Resources for Wisconsin Land Trusts
Wisconsin Land Trust Days is an annual celebration with events hosted by land trusts in July, August, and September. The outreach campaign focuses public attention on the work that land trusts do and the value of conservation by promoting land trust events and featuring publicly accessible properties around Wisconsin.
Taking part in Wisconsin Land Trust Days helps promote the entire statewide land trust community and brings attention to the importance of land conservation in Wisconsin.
Event registration is open through Friday, May 10, 2024. Register here.
Key Dates
April 12 : Kick-Off Meeting
May 10 : Event Registration Closes
Mid-June : Large-Format Calendar is in the Mail
July 1 – September 30 : Wisconsin Land Trust Days
October 11 : Wrap-up Meeting
Criteria for Hosting An Event
There are just five criteria for participating in Wisconsin Land Trust Days. While land trusts are in charge of the events they host, Gathering Waters asks that all events meet these criteria.
- The host or co-host is a land trust member of Gathering Waters.
- The event is open to the public.
- Events take place between July 1 and September 30. No exceptions.
- Promotional event materials and communications created by the land trust include the Land Trust Days logo and mention Land Trust Days to increase statewide awareness.
- The host agrees to complete a post-event survey about their Land Trust Days experience.
Beyond the required criteria, you can determine exactly what your events will look like. They could:
- Be offered for free or require a fee to participate.
- Have unlimited capacity or limit the number of guests.
- Occur in-person or virtually.
- Allow for self-directed guest adventures. In lieu of hosting an event, land trusts may submit maps, trail guides, and other information about a protected property that will be open to the public during July, August, and September. Gathering Waters will promote these properties as featured Wisconsin Land Trust Days destinations.
- Allow walk-ins or require registration. Gathering Waters recommends hosts ask guests to register for their event in advance to help with planning.
Land Trust Days Toolkit
Not sure what type of event to host? Looking for tips on how to improve access and belonging for all to feel welcome? Download our toolkit for event hosts to find this information and more.
Gathering Waters developed a toolkit to guide land trusts through the process of planning and promoting an event as part of Wisconsin Land Trust Days.
If you have questions about the Land Trust Days Toolkit, please reach out to Amanda Jutrzonka (she/her) Communications and Outreach Coordinator, at amanda@gatheringwaters.org
Marketing Resources
Land trusts can download the following resources to use for the promotion of Wisconsin Land Trust Days.
*We also print these pieces and can mail them to you for free.
Gathering Waters also provides the following resources free of charge to land trusts upon request.
- Wisconsin Nature Guides
- Gathering Waters Brochures
- Land Trust Days Stickers
- Event Postcards
- Event Flyers
You can let us know which of these resources you want during registration, or before Land Trust Days begins, and we’ll send them to you in the mail at no charge.
Event Registration
To register your event, complete the registration form below. You’ll need to know the event name, description, date, location, and other details. If you don’t know all the details at this time, fill in what you know and let us know the rest later.
Complete your registration by Friday, May 10, 2024.
Calendar Mailing
All events registered before the deadline will be included in a large printed Land Trust Days event calendar, which is mailed by Gathering Waters.
Your land trust can also mail the calendar, confidentially, to your own mailing list for just the cost of postage. Gathering Waters pays the printing and mail-fulfillment costs, and covers the postage for any addresses that also appear on our mailing list.
We appreciate when you mail the calendar to your list because it helps grow the audience of people learning about this annual series of events and the work land trusts do.
To take part in the mailing, contact Amanda at amanda@gatheringwaters.org.
WILandTrusts.org is the services branch of Gathering Waters, serving member land trusts across the state. To become a member, or for more information, please contact us.
