Wisconsin Ag Connection - Nilsestuen Honored for Land Conservation Leadership

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Nilsestuen Honored for Land Conservation Leadership
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 09/13/2007

A statewide service center for Wisconsin's non-profit land trusts are honoring Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen for his efforts to improve conservation. Gathering Waters Conservancy has named the DATCP head as 'Policy Maker of the Year.' The award recognize individuals and organizations whose achievements are making a notable impact on the future of Wisconsin's natural resources.

The group says Nilsestuen has led the charge to preserve Wisconsin's working agricultural and forest lands after he convened the Working Lands Initiative Steering Committee, a diverse group of leaders with a shared interest in keeping Wisconsin's working lands in production. Out of these committee meetings came a proposal for a statewide Purchase of Development Rights grant program, which if instated would be an invaluable tool for communities, farmers, and land trusts in protecting farmland.

"Rod has been a visionary leader of the Department of Agriculture and a champion of the idea that protecting Wisconsin's working lands is vital to the state's future," said Jim Welsh, Executive Director of the Natural Heritage Land Trust. "The land trust community of Wisconsin is behind him in taking action to protect Wisconsin's working lands."

Land conservationists from across the state will gather in Madison later this month to honor Secretary Nilsestuen and others whose dedication to the preservation of Wisconsin's natural places has been especially outstanding in 2007.

Gathering Waters Conservancy Director Mike Strigel says these awards are an opportunity to honor individuals whose exceptional work is supported and valued by many thousands of conservationists throughout the state.