Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/noaa-sea-grant-invests-4-25-million-to-further-a-resilient-future/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Sea Grant announces new projects to address community needs regarding contaminants of emerging concern

On: December 12, 2024

In: bald eagle nestlings, emerging contaminants, Gavin Dehnert, National Sea Grant Law Center, new project, PFAS, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Caption: Gavin Dehnert, an emerging contaminants scientist at Wisconsin Sea Grant, investigates the impact of emerging contaminants on aquatic ecosystems. Photo Credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Coastal and estuarine waters are important for human and ecosystem health. Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are regularly detected in these waters; however, little is known about how they are transported, where they accumulate and their final destinations. There is also a lack of research on the health risks they pose to humans and aquatic life. It is critical to continue to support ongoing monitoring efforts and to address knowledge gaps around CEC exposures, which Sea Grant has established with previous funding.

For the last four years, Congress has directed Sea Grant to collaborate with state agencies and universities to expand emerging contaminant research and monitoring. Sea Grant is pleased to announce two projects receiving approximately $984,000 in federal funding in 2024. These projects were competitively selected through an opportunity focused on CECs. The projects, detailed below, will lead regional research competitions in the Southeast and Great Lakes regions focused on addressing CEC information needs.

2024 project descriptions:

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Quantifying the health impacts of emerging and legacy contaminants on an apex bird predator in the Great Lakes region

Federal funding: $484,400

Project lead: Christina Remucal and Gavin Dehnert

Wisconsin Sea Grant plans to sample bald eagle nestlings, game fish and water from areas in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan known to have per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. Researchers anticipate elevated PFAS levels near historical contamination sites and expect varying levels in game fish, which could lead to updating fish consumption guidelines. This study will inform long-term monitoring and bioremediation efforts and provide insights into the potential health impacts on both humans and wildlife. The findings will benefit local communities, including tribal nations, by offering updated fish consumption recommendations and contributing to future PFAS research.

The National Sea Grant Law Center

Strengthening and expanding regional CEC initiatives to promote research-to-application partnerships

Federal funding: $500,000

Project lead: Stephanie Otts

The National Sea Grant Law Center will assess and address the risks posed by contaminants of emerging concern to local communities through an interdisciplinary approach that involves both science and outreach. They will provide funding to the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium for research projects through their contaminants grant program and will support partnership development in the Great Lakes and Southeast regions through a competitive grant process. The expected outcomes include a better understanding of the types, prevalence and movement of contaminants in the Southeast, stronger collaboration between researchers and policymakers in both regions, the creation of research-to-application partnerships that can serve as future models, and improved integration of research into policy decisions.

The post Sea Grant announces new projects to address community needs regarding contaminants of emerging concern first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

In: Great Lakes Great Reads, Jen Rubin, Love Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vaughn Public Library Ashland, Wisconsin Humanities Council, Wisconsin Library Association, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Water Library

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-announces-new-projects-to-address-community-needs-regarding-contaminants-of-emerging-concern/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

A Great Lakes, Great Read Storytelling Workshop

On: September 4, 2024

Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Learn the art and craft of telling a Great Lakes story. Crafting experiences into powerful memories to share is an art. Join Jen Rubin, storytelling expert and producer of Love Wisconsin, a multimedia storytelling project, for an interactive workshop that will help storytellers share their love for the Great Lakes.

The first workshop will be held Oct. 4-5 at the Vaughn Public Library, Ashland, Wisconsin. Selected stories will be recorded. For more information and to register, visit: GreatLakesGreatRead.org/story.

Partners in this project include the Wisconsin Humanities Council, Wisconsin Library Association and the Wisconsin Water Library at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Great Lakes, Great Read is a basin-wide shared reading experience designed to inspire passion and connection to the Great Lakes Watershed through reading.

