• Dean’s Desk

• Schmeeckle has record turnout at fall hike

• Dorothy Vallier dies at 103

• Student spotlight

• Students win 2013 WWOA Operator’s Challenge

• Student highlights

• Alumnus provides green adventures

• Alumni updates

• Nine of 18 new DNR hires are CNR Alumni

• Faculty, staff, and outreach highlights

• In Memory

A generous gift to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will establish the university’s first endowed faculty position, enhancing the wildlife ecology programs.

The $2 million gift from Gerald and Helen Stephens honors the memory of their son, Doug Stephens (BS Wildlife ‘91) . The gift will help create the Douglas R. Stephens Chair in Wildlife, a new faculty position in the College of Natural Resources. When Doug Stephens came to UW-Stevens Point as a student in 1987, his dream was to become a wildlife biologist. Just weeks after he earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife management, that dream was dashed. While leading his UW-Stevens Point student research team in search of a hidden black bear den in northern Wisconsin, Stephens suddenly collapsed and died at age 22. The Stephens’, of Peoria, Ill., have directed their gift to establish an endowment that will generate earnings to support wildlife research, outreach and related activities of the chair. This may include funding for research, related professional travel, graduate students and faculty mentored projects involving students and

other members of the college’s wildlife faculty. The university will provide the base salary and fringe benefits for the position. “Doug was a part of our family, and I can think of no better way to honor his spirit than through a professorship in his name. This teacher will inspire thousands of students for years to come,” said Christine Thomas, dean of the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point. In the years following their son’s death, the Stephens family established several endowment funds in their son’s name at the university to support student research and scholarships in wildlife. Gerald Stephens, a UW-Madison alumnus who is now retired

from a successful career in the insurance industry, said, “Our hope is this new position will stand forever as a tribute to our son’s memory and carry forth his passion for wildlife at UW-Stevens Point, an institution he so dearly loved.” The Stephens’ commitment is among leadership gifts in the early stages of the university’s A Partnership for Thriving Communities capital campaign.

Gift creates first endowed chair at UW-Stevens Point

Gerald and Helen Stephens honor the memory of their son, Douglas Stephens, with a $2 million gift.Contributed photo

www.uwsp.edu/cnrfacebook.com/UWSPCNR

Winter 2013Inside this issue

Editor: Stacey Allen Bannach

Douglas StephensContributed photo

My students, colleagues, and conservation partners have likely heard me say, at an event or in a class, “In our conservation community we are all connected to one another, part of the flow of something larger and we all get to take our turn.”

That truth came home to us in many ways at the end of last year. In the space of a few short weeks, we lost three icons of Wisconsin conservation, Dory Vallier, Herb Behnke, and George Rogers. They all spent lifetimes, long, admirable lifetimes, dedicated to our cause of managing the natural world so its bounty will be here to sustain and nurture future generations. They all created lasting legacies in Wisconsin and the CNR. Two of them, Dory and Herb, were inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame. They each took their turn and made the most of their season.

Doug Stephens four to five decades behind them, was also on their path, as surely as they had been on the path of Leopold and Muir. When Doug passed, his parents and siblings picked up the torch and carried it forward.

These icons, Dory, Herb, George, and Doug loved the natural world, enjoyed it and were an example to others. They are important chapters in our CNR and Wisconsin history. More importantly, they left legacies, each in their own way, that are and will be our future. They took their turns making the world a better place, so we might take ours. That is their legacy. This is our season.

To each of us a season Christine Thomas

Herb Behnke and Christine Thomas at the Behnke Inaugural Scholarship reception at UW-Stevens Point in November of 2011.

2

CNR News

Schmeeckle’s annual Candlelight Hike has record turnout

Schmeeckle Reserve had a record turnout for their annual fall Candlelight Hike Festival held on November 2.

Approximately 1400 people walked the jack-o’-lantern lit trails, participated in the “Nature’s Recyclers” themed craft activities, and enjoyed an interactive program featuring UW-Stevens Point students dressed up as woodpeckers, worms, and other decomposers.

The spring candlelight hike will be held Friday, April 25, 2014, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Children work on a craft project during Schmeeckle Reserve’s fall Candlelight Hike Festival on November 2.

3

CNR News

Dorothy Vallier, longtime benefactor and conservationist, dies at age 103Dorothy Kopmeier Kummer Vallier, who was among UW-Stevens Point’s most generous benefactors for nearly four decades, died on November 12 in Milwaukee. She turned 103 on May 31. Among her many achievements was her critical role in the establishment of UW-Stevens Point’s Treehaven facility near Tomahawk, Wis.

“It has been an honor to know her and her family for more than three decades,” said CNR Dean Christine Thomas. “She is truly a Wisconsin conservation icon. She loved the natural world, and her gifts for its sustainable future will make contributions for generations to come.”

