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Wisconsin Waterfowl Association and Others Form Sportsmen for Wetlands Coalition

By RVL / January 1, 2019
Wisconsin Waterfowl Association and Others Form Sportsmen for Wetlands Coalition
Rolling out the Sportsmen for Wetlands Coalition to Local Legislators in a recent meeting at the State Capitol. Photo courtesy Tim Eisle.

By Bruce Urben, President
Wetlands are some of the hardest working and most ecologically valuable features on Wisconsin’s landscape.  Most take thousands of years to develop naturally. Unfortunately, here in Wisconsin, we have lost nearly half of our wetlands since the time of European settlement.
The approximately 5 million acres of remaining wetlands in Wisconsin provide valuable fish & wildlife habitat, reduce flooding, filter out pollution, and recharge surface and groundwater supplies.
The hunting, fishing, and trapping community recognize the importance of protecting these wetland ecosystems, and have formed the Sportsmen for Wetlands Coalition to raise awareness among the general public and policy makers.
The mission of the Coalition is to engage Wisconsin’s hunting, angling, trapping, and broader conservation communities in pro-active and collaborative wetlands education and conservation advocacy.  These efforts are designed to advance a common goal of wetland conservation by member organizations through education, communication, and policy development assistance with local, state and federal elected officials and policymakers.
The coalition’s work is strictly non-partisan and relies on the active engagement of the broad constituency of individuals and organizations who value and wish to conserve, restore, and manage Wisconsin’s wetlands for the use, enjoyment, and benefit of current and future generations.
Founding member organizations of the Coalition include: Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever WI, WI Trout Unlimited, WI Waterfowl Association, WI Wetlands Association, and the WI Wildlife Federation.  These founding organizations each have one representative on the Coalition Steering Committee.
The Coalition goals are to:
  • Raise awareness of the ecological and economic importance of wetlands
  • Promote the outdoor recreational value of wetlands
  • Educate and advise Wisconsin leaders about how wetlands benefit their communities
  • Cultivate a more collaborative and strategic approach to conservation, restoration, and management of Wisconsin’s wetland resources
  • Increase engagement and investments in wetlands conservation
Sportsmen for Wetlands and your WWA are encouraging other sportsmen’s groups to join the Coalition to further educate others about the importance of wetlands.  For membership info, download the membership form , contact  sportsmenforwetlands@gmail.com or connect with the Coalition on their  Facebook page.
Sportsmen for Wetlands Steering Group.
Photo courtesy Tim Eisle.

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