Speakers: Patrick Bula, John Kennedy, and Matt Oehmichen

The Eau Pleine Partnership for Integrated Conservation (EPPIC) formed in late 2017 as a way to help the various conservation stakeholders in and around the Eau Pleine Watershed to better collaborate and coordinate their efforts. From the beginning this partnership has included farmers, agronomists, shoreland owners, and conservation-oriented government and non-governmental organizations. This community-led approach to conservation has created opportunities for otherwise unrelated partners to find common ground and work together to achieve their goals. For example, organizations like BEPCO and River Alliance of Wisconsin have been able to connect with farmers and agronomists that share common interests of improving soil health and water quality. So far this collective action has sparked new initiatives in and around the watershed that have accelerated the adoption rate of new practices as well as increasing public awareness and support for the protection of our natural resources.