University of Wisconsin - Extension

MADISON, Wis.-Local government officials, planning and zoning staff, planning consultants, educators, conservation agency staff and private citizens who are interested in land use issues are invited to attend a two-day conference to learn more about land use planning Jan. 23-24 at the Heidel House Resort in Green Lake, Wisc.

Conference organizers say "Keeping the Land in Land Use Planning" will focus on the role of conservation in land use planning. They hope the meeting will encourage integration of conservation tools and techniques into the planning process; foster dialogue among land use decision makers and resource managers; and promote preservation of the rural landscape and protection of natural resources through wise land use planning.

Participants will hear from a range of speakers including University of Wisconsin professors, land use planners and local government officials. Topics include "Smart Growth," farmland preservation, property rights and other current issues in land use.

Dr. Tom Daniels will give the keynote address on Agricultural Preservation Planning Tools. Daniels is from the State University of New York Department of Geography and Planning.

The conference includes a session on the purchase of development rights as a tool for farmland preservation, followed by a panel discussion. The panel will include representatives from 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, American Farmland Trust, Wisconsin Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS), Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and Department of Natural Resources.

The conference also includes sessions on natural resource issues, visualization and computer technologies, process design and facilitation skills and the presentation of case studies from Lincoln, Portage and Dane counties. Kathleen Falk, Dane County Executive, will present the Dane County case study.

Sponsors of the conference include the Wisconsin Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, University of Wisconsin-Extension Land Use Teams, and Wisconsin Natural Resource and Conservation Service. The conference is also the annual meeting of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS).

The Heidel House is located in Green Lake, approximately 30 miles east of Interstate 39. For lodging information, call the Heidel House at 1-800-444-2812. Single room rates are $62 and double rates are $92. Make reservations by Dec. 23 to receive these conference rates.

For a flyer containing more information about the conference and registration details, please contact Laura Paine, 608-742-9682 or laura.paine@ces.uwex.edu. There is a registration fee of $55 for SWCS members and $65 for non-members. Students and retirees may attend for $45. Banquet attendance is $20 extra. Make checks payable to "Wisconsin Chapter SWCS." Registration deadline is January 15. For information on becoming a member of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, visit the SWCS Web site at http://www.swcs.org .