Dane County Land & Water Resources Department

Dane County Land & Water Resources Department The official page of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. The Dane County Board established a permanent Lakes and Watershed Commission in 1988.

Through program, policy and plan development, community engagement, program implementation, education and water-related service projects, the Commission and the Office of Lakes and Watersheds work to protect and improve water quality, as well as the scenic, economic, recreational and environmental value of Dane County's water resources. We have a history of bringing people and organizations together from diverse backgrounds. Members of our community share solutions to a variety of challenges within the Watershed Network; such as water quality monitoring, identifying strategic partnerships, capacity building, volunteer coordination and more. Through the Dane County Watershed Network, organizations with a connection to lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands share information and learn from one another. The Dane County Watershed Network strives for the inclusion of of all water-related advocacy groups and partner organizations within the region. A more diverse, multi-faceted approach to collective engagement emphasizes the value in working together to improve both communities and watersheds across Dane County.

09/09/2026

Only two weeks left until our 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝘆 event at Fish Camp County Park along the shores of Lake Kegonsa.

Discover the many ways to enjoy birding with this FREE event designed to make birding welcoming, inclusive, safe, and accessible for all. Attendees can choose to sit, stroll, or get bird photography advice.

Some activities require registration. Learn more at: www.danecountyparks.com/birdingyourway

09/09/2026

Join us for a community learning and networking opportunity centered on creating, enhancing, and managing native plant gardens!

To kick off Wisconsin Stormwater Week, this month’s learning topic will focus on rain gardens and downspout gardens. Learn more about these special gardens, when they can be used, and how to install them. Planting plans and resources will be available and experts will be on hand to provide design help and answer questions. You can also watch the rainfall simulator in action to see how rain gardens work to prevent stormwater pollution.

Additional learning stations include:

🌻 Garden Design with expert help
🌰 Seed Collection
🌿 Winter Invasive Species Management
🐝 Pollinator Friendly Fall Yard Practices

Learn more and sign up at: www.lussierheritagecenter.com/Event/Detail/2620

09/09/2026

☕NATURE BASED MEMORY CAFE IS BACK☕
Join us for our first fall Memory Cafe on October 5th. Our memory café offers a relaxed space for social interaction, support, and fun through nature based activities. This month will include an early‑autumn walk along our paved trails to admire the changing colors and gather a few fallen leaves. Memory cafe is a monthly gathering for individuals with memory loss and their caregivers.

Program is free from 9:30 - 11 am. RSVP at: https://www.lussierheritagecenter.com/Event/Detail/2880

09/04/2026

Now is a great time to get out and monitor for non-native phragmites.

09/04/2026
This year we gave out nearly 11,000 free native plants to schools and community groups as part of our Free Native Plants...
09/01/2026

This year we gave out nearly 11,000 free native plants to schools and community groups as part of our Free Native Plants program. We wrapped up the summer distribution earlier this month. Since the program began in 2016, we have given out more than 63,000 plants to 268 Dane County organizations.

Learn more about this program here:
https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/grants-and-costshare/free-plants

Stay in the loop with our native plant programs and updates by signing up for our native plant newsletter:
https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/about/news-and-information/Newsletters

Over the past few months, we've been traveling across the county leading activities, demonstrations, and presentations t...
08/27/2026

Over the past few months, we've been traveling across the county leading activities, demonstrations, and presentations to educate and motive people to take action to protect our waters.

Thank you to our community partners, volunteers, and participants for making this season a success. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to seeing you at future events.

Stay tuned for upcoming events and opportunities to get involved. www.ripple-effects.com

08/03/2026
08/03/2026

Our next AIS of the week is the purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)!

This AIS can grow between 3-7ft tall and prefers moist soils and shallow water. Early detections is important as, like many AIS, purple loosestrife can outcompete native species.

Sign-up for Snapshot Day 2026 to search for purple loosestrife near you!
https://wav.extension.wisc.edu/events/aquatic-invasive-species-snapshot-day-2026/



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Source: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/PurpleLoosestrife
Photo: Paul Skawinski

Address

5201 Fen Oak Drive, Rm 208
Madison, WI
53718

Opening Hours

Monday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:45am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(608) 224-3730

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