Welcome to Waushara County, Wisconsin!

      

                                                                            

                                                              LAND CONSERVATION 

                                
                    LCD Staff (Left to Right):Ed Hernandez-County Conservationist, Tom Littwin-Associate Conservationist,
                    Tammi Kenton-Administrative Secretary, John Olsen-Associate Conservationist, Kevin Flyte-Agronomist

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Mission Statement:
Promote conservation of our natural resources to a diverse group of landowners and future landowners in Waushara County, through educational opportunities, technical assistance and professional collaborations, that result in the long term stability of natural resources.

The Waushara County Land Conservation Department is a subdivision of county government established under chapter 92, Wisconsin statutes. The department works under the direction of the Land Conservation Committee and coordinates natural resource management, environmental enhancement activities within county boundaries and administers a variety of county, state, and federal initiatives. It cooperates with and furnishes financial, technical and planning assistance to agencies, units of government, organizations and individuals.

The department places particular emphasis on soil conservation, water quality improvement, groundwater protection, nonpoint water pollution abatement, erosion control, wildlife habitat improvement, farmland preservation and animal waste management. The department strives to promote the awareness of natural resources and their value to the citizens of Waushara County. We administers cost-share programs that provide funds to landowners who install conservation or best management practices. Individual staff assistance is provided to landowners and operators in the development of conservation plans and the survey, design, and layout of conservation practices. The department administers a variety of programs such as the animal waste storage facility ordinance, farmland preservation program, Pine/Willow/Poygan South Priority Watershed project, Land and Water resource management cost share program, wildlife damage claim and abatement program, and others designed to enhance the natural environment here in Waushara County. Environmental Education is provided to both adults and youth within Waushara County.

To find out more about Land Conservation, click on the information below:  

·                    Summary And Brief Descriptions Of Major Programs                   

All of the following document links require that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader software.....

          Annual Report
          Agroforestry Practices - Planning
          Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Proposal
          Aquatic Invasive Species Guide for Proactive Managment
          Conservation Field Days May 6 & 7, 2010
          Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
          Contractor List
          Erosion Control for Home Owners
          Erosion Control - Standard Plan for 1 & 2 Family Dwellings
          Erosion Control - Controlling Runoff and Erosion
         
Fee Schedule
          Field Windbreaks
          Field Windbreak Establishment
          Field Windbreak Management
          Field Windbreaks for Livestock Operations
          Gypsy Moth Program Fast Facts
          Gypsy Moth Suppresion Program - Summary
         
Lake Alpine County Park Demonstration Project Walking Guide
          Land and Water Resource Management Plan
          Land and Water Resource Management Plan - Resolution to Approve
          Land and Water Resource Management Plan - Summary
          Living Snow Fences
          Manure Storage Ordinance Codes (Chapter 22, Article IV, Section 22-111-140)
          Manure Storage Permit for Construction or Abandonment
          Nutrient Management Fact Sheet
          Re-Vegetation Fact Sheet
          Riparian Buffer for Agricultural Land - How to Design          
           Waterfront Property Plan Modules
          Waushara County Lake Organization Contact List
          Waushara County Land Conservation Newsletter
          Wetland Scrapes (Ponds): General Permit/Cost Share Information 
          Wisconsin Deer Donation 2009
          Wisconsin Deer Donation History              
          Wisconsin's Runoff Rules           
          Working Trees for Water Quality
           
           

SUMMARY AND BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF MAJOR PROGRAMS

Pine River / Willow Creek Priority Watershed

The Pine Willow Poygan South Priority Watershed Project was established in 1995 and  ends after 2009.  Covering 308 square miles, the program made state funds available annually to share the cost of meeting the project goals of a 34% reduction in sediment and phosphorus in rivers, streams and lakes in Waushara County .

 

Land and Water Resource Management Plan & Cost-sharing

This plan was written in 1999 and revised in 2005 in response to a legislative call to redesign Wisconsin’s programs to reduce pollution from unknown sources. It is intended to guide and direct the Land Conservation Department by identifying long term goals and implementation strategies to reduce
sediment and phosphorous in rivers, streams, and lakes in Waushara County.  Some of the other goals include bringing all lands to within tolerable soil loss; providing sufficient areas of shoreline plants between the water and buildings along the edge of all lakes, rivers, and streams; and provide technical assistance to landowners.  Money is available annually to share the cost of implementing practices that accomplish these goals and objectives. 

Working Lands Initiative (formerly the Farmland Preservation Program)

Although the Waushara County Land Conservation Department will continue to work with farmers who have an active contract in the old Farmland Preservation Program to ensure the lands under the program conform to state performance standards, once these contracts expire this program will cease to exist in Waushara County and the State of Wisconsin.  Replacing the program is a new state program called the Working Lands Initiative (WLI).  

