Wisconsin Public Radio

09/27/2026

After the expiration of the decades-old Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program earlier this year, land trusts around the state are adapting to the funding challenges coming from the loss of a major source of state support.

09/27/2026

Whooping cranes were reintroduced to Wisconsin in 2001 to increase the eastern migratory population.

Whooping cranes --- creeping back from the brink of extinction through intensive conservation efforts --- only produce one to two eggs per year.

09/27/2026

The Trump administration directed industry-funded promotion programs to halt all support for initiatives related to reducing emissions and sustainability.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says industry-funded research and promotion programs cannot fund initiatives focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving environmental sustainability.

09/27/2026

Wausau author Julianna Burmesch says her work in early childhood education helped her understand the lasting effects of her own upbringing.

Central Wisconsin author and longtime Wausau educator Julianna Burmesch explores childhood trauma, resilience and healing in her memoir, “Life with Less of Me.”

09/27/2026

Beginning in December, new federal restrictions will make many h**p products illegal. Businesses in the industry are getting ready to close down most or all of their operations, while advocates hope there's still time to change course before the ban begins.

Beginning in December, new federal restrictions will make many h**p products illegal.

09/26/2026

Local farmers perform in the "Hay Rake Ballet."

This September, five hundred people bought tickets and turned up at a family farm in southern Wisconsin, so they could watch hay being baled. The sold-out “Hay Rake Ballet” turned farm machinery into art.

09/26/2026

According to KFF, a nonprofit health policy research organization, 30 percent of all direct care workers nationwide are immigrants.

Policy changes by the Trump administration are weakening an already struggling workforce that helps care for Wisconsin’s older adults and disabled population.

09/26/2026

"Rascal," an autobiographical novel that takes place in Edgerton, inspired an animated series in Japan.

Edgerton, a Wisconsin community of just over 6,000 people, has become a sensation in Japan for its ties to a famous pet raccoon.

09/26/2026

The final rule would allow the DNR to more quickly change bag and size limits to help walleye.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources can now pursue special bag and size limits to aid struggling walleye populations.

09/26/2026

On a Saturday morning in August, a group of around 20 people gathered at the head of the Tara Lila Forest Bathing Trail. The 1 mile gravel path is located about a 10-minute drive from downtown Eagle River.

Tara Lila is the first certified forest bathing trail in Wisconsin. Studies have shown that forest bathing can reduce blood pressure, stress hormones and improve sleep.

This summer, Wisconsin opened its first certified forest bathing trail in Vilas County. Forest bathing is the practice of getting immersed in nature to improve well-being, and one group took in the trail's restorative effects last month.