season. Now in his 70’s, his eyes twinkle as he smiles at the many birds and critters flitting around the water’s edge. “I’ve seen a lot, during my life, and I know what it means to see something disappear. We can’t assume this place, and these birds will be here forever. We need to do something now to help make that possible; the Lower Wisconsin Riverway is a land worth protecting and enjoying,” says Bill.

That can-do attitude is the power behind Bill’s planned gift, a gift that will ensure future generations can walk, fish, or watch wildlife along the river.

Thanks to his compassion and convictions, Bill is directing his planned gift to a newly established endowment fund he’s created through the Foundation, called the William Floyd Cairns Birds of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway Conservation Fund. This fund

will help conserve native Wisconsin birds and support the conservation, restoration, preservation, and enhancement of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway.

Now and after his lifetime, Foundation staff will direct the proceeds from Bill’s fund on an annual basis to local conservation groups working on the Riverway.

“I believe that we should leave a place better than we found it, and I find great peace in knowing my love for the Riverway will be carried forth along its currents for generations to come.”

“I can’t tell you how delighted I am with the establishment of this dedicated fund.

The Riverway is such a unique and beautiful place,” reflects Bill. “I believe that we should leave a place better than we found it, and I find great peace in knowing my love for the Riverway will be carried forth along its currents for generations to come. It is my hope that the Fund will inspire the community to get involved in its protection so that the Riverway’s birds and its habitats will be cared for in the future. The Riverway has been a wonderful gift to me in my lifetime, and I’m happy to give back to it.”

You can make a Legacy Gift that feels right to you For confidential discussions related to planned giving options that include gifts of land, naming a conservation purpose or organization in your will, trust, or estate plan, and how to tap into the Foundation’s services, please contact David Clutter at (608) 409-3120. Many donors find that gifts of stocks or contributions from your IRA to the Foundation can reduce or eliminate taxes and achieve your conservation goals.

If you have already included us in your estate plans, let us know so we can thank you for your leadership.

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2021

Because Financials of You

Summary Statement of Financial Position

Assets

Conservation can stand the test of time

Cash & Receivables

$2,083,914

Fixed Assets

$3,667

Investments

$18,049,365

A special message from Board Chair, Mark LaBarbera

Total Assets

$20,136,946

Y

Liabilities

ou are the foundation of the Foundation. Thank you for helping our staff, partners, and volunteer Board of Directors achieve historic success in recent years for Wisconsin’s natural resources.

You have helped lay the groundwork for an even better future for wild places and their wild inhabitants.

Lest you think your contributions are but a single drop of rain, remember the cumulative power of so many Foundation members, donors and partners acting together. Each rain drop quickly builds into one of many trickles. They, in turn, become life-sustaining streams that come together to form powerful rivers shaping the landscape.

All of us at the Foundation who share your vision for a healthy, sustainable future for Wisconsin’s natural resources—and all life that depends on them—want to take a minute with this annual report to thank you and to showcase the success that flows from your thoughtful, caring generosity.

You are shaping Wisconsin’s landscape for future generations.

Thank you,

Accounts Payable

$8,300

Accrued Expenses

$33,161

Funds Held for Others

$6,669,693

Total Liabilities

$6,711,154

Net Assets Without Restrictions

$870,347

With Restrictions

$12,555,445

Total Net Assets

$13,425,792

Total Liabilities & Net Assets

$20,136,946

2021 Operating Activities* Total Operating Income

$1,116,957

Total Operating Expenses

$1,065,019

2021 Operating Surplus

$51,938

Unbudgeted Non-recurring Income: Paycheck Protection Fund Forgiveness

$89,782

Bequests

$127,015

Total 2021 Operating Surplus

$268,735

*Operating activities include unrestricted revenue, fees and earnings that cover operating costs such as personnel, contract services, and other program and communications costs.

The financial results shown are subject to Natural Resources of Wisconsin’s 2021 Annual Audit.

