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Our outreach programs are aimed at ensuring that wetlands and their values are fully understood, appreciated, and protected so that healthy wetlands will persist in Wisconsin for generations to come. We seek to educate and influence a variety of public audiences who have the potential to make a difference for wetlands. For example, we teach landowners how to restore wetlands on their own properties. We provide teachers with educational materials, allowing us to reach a great number of future leaders, voters, responsible citizens. And our annual Wetland Science Conference gathers together wetland scientists, agency staff, and consultants - the wetland professional community - and allows them to educate one another other on the latest in wetland science and conservation. For more information on these and other WWA programs, contact our Outreach Programs Director at programs[at]wisconsinwetlands.org.

Wisconsin's Wetland Gems
We are excited to announce a new outreach program that highlights some of the best wetlands of the state -- Wisconsin’s Wetland Gems. The program includes the development and release of a publication featuring 100 Wetland Gems of the state as well as media work and outreach events following the release of the publication to spread the message about the value of these and other state wetland treasures to a broad public audience.

Wetland Science Conference
This annual event began in 1995 as a daylong roundtable discussion and grew to a two-day conference that attracts more than 300 wetland scientists, water resource professionals, students, and others. The themes have included wetland-related topics such as coastal wetlands, ephemeral wetlands, wetland restoration, conservation ethics, prairie wetlands, and riverine wetlands.

Wetland Field Trips
According to an old saying, people will only save what they love, they will only love what they know, and they can only know by experience. WWA's annual field trip series gives Wisconsin individuals and families the opportunity to experience the beauty and ecology of wetlands first-hand and up-close. Field trips cover a diversity of wetland types (marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens), wetland creatures (frogs, birds, fish, and dragonflies), management issues (habitat alteration, invasive species, polluted runoff, and wetland restoration), and locations around the state. Get your feet wet!

Wetland Restoration Handbook
WWA produced, with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the second edition of the Wetland Restoration Handbook for Wisconsin Landowners in 2004. Over 7,000 copies of the first edition were distributed throughout the state, and the popular handbook won the "Distinguished Document Award -2000" from the Wisconsin Library Association.

Wetland Restoration Workshops
WWA occasionally offers coordinated training and instruction on wetland restoration for landowners. The Wetland Restoration Handbook serves as the textbook for the technical aspects of wetland restoration. We maintain a list of wetland funding sources, including cost-sharing programs that can assist landowners in funding wetland restoration on their land.

Purple Loosestrife Monitoring and Control
We are helping to control our state's purple loosestrife infestation by supporting state Galerucella beetle biocontrol efforts. We have published, with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Purple Loosestrife Biological Control Manual for Teachers. We recruited and trained 140 volunteers in summer 2002 to map the purple loosestrife in 23 counties, and we trained seventy new volunteers to raise and release Galerucella beetles to control purple loosestrife in their local wetlands.

Educational Wetlands Poster
Wisconsin Wetlands Association, with the support of Hangers Cleaners, Quick Quality Press, and Dog-Eared Publications has released an Educational Wetlands Poster. The poster features winners of our 2003 "Wetlands Up-Close" photo contest, which was designed to encourage people of all ages to get out and explore and appreciate Wisconsin's wonderful wetlands.

> Click here for more information on wetland education resources.

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