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.
Important Dates
Early Bird Registration Deadline: January 26
Scholarship Deadline: January 31
Room Block Deadline: February 10
Registration Deadline: March 2
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.
During the conference, attendees can choose between multiple sessions that will be presented at the same time. These sessions are categorized under three tracks: 1) Land Stewardship, 2) Communications and Fundraising, and 3) Conservation Planning.
These tracks are just a suggested guide to help you choose what to attend, but you can mix and match sessions in different tracks based on your interests.
Read more below about each session. Please note that session titles or descriptions may change slightly.
Wednesday, March 12
Day One
Meet in the main lobby of the Wisconsin Masonic Center to check in, receive your Lobby Day participant packet, and enjoy a light breakfast.
Hear from a special guest speaker and Team Knowles Nelson leaders about the status of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program reauthorization. Materials and key talking points about the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program will be provided.
Lunch will be served in the Wisconsin Masonic Center’s beautiful Grand Ballroom. Seats will be assigned by senate and assembly districts, so you’ll have a chance to meet and strategize with your advocacy team.
Make the two-block trip to the Capitol.
Say “Knowles-Nelson!” Take a group photo before we enter the Capitol.
Attend pre-scheduled meetings with legislators and their staff. Share success stories that demonstrate why Knowles-Nelson funding is essential for preserving Wisconsin’s outdoor legacy.
As meetings wrap up, reconvene to debrief and connect with fellow advocates. Enjoy drinks and good conversation in the Wisconsin Masonic Center’s Grand Ballroom until 5:30 pm.
Check-in for participants who did not attend Lobby Day.
Dinner will be provided at the Wisconsin Masonic Center.
Thursday, March 13
Day Two
Check-in for participants just arriving for the conference.
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.
Hear from a panel of land trust leaders about recent trends in the Wisconsin land trust community.
Land Stewardship Track
An essential session that demystifies the core components of a robust stewardship program. Whether you’re managing conservation easements or fee-owned properties, this workshop will walk you through the critical systems needed to meet Land Trust Standards and Practices and accreditation requirements. Deepen your understanding of why these systems matter for long-term conservation success. This session is perfect for new stewardship staff and seasoned land trust leaders looking to strengthen their organizational systems.
Communications and Fundraising Track
Everyone on a land trust’s staff and board of directors can play a part in increasing awareness of the organization, as well as fundraising. The Triple A Team framework (the three A’s stand for Ambassador, Advocate, and Asker) helps everyone find their place within an organization and feel empowered to communicate with others outside the organization. This session will identify strategies for land trust staff and board members to find their strengths and use them to support their organization.
Conservation Planning Track
This is Part 1 of 2 GIS sessions. This session will provide an overview of the GIS resources offered by Gathering Waters and an orientation to using those resources. Learn what data you can access in the conservation geodatabase and how to put the data to work yourself. This session is great for both new users of the GIS database and those looking for a refresher.
Lunch will be served in the Wisconsin Masonic Center’s Small Dining Room.
Land Stewardship Track
The innovative approach, Buy-Protect-Sell, empowers land trusts to respond to unique, and sometimes urgent, conservation opportunities. Whether your land trust is faced with escalating land prices, challenging barriers to protecting working lands, or looking to expand your conservation impact, this session will provide practical insights into structuring deals, building funding partnerships, and managing risks. Drawing from successful examples across the state, get the knowledge you need to evaluate strategies to strengthen your conservation toolkit.
Communications and Fundraising Track
Land trust staff often juggle a lot of different responsibilities and priorities. This session will take a common-sense approach to walk you through the Land Trust Standards and Practices about financial records and basic internal controls. Understand practical methods to communicate financial information in meaningful ways to staff and board members. Get tips that will help you keep all the balls in the air. There is likely to be actual juggling!
Conservation Planning Track
This is Part 2 of 2 GIS sessions. This session will explore the decision support tool, which is a powerful interactive application intended to aid conservation planning efforts by putting a tremendous amount of data at your fingertips. Walk through the robust filtering capabilities to help you quickly zero in on particular geographies and conservation priorities. Test drive the tool with the expert guidance of Mike Koutnik, who builds and maintains this app for the Wisconsin land trust community. Both novices and power users are invited to attend.
Take a field trip to some of Groundswell Conservancy’s conservation easement and fee simple properties in the Black Earth Creek Valley. Hear from landowners, local decision makers, and land trust staff, then hike through this beautiful area (weather permitting).
This field trip is a chance to visit a really special place in Wisconsin. Black Earth Creek is a Class I trout stream known nationally for the quality of its fishing. It is rated as one of the top 100 trout streams in the nation by Trout Unlimited. The Black Earth Creek Valley also has a lot of high quality prime farmland and wetland areas that are characteristic of the valley floor. Learn more here.
After the field trip, return to the Wisconsin Masonic Center for a happy hour and dinner.
Get updates on the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, a recap of Lobby Day, information about the Land Conservation Leadership Awards, and more.
The fun doesn’t stop! Hang out at the Wisconsin Masonic Center for a game night and socializing.
Friday, March 14
Day Three
Breakfast will be served at the Wisconsin Masonic Center. There will be a professional development activity to engage with over breakfast.
Land Stewardship Track
Back by popular demand (this session was presented at the 2023 conference), explore the various approaches and challenges of a land trust deal. Consider how those approaches and challenges might shift in the future given the social, economic, and other trends impacting land trusts in Wisconsin. Updated information and a new, hypothetical conservation project make this session worth attending again (or for the first time!).
Communications and Fundraising Track
Leverage the power of storytelling to build stronger relationships with audiences. Learn effective strategies for communicating the great stories in the land trust community (with tips for both development and communications staff). Take things a step further with tips on repurposing content and sharing your personal values with followers and supporters.
As the conference wraps up, grab a snack before you head home.
Our Speakers
Session presenters bring perspectives from their varied experiences across Wisconsin land trusts and beyond. Learn more about the people leading sessions at the 2025 conference.
Carol Abrahamzon
Executive Director, Mississippi Valley Conservancy
David Allen
Consultant, Development for Conservation
Charlie Carlin
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Gathering Waters
Jen Filipiak
Executive Director, Driftless Area Land Conservancy
Carol Fisher
Certified Public Accountant, The Nature Conservancy
Chris Gutschenritter
Director of Land Conservation Law Program, Gathering Waters
Mike Koutnik
Owner, Michael A. Koutnik Consulting
Pat McMurtrie
Annual Giving and Outreach Manager, 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.
