2023-24 Year-in-Review
Article written on 2024-06-09 by: Adrian Meseberg
Check out some of the ways GBTU made a difference in 2023-24 !!
The annual recap covers May 2023 through April 2024.
Committed Donations:
- $6000 – from a WITU Friends Grant – Towards habitat improvement crew (WI DNR – Lakewood)
- $3000 + $2500 (from a WITU Friends Matching Grant) – Towards habitat improvement crew (WI DNR – Antigo)
- $2000 – Towards habitat improvement crew (TUGLSR)
- $650 – Towards a generator for survey boat (USFS)
- Total: $11,650 + $2500 Friends Grant for a grand total of $14,150
Habitat Work:
- May 20th – South Fork Thunder River tree planting
- June 17th– Wausaukee River improved angler access
- July 15th – Evergreen Creek stream brushing for easier fishability & in-stream brush installation for improved stream flow
- August 19th – North Branch Beaver Creek stream brushing for easier fishability & in-stream brush installation for improved stream flow
- October 21st – Haller Creek new sign installation/ invasive buckthorn removal
- March 9th – Haller Creek new sign installation/ invasive buckthorn removal
- Total: 6 Habitat Improvement Days – 337 volunteer hours (an average of 10 GBTU and 13.83 total volunteers / work day)
Education/Outreach:
- Completed GBTU Trout “Tails” Educational Trail re-vamp at the Northeast Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo
- June 3rd – Outagamie County Conservation Club Take-a-Kid-Fishing-Day
- July 10th – Kids’ Fishing Day
- September 9th – Women’s Outdoor Workshop
Education – Trout-in-the-Classroom (TIC):
- TIC at Seymour High School
- TIC at Bay View Middle School
- TIC at Pulaski High School (Kaleb Santy)
Fundraising:
- February 15th – 48th Annual Conservation Banquet
- Secured a 1500 euro Schwabe Corporate “international” Grant (Germany)
Meetings:
- Held 6 Board of Director / GBTU Leaders meetings
- Held several Conservation Banquet Committee meetings
- Held multiple Trout Educational Trail Committee meetings
- Hosted 4 guest speakers
Veteran’s Service Programs:
- Our Veteran’s Service Program met every other Monday throughout the year. GBTU took veteran’s on multiple fishing outings.
Diverse and Active Board of Directors and Leadership Chairs
- Our Board of Directors and Leadership Positions are gender, race and age diverse.
Legislative:
- Legislative chair who is connected to the state capital and keeps us informed on issues affecting our clean coldwater resources.
Total Volunteer Hours:
- GBTU efforts contributed a total of 1969 volunteer hours in 2023-24. In April of 2024, Independentsector.org released it’s value of a volunteer hour at $33.49/hour. Given this figure our local conservation group donated approximately $65,272.01 worth of volunteer effort. Check out the table below to see where these hours came from…
Category | Hours |
Conservation, science and/or monitoring | 500 |
Advocacy | 20 |
Communication & Engagement | 147 |
Youth Education | 287 |
Veterans | 100 |
Fundraising | 460 |
BOD Operations/Management | 435 |
Total: | 1949 |
We pride ourselves on being an action, conservation organization. We cannot do it without your support !
Thank You for all you do for the Coldwater Resources of Northeast Wisconsin !!
Filed Under: outreach