Walworth County staff report award and upcoming conservation workshops, pasture walks and NACD tour

Walworth County Land Conservation staff briefed the committee on a suite of awards and outreach events at the May 20 meeting, including a county staff member’s 2025 Conservation Legacy Award, a Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission workshop on high-quality lakes on May 3, a producer-led pasture walk May 13, and a National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) site tour stop in Walworth County on July 29.

Staff said Wisconsin Land and Water awarded the 2025 Conservation Legacy Award to a county conservation employee; the staff packet included the Wisconsin Land and Water write-up and letters of support from partner organizations. Katie, land conservation staff, said the packet write-up quoted partner groups saying they routinely call the award recipient when they have questions, and recommended the county communications office share the story on the employee portal.

Staff also summarized outreach events:

- SEWRPC high-quality-waters workshop (May 3): The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission asked county staff to participate in a full-day workshop (9 a.m.–3 p.m.) at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha focused on high-quality lakes in Waukesha and Walworth counties. Staff said registration was open to stakeholders and the event is listed in the committee packet.

- Walworth Alliance producer-led pasture walks (May 13 and later dates): The newly formed producer-led group has scheduled pasture walks beginning May 13 at Brown Dog Farm (host: Rachel Catlett) with subsequent visits to Grassway Organics in June and September. Staff said the county served as a liaison to the group after supporting a DACAP grant application and that outreach letters were sent to local lakes associations to encourage partnerships.

- NACD summer meeting and Walworth County site tour (July 29): NACD chose Walworth County as a tour stop during its national summer meeting in Milwaukee. County staff plan to highlight the Delavan Lake watershed large-scale conservation project (Mound Road/Highway 50 area) coordinated with NRCS using EQIP and other funding. Monte Osterman, who saw the site on a previous tour, recommended the project to NACD planners; county staff will provide speakers and promotional materials and will coordinate logistics with local town officials.

Katie said the producer-led group emphasized outreach to lakes associations and that staff will forward registration links to committee members. Committee members encouraged participation and noted scholarship opportunities through regional conservation associations for LCC members and staff to attend the NACD meeting.

Clarifying details: the SEWRPC workshop location is Retzer Nature Center (Waukesha); the pasture walk schedule lists Brown Dog Farm on May 13 and Grassway Organics later in the summer; the NACD site tour stop is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29, 2025, with multiple charter buses and rotating tour groups; staff said the Delavan Lake watershed project used NRCS coordination and EQIP funding.