Blog
![Photo by Jay Brittain of a woman wearing an orange shirt and holding binoculars as she explores the Pelican River Forest with her chocolate lab.](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Pelican-River-Forest_WI_095_c_Jay-Brittain-1024x681.jpg)
Challenging Times Create Positive Impacts for Conservation
Because of your support, the land trust community has new data to support land protection.
![Three photos - one of hikers in wheelchairs, one of a park sign, and one of a brown girl smiling and making the peace sign. Text reads: Inclusion in the Outdoors, improving access and belonging](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Access-and-Belonging-blog-photo-1024x577.png?ver=1689780306)
Outdoor Recreation: Improving Access and Belonging
At the Wisconsin Land Trust Conference in May, attendees identified actions for improving recreation on land trust properties, with an emphasis on promoting access and belonging.
![Green graphic with the Land Trust Days logo and text that reads "Join us for Wisconsin Land Trust Days" and a QR code.](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-land-trust-days-blog-photo-1024x577.png?ver=1690567224)
2023 Wisconsin Land Trust Days is Here!
Gathering Waters presents this annual statewide celebration featuring events hosted by Wisconsin land trusts in July, August, and September!
![A collage of book covers over an orange background with text that reads Summer 2023 Reading Recommendations](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GW-2023-Summer-Reading-Recs-graphic-1024x577.png)
Summer 2023 Reading Recommendations
Now an annual tradition, Gathering Waters shares our staff’s summer reading recommendations.
![An older white male with short gray hair and a yellow shirt looking to the left.](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-lcla-thomas-meyer-award-blog-photo-1024x576.png?ver=1690573088)
Thomas Meyer: 2023 Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award
Gathering Waters presented Thomas Meyer with the 2023 Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award on June 16, 2023 during a private celebration at his farm in Mount Horeb.
![A map on a computer screen with pop up windows pointing to data](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/decision-suppot-tool-blog-image-1024x682.png)
GIS Decision Support Tool
Gathering Waters is excited to announce that our statewide GIS Decision Support Tool is live and ready for member land trusts to use.
![A photo of about 75 people grouped together and posing for the camera.](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Blog3_Graphic-1024x577.png)
2023 Conference: Gratitude, Inspiration, Determination
Gathering Waters hosted more than 70 people at the 2023 Wisconsin Land Trust Conference.
![Photo collage showing the six winners of Land Conservation Leadership Awards and the text Congratulations!](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023LCLAwards.png)
2023 Land Conservation Leadership Award Winners
Gathering Waters is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Land Conservation Leadership Awards!
![The cover page of the report called This Land is Our Land and a bar graph with blue bars.](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-wi-policy-forum-blog-photo-1024x577.png?ver=1690576971)
New Report Shows WI Conservation Funding Down Even as Outdoor Recreation Rises
The Wisconsin Policy Forum released an in-depth report in March 2023 on the importance of natural resources in Wisconsin and the state of conservation funding.
![A wetland with a winding waterway surrounding by short green grass and shrubs](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Blog2_Graphic-1024x577.png)
2023 Conference Preview: Anatomy of a Land Deal
Anatomy of a Land Deal will highlight concepts and processes that are important for everyone to understand land trust work.
![A sepia toned photo of a field with yellow wildflowers](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Blog1_Graphic_no-text-1024x577.png)
2023 Conference Preview: Essential Skills for Success
Whether you’re new to land trusts or have been at this for years, there are some essential skills that we all need to practice to enhance our success in work…and life.
![Four images arranged in a square featuring a fox, tall grass in the mist, a white owl in a tree trunk, and a waterfall over rocks](https://gatheringwaters.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-LCLA-Blog-Cover-1200-×-675-px-1024x576.png)
Call for Nominations: 2023 Land Conservation Leadership Awards
The Call for Nominations for the 2023 Land Conservation Leadership Awards is open through Wednesday, March 15, 2023!