October 2010: Entertainment
Downtown
The "New Approaches to Downtown Development in a Period of
Economic Recovery" webinar series presents “Entertainment
Downtown” on November 11, 2010, from 12:00 noon to 1:00. This
presentation will focus on ways for downtowns to identify what
types of entertainment best suit their inhabitants and how these
amenities can be used to differentiate their downtowns from
other districts. Click on the
Revitalizing Wisconsin’s Downtowns website for more
information.
July 2010: Watershed Management
2010
The “Innovations in Watershed Management Under Land Use and
Climate Change” conference will highlight innovative approaches
for managing water resources under climate and land use change.
This watershed management conference will be held August 23-27
on Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. Climate change has the
potential to undermine traditional approaches for managing water
resources in developed and developing areas. Conference
participants will evaluate and improve the ways in which they
design, manage, operate, and regulate water resource practices
and facilities. Click on
Watershed Management 2010 for more information.
June 2010:
Public
Policy Forum on Sustainable Communities
UW Colleges/Extension hosted a “Wisconsin Idea” Public Policy
Forum on Sustainable Communities on March 25-26 at UW-Fox
Valley. A series of regional Sustainable Communities Roundtables
were held throughout the state prior to the March forum.
Participants at the Roundtables identified ways that communities
can engage and are engaging in sustainability—based on
compelling examples from around the state. These ideas were
refined and added to during the March forum and, subsequently,
via a web-based site for input in late May and early June. The
findings and recommendations from the regional Sustainable
Communities Roundtables, the Public Policy Forum on Sustainable
Communities, and the web-based input will be summarized in an
upcoming publication. The target date for its completion is
October. If you want to be notified once this final report is
available, send a message to this address:
sustainability@uwsuper.edu.
May 2010:
Public
Policy Forum on Sustainable Communities
UW
Colleges/Extension hosted a “Wisconsin Idea” Public Policy Forum
on Sustainable Communities on March 25-26 at UW-Fox Valley. A
series of regional Sustainable Communities Roundtables were held
throughout the state prior to the March forum. Participants at
the Roundtables identified ways that communities can engage and
are engaging in sustainability—based on compelling examples from
around the state. The findings and recommendations from the
regional Sustainable Communities Roundtables and the Public
Policy Forum on Sustainable Communities will be summarized in an
upcoming publication. An opportunity for interested parties to
add their own recommendations, and prioritize existing
recommendations, will be made available shortly on a related web
site. The link to that site will be posted here. If you want to
be notified once the site is available, send a message to this
address:
sustainability@uwsuper.edu.
March 2010:
Public
Policy Forum on Sustainable Communities
UW Colleges/Extension will be hosting the third in a continuing
series of biannual “Wisconsin Idea” Public Policy Forums to be
held March 25-26 at UW-Fox Valley. The theme of this forum is
Sustainable Communities. The first day of the forum
includes invited plenary speakers on community sustainability
and community case study presentations featuring both in-state
and out-of-state examples. The second day of the forum will be a
hands-on, participatory session focused on public policy
opportunities and recommendations. A series of regional
Sustainable Communities Roundtables are underway to provide
input for the March forum. The Roundtables are identifying ways
that communities can engage in sustainability—based on
compelling examples from around the state—and gaining input from
participants regarding both opportunities and challenges. The
findings and recommendations from the regional Sustainable
Communities Roundtables and the Public Policy Forum on
Sustainable Communities will be summarized in a post-forum
publication. It will capture and document the broad movement
across the state toward sustainability and help translate this
grassroots interest into action through practical steps and
solutions. For additional information on the roundtables and
forum and to register for the forum, go to
Sustainable Communities Public Policy Forum.
February 2010:
Public
Policy Forum on Sustainable Communities
UW
Colleges/Extension will be hosting the third in a continuing
series of biannual “Wisconsin Idea” Public Policy Forums to be
held March 25-26 at UW-Fox Valley. The theme of this forum is
Sustainable Communities. The first day of the forum
is tentatively slated to include invited plenary speakers on
community sustainability and community case study panels
featuring both in-state and out-of-state presentations and
responses. The second day of the forum will be a hands-on,
participatory session focused on public policy opportunities and
recommendations. A series of regional Sustainable Communities
Roundtables are planned for late February and early March to
lead up to and provide input for the March forum. The
Roundtables will look at ways communities can engage in
sustainability—based on compelling examples from around the
state—and gain input from participants regarding the
opportunities and challenges they see in terms of the policy
dimensions of community sustainability. The findings and
recommendations from the regional Sustainable Communities
Roundtables and the Public Policy Forum on Sustainable
Communities will be summarized in a written publication. It will
capture and document the broad movement across the state toward
sustainability and help translate this grassroots interest into
action through practical steps and solutions. Additional
information on the roundtables and forum will be provided as it
becomes available.
