Wetland Community Gatherings
Connect with wetland enthusiasts like you, meet Wisconsin Wetlands Association members, staff, and board, and celebrate wetlands!
To protect wetlands, we need a vibrant and active community of people who care deeply about these places.
That’s why one of Wisconsin Wetlands Association’s top priorities is to enhance engagement with our members, create opportunities for members to engage with one another, and welcome new people into this mighty community. Our goal is to foster more meaningful interaction between our members and among the broader wetland community. Together, we can cultivate a powerful network of advocates and experts who speak up for Wisconsin’s wetlands.
So join us at a community gathering! We invite all WWA members and others who love wetlands to attend any of these events.
If you’re interested in collaborating with Wisconsin Wetlands Association to organize a gathering in your community, reach out to programs@wisconsinwetlands.org to learn more. A successful event needs local leadership.
Middleton, WI: Pheasant Branch Conservancy Tour AND Capital Brewery Gathering
October 9, 2025 (Thursday)
Tour: 4:30 – 6:30 PM
Brewery: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Description
This two-part event invites you to connect with nature and community you’re welcome to attend either (or both!):
4:30 – 6:30 PM | Traipsing through the Tussocks: Pheasant Branch Field Tour
What is a sedge meadow, how are they being restored, and why should we care? We’ll answer these questions and more as we navigate the sedge tussocks at Pheasant Branch. Experience this fire-dependent natural community firsthand and learn about its unique ecology. Grab your rubber boots and join us! After the tour, come grab a drink at the Capital Brewery Bier Garten in Middleton and engage with other WWA members and friends. No bathrooms at field site. Leaders: Tom Bernthal and Pat Trochlell. Hike about 2 miles over wet uneven ground.
6:30 – 8:30 PM | Gathering at Capital Brewery Bier Garten
Capital Brewery: 7734 Terrace Ave, Middleton, WI 53562
Whether or not you attend the Pheasant Branch field tour, you are invited to gather with other WWA members and wetland enthusiasts at Capital Brewery, which serves a variety of tapped beers (including NAs) plus hard seltzer, hard cider, and NA beverages. They don’t serve food, so come with a full belly or bring your own snacks. Hopefully the weather will allow us to be outside in the Bier Garten, but if not, look for us inside the brewery.
Kenosha, WI: Wetland Gathering at Kenosha Tap House
October 15, 2025 (Wednesday)
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Supported by:
Description
Celebrate wetlands and wetland enthusiasts at a special social gathering at the Kenosha Tap House! Engage with other wetland enthusiasts and help build the community working together to protect and restore Wisconsin’s wetlands.
Kenosha Tap House offers 60 self-service taps featuring a wide selection of beers from pilsners to IPAs to stouts, including seasonal varieties and specialty beers. Wine, ciders, seltzers, and cocktails are pouring too, along with NA beverages. They offer a full menu of Wisconsin bar favorites, including wings, fish fry, and sandwiches if you want dinner or a snack.
Your RSVP will help us plan for the crowd—but you are welcome to attend even if you don’t RSVP. Bring your friends, neighbors, and family!
Special thanks to Hey & Associates, Inc., for their support of this event.
DePere, WI: Wetland Gathering at Brickhouse Craft Burgers & Brews
November 4, 2025 (Tuesday)
5:00 – 7:00 PM
Description
Celebrate wetlands and wetland enthusiasts at a special social gathering at Brickhouse Craft Burgers & Brews in DePere! Engage with other wetland enthusiasts and help build the community working together to protect and restore Wisconsin’s wetlands.
Brickhouse Craft Burgers & Brews is a local neighborhood establishment located in a historic building that offers handsomely created burgers featuring locally sourced products as well as classic pub-style appetizers, soups, salads, and sandwiches. Their revolving craft beer list is carefully chosen to ensure variety and quality through top-rated selections. Plus, they have plenty of NA beverage selections.
Your RSVP will help us plan for the crowd—but you are welcome to attend even if you don’t RSVP. Bring your friends, neighbors, and family!
Seeley, WI (near Hayward): Gathering at Sawmill Saloon
December 2, 2025 (Tuesday)
6:30 PM (arrive earlier if you’d like to grab dinner and a beverage!)
Description
Science at the Sawmill: Wetlands, Wildlife, and Watersheds
Katie Beilfuss, Outreach Programs Director with the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, will speak about what wetlands are, how they help our land, water, wildlife, and people, and how you can help care for them on your property and in your community. Join us at 6:30 pm at the Sawmill Saloon in Seeley. Arrive early to enjoy dinner and drinks! Pre-registration appreciated; drop-ins welcome.