Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

The DNR Great Waters Calendar is here, and once again, the photographers featured in this year's edition captured the true beauty and essence of Wisconsin's natural resources! Gary Cressey of Elkhart Lake, Julie DeLisle of Port Washington, Satiya Buell of Madison and Michael Henderson of Two Rivers each won first-place honors in the contest's four categories, which include natural features, wildlife, people enjoying our Great Waters, and cultural and historical features. These and other top photographs are featured in the 2024-2025 Wisconsin's Great Waters Calendar. Alongside the beautiful photos are poems and short stories from the annual Great Waters Writing Project. This 16-month calendar celebrates our iconic waters throughout the seasons and inspires us to be careful stewards of these vast yet vulnerable resources. The new calendar is now available and can be viewed on the DNR website: https://lnkd.in/gj6eTKy2 We appreciate the contributions of all our photographers and writers who share the many ways we connect with and value our Great Waters. The DNR is now accepting photos and writings of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Mississippi River for next year's Great Waters Photo Contest and Writing Project. The next contest deadline is April 1, 2025. Photo credits: 1 - “Supermoon Rising” by Gary Cressey. Kohler-Andrae State Park. 1st place in the natural features category. 2 - “Manitowoc Harbor” by Michael Henderson. Manitowoc. 1st place in the cultural and historical features category. 3 - “Sea Caves Paddling” by Satiya Buell. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. 1st place in the people enjoying our Great Waters category. 4 - “Unexpected Pink Visitors” by Julie DeLisle. South Beach, Port Washington. 1st place in the wildlife category.

Do you know of a school, business, organization or community program in Wisconsin that deserves recognition for their excellence in waste reduction and diverting waste out of landfills? Nominate them for a Recycling Excellence Award! The nomination period is now open and will close on Sept. 16, 2024. Who's eligible? – Any responsible unit (RU)/community, organization, school or business in Wisconsin – Any individual can self-nominate or submit a nomination on another’s behalf – A nominee can be nominated multiple times for multiple awards but will receive no more than one Recycling Excellence Award every other year Winners will be highlighted on the DNR’s website, recycling newsletter and social media. Learn how to submit a nomination and view bios of past winners on our website at https://lnkd.in/epNvmrw

We're recruiting a Forestry Division Application Developer based out of our Madison office. In this role, you'll assist with requirements definition and complete advanced analysis, design, development, testing and deployments for complex custom applications, which may involve integration with geospatial applications. You'll provide advanced knowledge and skillsets for new development, enhancements, bug fixes and ongoing maintenance of complex custom applications to meet the diverse needs of the DNR. In this role, you'll need advanced knowledge of general IS concepts, principles, practices and techniques. It also requires a strong knowledge base and experience of IT/web application development, as well as the aptitude and desire to create solutions and consult with other IT staff and customers. If this sounds like the next adventure in your career, head to https://lnkd.in/g8pJ-Ak and search for job ID 15275. Apply by Sept. 3, 2024.

Wisconsin DNR conservation wardens and county sheriff deputies joined forces Aug. 2-4 during the fourth annual Think Smart Before You Start ATV safety campaign. Kudos to the outstanding off-highway vehicle operators who are showing the way to others by using their helmets, safety belts and more safety techniques. That’s the way to be role models for all – and it makes the trails safer for everyone. Despite extensive efforts to educate riders about responsible operation and safety, there is always more work to be done to educate the public. The DNR aims to continue its focus on safety-related violations, especially those involving youth riders and passengers. Alcohol and speed continue to play a role in most fatal crashes. Campaigns like Think Smart Before You Start have been effective tools for the DNR and its partners to address these trends. One of the best things ATV and UTV operators can do to operate safely is to take an online safety course. A list of approved safety education classes is available on the DNR's Safety Education webpage: https://lnkd.in/g-AR6Zex

We're hiring at the DNR! Are you ready to make a change? Head to wisc.jobs, then click Search by Agency and choose Dept of Natural Resources to see all of our current openings and find your next opportunity.

