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.
Join us at our 15th Annual Conference!
Join us at our 15th Annual Conference!
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
| Time | Event/Track | Location | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30–8:30 am | Registration | MSC, Upper Level | ||
| 8:30–8:50 am | Welcome & Introduction | Great Hall | Welcome & Introduction | Dan Zerr |
| 8:50–9:50 am | Keynote 1 | Great Hall | The Future of the Red Cedar - How can we intentionally direct the future we want in our watershed | Tara Greiman |
| 9:50–10:00 am | Break & Networking | Great Hall | ||
| 10:00–11:00 am | Breakout – Land | Ballroom C | Wisconsin's Farmer-led Watershed Protection Groups: insights from local on-farm activities & research | Joe Ailts, Tina Barone, Tryston Beyrer |
| Breakout – Water | Cedar/Maple | Aquatic Invasive Species 101 in Wisconsin: Laws, Identification, Pathways, and Public Participation | Amy Kreitlow | |
| Breakout – People | Ballroom A (½) | From Grass-roots to Grass-tops: Wisconsin’s Evolving Local Food System | Layne Cozzolino, Erin Thompson | |
| Breakout – People | Ballroom A (½) | Big Impacts, Small Pot: The Reality of Funding for Nonpoint Source Pollution | Liz Usborne | |
| 11:00–11:15 am | Break & Networking | Great Hall | ||
| 11:15–12:15 pm | Keynote 2 | Great Hall | Restoring the Red Cedar: Tracking Water Quality Trends with the Red Cedar River Basin Monitoring Group | Nicole Hayes, Keith Gilland |
| 12:15–1:15 pm | Lunch & Exhibits | Great Hall | ||
| 1:15–2:15 pm | Breakout – Land | Ballroom A | From Streets to Streams: How Cities Are Protecting Water Quality? | Megen Hines, Jay Michels, Tyler Siebert |
| Breakout – Water | Cedar/Maple | Lake District Updates (Rice Lake, Tainter Lake, and Chetek Chain) | Al Brown, Jamey Lideen, Christina Solie | |
| Breakout – People | Ballroom C | Advocacy in the Red Cedar Watershed. | Paul La Liberte, Quinn Rowe, Kate Reilly | |
| 2:15–2:30 pm | Break & Networking & Snack | Great Hall | ||
| 2:30–3:30 pm | Keynote 3 | Great Hall | Federal Agricultural Policy and the Implications for Water Quality and Soil Health | Jeff Hadachek |
| 3:30–4:00 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 2026 keynote presentations
| 2026 Platinum Sponsors | ||
| 2026 Gold Sponsors | ||
 |  | |
| 2026 Silver Sponsors | ||
| 2026 Bronze Sponsors | ||
| Xcel Energy | Cedar Corporation | Wisconsin Famer's Union |
| Center for Limnological Research & Rehabilitation | Westconsin Credit Union | |
| 2026 Supporters | ||
| Conagra Brands | Red Cedar Lakes Association | Desair Lake Restoration, Inc. |
| MSA Professional Services, Inc. | SEH | |
| 2026 Community Contributors | ||
| Chetek Lakes Protection Association | Wisconsin Green Fire | |
| Lower Chippewa Invasives Partnership | The Rotary Club of Menomonie |