Overview
The Wisconsin Land Trust Conference is a networking, training, and inspirational event for land trust staff, board members, partners, and anyone interested in land conservation efforts in Wisconsin.
Join us for the 2025 Wisconsin Land Trust Conference in Madison, Wisconsin from March 12-14, 2025.
The conference will be held at the Wisconsin Masonic Center. Lodging will be available at the nearby Madison Concourse Hotel. Book here.
We’re holding this conference downtown near the State Capitol so we have close proximity to legislators for the first-ever Knowles-Nelson Lobby Day.
Join us on Wednesday, March 12 to lobby lawmakers in support of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. The conference will continue on Thursday and Friday, March 13 and 14, with learning, a field trip, and networking opportunities.
Please contact Lily Butler, Events & Outreach Coordinator, at lily@gatheringwaters.org or 608-251-9131 x20 with questions about the conference.
Join Us
Registration is open!
$225 member, $275 non-member, $95 student
Board and staff members of a Gathering Waters member land trust, and individual members of Gathering Waters are eligible for the member rate, a savings of $50.
One-day rates are also available.
$115 member, $140 non-member, $60 student
Rates listed above are early-bird rates. Prices will increase on January 27, 2025.
Online registration closes March 2, 2025.
Online registration is now closed. Please contact Lily Butler, lily@gatheringwaters.org or 608-251-9131 x20, if you would like to attend. Space permitting, we may be able to accept additional registrations.
Scholarships
Gathering Waters is offering scholarships to staff and board members of our member land trusts who would otherwise be unable to attend the conference.
Fill out this form to apply for a scholarship.
The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants will be notified of the status of their application as soon as possible (and by February 7, 2025 at the latest).
The deadline to apply for a registration scholarship has passed.
Schedule
The conference begins on Wednesday, March 12 with Lobby Day. Learn how to talk to legislators, then head over to the Capitol for afternoon meetings to garner support for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
Throughout Thursday and Friday, March 13-14, you’ll be able to attend a variety of traditional conference sessions and a field trip, and take part in networking opportunities.
We’re working on session content, but we plan to feature topics of interest for all. Whether your role is managing land, people, or finances, there will be something for you. We’ll post the full schedule here when it’s ready to share.
Wednesday, March 12
Day One
Check-in begins for participants who did not attend Lobby Day
Thursday, March 13
Day Two
Connect with your people in similar roles, or with similar goals or conservation priorities over breakfast out. We’ll provide some recommendations of the best spots nearby.
Charlie Carlin, Gathering Waters
Kari Kirschbaum, Northwoods Land Trust
Mike Koutnik, Consultant
GIS tools can put an enormous amount of data at your fingertips. Organized and harnessed well, those data can help you communicate the conservation value of your land trust’s holdings and make informed decisions about projects to pursue next.
Learn how Wisconsin land trusts have developed and utilized GIS-based decision support tools to further their conservation efforts.
For hands-on experience with the tool, attend Part 2 at 1:30 pm.
Friday, March 14
Day Three
Our Speakers
Session presenters. panelists, and moderators bring perspectives from their varied experiences across Wisconsin land trusts and beyond. Learn more about the people who led 2023 conference sessions below.
Tony Abate
Conservation Director, Groundswell Conservancy
Carol Abrahamzon
Executive Director, Mississippi Valley Conservancy
David Allen
Consultant, Development for Conservation
Charlie Carlin
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Gathering Waters
Mike Carlson
Executive Director, Gathering Waters
Terrie Cooper
Senior Land Protection Manager, Door County Land Trust
Meg Domroese
Director of Programs and Impact, Gathering Waters
Chris Gutschenritter
Director of Land Conservation Law Program, Gathering Waters
Kari Kirschbaum
Land Protection Director, Northwoods Land Trust
Mike Koutnik
Owner, Michael A. Koutnik Consulting
Sara Norman
Community Outreach Coordinator, Landmark Conservancy
MaryKay O’Donnell
Midwest Senior Program Manager, Land Trust Alliance
Matt Reetz
Executive Director, Madison Audubon
Rick Remington
Conservation Director, Landmark Conservancy
Jason Stein
Vice President and Research Director, Wisconsin Policy Forum
Kristin Thompson
Advancement Director, Landmark Conservancy
Ian Walker
CEO, PeopleFirst Leadership Partners
Angela West Blank
Executive Director, Groundswell Conservancy
Jennifer Wilson
Founder and Principal, New Leaf Coaching and Consulting
Creal Zearing
Director of Philanthropy, Gathering Waters
Venue & Lodging
Wisconsin Masonic Center
The 2025 conference will be held at the Wisconsin Masonic Center in downtown Madison. The facility is historic and unique, crafted in Art Deco style, and versatile with a variety of meeting spaces.
Madison Concourse Hotel
Lodging for the 2025 conference will be available at the nearby Madison Concourse Hotel. The hotel is within walking distance of the Masonic Center (about 1 block away). If you have mobility issues, talk with us about how we can help make your experience as easy as possible.
Reserve Online
Reserve your room using the Book Online button below.
The cutoff date for the room block is Monday, February 10, 2025.
Reserve by Phone
1. Call the hotel at 608-781-3060 and press 3 to reach the front desk. 2. Mention the block name “Wisconsin Land Trust Conference” or block code 0503LANDTRUST when booking.
FAQs
The conference location changes from year to year. The 2025 conference will be in Madison. There was no conference in 2024. In 2023, the conference was held in La Crosse.
Register for the conference here.
For questions about the registration process or cost, please contact Lily Butler, lily@gatheringwaters.org or 608-251-9131 x20.
We are able to refund 50% of the registration fee if you notify us you're unable to attend by a certain date.
Dress is casual and layers are recommended for your comfort. The event is mostly indoors. There will be an outdoor field trip that you are welcome to join, so please plan to bring waterproof footwear and warm clothes for the early spring weather.
Please contact Lily Butler, lily@gatheringwaters.org or 608-251-9131 x20, and we’ll do our best to provide you with an answer.
2025 Conference Sponsorship
Find all you need to know about conference sponsorship here in this packet.
Thank You
Thank you to the following sponsors for supporting the 2025 Wisconsin Land Trust Conference!
Land Sponsors
Water Sponsors
Our sponsors play an essential role in the success of the Wisconsin Land Trust Conference. If you would like information or to discuss particular sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to Creal Zearing, at 608-251-9131 x18 or creal@gatheringwaters.org.
Gathering Waters serves member land trusts across the state. To become a member, or for more information, please contact us.