The post A Great Lakes, Great Read Storytelling Workshop first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/a-great-lakes-great-read-storytelling-workshop/

Using Sound to Connect People to Green Bay

On: August 14, 2024

In: American white pelicans, Atmos room, Bay Beach Amusement Park, Bill Sallak, Cat Island, Chris Houghton, Dead Horse Bay, Emily Tyner, fox river, Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Green Bay sounds, Jacob Hoffman, Longtail Point Lighthouse, navigation beacon in green bay, Phoenix, Resch Institute for Music, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Zippin Pippin

American white pelicans at their nesting colony on Cat Island in Green Bay. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

On a sunny morning in mid-June, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s research vessel, Phoenix, headed out onto the bay. Aboard were Sea Grant researchers Emily Tyner and Bill Sallak and a small mound of recording equipment. The boat was piloted by Chris Houghton, assistant professor and fish ecologist, who was assisted by first mate, undergraduate student Jacob Hoffman.

Emily Tyner aboard the Phoenix, UW-Green Bay’s research boat. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The bay outing’s purpose was to collect the natural noises of the estuary, particularly bird sounds. It was only supposed to last for three hours but like in the theme song for the “Gilligan’s Island” television show, a mishap was involved.

Tyner and Sallak’s project is associated with the development of a national estuarine research reserve on the bay. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 30 coastal sites that protect and study estuaries. In the Great Lakes, estuaries are areas where rivers empty into the lakes. The mission of the reserves is to practice and promote estuary stewardship via innovative research and education projects through a system of protected areas. It’s a partnership program between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and coastal states.

Tyner, director of freshwater strategy at UW-Green Bay, is the state lead on the designation of a new National Estuarine Research Reserve for the Bay of Green Bay. It will be the third reserve on the Great Lakes after Old Woman Creek in Ohio on Lake Erie and the Lake Superior Reserve in Superior, Wisconsin. Sallak is an associate professor of music and was sound recorder for the trip.

Their target was the Cat Island Chain, restored barrier islands in the bay that have created new habitat for migrating and nesting shorebirds. Then, if time allowed, they would visit several other sites.

Bill Sallak with sound recording equipment. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Sallak described how the idea for this project evolved. “Part of our original conception was more of a hard science, bioacoustics angle. But then, we went out on a boat trip and we went, ‘That sounds cool, that sounds cool. All these things sound really fantastic.’ And so, we decided to lean more towards a more humanistic angle, which is also going to work better if we get to the point where there’s a visitor’s center, because we can take these recordings and put them into a room with a surround sound speaker set up, and you can hear the bay in different locations, different seasons.”

In their proposal, Tyner and Sallak stressed the importance of bringing the sounds of the Green Bay estuary to the community. Tyner elaborated, “Right there is a restaurant that’s one of the only places on the lower bay where you can go and have a beer and have a burger and be sitting out on the water. And there’s almost no other places to kind of enjoy the bay. There’s the amusement park, but then there’s no pier or boardwalk for access. There’s no swimmable beaches. Some of that’s for water quality reasons. To get onto the bay, you need to have a boat, an expensive boat, probably. Maybe you can do a bit of kayaking from shore, but a trail system, we don’t really have that.

“For a long time, communities had closed themselves off from around the bay because of smells and harmful algal blooms and industrial uses. But now Green Bay and other communities are reopening and turning their front doors back. Especially with the Fox River cleanup, which was a $1.5 billion effort. And so, with that kind of trying to encourage the city and communities to turn their front doors this way, we also want to reconnect people. This is one step in getting us there,” Tyner said.

Chris Houghton. Image credit: Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

In sort of a happy accident, UW-Green Bay recently received funding for a new sound auditorium. Plans are for it to be completed this fall, and this Green Bay audio project will be the first to be featured.

Sallak explained. “Now the audio production program at the Resch Institute for Music is going to have probably the best facilities in higher education in the state. We were able to find about 1,600 square feet in the studio arts building and some underused space in the Wiedner Center. We’re putting in four new recording studios, one of which is an Atmos room. So, it’s equipped with a 14-speaker surround sound setup.”

He said it will be the same surround sound audio system that’s used in movie theaters. They’ll have the capacity to make surround sound recordings and present them in an acoustically refined space. When the Atmos room is finished, the Green Bay sounds project will be the first presentation featured in it. The sound files will also be available on a webpage.

