Gathering Waters helps land trusts, landowners, and communities protect the natural places that make Wisconsin special.
We advocate for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, because it’s Wisconsin’s best land and water conservation program. If there’s a natural place in Wisconsin that is special to you, chances are Knowles-Nelson has made it better.
When you support Gathering Waters, your support ripples throughout the entire state, protecting special places, forever.
A land trust is a community-based, nonprofit organization that works to permanently conserve land. Land trusts work in their communities to protect and preserve natural spaces forever, preventing future development. Their efforts help ensure that critical habitat is available for animals and plants, that communities have access to open spaces for everything from outdoor recreation to sustainable farming, and that ecosystem services, like a healthy water supply and carbon sequestration, are available to all.
You can make a difference for land protection in Wisconsin when you make a donation to Gathering Waters today.
Congratulations to the 2026 Land Conservation Leadership Award winners! The awards, presented annually by Gathering Waters, honor people who have made lasting land conservation contributions in Wisconsin.
This year’s conference brought new information, renewed inspiration, deeper relationships, and a celebration of protected lands.
Gathering Waters’ GIS technology, called the Decision Support Tool, is now more powerful and easier to use. Version 4.0 of the Decision Support Tool includes ecosystem service valuation, putting a dollar value on nature’s work.