Dory – as her family and close friends called her – was a granddaughter of Henry Uihlein, president of the Schlitz Brewery for 40 years. A native of Milwaukee, she graduated from Wellesley College in 1932. She was an accomplished equestrian rider and loved to bird hunt, fish, and play golf. She was extremely active in community affairs, but was most happy gardening.

Mrs. Vallier always had an interest in conservation and environmental education issues. She was a founding member of the Society of the Tympanuchus Cupido Pinnatus (prairie chicken), and she and her first husband, Gordon Kummer, were among the first to purchase land for the preservation of that species near Plainfield, Wis. They also purchased a large tract of land near Tomahawk, Wis. in 1954, and built their cabin on the south end of the property. They managed the property as Wisconsin Tree Farm #101 for decades until it was donated to UW-Stevens Point.

After Gordon’s death in 1958, Dory married Jacque Vallier, a Milwaukee public school teacher. Their combined interests in conservation, preservation, and the flora and fauna of Wisconsin were a catalyst for many of her benevolent undertakings, including: the donation of the original 1,000 acre Treehaven property to UW-Stevens Point in 1979; donating funds to build the Treehaven residential and classroom facilities, managed by the CNR since it opened in 1985; serving two terms on the board of directors of the National Audubon Society; establishing and funding the Schlitz Audubon Center, located on the site of her grandfather’s summer home on the Milwaukee River; establishing and funding the Menomonee Logging Museum on the Wolf River at Keshena, Wis.; creating several scholarship endowment funds to benefit CNR students; establishing and funding the Vallier Treehaven Resident Ecologist position since

2006, a position currently held by Kevin Burns; and donating her early American pressed glass goblet collection to the UW-Stevens Point College of Fine Arts and Communication (on permanent display in the Noel Fine Arts Center).

In a fitting tribute, Dory and her husband Jacque, who passed away in 1996, were inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in 2011. Undeniably, she and Jacque made enduring contributions to the state of Wisconsin before they became partners, as did Dory’s first husband, Gordon Kummer.

“By her actions over many decades, Mrs. Vallier provided a model for what it means to be generous and committed,” said Steve Menzel, CNR director of development. “While blessed with significant but not vast personal financial means, she lived modestly, gave selflessly, and made a huge impact on conservation in the state of Wisconsin. Treehaven, which would not exist today if not for her, has directly impacted about 5,500 CNR students for more than 28 years of hosting the college’s renowned Treehaven summer field experience. She leaves an amazing legacy that will benefit many for years to come.”

Dory Vallier maintained an interest in conservation and environmental education issues throughout her life.

Dory Vallier, pictured with her late husband Jacque (on her left), donated the original 1,000 acre Treehaven property to UW-Stevens Point in 1979.

Joseph Salm, a senior majoring in forestry management, grew up in Bloomer, Wis. During his youth, Salm spent his time hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, canoeing, and developing a deep passion for the outdoors. Looking to turn his passion into a career he chose to attend UW-Stevens Point.

Interested in getting involved with student organizations, Salm researched and soon joined the Fire Crew, Society of American Foresters (SAF), and the Newman Student Parish. Fire Crew has broadened his knowledge base and provided him with leadership, teamwork, and professionalism skills that will carry him far into the future. Salm is the current crew leader and shares what he has learned with other members to prepare them for future employment.

His favorite moment, at UW-Stevens Point, was attending the 2013 SAF Convention in Charleston, S.C. The convention opened his eyes to various aspects of forestry across the county.

After graduation, he plans on pursuing a career in a land management field in hopes of providing the next generation with the quality landscape he was able to experience growing up.

Student spotlight - Joseph Salm

Joseph Salm Contributed photo

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point team of Tyler Bastian, Jacob Kehring, and Mitchell Vinz, soil and waste resource majors, won the 2013 Operators’ Competition at the Wisconsin Wastewater Operators’ Association’s (WWOA) Annual Convention held in Stevens Point, Wis., on October 23.

Bastian, Kehring, and Vinz, the only student team, competed against wastewater operator professionals from Wisconsin and Michigan. The competition consisted of collection, maintenance, lab, and operations events. Competitors fixed sections of pipe, repaired pinch valves, tested their knowledge of plant operations, and set up Biochemical Oxygen Demand samples.

Second place went to the North Central

Region team of Travis Dulek, Chris Helgestad (BS Water Resource Mgt. ’00), and Vern Williams, followed closely by Lake Michigan Region Team #1: Holly Blazer, Aaron Eichorst, and Michael Murphy (BS Soil and Waste Resources ’11); Lake Michigan Region Team #2: Dave Hoppe, Dustin Jerabek (BS Soil and Waste Mgt. ’10), Eric Lynne; and the South East Region Team: James Bergles, Andy Resch, and Brian Willadsen.

