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Glacial Lakes Conservancy Hosts Great Lake
Gathering in Sheboygan
Contact Info:
Pam Foster Felt
Gathering Waters Conservancy
608.251.9131 x11
pam [at] gatheringwaters.org
Sheboygan, WI, September 22, 2008 – Sheboygan
area residents will soon have an opportunity to meet with an economic
development leader, environmental experts, Sheboygan Mayor Juan
Perez, and others about preserving and improving the ecological,
economic and cultural health of their neighborhoods and region.
Glacial Lakes Conservancy and Gathering Waters Conservancy will
co-host a Great Lake Gathering on October 1st at John Michael Kohler
Arts Center, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Gathering is an open forum
focusing on protecting natural treasures in northeast Wisconsin.
The Gathering will include opening remarks by Mayor Perez, a keynote
address by Paul Linzmeyer, and a panel discussion with local leaders
on ways to protect natural resources and enhance the quality of
life in the region.
This is one of four Great Lake Gatherings being
held this fall in Green Bay, Sheboygan, Mequon and Milwaukee. The
Gatherings are designed to bring together area land trusts and
economic development leaders, policy makers, business owners, landowners
and residents to discuss conservation priorities and encourage
new collaborative efforts to address those priorities.
"We
are excited about the Gathering,” says Shirley Griffin, President
of Glacial Lakes Conservancy. “We’re looking forward
to expanding the public’s understanding about the Conservancy,
and bringing different individuals together to discuss the ways
we can help protect environmentally sensitive lands for future
generations.”
Keynote speaker Paul Linzmeyer is New North’s
sustainability chair as well as cofounder of Ecolution and Innovation
for Sustainable Operations, Inc. He will talk about 21st century
sustainability and how land trusts benefit people, business profits,
as well as our planet. According to Linzmeyer, "the land trust
movement is an incredibly important part of sustaining the Great
Lakes for future generations. And, for businesses, we have information
to share about the trends and growth of green business practices,
as well as guidance for businesses to adopt a ‘triple bottom
line’ of economic success, social and environmental responsibility.”
Panelists
will include Greg David, Natural Step expert,
Jefferson Co. Board Supervisor, and Vice President of Sustain Jefferson; Jon
Gumtow,
Natural Resources Consulting wetland scientist involved with the
Sheboygan River Basin Partnership; Karl
Klessig, co-owner of
Saxon Homestead Farm and Saxon Homestead Creamery and a Glacial
Lakes Conservancy board member; and Vickie
Hall, executive director
of Glacial Lakes Conservancy. They will share stories of special
places already protected and the creative partnerships needed for
future conservation successes.
“Many
people share a common love for the natural treasures in the Lake
Michigan Basin. The Great Lake Gatherings will introduce participants
to new partners who are working to protect our shared back yard,” says
Michael Strigel, Executive Director of Gathering Waters Conservancy. “We
will connect local land trusts with community leadership -- key
businesses, elected officials, civic organizations and involved
citizens.”
The other Great Lake Gatherings being held this
fall throughout Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Basin are:
• Sheboygan
Area: October 1, Kohler
Art Center
• Mequon:
October 8, Mequon Nature Preserve
• Milwaukee:
October 15, Milwaukee Art Museum
The Gatherings are made possible through support
from the Joyce Foundation, WI Department of Natural Resources,
Argosy Foundation, Brico Fund, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program,
Sheboygan River Basin Partnership and many others.
For more information and registration, please
visit: www.greatlakegatherings.org.
There is no charge to attend and the Gatherings are open to the
public. All attendees will receive a “toolkit” of information and
resources to inspire them to begin implementing new conservation
projects in their own backyards and in their communities.
About Glacial Lakes Conservancy: Glacial
Lakes Conservancy, Inc. is a private, non-profit land trust conservation
organization working to permanently protect working, urban, and
natural lands that contribute significantly to the ecological
integrity, agricultural sustainability, scenic beauty and recreational
enjoyment. The land trust offers land conservation options, organizational
support, and technical guidance to landowners and organizations
in Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Calumet and Fond du Lac counties.
About Gathering Waters Conservancy:
Gathering Waters Conservancy is a statewide
service center for Wisconsin's land trust community and works to
increase the amount of protected land in the state through private
voluntary action. Gathering Waters strengthens Wisconsin's private,
non-profit land trusts through consulting, public education and
policy advocacy. The Great Lake Gatherings are just one of Gathering
Waters' conservation initiatives.
About Lake Michigan Shorelands Alliance:
The Lake Michigan
Shorelands Alliance (LMSA) is a collaborative group of land
trusts working to protect critical land and water resources in Wisconsin’s
Lake Michigan Basin. LMSA was formed in 2003 and has undertaken
strategic conservation planning for the Lake Michigan watershed.
The Alliance has identified eighteen Priority Conservation Sites,
four of which will be the focus of the Great Lake Gatherings.
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Download
a PDF version of this press release »
Questions? Call Liz
Walsh at (608) 251-9131 x12 or email liz [at] gatheringwaters.org.
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