We’re thankful to everyone who hosted events, shared calendars, distributed nature guides, attended events, or supported Wisconsin Land Trust Days in other ways.
We want to say a special thank you to the 17 land trusts that registered 41 events across the state! The 2021 slate of events was impressive. There were activities for every age that spanned a range of interests from hiking to trail building, and even horseback riding and a comedy show. Not bad for a year that started off with a great deal of uncertainty.
Wisconsin Land Trust Days helped more new people learn about land trusts than ever before.
Based on post-event surveys sent to participating land trusts, thousands of people attended an event as part of Wisconsin Land Trust Days in August, September, and early October. This year, events drew more people than ever. Smaller events (under 50 guests) increased participation of newcomers by 40 percent, exceeding 2019 numbers before the coronavirus pandemic. Larger events also introduced more people to land trusts and land conservation.
Kinnickinnic River Land Trust co-sponsored a comedy event featuring Charlie Berens that brought in 1,500 people, an estimated 1,300 of those people were not familiar with land trusts and the work they do. Another large event, Tall Pines Conservancy’s 13th Annual Bike the Barns added 75 new names to their mailing list of the 500 riders registered.
And these are just the people we know about. We’ll never know how many people took part in self-directed adventures and visited the properties on their own. But one thing is obvious, Wisconsin Land Trust Days helps people connect with the land and learn more about land trusts and the important work they do all year long.
Photo by Glacial Lakes Conservancy from their Pollinator Walk on August 8, 2021.