Students win the 2013 WWOA Operators’ Challenge

UW-Stevens Point team receives first place plaques at the 2013 WWOA Annual Convention. (From left to right: Mitchell Vinz, Tyler Bastian, Operators’ Competition Chair Jeffrey Bratz, and Jacob Kehring) Photo courtesy of Karen Harter, WWOA

Joseph Salm, pictured here, worked on a wildland firefighting hand crew based out of Worland, Wyo., during the summer of 2012. Contributed photo

4

CNR News

Mitchell Vinz, Tyler Bastian, and Jacob Kehring set up a biochemical oxygen demand sample during the lab event at the 2013 WWOA Operators’ Challenge. (From left to right: Vinz, Bastian, Kehring, and judge) Photo courtesy of Lyle Lutz, WWOA

Student highlights5

CNR News

Michelle Scarpace, a soil and land management major, visited several of China’s historic sites, shared cultural and educational experiences, and studied how China is addressing its environmental challenges in rural and urban settings as part of the Rivers as Bridges program. Scarpace was chosen from a pool of students to participate in Rivers as Bridges, a student foreign exchange program connecting Chinese and American culture, conservation, and commerce in hopes of creating sustainable river systems and communities. Cathy Stepp, Department of Natural Resources secretary, and Rick Otis, former Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator, joined Scarpace and other Midwest college and high school students on the trip.

Brittany Ruttenberg, wildlife ecology student and president of the student chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), co-presented with Bobbi Kubish, international programs and recruitment coordinator, at “The Future of Diversity in Our Disciplines and Careers: Natural Resources and the Environment” conference held at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va. Ruttenberg discussed the efforts of the UW-Stevens Point student chapter of MANRRS to reach out to students, faculty and staff. Kubish shared strategies that the college is utilizing to increase enrollment and retention of diverse students in natural resources.

The Trans-Atlantic Paper Science Undergraduate Dual Degree Program (TAPS) completed its fifth and final year of student

exchanges. Three UW-Stevens Point paper science and engineering students, Tyler Shimulunas, Lucas Berg, and Steven Swan, departed last spring. Swan spent one semester abroad in Germany while Shimulunas and Berg spent one semester in Germany and an additional semester in Finland at the Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. Two European TAPS students, Gerrit Spiess, Germany, and Tommi Juhani Kuusisto, Finland, studied paper science and engineering at UW-Stevens Point this past year.

Kristen Miller, forestry recreation major, received the 2013 Undergraduate Student Excellence Award from the Association for Fire Ecology at their banquet in October. The award is given to a student

who demonstrates superior academic achievement and involvement in fire related research and activities is an active member of a recognized Student Association for Fire Ecology chapter. Kristina Borgstrom was honored with the Outstanding Peer Advisor Award at the Wisconsin Academic Advising Association’s (WACADA) state conference in September. The award recognizes individuals who work with, for, and in favor of students in an academic advising capacity. Borgstrom assists students with various questions about their academic programs, getting around campus, and helping out with advising in the CNR Student Success Center.

Michelle Scarpace, pictured at the Great Wall of China, visited China with the Rivers as Bridges program.Contributed photo

Student Brittany Ruttenberg presented on MANRRS at the Future of Diversity in Our Disciplines and Careers national conference held at Virginia Tech. Va.

Steven Swan, Lucas Berg, and Tyler Shimulunas visit the German Fruhlingsfest during their semester in Germany as part of the Trans-Atlantic Paper Science Undergraduate Dual Degree program.

Kristina Borgstrom (left) was one of three recipients of the WACADA Peer Advisor Awards.

Tara Short (BS Resource Management – EE/Interpretation ’02), spent her teen years in suburban Chicago, Ill., snorkeling in her grandparents’ pool, imagining oceans filled with colorful fish and dreaming of travel adventures. Today, she is living her dream and making others happen as the founder of Green Edventures, an eco-adventure company providing trips for teacher-led student groups, college groups, and adult tours to Alaska and Baja, Mexico.

Short became interested in eco-tourism after a study abroad opportunity offered through UW-Stevens Point in 2002. CNR professor Michael Gross, now retired, led a 10-day trip to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico where students compared mega-tourism to eco-tourism principles. Her experience in Mexico helped Short merge her interests in environmental interpretation, tourism, and conservation.

“My study abroad experience in Mexico taught me that eco-tourism is not nature tourism. After Mexico, I knew I wanted

to create sustainable adventures that help protect people, places, and ecosystems,” says Short.

Green Edventures’ programs are carbon neutral, through Carbonfund.org, and support indigenous people and local conservation projects. In Alaska, Green Edventures’ travelers assisted with invasive plant removal in Kenai National Park, conducted salmon smolt surveys, and monitored the effects of climate change through water quality testing. In Baja, Mexico, students conducted fish species abundance surveys monitoring reef health and participated in beach cleanups. Green Edventures works exclusively with local guides empowering local economies and people. The weeklong programs teach participants about the ecology of the region and tangible ways they can continue sustainability efforts even after they return home.

Short has also partnered with the International Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program to offer “BOW Destinations” trips. In 2003, sixteen women joined BOW Founder and current CNR Dean Christine Thomas and BOW Director Peggy Farrell (MS Environmental Education ’06) on an inaugural trip to Eleuthera, Bahamas, where Short taught participants the basics of ocean kayaking and snorkeling.

