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| Community, Natural
Resource and Economic Development educators work with many partners on land
use issues. Shown are St. Croix County CRD Agent Jim Janke, right, and Dave
Fodrczi, county planning director. |
Teaming Up with Communities
to Meet Their Challenges
Helping Communities Meet Local
Challenges
University of Wisconsin-Extension
programs in Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development (CNRED) help
Wisconsin communities deal with their own unique challenges. These include:
- Land use and smart
growth initiatives
- Natural resource and
water quality issues
- Local government operations
and finance
- Economic development
including labor force issues
- Community decision-making
and leadership issues
Backed by University of
Wisconsin research, CNRED educators work with local governments, civic organizations,
businesses and community leaders to help people identify critical local concerns,
set goals and work on solutions.
Natural resource and environmental
educators work with teachers and students, environmental and conservation groups
and businesses that rely on the state’s water and land resources.
An Eye to Our Future
Community, Natural Resource
and Economic Development programs are carefully designed to achieve specific
outcomes for communities.
- Enhance local decisions
based on knowledge of implications and broad public involvement
- Help people adopt environmentally
and economically efficient practices
- Enhance community and
economic diversity with strong local, trusted leadership
Stronger Leadership, Stronger
Communities
Community, Natural Resource
and Economic Development educators and programs strengthen communities in a
variety of ways. They:
- Provide access to knowledge,
organizing skills, linkage to information and resource networks that address
locally-important issues,
- Enhance processes for
strategic thinking to support local decision making.
- Enhance knowledge of
options for development and regulations affecting situations.
- Provide resource-based
information that can come from interdisciplinary analysis.
- Introduce best management
practice adoption.
- Offer educative support
to organizations and government that promotes efficiency and effectiveness.
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What People Say About Us
“One of the
most important features of the university’s role in our land use
plan was the emphasis on the process of meaningful public involvement.
It helped us fill in a lot of questions. This process would never have
occurred without the university connection.”
Bruce Haukoum,
Jefferson County zoning administrator, on development of a comprehensive,
county-wide land use plan
“UW-Extension’s
workshop on barn preservation encouraged me to reuse barns, and it inspired
me.”
Sharon O’Rourke,
Osceola
“As a result
of attending UW-Extension’s Restoring Shoreland Habitats workshop,
I will be planting small shrubs and trees along the bank of my lakefront
property. Shoreline vegetation creates a buffer zone to protect the quality
of the water.”
Len Syberth, New
Auburn
“Wisconsin Extension
programs in Solid and Hazardous Waste Education are the envy of neighboring
states.”
Dennis Schmitt,
proprietor,
Lindeman’s Cleaning, Green Bay
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About Cooperative Extension in
Wisconsin
Cooperative Extension is
part of the University of Wisconsin System and a division of University of Wisconsin-Extension.
Cooperative Extension helps people throughout the state acquire knowledge and
skills to …
- Solve problems in their
businesses.
- Improve their local
governments and neighborhoods.
- Enhance the quality
of their families’ lives.
- Use natural resources
responsibly.
- Help their children
grow and learn.
Extension people work in
partnership with people in county, state, federal, and tribal governments; community
organizations; volunteers; business; and industry. With faculty in every county
and on UW-campuses, Cooperative Extension gives Wisconsin citizens quick and
convenient access to University research and knowledge.
Community, Natural Resource
and Economic Development is one of the Cooperative Extension programs. Others
include Family Living, 4-H Youth Development, and Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Go
to the Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development Homepage
More about Cooperative
Extension
