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AUTHORS. Eric Olson, University of Wisconsin - Extension Lakes
ABSTRACT. Continued enjoyment of our lakes depends on proactive management that reduces polluted runoff, restores and protects shorelines, contains and prevents the spread of aquatic invasive plants, and builds resiliency into lakes-based social and ecological systems. Faced with the challenge of meeting this need across 3,600 lakes larger than 20 acres in size, the State of Wisconsin has for forty years embraced a collaborative approach that brings together local organizations,, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the University of Wisconsin to jointly develop and implement lake management plans. The network of hundreds of local lake organizations are central to the Partnership’s work, but natural resource managers need to better understand the origin and function of local groups to better engage them in fisheries, habitat, AIS, and other issues. This presentation will recap the history and development of the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership and discuss key legal and policy components that have arisen in the last 40 years. We will explore the variations in capacity and engagement across hundreds of lake organizations and share recommendations for successfully partnering with lake organizations to carry out fisheries-related work on inland lakes.