“I’m pretty adventurous and the kayaking was beautiful,” said Farrell, “But sticking my face in the water with a bunch of plastic strapped to it rattled me.” Short’s patience and clear instruction eventually won Farrell over.“I never imagined I would fall in love with snorkeling, but I did, thanks to Tara. Life just below the surface of the ocean is magical,” Farrell added.

Short has now led four successful BOW groups, providing women opportunities to snorkel with sea lions and drift on the ocean in the company of baby grey whales.

Short says, “Having hosted nearly 1,000 people in wild places like Alaska, Baja Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas, I know firsthand the positive, life-changing effects eco-travel has on people. I make a living as a tour guide, but what I really am is a matchmaker. I provide the ambiance and set the mood for people to connect with, be fascinated by, and fall in love with wild places in hopes they will want to protect them.”

Students and adults who attend a Green Edventures program can earn graduate and undergraduate credit through UW-Stevens Point’s continuing education program. Green Edventures hosts teacher-led school groups and individual student travelers ages 12-19, as well as programs for college groups and adult learners. Visit the website for more details www.greenedventures.com.

Alumnus provides green adventures

6

CNR News

Tara Short (center), pictured here in Resurrection Bay, Alaska, took her love for eco-tourism to the next level by starting her own tour company in 2002, Green Edventures.Contributed photo

A Green Edventure group encounters a killer whale in Kenai Fjords, Alaska.Contributed photo

Alumni updates7

CNR News

David Ross (MS Natural Resources ‘85) was a member of a landscape-level partnership team awarded the Secretary of Interior’s Partners in Conservation Award in October 2012.

The partnership known as the Central Umpqua-Mid Klamath Oak Habitat Cooperative Partnership Initiative restored more than 2,000 acres of Oregon white oak habitat by removing encroaching conifers, reseeding native grasses, and applying prescribed fire. In addition, the partnership exemplified innovation by providing local tribal employment in up to ninety percent of the on-the-ground work. With strong public-private financial and in-kind service support, the partnership made outstanding contributions to restore, conserve, and monitor this important migratory bird habitat at the landscape scale.

Ross is currently a restoration specialist with the Department of Interior’s Office of Restoration and Damage Assessment in Lakewood, Colo.

Todd Schaller (BS Wildlife ‘88) assumed his new role as chief warden of the WDNR on December 17, 2013 replacing former chief Randy Stark who retired in December.

Born in Bangor, Wis., Schaller was raised to enjoy and appreciate Wisconsin’s natural resources. He completed his bachelor’s degree in wildlife with a minor in environmental law enforcement at UW-Stevens Point in 1988 and was hired by the DNR in 1989.

During his 24-year career, with the WDNR, Schaller has served as a field warden in Racine, Trempealeau, and Fond du Lac counties, worked as a warden team supervisor in Oshkosh, and spent four years as chief of the Recreation Enforcement and Education Section.

Schaller will manage a nearly full warden force with 172 wardens employed and 18 in training as of November. There are 198 legislatively authorized positions, according to DNR records.

From left to right, Laury Parramore FWS, Marko Bey Lomakatsi Restoration Project, David Hayes deputy secretary Dept. of the Interior, David Ross FWS, CalLee Davenport, FWS, and Daniel Ashe director, FWS.Contributed photo

Todd Schaller, pictured here at a youth archery event, replaced Randy Stark as the chief warden of the WDNR in December.Photo courtesy of WDNR

Team recognized for oak restoration efforts

Alumnus named Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (WDNR) chief warden

Tom Stecker (BS Resource Management ‘70) recently released his first book, The Pincherry Group, The Story of How a Wisconsin Hunting Camp Forged a Family Legacy. The book tells the story of a group of people evolving from fun-loving hunters to an extended family of committed men and women who continue to work to preserve the dreams of their fathers. The Pincherry Group was started in 1938 when Stecker’s grandfather led his six sons and other relatives and friends to Wisconsin’s Northwoods to hunt deer.

The stories provide a fascinating picture of the evolution of hunting from its early Wisconsin history to today’s high-tech, highly regulated activity while showing how The Pincherry Group grew into something more than hunting deer.

After graduating from UW-Stevens Point, Stecker earned a Master’s degree in Education Administration from UW-Milwaukee, worked as an environmental education instructor and recreation specialist for the Milwaukee Public School system for twelve years before purchasing the Lake Content Resort in St. Germain, Wis. in 1982.

His other published work is Adventure Programming by Milwaukee Public Schools co-written with Catherine McMullen. Now retired, he still lives on Lake Content and remains an active member of The Pincherry Group. You can find more information regarding his book at www.thepincherrygroup.com.

Alumni updates (con’t)

The Pincherry Group is the first novel by Tom Stecker. Contributed photo

Bryant Scharenbroch was the 2013 recipient of the Early Career Scientist Award from the International Society of Arboriculture.