View past IRS 990 Forms and annual reports online at WisConservation.org/annual-report 14

Creating a Conservation Legacy Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Circle

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he Natural Heritage Circle consists of members who have made the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin part of their estate plan, helping ensure that future generations will be able to experience a Wisconsin as beautiful, healthy, and biologically diverse as the one we enjoy today.

If you are planning to include the Foundation in your estate plan, please let us know so we can recognize your gift and add you to our Natural Heritage Circle! WisConservation.org/planned-giving

Revenue Unrestricted Contributions Fee Revenue PPP Forgiveness In-Kind and Other Field Trip Revenue Donor Restricted Contributions Endowment Contributions Investment Earnings Total Revenue

$739,315 $35,826 $89,377 $153,176 $90,522 $1,040,015 $867,236 $1,117,896 $4,133,363

Expenses Lands, Waters, & Wildlife Education & Outreach *Endowment Programs Administration Fundraising Total Expenses

$1,118,502 $546,249 $42,874 $328,793 $173,994 $2,210,412

*Costs associated with establishing a fund in the Wisconsin Conservation Endowment.

Anonymous (31) David Adam George & Linda Albright Candye Andrus Mike & Karen Austad Janet Axelson David Bange James Bennett Paul Brandt** Michael & Janet Brandt Bruce Braun Margaret Brown** William Cairns Suzanne Covoloskie John Dolen Dee** Marilyn Deutsch Hampton Dale Druckrey** Jane Edson** Daniel Flaherty** John Freeborg Philip & Dale Grimm Robert** & Cathy Halpin Mary Hamel Linda Bochert & David Hanson Rita Hayen Bill Heart Pamela & Craig Heilman Rick Heinritz Jeffrey Hintz Ron Horn** Diane Humphrey Lueck

Gerry & Barbara Hussin Robert Jaeger Ken Jalowitz Robert Jostes John & Marlen Kaiser** Bill & Lisa Keen James Kobiske John & Mary Koeppe Lauren Koshere Mary Krall Martha Kronholm Holly Kuusinen Jerry & Barbara Larson** Karen Lawrence Kristi Lund Charles Luthin Holly Anderson & Colleen Marsden James Matras Carl & Barbara Mcllquham Susan Mischler Ed & Patty Neumueller V.E. Nicholas** Art & Cora Oehmcke** Ruth Oppedahl Mary Oster Chuck & Linda Pils Peter & Mary Ann** Pittner Sandra Raby** Janet & Andrew Raddatz

David Redell** Connie & Peter Roop Jeff & Diane Roznoswki Robert & Nancy Rudd Richard & Carlile Schneider Thomas Jerow & Steve Schreier Dan & LaVern Schroeder Rebecca Schroeder Sandra Schwab** Penelope & Gary Shackelford John Shillinglaw David Simonsmeier Timothy Staats** Sarah Stoll** Don & Betty Tills Mark & Christine Troudt Anne Wandler John & Leslie Watschke David & Joyce** Weizenicker Jane Wiley Janet & Steve Wissink Nash Williams** Caryl Zaar Reynold Zeller** **Denotes that the named member is deceased.

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You are the heart of Wisconsin Supporters from across the state and beyond truly made 2021 a banner year $250,000 and above Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources $100,000 to $249,999 Anonymous (2) Estate of Ronald Horn Fund for Lake Michigan National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $50,000 to $99,999 Landmark Conservancy Red Barn Design & Engineering (in-kind) David & Joyce** Weizenicker $25,000 to $49,999 George & Linda Albright Brico Fund Charles Luthin & Nancy Piraino Thomas Mallery Patty & Ed Neumueller North Lakeland Discovery Center Nancy Thomas & Michael Samuel Windward Fund – Eddie Schwartz Conservation Fund $10,000 to $24,999 Anonymous (3) American Bird Conservancy James Bennett Sarah Besadny & James Meiers Neal & Carla Butenhoff Douglas & Sherry Caves Elizabeth Davis Estate of Sandra Schwab Karen Etter Hale & Jim Hale Tod Highsmith & Joan Braune James & Mary Hlaban Jefferson County Parks Department John C. Bock Foundation Susan Mischler Charles Mowbray Peter Ostlind Outdoor Heritage Education Center Nancy Ruhlow & Barbara Schweig

