The Wisconsin Stewardship Network (WSN) conference at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) is one of the events marking Wisconsin�s 2003 Year of Water campaign.

The event on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15, is at the University Center with UWSP�s College of Natural Resources (CNR) and Department of Biology as co-sponsors. UWSP�s support is focused on Friday evening�s forum (7-9:30 p.m.). In addition, the CNR has provided some monies for selected scholarships for UWSP students. The conference schedule is available at www.wsn.org

The event begins with a Friday night dinner at 6 p.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Governor Doyle and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett have been invited to speak at Saturday�s luncheon.

Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians, and author Robert Glennon, Morris Udall professor of law and public policy at the University of Arizona�s James E. Rogers College of Law, are headlining Friday night�s activities.

UWSP also played a key role at the Fall 2002 Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters "Waters of Wisconsin" (WOW) forum in Madison. CNR professors Michael Dombeck and George Kraft served on the WOW steering committee. Over 20 CNR faculty and staff participated in the forum.

"The CNR is a key player in the state�s effort to educate, promote and bring best science practices to those charged with protecting Wisconsin�s ground and surface waters," said Dean Victor Phillips. According to Phillips, the CNR has a growing list of Year of Water events being scheduled throughout the year beyond the WSN conference next week including:

• engaging CNR student organizations in water events throughout 2003
• K-12 water educators� forum, hosted by CNR in late March and co-hosted by Wisconsin Academy of Science
• ongoing groundwater monitoring projects throughout Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Association of Lakes conference in March, with Dean Phillips keynote speaker
• World Water Day, March 22
• Variety of Earth Day activities in April
• CNR�s Dombeck gives presentation for UWSP Laird Youth Leadership Day, - April 28
• CNR�s Dombeck keynote speaker for �Great Waters of Wisconsin" journalists� conference in May
• 2nd International Seminar on Watershed Management hosted by UWSP in June

More events will be scheduled throughout the year, according to planners. More information on these and future CNR events is online at www.uwsp.edu/cnr/.

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tmiller/vc/CNR year of water