A Conversation with MillerCoors Grant Finalist - Valley Stewardship Network

The Kickapoo River Watershed is a major tributary of the Wisconsin River in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin. The watershed contains over 500 miles of coldwater streams with populations of brown and brook trout. Half of these streams have naturally reproducing trout populations and are essential to the area’s economy and rich quality of life. Spring-fed streams throughout the Kickapoo Valley provide habitat for wildlife, fish, and other aquatic species.

Q&A with Valley Stewardship Network

RN: What will you do with the grant funding if you win this contest?

VSN: VSN believes that cooperative efforts are essential to protecting our environment and this proposed project builds on previous work uniting water quality monitoring and sustainable farming practices. VSN will partner with the local county governments to educate citizens, promote local implementation of BMP and aid farmers in obtaining cost-share assistance. We will use water monitoring to help identify sites of concern and to document water quality improvements resulting from BMP implementation.

RN: How does your proposed project complement your organization’s mission?

VSN: VSN’s mission is to encourage, promote and help create opportunities for proactive stewardship efforts in the Kickapoo River Watershed and adjacent regions through public education and awareness efforts and promotion of community pride, positive land use, compatible development and communication and coordination among individuals and groups in the Watershed region.

The proposed project encompasses why VSN exists. The Kickapoo River Watershed and adjacent regions are the home to a great many farmers. Although, poor farming practices alone are not the sole threat to the watershed, the use of sustainable farming practices are essential to the protection and improvement of our invaluable resource -- WATER. This proposed project would educate and increase awareness of all watershed citizens’, farmers and non-farmers alike, about positive land use. In addition, it bridges our two key organizational programs; the Water Quality Monitoring and Food & Farm Initiative.

RN: Why are local watershed protection programs like yours so important?

VSN: Local is the key!!!! Who better is aware of regional issues and changes in watershed health? Who is using the water resources for drinking, farming and recreating? Who is going to be impacted by the abuse of OUR precious resource? THE LOCAL CITIZENS.

RN: What does “Great Beer, Great Responsibility” mean to you?

VSN: To me Great Beer, Great Responsibility means that environmental protection and sustainability isn’t just for an elite group of environmentalists. It means that everyone must do their part and work together, united, in protection of our resources. MillerCoors has acknowledged responsibility for the resources it uses in every step of their beer production, grain to glass, and that the sustainability of these resources is key to ensuring those resources are available for another 288 years of brewing.

RN: Thanks for all you are doing to protect and restore water quality in Wisconsin.

View project summaries from the MillerCoors-River Network Watershed Protection Grant competition and cast your vote today!