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Schlecht Family Foundation Ronald & Ann Semmann Penelope & Gary Shackelford Christine & Thomas Sinsky Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited Patricia Stocking Donald & Elizabeth Tills We Energies Foundation Peter & Lynne Weil $5,000 to $9,999 Anonymous (1) Linda Bochert & David Hanson Mary Boyer Phillips Bruce & Nancy Braun Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund Laurits & Beatrice Christensen Virginia Coburn Shelly & JD Culea Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Friends of Governor Dodge State Park Beth Fryk James & Phyllis Goers Kathleen Hawkins & Charles Marn Bill & Lisa Keen Kristine Krause & Scott Patulski Lux Foundation James Matras Richard Merten Lorain Olsen John & Darla Patterson Michael & Erica SanDretto Beverly Schwabe Single Step Foundation Lorna & Robert Springate The Cornwall Trust TIAA Bank Roger & Lynn Van Vreede Wisconsin Public Service Foundation $1,000 to $4,999 Anonymous (6) David & Kathryn Adam Alliant Energy Foundation

Ray C. Anderson Foundation Ariens Foundation Charitable Fund Mike & Karen Austad Jane Barnett Patricia Becker Benevity Linda Bernhardt Anna Biermeier & Roger Hanson Janet & Michael Brandt Donna Browning Clare & Matthew Carlson Laura Carlson David Clutter & Meredith Porembski Jon & Carolee Crabb Beverly Cram Barry & Barbara DeBoer James & Janet Demand Jason Dinges Thomas & Kira Dott Laura & Doug Dufford Paul & Patricia Ellsworth Gary & Judith Ertel Kristine Euclide & Douglas Steege Don Ferber First Business Bank Katie Fisher Carol Fleishauer James Fleming Susan Ford-Hoffert Rachel & Robert Formolo Anita Foss Foundations of Success (inkind) Friends of Cherokee Marsh Stephen Glass & Sharon** Dunwoody Robert & Iva Gundrum Rebecca Haefner Robert & Elke Hagge Jr. Kathy Haines Bettie Harriman Julie Hastreiter Pamela Heaney Heinrichs Home Comfort Rick Heinritz Martin & Ellen Henert Michael & Kim Herro James & Barbara Hill Michael & Marcia Hittle

Robert & Merrill Horswill James & Sharel Hubing Jeffrey & Erin Huebschman Jay Huemmer Diane Humphrey Lueck & Gary Lueck Jean Jacky Robert Jarzen (in-kind) JX Gives Back Family Foundation Kaytee Kelly Kearns & Tom McClintock Mary Krall John Kraniak James & Rebecca Kurtz Mark & Coni LaBarbera Kenneth Lange Jack Lawton & Bonnie McMullin-Lawton Douglas & Martha Lee Roma Lenehan James Lousier Warren Loveland Kristi Lund William Lunney & Judie Pfeifer Richard Luthin Tim & Laura Maleski Tess Mallery Nancy McGill Patrick McGranahan & Kelly Kotewa MGE Foundation LaVonne Middleton Michael & Makenzie Mullane National Philanthropic Trust Catherine Nelson Mary & Larry O’Brien Tom & Barbara Olson Traci Peloquin & Scott Froehlke Perkins Coie Foundation Sheryl Pethers Sandra & Dick Pfahler Laura Guy & James Prosser Janet & Andrew Raddatz Marsha & Robert Rea Audrey Reineck Rice Family Foundation Alan Richards & Ann Musche Ronda Richards & Robert Ley Diane Rosner & Bill O’Neill

