Gathering Waters Conservancy - Wisconsin land trusts



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Great Lake Gatherings: Sheboygan
October 1, 2008 • 8am - 12pm
John Michael Kohler Arts Center • Sheboygan, WI

cowsgrazing Glacial Lakes Conservancy and Gathering Waters Conservancy invite you to join us on October 1st for the Sheboygan Area Great Lake Gathering. The Gathering will be from 8am to 12pm at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

Everyone who shares a common love for the natural treasures in the Lake Michigan basin is encouraged to attend: business owners, elected officials, landowners, economic development organizations, conservation groups, chambers of commerce, community organization members, and the general public. The Great Lake Gatherings will introduce participants to new partners who are working to protect that treasure in our shared back yard.

Agenda

8-9am

Continental Breakfast Reception

9-Noon

Program

Welcome	Mayor Juan Perez City of Sheboygan
Keynote	Paul Linzmeyer Sustainability Chair of New North, Cofounder of Ecolution and Innovation for Sustainable Operations, Inc., and Industry Chair of the Wisconsin Global Warming Task Force and the Bay Area Workforce Development Network
Panel Session with Q & A	Local Conservation Success Greg David, Natural Step expert, Jefferson Co. Board Supervisor, and Vice President of Sustain Jefferson Jon Gumtow, Sheboygan River Basin Partnership, Natural Resources Consulting wetland scientist Karl Klessig, Saxon Homestead Farm and Creamery, Glacial Lakes Conservancy board member

12:30 - 1:30pm

Optional Field trip (limit 50 people)

Glacial Lakes Conservancy Property

Speakers

Mayor Juan Perez - Mayor Perez has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Laredo State University and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Before becoming mayor of Sheboygan, Mayor Perez worked at the University of Wisconsin Sheboygan as an Academic Advisor and Coordinator of Pre-College Programs. In addition, he served as an alderman of the 2nd District for several years, including a tenure as Vice-President of the Common Council.

Under Mayor Perez’s leadership, Sheboygan has adopted a resolution to create a Sustainable Sheboygan Task Force, which will include elected officials, city staff, and community members. The task force will come up with recommendations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in city operations, increase fuel efficiency in city vehicles, increase recycling rates and other things such as conserving water, preserving and promoting green space in the city, along with alternative transportation options.

Paul Linzmeyer, New North’s sustainability chair and cofounder of Ecolution and Innovation for Sustainable Operations, Inc., has extensive experience in sustainable business and understands the trends, growth, and guidance needed for businesses to adopt green business practices and adoption of a "triple bottom line" of economic success, social and environmental responsibility. In addition, Mr. Linzmeyer serves as the Industry Chair of the Wisconsin Global Warming Task Force and the Bay Area Workforce Development Network. He has also chaired the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Wisconsin Council on Workforce Investment.

Greg David is a Natural Step expert who has been active and instrumental in guiding Natural Step Study Circles in ten Wisconsin communities. Greg is also a member of the Jefferson County Board of Supervisor’s and serves on the Zoning and Land Use, and Economic Development Committees. He was instrumental in crafting the county’s Agricultural Preservation Plan, serving as the environmental representative. He has served as president of the his local land trust and also as president of the Town and Country Resource Conservation and Development Council, a regional organization promoting stewardship and wise use of our natural resource. He is currently vice president of Sustain Jefferson, a grass roots nonprofit organization that promotes systems thinking in relation to ecological and social sustainability.

Jon Gumtow is a Principal Scientist with Natural Resources Consulting and Secretary of Sheboygan River Basin Partnership (SRBP). SRBP is a non-profit organization working to improve water quality and preserve our natural resources within the Sheboygan River Basin. The SRBP is an alliance of conservation and environmental groups; local businesses; local, state and federal agency staff, and concerned individuals. Together, we are working to cultivate partnerships to raise public awareness, engage participation in stewardship, and promote informed decision-making regarding issues that affect the health of water resources in our area.

Karl Klessig is a fifth-generation dairy producer from Cleveland, Wisconsin, located in Manitowoc County near Lake Michigan. Karl received an undergraduate dairy science degree and graduate degree in ruminant nutrition from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in the late 1970's. In addition to help running the Saxon Homestead Farm, a 450-cow rotational grazing operation, Karl serves on the board of the Glacial Lakes Conservancy. The Conservancy, a non-profit land trust conservation organization, works with private landowners and public partners to provide enduring solutions to permanently protect working, urban, and natural lands that contribute significantly to the ecological integrity, agricultural sustainability, scenic beauty and recreational enjoyment in the Lake Michigan Basin. As a partner in the Lake Michigan Shorelands Alliance, the Conservancy concentrates its land protection work in the Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Calumet and Fond du Lac counties of east-central Wisconsin.

Hosts

The Glacial Lakes Conservancy and Gathering Waters Conservancy are hosting one in a series of open forums this fall in four Wisconsin communities: Green Bay, Sheboygan, Mequon and Milwaukee.

Land trusts play an important role in preserving and improving the ecological, economic and human health in the area. One goal of the Gatherings is to encourage community leaders to look to their land trusts as a resource.