Welcome to DCCL!

Did you know that the League is the second oldest conservation group in the State of Wisconsin? If you are concerned about the future of Dane County’s natural heritage, you will want to attend the Dane County Conservation League’s 21st annual fundraiser banquet. Proceeds from the event support educational scholarships, local DNR wildlife habitat projects, purchase of trout stream bank easements, prairie chicken recovery efforts, the raising of pheasants, and the construction of Blue Bird, Wren, Wood Duck, and Bat Houses

 DCCL ANNUL BANQUET APRIL 20th 2023 PDF

DANE COUNTY CONSERVATION LEAGUE’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

Scott Craven, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Ecology will be our MC

                    THURSDAY APRIL 20th

  5:30 P.M. Social    7:00 P.M. Dinner

  (LIMITED TO 130 PEOPLE)

  Rex’s Innkeeper  301 North Century Avenue, Waunakee

2023 ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

 

Every year four spots on the board of directors are open for any current member to try and attain.  Incumbents Tom Ripp, Dwaine Rundle and Jerry Sands were re-elected.  Chris Worley was elected to a seat vacated by Denise Johnson.  Denise has been on the board for several years and has served the League well.  We thank her for her contributions to the DCCL and conservation in Dane County.   Monica Spaeni was appointed to a one-year term as member- at- large as allowed by the League by-laws.   Thanks to Chris and Monica for stepping up to help guide the League in the future. After the general meeting, the board met to elect officers.  The following were elected: Sharon Schwab, President; Tim Heindl, Vice-President, Jeff Bloomer, Treasurer and Lowell Carter, Secretary.  Monica Spaeni was the guest speaker and gave a presentation regarding AccessAbility Wisconsin.  Monica was the founder of this organization whose goal is to place an all-terrain mobile chair in each county in Wisconsin for use by anyone who is unable to walk and enjoy Wisconsin’s outdoors.  Monica was also the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation’s Conservationist of the Year.  

 

Other highlights of the evening were the complimentary pizza and some terrific raffle prizes that included gift cards to Cabela’s and Fleet-Farm.  

 

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FEBRUARY MEMBERSHIP MEETING

 

Please try to join us on Tuesday, February 28 at 7p.m. at Schwoegler’s Lanes in Madison for the February meeting.  Guest speakers will be DNR Wildlife Biologists Lesa Kardash and Erin Grossman.  They are currently managing the prairie chicken lands in central Wisconsin of which over 4300 acres are owned by the DCCL.  This will be a very informative program and they will gladly answer your questions about all of the activities taking place.  See you on the 28th.

  

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WISCONSIN FISHING EXPO

 

The annual Fishing Expo will take place on February 24-26 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.  The League will have a booth again this year.  We would appreciate some help in manning the booth for an hour or two if you plan to attend.  If you are willing to do so, please contact Tom Klingbiel.  His email is tom.klingbiel@gmail.com and his phone number is 608-575-0295.  

 

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DCCL ANNUAL BANQUET

 

In the next few weeks a flyer will be sent out announcing the DCCL Banquet for 2023.  It will be held at Rex’s Innkeeper in Waunakee again this year on April 20.  As you know, this event always sells out quickly so consider yourself forewarned.

 

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DCCL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

 

We are happy to announce that UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources has awarded the two $1,000 DCCL annual scholarships to Meagan O’Neill of Madison and Brooke McCallum of Oregon.  Meagan is majoring in Soil and Water Resources and Brooke is majoring in Resource Management.  A formal presentation will be made on April 21 in Stevens Point.  Richad Brye of the DCCL board will attend.  Congratulations to Meagan and Brooke.  The League set up these two annual grants a few years ago and all recipients are from Wisconsin and mostly Dane County.  Funding has been established so that these are perpetual scholarships.

 

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2023 FARM BILL

 

Every five years Congress attempts to pass a Farm Bill.  This year is one of those years.  The bill is massive and most the $20 billion per year expenditures go for supplemental nutrition programs.  But, even with only about 7% marked for conservation initiatives, that is a pile of money and dwarfs any other conservation spending.  Of course, one of the most visible measures is the Conservation Reserve Program that provides so much habitat for many game and non-game species.  Any of us involved with pheasants can fully appreciate CRP.  The current bill expires in September.  About 40% of House members are new since the last Farm Bill was passed, so a lot of education must take place.  Currently, no member from Wisconsin is on the Agriculture Committee.

 

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IF YOU HAVEN’T PAID YOUR 2023 DUES, NO WORRIES.  WE WILL GLADLY ACCEPT YOUR DOLLARS.  

 

THANK YOU!

  

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Dear Current and Past Dane County Conservation League Members:

 It’s time to renew your DCCL membership for 2023.  Memberships are concurrent with the calendar year.  I hope you will continue to support Dane County’s oldest conservation organization, a club with a rich history dating back to 1933.  

 Your dollars have allowed us to raise pheasants, build nesting structures, secure top-notch speakers for membership meetings, support Hunter Safety Training, donate funds to Dane County Parks for hunting and fishing properties as well as other conservation groups like the Prairie Enthusiasts, and The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

 One of the proudest achievements of the League is the establishment of a perpetual scholarship fund at UW-Stevens Point. An annual grant will be made to two Wisconsin resident upper classman enrolled in the College of Natural Resources.    

 The League continues to operate a first-class pheasant farm where members can earn birds; we have installed dozens of wood duck and bluebird houses in Dane County, built many bat roosting shelters for use in Dane County Parks, ran a top-notch banquet, cleaned up roadsides, and continued to cooperate with the DNR in managing our 4390 acres of prairie chicken lands in central Wisconsin. Also, in 2022, we assisted financially in the purchase of an additional 520 acres of prairie chicken habitat.  We are also very proud that the DCCL was named the Conservation Organization of the Year in 2020 by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.  

 Our dues structure continues unchanged as it has for many years.  We hope you will clip and mail the form below soon (we especially need your email address).  Thank you for considering the DCCL and have a great year in Dane County’s outdoors.

 Sharon Schwab

President, DCCL

Link to  printable renewal letter

 

Conserve Now That the Future May Live.......

 

 

 

We need Your Likes ON Facebook!!  We are trying to get a E-Newsletter going and by liking our Facebook page we can make sure you are kept up to date with all the latest events.

DCCL E-NEWSLETTER

 

 

 All Family members are welcome to join in on the fun!!

Pheasants will be given out starting aug 31st.  And Remember you must :

New Go wild DNR Website To Purchase a license, permit or register you kill.

Need a place to hunt this fall? Want to know where the pheasants are stocked each week? or even find a parking lot. check out this great hunting tool.  http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/lands/fflight.html

 

Membership meeting are starting in September

Board meetings are the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm.

Membership meetings are the fourth Tuesday at 7:00pm. With Guest Speaker To discuss farm issues and conservation efforts. Everyone is Welcome to join us.

All Meetings are held at the  Schwoegler Park Town Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison

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