Ted Ross Jeff & Diane Roznowski Doris Rusch Daniel & Samantha Scheiman Kurt & Laurie Schmude Richard & Carlile Schneider Carl & Barbara Schwartz Paul Scott Pat Shaklee & Kim Reinke Janice Sharp Dan & Marcia Smith William & Jacqueline Smith Kurt & Susan Sroka Estate of Timothy Staats Paul Stillmank Lowell Tesky Thrivent Mark & Christine Troudt Jim Trumpy Deborah & Patrick Turski Stephanie & Michael Vrabec John & April Wald Glenn & Jane Watts Wells Print and Digital (inkind) Wequiock PTO Richard & Lois Wetzel Michael Williamson & Mary Ann Doll Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education Wisconsin Society for Ornithology John Bryant Wyman Michael Youngman Caryl Zaar James Zerwick $500 to $999 Anonymous (5) Access Ability Wisconsin Richard Albert Aldo Leopold Audubon Society Christopher Alfeld Allstate Foundation Eloise Anderson William Appel Cynthia Balestrieri Jake & Kristin Barnes Bruce & Kathleen Bartel Denise & Jeffrey Baylis Mike & Andrea Benco Merle & Nancy Biggin Terence & Susan Bischoff Bert Bleke Diane Bless Marilyn Bontly Marcia Bradley James & Karen Buck Kenneth Buelow & Mary O’Leary Marsha & Peter Cannon Deborah Cardinal & Walter Burt Ellen Censky Barbara & Ted Cochrane Jane Cordero Patrick & Kathryn Daly

Cathy Daus James & Ann DeLine Robert & Diane Dempsey Carla & Michael DiIorio Timothy & Linda Eisele Mark Emery David Fenner Mary Lou Findley Kathleen Foley Lisa Gaumnitz Judy Gibbs Rebecca Gilman & Charles Harmon Sandra & John Goggin Daniel & Margot Griesbach Susan Groshong & Robert Dillard Darrel & Ruthann Gunderson David Hall & Marjorie Devereaux Wava Haney Guy & Carole Hansen Lorne Hillier Alexander & Anukriti Hittle Andrew & Paula Holman Jean Hoyer Mary & Robert Hubbard Judith Huf Johnson Block & Company Mary & Thomas Johnson Tonia Jorgenson Barb & Mark Jung Trudy Karlson & David Weber Bill Kehl Kikkoman Foods Foundation Jackie King & Bill Stoeger Robert & Jackie Koehler Timothy L Kohl KTP Enterprises–The WI Real Estate Group Jean & Mark Ledman Brendan LeRoy Micaela Levine & Thomas St. John Charlotte Little Roland & Barbara Littlewood Rita Lloyd Davin Lopez J. Jeffry Louis Marilynn & Jim Loving Jeffrey & Linda Luedtke Alfred Lustig & Janice Watson Robert & Margaret Lyons Madison Audubon Society Deb Markwardt Colleen Marsden & Holly Anderson Sumner Matteson Matthew & Amy McBurney Brent McCown Karen Merlau Beth Meyerand & Chad Moritz Mark Mittelstadt MKEWP Charitable Fund within the Chilton Area Community Foundation

Robert & Rebecca Moczulewski David & Ann Moffat Ed & Linda Mordy Robert & Barbara Mortimore Ursula Muehllehner Martin Murphy Gerald & Deelila Murray Thomas Nash & Corinna Gries William & Mary Niedermeier Robert & Carol Niendorf Noel J. Cutright Bird Club Mariette & David Nowak Michael O’Connell Beth Olson Carl Oppedahl (in-kind) Mary Oster Jeanna Owens Alan & Carol Pohl Jeanne & Larry Prochnow David Rasmussen Kathleen Redmond Kenneth & Susan Reese Mollie Ring Jennifer Rutten Paul & Thea Sager Leslie & Dusty Sarazan Mary Schley Carl Schroeder Sarah Schultz David & Maureen Schwartz Michael & Meg Severa Bill & Judy Shirley James & Kathleen Shurts Thomas & Ruth Stram Jeremy Strandberg Robert & Andrea Stupi James Surfus James & Debra Tenorio Susan Tikalsky & Al Friedman Mike & Cheryl Trieschmann Michael Vahldieck & Julie Horner Paul Wagner & Cindy Schlosser Art Walaszek & Suzanne Geerts Richard Weber Ron & Diane Weber Katherine Wegner & Bob Andrews Gwen Welter Keith & Catherine White Lyman & Lyn Wible Todd & Kris Wiegand Wisconsin Wetlands Association Levi & Janet Wood Wendlyn Zinda $250 to $499 Anonymous (4) Nancy & James Albertin Cheryl Allen David & Sarah Allen AmazonSmile Foundation Cheryl & Ray Anderson Carne Andrews

