Central Wisconsin News

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is set to host a speaker series titled "The Art of Waterbird and Wetland Management," which explores the intersection of art and wetland habitats. This initiative, organized by the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife, begins on Thursday, January 30.

Scheduled to occur every Thursday evening from 5-6 p.m., the series will take place in Room 170 of the UW-Stevens Point Trainer Natural Resources Building. For those unable to attend in person, the events will be available via livestream on the College of Natural Resources (CNR) YouTube channel. Attendance is free and open to all.

The focus will be on Federal Duck Stamp and state-level stamp art contests, examining how revenue from these stamps supports waterbird conservation efforts. Additionally, attendees will learn about decoy carving history and its application in scientific research and management goals. More information can be found at www.uwsp.edu/wcw.

The series is supported by the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife and CNR, with co-organization by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The lineup includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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