The first of five stops on the boat tour was off the gull colony at Cat Island. Amid raucous gull calls, Sallak set up the recording equipment on the boat. He tagged the sound file with the date, time and location. After capturing several minutes of sound, he turned off the equipment as the Phoenix made its way to the pelican colony at the other end of Cat Island. The pelicans were very quiet, so there wasn’t much to record, but dozens of the prehistoric birds flying overhead made for some inspiring photos.

Pelicans wheel in the sky over Cat Island. Image credit: Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Their third stop was Longtail Point Lighthouse, a crumbling structure on a long sandy point. After Sallak recorded the sounds for several minutes, the unexpected happened.

“We’re beached,” Houghton said as the bottom of the boat came to rest on the sandy bottom.

“Uh oh,” Tyner said.

“Shouldn’t be a problem.” Houghton laughed, “Famous last words.”

Sallak chimed in, “We’re not going to run out of granola bars? Figure out who we have to eat first?”

Long Tail Point Lighthouse. Image credit: Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Houghton and Hoffman jumped over the side of the boat and tried to free it from the bottom. After some finagling, they were able to push it into deeper water.

The Zippin Pippin rollercoaster, Bay Beach Amusement Park. Image credit: Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Audio captured, the team moved onto the next stop, which had the ominous name of Dead Horse Bay. As they recorded, a bald eagle sat in a tree, watching as songbirds chirped and twittered. A plane flew overhead, and someone fired up a chain saw on shore. Sallak said he would keep those human sounds in the show. “We’re not apart from everything that’s going on. I’m more interested in collecting what’s literally here than trying to erase.”

Their fifth and final stop was full of human sounds offshore of Bay Beach Amusement Park. One of the most noticeable features there is the Zippin Pippin — a rollercoaster. The team watched as the coaster cars made their slow way up to the top of the ride and then plummeted, eliciting screams from the riders. Sallak said he has plans to go into the courtyard in the middle of the ride and get a recording for this project later.

With audio captured, the team motored back to the marina. They agreed there’s nothing like spending a morning on the water, even if it involved getting beached.

To hear a podcast episode of this story, complete with sounds, visit this Wisconsin Water News page.

A navigation beacon in Green Bay. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The post Using Sound to Connect People to Green Bay first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/using-sound-to-connect-people-to-green-bay/

Everyone Can Bird, Second of Three Accessible Birding Events

On: July 24, 2024

In: City of Superior, Embark Supported Employment, everyone can bird, Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, indiGO, Lake Superior Reserve, Luciana Ranelli, Millenium Trail, Minnesota Land Trust, Wisconsin Sea Grant

All are invited to attend the second in a series of three free events designed for birders of all skills and abilities. Join “Everyone Can Bird: Graduation to Migration,” 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Millennium Trail off N. 28th Street and Wyoming Avenue, Superior, Wisconsin.

In August, baby birds begin to “graduate” into adulthood as they prepare for migration. Come join a celebration of this exciting adventure for the new adult birds.

Sea Grant’s Natalie Chin looks for birds on Barker’s Island in Superior during an accessible birding event in 2022. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

People of all ages and ability levels are welcome to attend this accessible birding event. Move along the paved Millennium Trail on a guided bird hike or explore bird activities at your own pace.

American Sign Language interpretation is provided. Fifteen pairs of binoculars are available for use, along with a spotting scope, a wheelchair mount for binoculars and portable seating. A track chair – an all-terrain, electric-powered chair that can be used on hiking trails – along with a scooter and walkers will also be available, courtesy of indiGO.

Come and stay for the whole time or meet with and leave the group when you need. Light refreshments will be available. There will also be a wheelchair accessible portable bathroom on-site for this event.

Registration is encouraged but not required. Free bus transportation is provided at 9:20 a.m. from the Superior Public Library (1530 Tower Avenue) to the Millenium Trail. Please register to reserve your spot on the bus. (https://bit.ly/3y6XX7t)

This event is designed with access in mind, but people needing additional accommodations should email Luciana.Ranelli@wisc.edu or call Luciana at (715) 399-4085 at least 10 days before the event.

The Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, City of Superior, Embark Supported Employment, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, indiGO, Lake Superior Reserve, Minnesota Land Trust and Wisconsin Sea Grant are hosting this event.

The final “Everyone Can Bird” outing will be held Oct. 12 at Hawk Ridge in Duluth.

The post Everyone Can Bird, Second of Three Accessible Birding Events first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/everyone-can-bird-second-of-three-accessible-birding-events/

Get Into Your Sanctuary Workshop for youth

On: April 10, 2024

In: 2024, Get into your sanctuary workshop for youth, Lottie Cooper, R/V Neeskay, Selah Chamberlain, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary

The post Get Into Your Sanctuary Workshop for youth first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/get-into-your-sanctuary-workshop-for-youth/

Restoring piping plover habitat on Wisconsin Point

On: March 24, 2023

In: Allouez Bay, Cat Island project, David Grandmaison, Matt Steiger, piping plovers, St. Louis River Alliance, St. Louis River Summit, wild rice, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Point, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Field trip participants with the St. Louis River Summit learn about efforts to encourage piping plovers to nest on Wisconsin Point. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

I participated in a field trip during the recent St. Louis River Summit that involved snowshoeing out to a bird sanctuary on Wisconsin Point, which is near Superior, Wisconsin. The sanctuary is a protected area on a sandy spit of land, specifically designated for endangered shorebirds called piping plovers (Charadrius melodus).

I enjoy any opportunity to visit Wisconsin Point, but I also attended because I was involved in early habitat restoration efforts for these cute little birds before I worked for Wisconsin Sea Grant. I was interested in hearing the latest intel about their status.

A piping plover. Image credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The St. Louis River Estuary had breeding plover pairs up until 1989. The last nesting pair was seen at this bird sanctuary site. Plovers, which look like killdeers, prefer large isolated beaches for nesting. Much of this habitat type has been lost due to development and recreational pressure. Work to increase the population of plovers is going on all across the Great Lakes and in other parts of the country.

Matt Steiger, St. Louis River Area of Concern Coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), led the field trip along with David Grandmaison, St. Louis River wild rice and habitat restoration coordinator with the Wisconsin DNR.

As we snowshoed out to the end of the beach in a cold wind from the northeast, Steiger explained that several projects had taken place on the site over the years to make it attractive to plovers and common terns. The latest was begun with Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding in 2019, which involved enlarging the beach with clean dredged sand. The goal was to create habitat that would last despite changing water levels in the harbor and storms and would require minimal maintenance. Fourteen acres of nesting and foraging habitat were created along with three “nesting pans” composed of small cobblestones that plovers prefer.

Matt Steiger, WI DNR, (center) discusses the Wisconsin Point Bird Sanctuary restoration efforts to field trip participants. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Piping plover monitors coordinated by the St. Louis River Alliance have kept their eyes peeled for any plovers on this site and others around the estuary. So far, none have nested, but sometimes these efforts take time – decades, even. Steiger said that a female plover was spotted in the sanctuary during the spring 2022 migration season at the same time a male was spotted on nearby Minnesota Point. Let’s hope that someday two plovers will land on the same beach at the same time!

In other areas of the state, Wisconsin Sea Grant has played an integral role in habitat restoration that benefits piping plovers. Our staff were involved in the Cat Island Restoration Project in Green Bay, which created 1,400 acres of barrier islands in Lake Michigan that had previously disappeared due to high lake levels and storms. In 2016, for the first time in 75 years, endangered piping plovers successfully nested on a restored island there and fledged chicks.

Sea Grant was also involved in an earlier effort on Wisconsin Point’s Shaefer Beach to create plover habitat. We were involved in initial design discussions for the bird sanctuary work but are not currently participating. For more information, see this cool post and videos on the Perfect Duluth Day website.

At the end of the tour, Grandmaison described work going on in nearby Allouez Bay to restore wild rice beds. Historically, wild rice was abundant in Allouez bay and throughout the estuary, providing an important food source for Native Americans. Wild rice beds also provided habitat and food for birds and wildlife. Their abundance in the estuary declined significantly in the past century, and today only a sparse remnant stand exists in Allouez Bay. Wild rice seeds were spread throughout the bay. Exclosure fencing was installed protect the seedlings from browsing pressure of Canada geese.

