01/28/2025
February Conservation on Tap
Tuesday, February 4th
“Conserving Land from Beyond the Grave”
Landowners who devote a lifetime to caring for their wildlife habitat or improving their soils and farmland may wonder how to ensure their efforts can extend beyond their lifetime. Join Abbie Church, Mississippi Valley Conservancy (MVC) Conservation Director, to learn about permanent land protection through conservation easements with local land trust MVC.
Abbie will cover the fact and fiction around easement requirements; touch on local land-use trends; discuss conservation-easement benefits to wildlife, water quality, and soil conservation; and cover what the easement enrollment process entails. Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from a local landowner, Tom Lukens, about his personal experience working with MVC to protect his land along the West Fork of the Kickapoo River.
Abbie Church’s diverse background brings 20+ years in natural resources conservation, having worked in the state, federal, private, and non-profit sectors. Early on, she realized her passion lies in working with private landowners to conserve wildlife habitat and farmland, and she joined the MVC team in 2007.
Abbie has been a Vernon County landowner since 2011. She and her partner Adam spend as much time outdoors on their land as they can. They keep busy with cutting firewood; gardening; hiking with dogs Hazelnut, Frank, and Sophie; and managing their land with prescribed burns, timber stand improvement, and endless invasive species control.
The Conservation on Tap presentation takes place Tuesday, February 4, at 6:00 pm, at The Historic Fortney, 100 N. Main St., Viroqua, WI. Conservation on Tap is a FREE presentation series by experts on various aspects of Driftless area ecology and conservation. The goal of the series is to increase knowledge, connection to, and awareness of current conservation efforts and research.
If you missed a Conservation on Tap presentation, we load the ones we record onto the Valley Stewardship Network YouTube Channel. Here's a link to our October presentation: CLICK HERE.
For more information, visit our website at www.valleystewardshipnetwork.org, email us at [email protected], or call us at 608-637-3615.
We are on the air on WDRT
Conservation Connections
Valley Stewardship Network (VSN) works to empower community members to achieve conservation goals. Join us on the air at WDRT 91.9 FM, a local community radio station, as our staff talk with a variety of local experts, farmers, and conservationists about strategies for protecting the unique natural resources found in the Driftless Area.
Our first show, December 9th, featured our Executive Director, Beth Summers, and our Conservation Programs Coordinator, Shelly Gradwell-Brenneman, chatting with VSN founder Kathy Fairchild about VSN's mission, strategy, and programs, as well as our upcoming 25th anniversary celebration.
Our second show, January 13th, featured staff member Scott Walter, Ecological Monitoring Coordinator, speaking with Ho Chunk Nation DNR Executive Director Brandon Bleuer and Naturalist Maggie Jones about changing land uses in the Driftless.
CLICK HERE to hear the podcasts from the WDRT podcast archive!
For more information about our services, visit our website at www.valleystewardshipnetwork.org, email us at [email protected], or call us at 608-637-3615.
Kickapoo Bird Habitat Initiative Wraps Up 2024 Funding for Bird Conservation Efforts
Kickapoo Bird Habitat Initiative
The Kickapoo Bird Habitat Initiative (KBHI), coordinated by VSN, is a collaborative public-private partnership dedicated to increasing awareness of, improving habitats with, and engaging landowners in conservation practices that benefit birds and other wildlife within the Kickapoo-Wildcat Important Bird Area.
The KBHI was honored to receive funding for 2024 through the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership. This support enabled us to further enhance habitat across the 54,000-acre Kickapoo-Wildcat Important Bird Area. Key project initiatives included:
Contributing to management plans for public lands to promote long-term ecological health.
Expanding public outreach efforts to underscore the critical role local habitats play for migratory and resident bird species.
Providing landowners with tailored recommendations and resources to enhance habitat connectivity and quality.
As we successfully complete the project, we are excited to build momentum and continue advancing bird conservation efforts in our region. For 2025, our plans include providing site consultations for private landowners and conducting bird surveys at Kickapoo Valley Reserve. These surveys will help identify key habitat areas and guide future management plan updates at the reserve.
For more information on how you can support bird conservation and manage your land for wildlife, please visit kickapoobirdhabitatinitiative.com or email us at [email protected].
Bird-Friendly Coffee
Enhanced flavor and good for the planet!
Try our Bird-Friendly, Organic Coffee. Grown in full shade that provides habitat for hundreds more bird species than coffee grown in full sun, and it also prevents forest destruction. Coffee experts say shade-grown coffee tastes better because the beans mature for longer under shade, creating a more complex, deeper flavor.
We have light, medium, and dark roasts. 12 oz. bags cost $15 - 2 lb. bags cost $35. Funds raised support our community outreach and support costs.
Stop by our office at 110 S. Main St., in Viroqua, WI, on Tuesdays from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm to purchase a bag to sample. Or contact us by email at [email protected] or phone at 608-637-3615 to set up a convenient time to stop by.
Your gifts of time and money help to protect water, land, and wildlife habitat in our area’s watersheds. Gift memberships also available.
