Two eastern Wisconsin groups who participated in the Adopt a Fish or Wildlife program through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources won the first ever award for group of the year.
The Lakeshore Trout Unlimited won the 2023 Adopt a Fish or Wildlife Area Group of the Year for adopting the Onion River Fishery Area in Sheboygan County, and the Friends of Brillion Nature Center in Calumet County won the Wildlife Area Friends Group of the Year.
The program was created in 2015 to engage local communities and organizations in public land management and build the state’s conservation community.
The programs had to dedicate 100 hours of volunteer work during at least 3 events or donate $3,000 a year.
Volunteers worked on clearing brush and invasive species, helping restore streams, and planting trees.
DNR Wildlife Management Land and Habitat Supervisor Tim Lizotte says the DNR is happy to celebrate the groups and acknowledge the total 17,400 hours and over $423,000 of funding donated or raised the last two years.
