Celebrating Giving Tuesday Today and Every Day

Looking back over 2022, we at Wisconsin’s Green Fire have so many reasons to be grateful. After five years of advocating for science-based management of Wisconsin’s natural resources, we have grown to an organization with over 650 members that is recognized as a leading voice for conservation in the state.

We want to celebrate the reasons we are grateful, starting with our members. Somewhere along the line, each of you made your way into our midst by having an interest in science-based natural resource management in Wisconsin. And we’re thankful that so many of you offer your time, talents, and expertise to further our efforts in both large and small ways. You are Wisconsin’s Green Fire, and we couldn’t be what we are without you.

This year, we asked some of our supporters to tell us why they support WGF:

“I joined Wisconsin’s Green Fire as soon as I heard about it. It made perfect sense to me to harness the expertise of retired conservation professionals and apply science and common sense to resource issues in Wisconsin. I think backwards to how much we’ve needed this organization all these years. I’m grateful to the visionaries who created it and are still working on making it an effective voice for conservation.”

-Maggie Jones, WGF supporter

Amber DeValk

“I choose to support Wisconsin’s Green Fire…because I am passionate about preserving and conserving the natural resources we have in this state. As a student studying Wildlife Ecology and Management and Soil Sciences, I am grateful to have found this organization that so directly aligns with both my personal values and career goals. It is very exciting to me to be able to bring my fellow students into this organization which allows us to learn about how we can influence conservation decisions now, and in the future as we develop our careers. One of the most important aspects of WGF to me is the focus on nonpartisan and science-based approach to environmental issues.

Another important issue WGF has tackled in Wisconsin is the wolf hunt and the discussion of the future of wolves in this state. Specifically, the Opportunities Now report Creating A Shared Visions for Wolves in Wisconsin provides impactful conversations about the cultural significance of wolves to the Ojibwe people, and recommends actions which include recognizing the legal rights to natural resources of native nations in this state… I value the holistic approach WGF took to this issue that includes the additional humanistic dimension.”

-Amber DeValk, Aspiring Conservation Professionals Work Group member, and founding member of WGF’s UW-Stevens Point Student Chapter.

Isabelle Besier

“I have been a WGF member for just over a year now and I work with WGF to learn more about conservation issues and get connected with other concerned citizens. I’ve seen Wisconsin Green Fire  address climate change, inequities in conservation, and supporting younger people to get involved in the conservation movement.”

-Isabelle Besier, Aspiring Conservation Professionals Work Group member

This year, we added four WGF Ambassadors to our leadership. WGF Ambassadors are individuals who have contributed to Wisconsin’s natural resource legacy throughout their careers. WGF Ambassadors support Wisconsin’s Green Fire’s mission and represent diverse interest areas in Wisconsin conservation.

WGF’s Ambassadors include Russ Feingold, retired Wisconsin state senator; Patty Loew, citizen of Mashkiiziibii (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), author, journalist, and professor of journalism at Northwestern University (pictured below); Tia Nelson, environmental activist and daughter of former Wisconsin Governor Gaylord Nelson; and Patricia McConnell, animal behaviorist and Adjunct Professor of Zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Patty Loew

To hear Patty’s brief remarks about her support for WGF’s work in 2022, you can listen here.

We are also profoundly grateful to be part of the effort to restore our conservation legacy here in Wisconsin. Our state has a long and storied history of leading the way in conservation and we are proud to provide guidance and expertise to help professionals, policymakers, and citizens continue in that tradition. We are proud of our members’ accomplishments in 2022, and we look forward to what we can accomplish working together into 2023.

As you know, our critical work takes time and financial resources, and it’s an ongoing effort. That is why we ask you on Giving Tuesday, November 29th, to consider making a gift to ensure our work continues in 2023 and beyond.

Thanks to a generous 2:1 $30,000 match pledge from our Board of Directors for all gifts from current and first-time donors will help us continue our work for Wisconsin’s conservation. Your gift will be one more welcome addition to our list of things to be grateful for in 2022.

For many Wisconsin’s Green Fire members who are in or near retirement, effective charitable giving is an important part of estate planning. Members looking for ways to support Green Fire and other organizations can consider several giving strategies that maximize impact while providing tax benefits. Our new planned giving publication describes a range of ways to leave a legacy for Wisconsin conservation.

If you have already sent your year-end gift, please accept sincere thanks from all of us. We would not be what we are without your investment of time, talent, and your financial support.

With our gratitude, and many thanks for all you do,

-The Wisconsin’s Green Fire Team