Local trees are increasingly appreciated for all of the good things they do for our communities, like reducing our stress levels, capturing air pollutants, alleviating flooding or providing habitat to our nonhuman cohabitants. Given the importance of these forests, the DNR Urban Forestry program helps support local communities with technical assistance, funding, training, networking and research related to local trees. For two urban forestry interns from Southern University, this summer provided an opportunity not only to learn more about the urban forestry industry but also to contribute to assessment projects better to understand the breadth and condition of those local resources. From ground-truthing LiDAR-derived canopy models to collecting street tree data, the interns made meaningful contributions to ongoing urban forestry studies. Additionally, they designed their own project using the i-Tree Eco protocol. They established small plots across Milwaukee Public Schools properties. In each plot, they collected data on trees and ground conditions, ultimately leading to estimates on the number, diversity, health condition and ecosystem benefits of the trees on MPS properties. In between fieldwork, they also learned about other important topics in urban forestry, such as nursery production, insect and disease pressures, proper pruning and urban wood utilization. You can learn more about Wisconsin’s Urban Forests by visiting https://lnkd.in/gcZV4hFG

Are you a civil engineer looking for your next opportunity? We're hiring civil engineers throughout the state to manage the budgeting, planning, design, design oversight and project and construction management of DNR facilities. As a civil engineer at the DNR, you'll ensure that the construction of DNR facilities is completed in accordance with all applicable laws, codes, statutes, administrative requirements, approved programs, schedules and budgets. The types of projects you'll work on include trails, buildings, wastewater systems, water supply systems, privies, piers, boat launches, bridges, exterior/interior facility repairs, pavements and parking lots, towers, campgrounds and projects related to natural resource programs. If this sounds like the next adventure in your career, head to https://lnkd.in/g8pJ-Ak and search for job ID 14190. Apply by Aug. 26, 2024.

We're recruiting for a Bureau Director for our Watershed Management Program to lead our diverse group of engineers, permitting staff and water resource professionals across the urban storm water and agricultural runoff and permitting programs. These programs focus on the protection of human health and water resources. In this role, you'll be responsible for administering all aspects of implementation and evaluation of programs to ensure conformance with state and federal laws, development of all administrative rules and associate policies for the programs within Watershed Management. If this sounds like the next adventure in your career, head to https://lnkd.in/g8pJ-Ak and search for job ID 15108. Apply by Aug. 19, 2024.

We're looking for a Recycling and Solid Waste Section Manager. Could this be the next adventure in your career? In this role, you'll supervise the staff and administration of the recycling and solid waste aspects of the DNR's Waste & Materials Management Program. You'll ensure integration of recycling and solid waste activities within the program and with other programs and policies within DNR and with other state, federal or local agencies. You'll also oversee the development of policy, rules and guidance related to recycling and solid waste in Wisconsin and will work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of program initiatives. As a member of the Waste & Materials Management Leadership Team, you'll assist in setting statewide policy on waste management issues. If this sounds like the next step in your career, head to https://lnkd.in/g8pJ-Ak and search for job ID 15120. Apply by Aug. 19, 2024.

Come one, come all, and report a brood sighting before the fall! The DNR is asking for the public’s help reporting game bird observations (ruffed grouse, ring-necked pheasant, wild turkey and gray partridge) now through the end of August. If you see one of these game birds or their broods in the wild (or in your yard… or in a parking lot…), you can now log the sighting in the “Survey123” app in real-time. Just make sure not to use the app while driving. These efforts help the DNR more comprehensively monitor the breeding success for each species, better inform future harvest regulations and aid ongoing research like that of Upland Game Bird Research Scientist Chris Pollentier. “We’re currently investigating the effectiveness of Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras as a means to monitor game bird population trends and estimate their reproductive success,” Pollentier explains, “so this survey’s results can help us compare and validate that research as well.” You can visit https://lnkd.in/gJ_7x8tS to learn how to download the app and start reporting today.