POSTER PRESENTER: http://tinyurl.com/2024WSC-Pfost CO-AUTHORS: Anna Rzchowski and Peter Ziegler, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association TITLE: A new partnership to benefit Wisconsin’s public land wetlands ABSTRACT: In early 2023, the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWaA) contracted with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to restore and enhance wetland habitats on WDNR’s 1.4 million acres. The WDNR lacks workforce experience and capacity for this state-wide effort. The agreement comprised two parts: 1) WWaA searches out wetland restoration opportunities on lands owned or managed by the WDNR. WWaA’s wetland ecologists review soil maps, historic maps, and various aerial imagery to identify possible restoration opportunities. Next, WWaA ecologists visit sites and survey to verify restoration potential. WWaA ecologists use an iterative and collaborative approach to design the restoration. Throughout this process, the ecologists communicate with WDNR property managers and wetland habitat specialists to ensure that site-specific habitat management goals and infrastructure maintenance needs are considered in the prospective restoration plan. Once the plan is finalized, WWaA submits the wetland restoration permit application and will eventually oversee construction. To date, WWaA has conducted desk reviews of 144 properties. Of those, 15 have progressed beyond desk review, one wetland permit application has been submitted, and a second application is nearing completion. 2) WWaA will partner with WDNR and others to expand the extent of wild rice across Wisconsin’s Ceded Territory. In 2023, WWaA collected 250 pounds of wild rice from a Vilas County lake and gave it to WDNR, who planted it on another site the next day. WWaA also purchased 1,400 pounds of wild rice planted on priority sites determined by WDNR and partners. Both wetland restoration and wild rice collection are part of this three-year pilot program that is potentially renewable. BIO: Mark Pfost joined the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association following a brief retirement hiatus. Pre-retirement, he worked for the US Fish & Wildlife Service for twenty-two years—the last twelve as a private-lands biologist with the Partners for Fish & Wildlife program. He designed and implemented habitat restoration projects, primarily wetlands and prairies, to help landowners enhance their properties to benefit wildlife.