Central Wisconsin News

The Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention, organized by Extension Lakes from the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, will host a public reception on March 26. The event will take place at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Stevens Point, featuring both authors and art inspired by waterways.

The convention aims to unite professionals, students, community members, businesses, and organizations with an interest in water conservation. This year's theme is “The Power of Words: Working for Our Waters,” emphasizing the role of communication in advocating for state waters.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet more than 15 authors during an Author Meet and Greet session and book sale. Among those present will be John Bates, Jeff Nania, Ted Rulseh, Geo Rutherford, as well as UW-Stevens Point faculty members Lynn Markham, Paul Skawinski, and Jill Stukenberg. Further details about the authors can be found on Facebook.

In addition to literary discussions, the event will introduce the 2025 Flow Project Art Exhibit. This exhibit pairs student artists from Universities of Wisconsin with water professionals across the state to create water-inspired art. Some pieces will be available for purchase.

Five featured student artists from UW-Stevens Point—Marna Andre, Viella Aprill, Alison Hesse, Liam Kaplan, and Maggie McLain—collaborated with experts from the Universities of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. More information about The Flow Project is accessible online.

The Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership consists of three core partners: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (providing scientific research), Extension Lakes Program at UW-Stevens Point (offering educational resources), and Wisconsin Lakes (a statewide non-profit focused on advocacy). This partnership collaborates with regional entities to protect and preserve Wisconsin's lakes.