Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Do you know if a permit is needed for your wetland or waterway project? If you are concerned about a project that may have impacted a wetland or waterway without a permit, the new Waterway and Wetland Question and Complaint Form is here to help: https://lnkd.in/gK_yVUeG This tool connects you with the right people and gives them the information they need to respond to your concerns. Use this tool for questions or concerns about: - Putting fill material in a wetland or waterway. - Placing structures or crossings, such as culverts, bridges, riprap, piers, etc. - Dredging a waterway or other similar construction activities. We rely on your partnership to keep our public trust waters open and accessible and ensure our wetlands will continue to provide critical functional values for generations to come.

Wild turkeys are a big deal in Wisconsin. This past spring alone, hunters applied for or purchased 224,630 harvest authorizations and registered 50,435 birds statewide. Not long ago, however, there wasn't a single turkey in the state. Learn about the incredible conservation success story of Wisconsin's wild turkeys in our latest issue of the Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine: https://lnkd.in/e4en_Jf7 Photo Credit: Linda Freshwaters Arndt

According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, more than 900,000 Wisconsin residents experienced food insecurity in 2023. The Deer Donation Program aims to help our neighbors in need by providing ground venison to food pantries around the state. Wisconsin hunters donate the venison that stocks these shelves. The program runs through the end of the deer hunting season. Visit our Deer Donation Program webpage to learn how you can donate your deer or contribute to this impactful program: https://lnkd.in/gtkYSZYS

We’re seeking preliminary public input on three suggested modifications to the state’s Deer Management Unit (DMU) boundaries. This public input period will run from Oct. 11-20. This review will focus on the units in the Northern and Central Forest Zones, as well as the metropolitan sub-units. Farmland Zone units are not being reviewed this time. Suggestions being considered are: 1 – Adjusting DMU boundaries within the Northern Forest Zone to be based on habitat type (rather than county borders) 2 – Reducing the size of the Central Forest Zone (esp. in Wood, Adams, Juneau and Monroe counties) 3 – Adjusting metro subunits around the state Let us know if you support these potential changes, as well as any additional thoughts you have on our state’s DMUs. The DNR will review and consider all feedback shared during the comment period. Find the survey and more information at https://lnkd.in/gQ4DApmy

Today is International E-Waste Day! This year, we’re challenging you to find your “forgotten” e-waste and recycle it to reuse valuable materials. A DNR survey earlier this year found that Wisconsin households have an estimated 8.9 million unused TVs, computers, tablets and cell phones. Dig into your junk drawers, in the back of your closets and in that dusty corner of your basement. Don’t forget that box of random cables, cords and chargers. Then visit our website to find a local electronics collection site or mail-back program to safely recycle your old gadgets: https://lnkd.in/gUgJNPRC.

The world's fastest animal is making a comeback, thanks to conservation efforts right here in Wisconsin. The peregrine falcon can reach up to 230 miles per hour when diving for prey, which is about three times quicker than a cheetah. Unfortunately, these wild speed demons were nearly gone from the Midwest in the 1950s due to the effects of the chemical DDT. Now, after nearly 40 years of consistent conservation efforts, peregrines are once again nesting and raising their fledglings here in our state! Learn how the DNR and conservation partners have helped a new population of peregrines take flight in the latest issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine: https://lnkd.in/gbPiKeVf

Happy 50th anniversary to the Safe Drinking Water Act! To celebrate 50 years of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which was passed in 1974, here are some interesting facts about drinking water history in the U.S. – The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the first U.S. federal law to ensure safe drinking water for the public, was signed into law by President Gerald Ford on Dec. 16, 1974. – In 1974, the U.S. population was 209 million, and today, it's 342 million – a lot more mouths to quench! – Before the SDWA, more than 40% of our nation’s drinking water systems failed to meet the most basic health standards. Today, more than 90% of the U.S. population is served by community water systems that meet all health-based standards. – In the beginning of the SDWA, only 22 contaminants were regulated. Today, public health is protected by federal drinking water standards for about 100 contaminants. – The SDWA has evolved since 1974. In 1996, amendments were made to the SDWA requiring states to submit annual drinking water reports to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Wisconsin DNR has published 27 reports since 1996 for all to read. Check out this year’s report: https://lnkd.in/egMkfdaA What amendments lie ahead? Addressing standards for emerging contaminants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics, disinfection bi-products and more lead and copper revisions.

Are you a woodland owner and want more trees on your property? We can help. Starting yesterday, Oct. 7, you can order seedlings of native tree and shrub species to plant next spring. These high-quality seedlings are grown at the F.G. Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel. A minimum order consists of a packet of 300 trees or shrubs of the landowner’s choosing in increments of 100 of each species, 500 shrubs or 1,000 tree seedlings. Youth groups and educational organizations can also purchase seedlings for their reforestation and conservation planting projects. Choose from conifers like white cedar, balsam fir and tamarack, and hardwood species like aspen, silver and sugar maple, American elm and more. Learn more and order online on our website at https://lnkd.in/ecv8ZPMK

Did you know deer can contract CWD in more ways than just animal-to-animal contact? Once infected, deer begin shedding prions, or misfolded proteins, which cause CWD. The deer spreads these prions through bodily substances like saliva, urine and feces for the rest of its life. Prions are extremely resilient and can contaminate an environment for years, potentially infecting several deer from a single source. Activities like baiting and feeding may alter deer behavior and encourage them to congregate unnaturally. This may lead to direct or indirect contact between deer that wouldn’t otherwise interact and increase potential exposure to CWD-causing prions. Baiting and feeding bans are in place in CWD-affected areas to limit the spread of disease and help keep Wisconsin’s deer herd healthy.

Hunting can bring many joys, but barriers prevent some from experiencing these benefits. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, people of color comprise only about 23% of hunters. Learn how groups are encouraging people of all backgrounds to try hunting, especially through mentoring efforts and access to public lands, in the latest issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine: https://lnkd.in/g3bQaXDC Photo Credit: Hunters of Color