Under WLI, groups of farmers can request their lands be designated as an agricultural enterprise area (AEA).  Once designated, these areas enable eligible farmers to enter into a farmland preservation agreement with the state to claim a farmland preservation tax credit.  The state may designate a maximum of 15 AEAs, or 200,000 acres by January 1, 2012, and one million acres statewide after January 1, 2012.  

To receive designation, a petition must be jointly filed by at least five eligible farmers in the proposed AEA, and by each County, town or municipality in which any part of the proposed AEA is located.  If the petition is selected by the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection through a competitive evaluation process, the area must be officially designated through Wisconsin ’s rule process.  After completing the expedited rule process, designation goes into effect January 1 of the following year.  

Prior to submitting a petition, farmers are asked to contact Coreen Fallat at Coreen.Fallat@wisconsin.gov or call (608)224-4625 for additional guidance.   

Interested parties must complete the petition form available on the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection web site at http://workinglands.wi.gov  

There is no minimum acreage requirement for submitting a petition, although the state will give preference to areas that are at least 1,000 acres.

Construction Site Erosion Control / Stormwater Management Assistance

Land Conservation Department staff currently assist individual landowners and the Zoning Office in providing erosion control and stormwater
management assistance during residential construction.  Many of these properties abut lakes and streams.  In addition, staff also provides reviewal
of minor and major subdivisions and large development projects to assure that these types of developments will not compromise water quality or the
environment.

Central Wisconsin Windshed Partnership

Formed in 1995, this cooperative venture of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Assoc.; vegetable processing industry; Land Conservation Committees of Adams, Juneau, Portage, Waushara, Wood, and working with Marathon, Marquette and Waupaca Counties; the Wisconsin Dept. of
Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection; The Golden Sands RC&D; Natural  Resource Conservation Service; University of Wisconsin; and the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service was organized to assist people with wind erosion and snow control, landscaping, prairie grass seeding, and livestock protection through three primary activities:  1)Offering a full-service windbreak establishment and maintenance program 2) Developing and improving wildlife habitat  3)Providing education and information to people through their experiences in these areas.  
Cost-sharing may be available to those who participate in the program and meet qualifications. 

 

 

 

Information & Education

Land Conservation Staff work with schools, camps, lake associations, groups & organizations, and individual property owners in teaching land and water stewardship, and conservation education in general.  An annual event involving local school children is the Conservation Poster Contest, winners from the local contest proceeding to the district and state contests.  The Land Conservation Department also provides a scholarship each year for a student to attend  Conservation Camp.  Another fairly new event is the Conservation Field Day, a day of environmental learning for area fifth graders provided in cooperation with UW-Extension, Dept. of Natural Resources, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.  In-school Groundwater Education is being administered by the Golden Sands Resource and Development and funded by the Land Conservation Department.  Through an Aquatic Invasive Species Grant riparian owners are being trained to complete lake studies, run Clean Boats, Clean Waters programs, and organize efforts to accomplish eradication of invasive species on all Waushara County waters.

 

Wildlife Damage Program

The Wisconsin Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) assists farmers when they incur wildlife damage to their agricultural crops. The program provides damage prevention assistance and partial compensation when wild deer, bear, geese and turkey damage farmers' agricultural crops. Wildlife managers issue agricultural damage shooting permits to farmers for removal of deer (and occasionally bear, geese and turkey) that cause damage.

Contact Barry Benson with USDA at 1-800-433-0663 for more information or to participate in the program.
Wisconsin DNR - Wildlife Damage Program

Wisconsin DNR - Wildlife Damage Program: Frequently Asked Questions

Wisconsin DNR - Wildlife Damage Program: Hunting Log
Waushara County Hunting - Farmer List

 

Gypsy Moth Suppression Program

The Land Conservation Committee Administers the Gypsy Moth Suppression Program organized by the Department of Natural Resources.  The program provides the public with a safe, effective, and affordable means to treat gypsy moth outbreaks.  This voluntary program is offered to landowners and municipal government through Waushara County .  The suppression program will be comprised of an aerial insecticide treatment program (administered in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection) and administration of partial federal reimbursement (cost sharing) for program participants.

To request additional information or report a gypsy moth problem in your area, call the local coordinator, Mark Schumacher at 920-787-0453 or the toll-free statewide gypsy moth information line at 1-800-642-MOTH (6684)

 

To learn more about the gypsy moth, its life cycle and ways to control outbreaks, click the button to link with the Wisconsin Cooperative Gypsy Moth Program on the Internet.