Tom Stecker released his first novel The Pincherry Group.Contributed photo

8

CNR News

Bryant Scharenbroch (BS Forest Mgt/Urban Forestry ‘01) received the International Society of Arboriculture’s (ISA) Early Career Scientist Award at the 2013 ISA Annual Conference and Trade Show held in Toronto in August.

The award is given to professionals showing exceptional promise and potential for becoming internationally known for their contributions to arboriculture. Scharenbroch has been working as an urban soil scientist at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill. for six years and is one of approximately 25 people in his field in the nation.

Scharenbroch received his master’s degree in plant science at the University of Idaho and his doctorate in soil science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently resides in Lisle, Ill., with his wife and three children.

Frederick “Rick” Peters Jr. (BS Resource Management ’95) began a new position as a WDNR conservation warden position in Sawyer County, Wis., in September 2013. After graduating from UW-Stevens Point, Peters worked as a park ranger in Marathon County, a police officer for the city of wausau, and went on to complete the warden training academy in 2000. After completing the academy he worked at training stations in Vernon, Burnett, and Oconto counties.

Nichol “Nicky” Martin (BS Forest Mgt. ’01), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Division of Forestry, was promoted to the Forestry Staff Specialist position in Brule, Wis. Martin began her career with the WDNR Division of Forestry in 2002 in Woodruff and assumed the role of Brule Forest Ranger in

October 2003. She has overseen fire operations, been responsible for a large private forest management area and assisted in several Brule area operations. Martin resides in Iron River, Wis. with her husband Eric Martin (BS Water Resources ‘94) and one child.

Emily Ciffone (MS Natural Resources ‘99) is the new program director at the Darien Nature Center in Darien, Conn. Ciffone previously worked as the center’s naturalist from 2000 to 2005. She has spent the last eight years focusing on writing curriculum and teaching science, nature and environmental education programs at the preschool and elementary levels.

Steven Miller (BS Forestry Management ‘84), chief, Bureau of Land Management at the St. Johns River Management District, Fla., was appointed by the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture to the Forestry Council. The five-member group

advises the Commissioner and the Florida Forest Service on issues affecting forestry statewide. The four-year appointment will end on July 31, 2017.

Jamie Bunting (MS Natural Resources ‘13) was named the education manager at the Pickering Creek Audubon Center in Easton, Md., in August. Bunting will oversee the center’s educational programs from pre-kindergarten through high school, including its 20-year collaboration with the Talbot County school system. Her commitment to hands-on, interactive learning dovetails with the center’s approach to environmental education.

Bryan Lockman (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘99) replaced Barry Meister (BS Wildlife ‘82) as the new conservation warden in Portage County. Meister retired after 28 years in the position. Lockman previously worked as a warden in Sturgeon Bay, New

London, and Wood County before transferring to Portage County. Lockman will work primarily in the northern part of the county.

Rick Kingsbury, (BS Resource Management ’77) is a landscape architect practicing in Maryland for more than 30 years. His work specializes in creating memorable outdoor spaces with an emphasis on sustainable design and planning. He received a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Virginia in 1982. He lives with his wife, Laurie, also an architect, and his dog, Ty, in Baltimore, Md. His office website is www.intelligent-creative-sustainable.com.

Alumni updates (con’t)

Emily Ciffone is the new program director at the Darien Nature Center in Conn.

Frederick “Rick” Peters Jr. began his new role as a WDNR conservation warden for Sawyer County.

Steven Miller was appointed to the Florida Forestry Council.Contributed photo

Rick Kingsbury, pictured here in Istanbul, has been a practicing landscape architect for more than 30 years.Contributed photo

9

CNR News

Wisconsin has 18 new wildlife biologists working around the state on habitat management, wildlife population monitoring, and answering questions from the public on wildlife, hunting, trapping and public recreation on wildlife areas. Nine of these new hires are CNR alumni.

Kelly VanBeek (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘10) is the new wildlife biologist, for Waukesha and Walworth counties. VanBeek will be responsible for implementing a broad scale wildlife program on 14 wildlife and fisheries areas spanning more than 13,000 acres. The program covers wildlife based recreation, protecting, and managing wildlife populations, monitoring the trapping and hunting harvest, and integrated land management activities like habitat restoration, forest management, exotic plant control and prescribed burns.

Mark Rasmussen (BS Wildlife ‘08) is serving as the wildlife biologist in Alma, covering Buffalo and Trempealeau counties. Mark’s last assignment was in Spooner working as a wildlife and lands technician and a chronic wasting disease (CWD) biologist where he coordinated CWD sampling and management programs in Washburn, Burnett, Barron, and Polk counties. Prior to working in Spooner he worked as an intern at the Navarino Wildlife Area and as a crew member with the Wis. Natural Resources Foundation Natural Heritage Corp.

