From March 12-14, 2025, Gathering Waters welcomed land conservation advocates and members of the land trust community to Madison for the first-ever Knowles-Nelson Lobby Day, followed by our annual Wisconsin Land Trust Conference.
Both events left us feeling inspired and grateful for the incredible land trust community. Thank you to everyone who attended and made it a priority to advocate for conservation. Read on for highlights from each event.
Lobby Day Highlights
Gathering Waters staff, along with support from the Team Knowles Nelson coalition, organized the first-ever Knowles-Nelson Lobby Day on March 12. Advocates gathered in Madison to support the reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Participants shared success stories with legislators and demonstrated why its continued funding is essential for preserving Wisconsin’s outdoor legacy.
The day kicked off with morning advocacy programming featuring remarks from Governor Tony Evers, Rep. Deb Andraca, and Rep. Tony Kurtz. Attendees then headed to the Capitol for meetings with legislators and their staff. Over 170 participants representing more than 70 organizations participated in 96 legislative meetings. Hunters, hikers, land stewards, and local government leaders worked together to find the common ground that will strengthen and move the Stewardship Program forward.
Wisconsin Land Trust Conference Highlights
Following Lobby Day, Gathering Waters hosted the 2025 Wisconsin Land Trust Conference on March 13-14, which brought together more than 130 people in the land trust community to learn and grow together.
The conference kicked off with a panel of land trust leaders from four land trusts around the state, sharing their organizational journeys and paths for the future. Participants then moved into conference sessions, learning from knowledgeable speakers on topics including land stewardship, communications and fundraising, and conservation planning. Attendees also engaged in networking opportunities, like a breakfast for peer groups, giving land trust staff in similar roles around the state a chance to meet and share their experiences.
One of the highlights of the conference was a field trip in the Black Earth Creek Valley. Two yellow school buses took participants to visit properties permanently protected by Groundswell Conservancy and the Ice Age Trail Alliance. At each of the three stops on the field trip, representatives from the land trusts and partners that worked together to protect these special places shared with attendees the success stories that safeguarded and restored these properties for generations to come.
The energy and commitment we witnessed at both Lobby Day and the conference reaffirmed the commitment of the land trust community and power of our collective efforts. Together, we can ensure that more of Wisconsin’s natural treasures are protected and cherished for all to experience and enjoy.
