SC Wisconsin News

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is set to host a speaker series titled “The Art of Waterbird and Wetland Management,” which aims to explore the intersection of art and wetland conservation. Organized by the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife, the series will commence on Thursday, January 30.

This educational initiative will take place weekly on Thursday evenings from 5-6 p.m. in Room 170 of the UW-Stevens Point Trainer Natural Resources Building. Additionally, it will be available via livestream on the College of Natural Resources (CNR) YouTube channel. Attendance is free and open to everyone.

The series will delve into topics such as the Federal Duck Stamp and state-level stamp art contests, emphasizing how funds from these stamps contribute to conserving waterbirds and their habitats. Participants can also expect insights into decoy carving's history and its role in scientific research and management. More information, including livestream links, can be found at www.uwsp.edu/wcw.

The event is sponsored by the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife and CNR, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The lineup includes:

- Jan. 30: “Ding’s Darling: The Federal Duck Stamp and an American Conservation Hero” by Tim Eisele, freelance outdoor writer and photographer.

- Feb. 6: “Bird Decoys from the View of a Biologist” by Chris Nicolai, waterfowl scientist at Delta Waterfowl.

- Feb. 13: “The Artform of Functional Hunting Decoys” by Pat Gregory, waterfowler and decoy maker.

- Feb. 20: “Managing Wetlands for Waterbirds on Horicon National Wildlife Refuge” by Sadie O’Dell, wildlife biologist at Horicon National Wildlife Complex, US Fish and Wildlife Service.

- Feb. 27: “Secrets of Secretive Marshbirds” by Auriel Fournier, director and associate research scientist at Forbes Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey.

- March 6: “Wisconsin Waterfowl Habitat Conservation Strategy in Action” by Taylor Finger, game bird specialist at Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

- March 13: “Creativity and Conservation: My Experience with the Federal Duck Stamp Competition” by Rebekah Knight, wildlife artist and second-place runner-up in the 2024 Federal Duck Stamp Competition.