Association of Retired Conservationists Robert Bach Andrew Badje Jennell & Mark Ballering David Bange Duane & Aleta Barmore Charles Barnhill Holly & Jack Bartholmai Devyn Beaugh Jon Bergquist Dale Beske & Dorothy Gertsch Blackbaud Giving Fund Thomas Block Terry Bloom Helen Bolgrien Alan & Robi Borsuk William & Treva Breuch Barry Brezan & Carlen Schenk Patricia & Carl Brust Dale Callaham & Susan Lancelle Kathi & Bruce Campbell Janet Carlson Karen Carlson Curt & Arlys Caslavka Chad Cook Roy Cook Catherine Cooper William Cordua Bruce Davidson Gayle & John De Baun Kevin Dewan Loretta Dichraff Carolyn & Dan Doedens David & Corinne Drexler SP Estes Richard & Elizabeth Fayram Barbara Feeney Richard Feldkamp Carol Fisher Randall & Kay Freeman Richard & Mary Freis Friends of Dodge County Parks Friends of Pike Lake Rebecca Frost Jane Furchgott B’Ann Gabelt Bruce & Kristine Gabert William & Sally Giese Marion Giesecke William & Nancy Gilland Susan Gilmore Jean Gohlke Donald & Karen Grade Inga Hagge Kent & Suzanne Hall Jim & Marilyn Hampton Raymond Hansen Richard Hansen Jean Harbeck William Heinlein Jon Heinrich Renee Heintz John Henning & Nicki McGrew

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Rebecca Ann Herb Denise Herzberg Richard & Anne Hesse Thomas & Joyce Hirsch James Hogan Pamela Holy Robert Holzrichter Hank Hosler Dan Huff Robert Hull James & Esther Huntoon George Jacklin Kristine Jensen Collin Johnson Donald & Diana Johnson John Johnson Laurie Johnson Pamela Kahler & Stan Miller William Kelly Marjorie Kenyon-Cler Melissa Kesling Pam Kindschi Paul Kinzer Robert Kluge Kirsten Koegel & Jim O’Keane Herbert H. Kohl Charities Thomas & Margie Krauskopf Kim Kreitinger & Eric Preston Richard Krueger Ron & Winnie Krueger Gretchen La Budde Elizabeth Lacy Dale & Sandra Landgren Chris Landwehr Asenath LaRue & Art Montana Shana Lavin & Howard Sonn Bridgit Levin Timothy Lewis Dan Loescher Mark Lohry Jonathan Maag Patricia Maddox & Jim Waeffler David Manor Ann Marsh-Meigs & Eric Meigs Matenaer Corporation Tamara Matheus Jerome McAllister Blake McCormick Kevin McGuire Kathleen McGwin Joanne Mellema Frederic & Patricia Michalski Sandra & Edward Miller John Molinaro Lynn Morgan & Luz Clarita Morgan Earl Morren & Vera Ming Wong Eric Mosher Myers Family Foundation Fund Alan Nass Michael Nesemann Karen Oberhauser Suzanne Oberhauser Karen & L. Patrick O’Hagan Allan & Patty Patek To see a full list our conservation endowment funds and endowed fund creators, visit wisconservation.org/ give/endowment-funds

