History

Since its origin in the late 1960s, the ERC has focused on the protection of water quality and soil productivity. ERC staff developed a base of practical information about environmental concerns at specific sites and established demonstration projects to serve as models for community planners. Projects included work on inland lakes, watershed management, small scale waste management, farmland preservation, and waste recycling. As these projects matured and produced useful environmental management information, the Center's scope expanded to include educational support for citizens, professionals and officials.

A Cooperative Effort

The School of Natural Resources in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences serves as the UW-Madison base for the Environmental Resources Center. It is in the Community, Natural Resources, and Economic Development program area.

The ERC works in cooperation with other UW System departments and Extension centers, county Extension offices, state agencies, and private and non-profit groups. Key partners include:

University of Wisconsin Soils Department
University of Wisconsin Biological Systems Engineering
Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WLWCA)
Wisconsin Association of Land Conservation Employees (WALCE)
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
USDA Farm Services Agency
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Bureau of Land Management

ERC Planning Documents

Theoretical Foundations Underlying UWEX ERC Program Initiatives and Development
"The Human Dimension of Resource Management Programs", Pete Nowak and Perry Cabot, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, Nov/Dec 2004
Adaptive Management, A Decision-Making Framework for a Complex World, a power point presentation developed by Rebecca Power
Social Indicators for NPS Evaluation, a project description from Ken Genskow

© 2008 by Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.