Sam Jonas (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘11) is stationed in Mercer, Wis. and responsible for implementing a broadscale wildlife program on public and private lands. The department program covers wildlife based recreation and integrated land management. Jonas’ last assignment was assistant big game ecologist for the DNR out of the central office in Madison, Wis. He also served as a limited term employee wildlife technician and voluntary public access liaison for the southern district. Previously he spent time with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and WDNR as a lead nest monitor in Adams County for the Wisconsin Kirtland’s Warbler project.

Dianne (Dessecker) Robinson (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘08), stationed in Waukesha County, will serve as the wildlife biologist for Big Muskego Lake Wildlife Area in Milwaukee County and as the southeast Wisconsin environmental educator, a new position to the DNR.

Scott Roepke (BS Wildlife ‘06; MS Natural Resources ‘12) is serving as the wildlife biologist in Black River Falls, covering Clark and Jackson counties. Scott’s last assignment was working as the assistant big game ecologist for the WDNR in Madison, Wis. Prior to the assistant big game position, Scott worked on the Clam Lake Elk Herd Project and spent time working for the United States Forest Service, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Idaho Fish and Game.

Janet (King) Brehm (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘02; MS Natural Resources ‘08) is stationed in Wausaukee and manages Town Corner, Miscauno, Amberg, and Lake Noquebay wildlife areas, Dubar Barrens State Natural Area, and Pike Wild Rivers properties in Marinette County.

James Christopoulos (BS Wildlife ‘03) is stationed in Horicon and manages the Glacial Habitat Restoration Areas in Dodge, Fond du Lac, and Columbia counties.

CNR Alumni fill nine of eighteen WDNR wildlife biologist positions

Kelly VanBeek

Mark Rasmussen

Sam Jonas

Dianne (Dessecker) Robinson Photo courtesy of Dale Jackson

10

CNR News

Ryan Haffele (BS Wildlife ‘09) is serving as the wildlife biologist in Baldwin, covering Pierce and St. Croix Counties. Ryan’s last assignment was wildlife biologist for the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks in Chamberlain, S.D. covering 10 counties. Before that he was a wildlife technician for the FWS in Utah conducting research and habitat mapping and also with FWS in North Dakota where he gained considerable field experience conducting wildlife surveys and research on grassland nesting waterfowl.

Mark Witecha (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘07), stationed in Lake Mills Wis., is the wildlife biologist for Koshkonong, Lake Mills, Princes Point, Rome Pond, Jefferson Marsh and Waterloo wildlife areas in Jefferson County.

Janet (King) Brehm

Mark WitechaRyan Haffele James Christopoulos

Scott Roepke

Bob Nack (BS Wildlife ‘99) began his new role as the DNR’s Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) and Big Game Section Chief in October.

Nack will focus on developing and delivering the DMAP program to Wisconsin landowners. Initiating DMAP in Wisconsin is a central recommendation of the Deer Trustee Report and is intended to improve relationships between hunters, landowners, and DNR. The program is under development and is expected to begin in 2014. It will include site specific management of deer, wildlife, and habitat, as well as the collection of biological data for management decisions.

Originally from Howards Grove, Wis., Bob currently lives in Fall River with his wife and two daughters.

11

CNR News

Nack named state’s first Deer Management Assistance Program and Big Game Section chief

Bob Micheel (BS Resource Management ’89) was awarded the 2013 Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, Outstanding Conservation Employee Award at the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association meeting in March.

Micheel, currently a soil and water conservationist for the Monroe County Land Conservation Department, started his career in conservation pioneering the stream bank restoration/trout habitat project in Monroe county. With cooperation from the DNR and the USFWS, he designed and helped install miles of stream habitat with more than 60 fishing easements, more than 1,000 lunkers and in the last six years installed more than 125 stream weirs and more than 30 stream crossings. Besides stream work Bob has installed grade stabilization structures, miles of grass waterways and diversions, and waste storage systems.

Micheel also teaches students in the Sparta and Norwalk Ontario Wilton school districts about stream and fish habitat, and works with them building fish habitat structures.

He was the first technical committee chair for the Wisconsin Association of Land Conservation Employees, serving for

10 years, and continues to be active as an area representative. He currently serves on the State Technical Committee where he represents Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association.

Bob is instilling a strong conservation ethic with his two boys, raising chickens, selling homegrown vegetables, and spending time in the woods and on the water.

Alumni updates (con’t)

Bob Micheel, pictured here with a buck he shot in 2012, was the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Conservation Employee Award from the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association.Photo courtesy of Richard Case

Jason Kuiken (BS Resource Management ‘02) is the new deputy forest supervisor of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Kuiken will help oversee management of four million acres of federal land in Washington and more than 450 employees. He previously served as a district ranger on the Chippewa National Forest’s Deer River Ranger District in Deer River, Minn. Kuiken also has experience working at the national headquarters for the Department of Agriculture and Forest Service in Washington, D.C., and the agency’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Golden, Colo. Kuiken also holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University.

