Wetland Coffee Break

Wisconsin Wetlands Association’s policy priorities emphasize building the enabling conditions needed to implement wetland conservation across the state. While our legislative work may have the highest profile, in recent years we have also invested heavily to build collaborations that help state and local agencies integrate wetland priorities into existing programs. In this talk, I’ll share the objectives of our state agency program work and provide a high-level overview of the projects with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, and Wisconsin Emergency Management. I’ll also invite reflection on how these efforts translate into more opportunities for the wetland professional community to plan and implement successful projects.

Erin O’Brien joined the staff of Wisconsin Wetlands Association in 2004. Her current work focuses on strengthening state laws and regulations governing wetland management, building capacity to help integrate wetland conservation into state-sponsored programs, and providing support to communities interested in restoring wetlands to solve problems.

Peatlands are waterlogged wetlands that accumulate peat—organic material storing immense carbon reserves. Globally, they cover just 3% of land yet hold more carbon than all forests combined, and in Wisconsin, they are the most carbon-dense ecosystem in the state. Restoration of degraded peatlands in Wisconsin could cut 2.3 million metric tons of CO₂ annually—roughly equal to removing 500,000 cars from the road—while safeguarding biodiversity, filtering water, and protecting communities from floods and fire. Investing in peatland protection and restoration has the potential to deliver one of Wisconsin’s most impactful strategies for climate mitigation and resilience.

Alex Clayton Moya works to incorporate conservation and restoration of coastal blue carbon and peatland habitats in state and national climate policies for Pew’s U.S. conservation project. Before joining Pew, Moya worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on nonpoint source pollution and Columbia River salmon issues in the Pacific Northwest. Earlier in her career, she worked on international environmental policy with an emphasis on wildlife conservation and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal. Moya holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bucknell University and master’s degrees in public policy and in natural resources and environment from the University of Michigan.

In some low-nutrient wetlands, plants reverse the food chain and become carnivorous to meet their needs. Discover the beauty and the impressive adaptations of these charismatic Northwoods residents with naturalist Emily Stone.

Emily Stone is a naturalist by birth, training, profession, and passion. After earning a Field Naturalist master’s degree from the University of Vermont with a wetland-focused project, Emily became the Naturalist/Education Director at the Cable Natural History Museum in Cable, Wisconsin. Emily writes a weekly “Natural Connections” column published in more than 20 local and regional newspapers. Her third Natural Connections book was published in November 2025.