Gathering Waters

10/16/2026

Our friends at the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin are hosting their annual photo contest!

Share up to four of your best nature photos by November 1 for the chance to win an REI gift card and have your photo be featured on a future publication!

Find more information at wisconservation.org/Photo-Contest

Congratulations to the 2025 Annual Photo Contest winners!

10/14/2026

Over the weekend, Gathering Waters presented Seno K/RLT Conservancy with the 2026 Land Trust Volunteer of the Year Award for former Board President Mark Lesko. The award was presented in memoriam after Mark’s passing earlier in 2026.

Mark had been a cornerstone of land conservation in southeast Wisconsin since the late 1990s, when he began volunteering at what would eventually become Seno K/RLT Conservancy. He served as the de facto forest manager for Seno’s Woodland Center property and the Drumlin farm, coordinated habitat restoration volunteers, led annual tree plantings and prescribed burns, and expanded the organization’s beloved maple sugaring educational program.

What truly set Mark apart was his ability to motivate others. Mark was the steady force behind much of what the organization has achieved. He embodied the spirit of land stewardship and is greatly missed by those who knew him

Read more about Mark in our blog post: https://gatheringwaters.org/mark-lesko-2026-land-trust-volunteer-of-the-year-award/

10/08/2026

DAF Day 2026 is here, a nationwide celebration of generosity through Donor-Advised Funds.

When you make a DAF gift to Gathering Waters today, you’re protecting Wisconsin's land and water, and supporting the land trust community that safeguards the places you love.

🧡 Today your DAF can do more than ever before. Join us and be part of the movement.

👉 Learn more: gatheringwaters.org/ways-to-give

10/07/2026

Last Thursday, Gathering Waters presented Abbie Church with the 2026 Land Trust Professional of the Year Award at a gathering in Viroqua, Wisconsin.

Abbie has dedicated nearly two decades of her career to protecting the remarkable landscapes of Wisconsin's Driftless Area. She joined Mississippi Valley Conservancy in 2007 and rose to serve as its Conservation Director in 2013.

Abbie is directly involved in stewarding the organization’s 27,000+ protected acres across a nine-county region. Under her leadership, the Conservancy now manages over 40 nature preserves as well as over 130 conservation easements, with landowner interest continuing to grow.

What makes Abbie exceptional is not only her extraordinary productivity, but the depth of skill and humanity she brings to every dimension of her work.

Read more about Abbie in this blog post: gatheringwaters.org/abbie-church-2026-land-trust-professional-of-the-year-award

10/05/2026

Pledge today through your Community Shares of Wisconsin campaign to support Gathering Waters and the other member nonprofits of Community Shares of Wisconsin.

Your pledge helps protect Wisconsin's land and water for future generations. When you designate to Gathering Waters, we receive 100% of your gift.

Learn more and get started: www.communityshares.com/what-is-community-shares/program-workplace-giving

10/03/2026

We're excited to share that Gathering Waters' Executive Director, Mike Carlson, will be speaking at the Friends of the Arboretum Luncheon Lecture on Thursday, October 15! 🌿

Mike will explore how Wisconsin's land trust community got its start, and what's shaping the future of land protection across the state today.

There are still tickets available at foamadison.org. Join us for a great lunch, thoughtful conversation, and a chance to connect with others who care about Wisconsin's land and water.

Join the Friends of the UW-Madison Arboretum for our Oct. 15 Luncheon Lecture at the Arboretum Visitor Center. Break bread with the Friends community and hear from Mike Carlson, Gathering Waters, about land trusts and the history of the movement in Wisconsin. Land trusts work with private landowners to protect wildlife habitat, water quality, and other conservation values. Gathering Waters is the state association for Wisconsin’s land trusts. The organization advocates for public funding for conservation, works to strengthen its land trust members, and promotes the value of land conservation. Registration: https://foamadison.org/event/wisconsins-land-trust-community-decades-of-conservation-impact/
Proceeds benefit the Arboretum.

10/02/2026

The 9th annual Wisconsin Land Trust Days just wrapped up. With 42 events hosted by 23 land trusts, we had so much fun these past three months!☀️🌼

Read some of the highlights in our latest blog article here: https://gatheringwaters.org/2026-wisconsin-land-trust-days-recap/

10/01/2026

The Ice Age Trail Alliance's annual hiking challenge starts today!

During October, complete the Mammoth Hike Challenge by hiking 46 miles on the Ice Age Trail and visiting 3 Trail Communities. Earn a certificate of achievement and a limited-edition Mammoth Hike Challenge patch.

Visit iceagetrail.org/mammoth-hike-challenge to learn more.