Ben Robel (BS Wildlife Ecology ‘07) and his company, Vegetation Solutions, were featured in a June article of the Tomah Journal. Vegetation Solutions, established in 2008, specializes in land management through targeted grazing, namely eradicating invasive species, with the use of goats. Typically the goats graze on the same site two or three times throughout the year. Once the land is fully grazed out, it can be maintained with periodic controlled burns. He started with two goats and continues to breed Kiko and Boer varieties. Strobel strives to keep his company green and sustainable, selling the goat meat as an organic, grass fed product. The company serves private and public landowners, government agencies, and commercial land holders. Learn more about this unique approach to invasive species at vegetation-solutions.com.

Ben Robel opens a gate to move his Kiko goats to another paddock at the Justin Trails Resort in Sparta.Photo courtesy of Tomah Journal

12

CNR News

Faculty, staff, and outreach highlightsThe Center for Watershed Science and Education (CWSE) unveiled the “Wisconsin Well Water Viewer” allowing citizens and agency staff to view drinking water quality in an interactive map anywhere a well sample was taken. The viewer plots water quality for a dozen parameters on maps than can be viewed from the state to section scale. In operation for just over a year, the viewer has been visited by 5,000 people. It is a great resource for people who have questions about water quality in their area. The Well Water viewer can be found at www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/watershed/Pages/WellWaterViewer.aspx.

Staff members within the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), Jamie Mollica and Sara Windjue, were published in the Middle Grades Research Journal in the article Ensuring Teacher Education Program Success Through Formative Assessments: An Overview of the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program. KEEP is housed within the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and its goal is to leverage teacher education to improve and increase energy literacy in Wisconsin’s K-12 schools as a means of contributing to statewide energy savings. Created in 1995, the program continues to effectively reach out to and educate teachers, and receive significant stakeholder support.

George Kraft, professor of water resources and director of the CWSE, was featured on an episode of Northland Adventures, titled “Common Sense”, with Dave Carlson. The show focused on the impacts of high capacity wells on ground water levels in Central Wis.. The video can be found at www.wqow.com/category/183584/northland-adventures.

The Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program was mentioned in the National Geographic Daily News in November. The article focused on the increase in the number of women who hunt, there was a 25 percent surge in women hunters from 2006 to 2011, and the reasons behind the increase. You can find the complete article at news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/11/131103- women-hunters-local-meat-food-outdoor-sports. The BOW program, currently present in 37 states and six Canadian provinces, offers a variety of classes from muzzle loading to archery for women of all ages.

Lynn Markham, UW-Extension shoreland and land use specialist with the Center for Land Use Education, coauthored Impervious Surfaces: How They Impact Fish, Wildlife and Waterfront Property Values. The publication, developed for waterfront property owners and local officials, focuses on the impacts that impervious surfaces such as driveways and rooftops can have on waterfront property values, fish populations, and wildlife. You can find the article online at www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/clue/documents/water/

impervioussurfaces2013.pdf. CLUE is a partnership between the UW-Stevens Point CNR and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

The Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center (SHWEC) was awarded a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the implementation of pollution prevention activities, including funding for green chemistry programming. The green chemistry activity is focused on developing a web portal for the manufacturing sector containing tools for identifying safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing. SHWEC will be working with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Ad Hoc Group on Substitution of Harmful Chemicals in developing this resource portal. OECD is headquartered in Paris, France, and its mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people worldwide. SHWEC is a partnership with the CNR and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. SHWEC’s mission is to enhance Wisconsin’s environment and economy by providing quality education, information and technical assistance to promote the sustainable use of natural resources.

The Center for Watershed Science and Education designed a program allowing people to view water quality results across Wisconsin.

Winter BOW workshop participants pose with a team of sled dogs during a mushing class at Treehaven.

13

CNR News

14

CNR News

George Rogers, a longtime writer, editor, author, Stevens Point civic leader and devoted conservationist, died on November 4, 2013 at age 85. A friend of Dan Trainer, the late dean of the College of Natural Resources, Rogers had been an advocate and benefactor of the college for decades, touting its faculty and supporting scholarships for its students whenever he could. A native of Stevens Point, Rogers worked for 40 years as a reporter and editor at the Stevens Point Journal before officially retiring as publisher in 1988. Debbie Bradley, editorial director at Krause Publications, Iola, and a former newspaper colleague of his, called Rogers “the finest journalist I’ve ever met.”Rogers never really retired, instead continuing to pursue one of his true passions – writing about the outdoors – in the Journal, Portage County Gazette and other media outlets, right up until the week he died.According to freelance conservation writer and editor, Bill Berry, Rogers “could have been a journalist anywhere in the world, but he worked in Stevens Point, where he treasured nature and natural resources.” Among his many accomplishments, Rogers founded the Plover River Alliance, a group dedicated to protecting one of Central Wisconsin’s most important waterways. In 1999, the River Alliance of Wisconsin honored him with a River Champion Award for his outstanding service to river protection, calling him “a passionate, thoughtful and articulate river rat of the finest order.”

In Memory

George Rogers was a longtime writer, editor, author, civic leader, and devoted conservationist.