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Nancy Jo Patterson Kris Perlberg Michael Petersen Gail Piotrowski Margaret & Jame Polglaze Rex & Linda Pope Prairie Nursery Matt Raboin Nancy Rebholz Susan Reed & Peter Schmidt Nina Rothschild-Utne Shawn & Sarah Sabatke Lisa Saywell & Judith Houck Michael Schantz Steve Schlecht Darryl Schmidt & Teresa SippelSchmidt Scholz Nonprofit Law Lori Schubring Marcela Schultz Eric Schwartz Judy Schwenker Ann Scott Dan & Joey Seehafer Robert Selk Emily Shannon John Shippy Brent Sieling & Megan Schliesman Rose & Jim Sime John Sippel Patricia Sowls Amy & Richard Staffen State Farm Insurance, Patrick Marsden Kathleen Svabek Andrea Szymczak Tom & Jane Treglowne Peter Tropman Pam & Tim Tyson Paul Vastag & Karen Wegner John Vellardita Phyllis Verhaalen LaVonne Wagner Thomas Wallner Denise Wall-Statz & Dave Statz HW Walter Debra Walters Susan & Mike Walton Kimberly & Thomas Walz Blake Wanger Michael Wanger Ryan Wanger Jerome Weber Sharron Webster Neal Wegner Kathleen Wessels John & Debra Wiegand Wild Birds Unlimited Marc Williams Caitlin Williamson Deborah Wilson Jerry & Pam Wilson Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association Adam Yellen Cindy Zalewski Larry Zanoni Jill Trochell Ziehr Brent & Karen Zimmerman Karen & Doug Zweizig

Conservation Steward Society Recognizing members who contribute an annual unrestricted gift of $1,000 or more to the Foundation.

Anonymous (2) David & Kathryn Adam George & Linda Albright Mike & Karen Austad Jane Barnett James Bennett Linda Bochert & David Hanson Bruce & Nancy Braun Neal & Carla Butenhoff Douglas & Sherry Caves Laurits & Bea Christensen David Clutter & Meredith Porembski Virginia Coburn Jon & Carolee Crabb Shelly & JD Culea Thomas & Kira Dott Laura & Doug Dufford Kristine Euclide & Douglas Steege Don Ferber Stephen Glass & Sharon** Dunwoody Rebecca Haefner Robert & Elke Hagge Jr. Kathleen Hawkins & Charles Marn Rick Heinritz Martin & Ellen Henert Michael & Marcia Hittle Robert & Merrill Horswill Diane Humphrey Lueck & Gary Lueck Mary Krall John Kraniak Kristine Krause & Scott Patulski James & Rebecca Kurtz Mark & Coni LaBarbera Douglas & Martha Lee William Lunney & Judie Pfeifer Richard Luthin Thomas Mallery Jim Matras LaVonne Middleton Charles Mowbray Michael & Makenzie Mullane Thomas Nash & Corinna Gries Ed & Patty Neumueller Mary & Larry O’Brien Lorain Olsen Tom & Barbara Olson Peter Ostlind John & Darla Patterson Traci Peloquin & Scott Froehlke Laura Guy & James Prosser Audrey Reineck Ted Ross Jeff & Diane Roznowski Carl & Barbara Schwartz Ronald & Ann Semmann Penelope & Gary Shackelford Dan & Marcia Smith William & Jacqueline Smith Lowell Tesky Jim Trumpy Roger & Lynn Van Vreede David & Joyce** Weizenicker Michael Williamson & Mary Ann Doll John Bryant Wyman Caryl Zaar

You Bring Wisconsin Together for Conservation These organizations from across the state received funding from the Natural Resources Foundation in 2021 for their conservation and environmental education work.

1000 Friends of Wisconsin Aldo Leopold Nature Center Aldo Leopold School Baird Creek Preservation Foundation Baraboo High School Baraboo Range Preservation Association Bayfield High School Beaver Creek Reserve Benedictine Life Foundation of Wisconsin BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin Bong Naturalist Association Bryant Elementary School Cable Natural History Museum Cedar Grove Ornithological Research Station Chippewa County Land Conservancy City of Marinette Recreation Department Clean Wisconsin Conservation Dogs Collective Conservation Education, Inc. of Manitowoc County Cooper Elementary Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology Dane County Conservation League Dane County Humane Society Dane County Land and Water Resources Department Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department Douglas County Land Conservation Department Driftless Area Land Conservancy East Troy Middle School Edgewood Campus School Elkhorn Options Virtual Charter School Elm Grove Bird City Feminist Bird Club—Madison Chapter Foundations of Success Fox Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited Friends of Copper Falls State Park Friends of Governor Dodge State Park Friends of Kohler-Andrae State Park Friends of McFarland Parks Friends of Perrot State Park Friends of Schlitz Audubon Nature Center