October 2009: Training Opportunity
A
training opportunity for Sustainability Leaders in the Midwest.
An intensive three-day course designed to provide the strategic
know-how and leadership capacity to build a truly sustainable
future. Days one and two will provide a solid grounding in the
Natural Step Framework and planning methodology. Beyond the
foundational knowledge of the core concepts of sustainability,
the course emphasis is on participation and practical experience
with numerous opportunities for dialogue and hands-on
application. Day three will focus on building personal
leadership qualities that will powerfully influence
organizations and inspire bold and courageous change.
Sustainability Team member Lisa MacKinnon will be partnering
with Heidi Blankenship from The Natural Step U.S. and the
Strozzi Institute to conduct this course. Click
here for a link to the brochure with detailed course and
registration information.
September 2009: Rural Property Guide
Workshop
Owning and sustainably managing
rural property can be challenging as well as rewarding. How can
owners or managers know they are properly caring for their
wooded land, pasture, river, or lake property? Rural property
owners, especially new owners and those looking to own, should
plan to attend the Lake Superior Watershed Rural Property Guide
Workshop on September 17, 2009 at
4:00pm, at the Superior Public Library. Staff from the
University of Wisconsin-Extension, the City of Superior and the
Wisconsin Department of Health will be presenting information
relevant to property owners and managers in rural counties in
Wisconsin. The Guide and Workshop will answer questions about
many issues related to rural property management such as testing
drinking wells, maintaining septic systems, and safely disposing
of household hazardous material. Click
here for a
direct link to the guide.
August2009: Village of Colfax
Eco-municipality Resolution
Another
Wisconsin community has passed an eco-municipality resolution.
The Village of Colfax,
in Dunn County, adopted an Eco-Municipality Resolution on June
29, 2009. The village resolved that
it endorses the principles of sustainable community development,
as proposed in “The Natural Step Program”, and agrees to apply
these principles in its planning, policy making and municipal
practices. A copy of this resolution has been posted in the
Eco-Municipality section of the capacity center. Click
here for a direct link. Copies of other Wisconsin
communities’
eco-municipality resolution can also be found in this section.
July 2009: Recovery Act Information
The purpose of
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is to
promote economic recovery and to assist those impacted by the
recession. Many elements of this act relate to aspects of
community sustainability. To aid communities that are interested
this information, the UW-Extension Sustainability Team has
consolidated it in a separate section of this website. In the
sidebar to the right, the section entitled "Recovery Act
Information" provides information that includes funding
opportunities for renewable energy research, production and
investment. Click here
or the "Recovery Act Information" bar.
June
2009: "Focus on Sustainability" Webconference
The
Building Communities educational program "Focus on
Sustainability" is a webinar series offered by the Center for
Community and Economic Development, UW-Extension. On June 16,
Mary Rehwald, Community
Educator and Local Community Organizer in Ashland, Wisconsin , will present "Community
Organizing for Sustainability".
Where does a community start if it is interested in organizing
for sustainability? Who takes the lead? What are the roles of
local governments, local businesses, and local organizations? Do
we need a “fire soul” to lead the effort? Why do some
communities seem to move forward while others don’t? Is it
easier to pursue sustainability in urban versus rural areas?
This session explores these questions and offers examples that
include study circles, early adopter projects, comprehensive
planning, and local sustainability alliances. To learn more,
click
here.
May 2009: "Focus on Sustainability" Webconference
The
Building Communities educational program "Focus on
Sustainability" is a webinar series offered by the Center for
Community and Economic Development, UW-Extension. On May 19,
John Talberth, Director, Sustainability Indicators Program,
Redefining Progress, will present "
Sustainability Indicators and Measurement".
Sustainability indicators use data to measure progress. The
resulting information can be used to raise awareness about
community health, the environment, social well-being and
economic development. Learn about an array of indicator models
across the country and how they are used as a basis for further
policy development, funding targets, and improved activities and
strategies to promote sustainability. To learn more,
click
here.
April 2009: "Focus on Sustainability" Webconference
The Building
Communities educational program "Focus on Sustainability" is
a webinar series offered by the Center for Community and
Economic Development, UW-Extension. On April 21, Jane Hansen,
Coordinator, Wisconsin Local Food Network, and other network
members, will present "Local Food Networks: Food Localization
as a Sustainability Strategy". A local sustainable food
economy links to local spending choices, nutrition and health,
developing linkages between rural and urban areas, creating jobs,
land use patterns, and regenerating community. Learn about this
growing sustainability strategy and how it is helping to reshape our
food system and our communities.
To learn more, click
here
