14th Annual Conference
Thursday, March 12, 2026
8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Hosted by the Red Cedar Watershed Conference Committee
Memorial Student Center
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin
2026 Conference
Keynote speakers: Tara Greiman (WI Farmers Union) will address how land use changes affect water quality, soil health, and the farm economy; Nicole Hayes and Keith Gilland (UW-Stout) will discuss water quality trends and ongoing restoration efforts at UW-Stout; and Jeff Hadachek (UW-Madison) will discuss the Farm Bill and other federal programs and how they impact land management/water quality.
Conference Fees
| Early Bird Registration fee through March 6: | $35.00 per person |
| Registration fee March 5-12: | $45.00 per person |
| Student registration fee: | $20.00 per person |
At-a-Glance Schedule
2026 Schedule
| March 12, 2026 Red Cedar Watershed Conference Schedule | ||||
| Time | Event | Location | Topic | Speaker |
| 7:30 am - 8:30 am | Registration | MSC, Upper Level | UW-Stout | |
| 8:30 am - 8:50am | Welcome & Introduction | Great Hall | Dan Zerr - Regional Natural Resources Educator University of Wisconsin – Division of Extension | |
| 8:50 am - 9:50 am | Land Use Changes | Land Use Changes | Tara Greiman | |
| 9:50 am - 10:00 am | Break & Networking @ Great Hall | |||
| 10:00 am - 11:00 am | Break Out #1-3 | |||
| Land | Ballroom C | Farmer-Led Panel Presentation | Joe Ailts, Tina Barone, Tryston Beyrer, | |
| Water | Cedar/Maple | Aquatic Invasive Species 101 in Wisconsin: Laws, Identification, Pathways, and Public Participation | Amy Kreitlow | |
| People | Ballroom A | From Grass-roots to Grass-tops: Wisconsin’s Evolving Local Food System | Layne Cozzolino and Erin Thompson | |
| 11:00-11:15 | Break & Networking @ Great Hall | |||
| 11:15-12:15 pm | 10 Years into TMDL/Watershed Monitoring | Great Hall | 10 Years into TMDL/Watershed Monitoring | Nicole Hayes and Keith Gilland |
| 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch & Exhibits @ Great Hall | |||
| 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm | Break Out #4-6 | |||
| Land | Ballroom A | MS4 Permits/City Updates | Megen Hines, Jay Michels, and Tyler Siebert | |
| Water | Cedar/Maple | Lake District Updates (Turtle Lake, Red Cedar, Tainter) | Al Brown, Jamie Lideen, Christina Solie | |
| People | Ballroom C | Workshop on Advocacy (how to) | Paul La Liberte, Kate Reilly, and Quinn Rowe | |
| 2:15 pm - 2:30 pm | Break & Networking & Snack @ Great Hall | |||
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Farm Bill 101 | Great Hall | Farm Bill 101 | Jeff Hadachek |
| 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm | Conference Wrap Up | Great Hall | Dan Zerr | |
Planning Committee
| Chair Daniel Zerr, Natural Resource Educator UW-Extension | Vice-Chair Tina Lee, Professor of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Stout |
| Secretary | Treasurer Ben Wojahn, Executive Director, Wisconsin Lakes |
| Alex Smith, Water Resources Mgmt Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) | Cate Lucas, Naturalist Educator, River Doc Nature Conservancy for the Rice Lake Area School District |
| Chase Cummings, County Conservationist, Dunn County | Becky Brathal - Conservation Coordinator, Wisconsin Farmers Union |
| Dick Lamers | Megen Hines, Environmental Program Coordinator, City of Menomonie |
| Jamey Lideen, President of Chetek Lakes Protection Association | Dave Schofield, Director of Public Works, City of Menomonie |
| Scott Revoir, Associate Director, Continuing Education & Conferences, UW-Stout |
Watch the 2025 keynote presentations
| 2026 Platinum Sponsors | ||
| 2026 Gold Sponsors | ||
 |  | |
| 2026 Silver Sponsors | ||
| 2026 Bronze Sponsors | ||
| Xcel Energy | ||
| Center for Limnological Research & Rehabilitation | ||
| 2026 Supporters | ||
| Conagra Brands | ||
| MSA Professional Services, Inc. | ||
| 2026 Community Contributors | ||
| Chetek Lakes Protection Association | Wisconsin Green Fire | |
| Lower Chippewa Invasives Partnership |