Robert A. Klumb (MS Natural Resources ’97) died on July 8, 2013, as the result of a pedestrian car accident. He was 46. Rob was an amazing humanitarian and fisheries biologist. He was humble with a big heart and solid natural resource ethic that moved him to the forefront of appreciation among his peers.

Born in West Allis, Wis., he completed his bachelor’s degree at the UW-Milwaukee, his master’s at UW-Stevens Point, and his doctoral degree from Cornell University in 2002. During his time at UW-Stevens Point, Rob developed a way to predict how fish grow and how many fish in a population are available for people to catch; information essential to people who care about fish and fishing. He continued to work on understanding processes that affect survival and production of fish at Cornell. Klumb joined the FWS as a fisheries biologist in Pierre, S.D., in 2002. He was promoted to fishery supervisor in 2009. While working with the FWS, he was invited to join the faculty at South Dakota State University.

Rob’s dedication to the enhancement and protection of native fish populations in the Missouri River earned him a seat on many committees and workgroups where he led the charge for change. His advanced mathematical skills brought invitations from American, Canadian, and Japanese scientists determining the numbers of fish available for commercial harvest in the North Pacific Ocean.

Colorful, energetic, and positive, he was inspirational to young developing biologists and scientists. Klumb’s ability to understand the importance of fishery conservation and his knack for working well with colleagues influenced a generation of young biologists. He will truly be missed by the crews that worked under his guidance, the students he mentored, and the colleagues he left behind.

Robert Klumb, pictured here during his time with the FWS, was inspirational to young biologists and scientists.

15

CNR News

Herb Behnke, former chairman and the longest serving member of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, died on December 8 at the age of 88. Among his many volunteer efforts to further conservation in the state of Wisconsin, he served on the CNR Advisory Board from 1999 to 2003. Culminating a lifetime of dedication to his ideals and achievements, Herb was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in 2009.

Raised on a dairy farm, Behnke learned the value of hard work as well as the joy one can get from hunting and fishing. After graduating from Lena High School in 1943, he furthered his education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, completing a course in cattle breeding. That led to a long career in the livestock breeding industry where he held numerous positions before retiring in 1989 as the vice president of marketing for Shawano-based Cooperative Resources International.

Herb’s love for hunting and fishing stayed with him throughout his life and he joined many outdoor organizations, including the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited, Spooner Musky Club, Shawano Club, and Navarino Nature Center, where he served on the board of directors. He was appointed to statewide service by three different governors: the Wolf River Regional Planning Commission by Governor Gaylord Nelson, and the Wisconsin Conservation Commission and Wisconsin Natural Resources Board by Governor Warren Knowles and Governor Tommy Thompson. Behnke’s influence on conservation transcended party politics and he was known and respected for his ability and willingness to listen to opinions from all sides of an issue and from both sides of the political aisle. Perhaps because of this, he became the longest serving member on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, serving for 21 years, including four years as chairman.

Herb is perhaps best known for his strong support for state acquisition of significant lands, for encouraging development of long-term deer management policy, and for balancing science with the public’s needs. Many felt that Herb’s presence on the board represented the voice of ordinary citizens. "I never really listened much to special

interest groups,” Behnke once said about his role on the board. “To me, it was the common men and women who loved to hunt and fish, and what they wanted.”

Herb had tremendous respect and admiration for conservation wardens, and in 2011 the CNR established the Herb and Lenore Behnke Scholarship for undergraduate students studying law enforcement in the college. Herb is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Lenore, of Shawano, Wis.; his son, Crispen (Kelly) Behnke, of Rochester, Minn.; and two granddaughters, Julia and Laura.

In Memory (con’t)

Herb Behnke served 21 years on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, the longest serving member in the Board’s history.

Herb Behnke (right) with Lenore, his wife of 38 years.

University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointCollege of Natural Resources800 Reserve StreetStevens Point, WI 54481-3897

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-profitU.S. Postage

PAIDStevens Point, WI

Permit 19

Alumni ImpactThere are two significant ways you can help us continue to be one of the nation’s leading undergraduate natural resources program.

Make a gift. With decreasing levels of state support, your financial gift can provide the college with the support it needs to continue to produce the excellent graduates for which we are known. You can give online at www.uwsp.edu/givenow. If you would like to mail in a donation, please make checks payable to the “UW-Stevens Point Foundation - CNR” and send to: UW-Stevens Point Foundation, 2100 Main Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481. If you have questions about giving, please contact Steve Menzel at 715-346-2032 or Steve.Menzel@uwsp.edu.

Share your story. We love to hear from our alumni! Hearing what you have been up to since graduation builds pride among our faculty, staff, and students; helps us obtain grants and gifts from other sources; and makes a fun addition to our newsletter. Send your story to cnr@uwsp.edu.

Winter 2013

This newsletter is printed on environmentally responsible paper.The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.

Would you like to receive an electronic newsletter? Contact us at cnr@uwsp.edu