Friends of the Blufflands Friends of the Kettle Moraine— Northern Unit Friends of the Monarch Trail Friends of Willow River & Kinnickinnic State Parks Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Gathering Waters Glacial Lakes Conservancy Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development Council Grant Gordon Learning Center Groundswell Conservancy Hawthorne Elementary School High Marq Environmental Charter School Holy Wisdom Monastery Howe Elementary School Hudson High School International Crane Foundation Jefferson County Parks Jefferson Elementary School Lake View Elementary School Lakeland Area Mountain Bike Organization, Inc. Landmark Conservancy Lawrence University Madison Audubon Society Madison Friends of Urban Nature Madison Parks Foundation Marathon Area Elementary School Merrimac Community School Midwest Environmental Advocates Mississippi Valley Conservancy Monarch Butterfly Fund Monarch Joint Venture Monroe Elementary School Muirland Bird Club Navarino Nature Center North Central Conservancy Trust North Country Trail Association Chequamegon Chapter North Lakeland Discovery Center Northwoods Land Trust Oconto County Land and Water Conservation Division Osa Conservation Ozaukee Washington Land Trust Patrick Marsh Middle School Pheasants Forever Wisconsin Plover-Whiting Elementary School Prairie Hill Waldorf School Pulaski Area Community Education

Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA Randolph High School Rhinelander Area Silent Trails Association Richland Center—Santa Teresa Sister City Project River Alliance of Wisconsin River Bend Nature Center Riveredge Nature Center Sand County Foundation Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Stevens Point Christian Academy The Aldo Leopold Foundation The Lincoln Academy The Merrick T.U.R.T.L.E.S. The Nature Conservancy—Wisconsin Chapter The Prairie Enthusiasts Tomahawk Public Library Tower Rock Elementary School Trees For Tomorrow Trinity Lutheran School University of Whitewater Children's Center University of Wisconsin Platteville University of Wisconsin-River Falls Upper Sugar River Watershed Association UW-Madison Extension Wisconsin Master Naturalist Village of Wilton Wausau Bird Club Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory White Lake Elementary School Whitewater High School Wildlands Research Charter School Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Wisconsin Wetlands Association Wisconsin's Green Fire YMCA Camp Icaghowan YMCA Camp St. Croix

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211 S Paterson St Suite 100 Madison, WI 53703 (608) 409-3122 wisconservation.org

Let’s create a brighter future for Wisconsin’s natural resources Together, we can connect generations to the wonders of Wisconsin’s lands, waters, and wildlife through conservation, education, engagement, and giving.

Photo by Ben Meyer/WXPR.

2021 Board of Directors

2021 Foundation Staff

Dave Adam Treasurer James Bennett Linda Bochert Bruce Braun Tom Dott Vice Chair Kristine Euclide Rebecca Haefner Secretary

David Clutter Executive Director Shari Henning HR & Operations Manager Alex Kaspar Administrative Assistant Jaime Kenowski Communications Director Lauren Koshere Member Philanthropy Officer John Kraniak Membership Director & Data Analyst

Cover Photo by Barb Cullen.

Martin Henert Jim Hubing Kristine Krause Mark LaBarbera Chair Diane Humphrey Lueck William Lunney Jim Matras Tom Olson Michael Williamson

Kim Kreitinger Field Trip Coordinator Caitlyn Schuchhardt Outreach Coordinator Christine Tanzer Director of Field Trip Program Lindsey Taylor Conservation Programs Coordinator Cait Williamson Director of Conservation Programs Camille Zanoni Director of Philanthropy