As I snowshoed back to my car, I remained hopeful that someday, Wisconsin Point will be home to nesting piping plovers and lush stands of wild rice, thanks to these efforts.

The post Restoring piping plover habitat on Wisconsin Point first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/restoring-piping-plover-habitat-on-wisconsin-point/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=restoring-piping-plover-habitat-on-wisconsin-point

Freshwater@UW Summer Research Scholars Program opportunities now open

On: November 2, 2022

In: Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, Freshwater@UW Summer Research Scholars, Jim Hurley, Manasi Simhan, Wisconsin Sea Grant

large group of people sitting at tables outdoors with a lake in the background — Water Resources Director Jim Hurley addresses the first gathering of researchers and freshwater summer scholars in 2022.

Based on the success of a pilot program on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus last summer, 31 undergraduate Freshwater@UW Summer Research Scholars opportunities are open for application today.

“The experience over summer definitely cemented my interest in research,” said Manasi Simhan, who was in the 2022 nine-person cohort and participated in a Wisconsin River sediment analysis led by Eric Roden of the UW-Madison Department of Geoscience. “If I had a chance to do it again, I would definitely do it again.”

Like Simhan, summer 2023 undergraduates will be matched with water-related faculty mentors and graduate students to align interests and grow skills applicable to post-graduate studies and future careers. There will be professional development and cross-campus programing, concluding with the chance for students to present results of their individual projects in a group setting.

In-state undergraduate applicants are encouraged to select opportunities that are not on their home campus in an effort to increase collaboration among the eight University of Wisconsin System campuses participating in 2023. Those campuses are Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Superior. Find details and apply at this link: https://water.wisc.edu/wateruw-madison-undergraduate-research-experience The deadline is Feb. 15, 2023.

An additional goal of the program is to create a diverse academic environment by increasing the number of traditionally underserved students in Wisconsin graduate programs, and ultimately, a well-prepared freshwater workforce.

Jim Hurley, director of the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI), said, ““We’ve had great success with the pilot program last year and we’re anxious to greatly expand opportunities statewide so students can work alongside more of the UW System’s outstanding water researchers.”

The program will run from May 31 through Aug. 5, 2023. In terms of remuneration, there is a $6,000 stipend, $600 meal allowance and provision of housing.

The 2023 freshwater science experiences are funded by WRI and its sister organization the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program, along with resources from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.

The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is a partnership of Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, connecting with industry partners, local communities, policymakers and advocacy groups. Its mission is to establish Wisconsin as a world leader in freshwater science, technology, entrepreneurship and economic growth. The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is training the next generation of scientists to solve global water resource problems through academic program, collaborative research and career development across the UW System.

The post Freshwater@UW Summer Research Scholars Program opportunities now open first appeared on WRI.

In: accessible birding event, Ashland County, Bayfield County, Luciana Ranelli, National Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve, University of Wisconsin Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dean's Innovation Grant, Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center, Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/freshwateruw-summer-research-scholars-program-opportunities-now-open/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=freshwateruw-summer-research-scholars-program-opportunities-now-open

Moira Harrington

Free accessible birding outing

On: September 6, 2022

Birders search for birds on Wisconsin Point. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov

Join the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve from 9-11 a.m., Sept. 21, for a free, bird-focused morning. People of all ages and ability levels are welcome to attend this accessible birding outing led by birding experts from the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory and the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Drive) on Barker’s Island in Superior.

Move along the boardwalk or paved trails on a guided bird hike or explore bird artifacts like feathers and skulls indoors at your own pace. Fifteen pairs of binoculars will be available, plus a spotting scope, a wheelchair mount for the scope and portable seating.

Light refreshments will be provided. Come and stay for the whole time or part of it.

Registration is not required but is encouraged so that participants can receive email reminders. Register here. (https://lakesuperiornerr.org/event/accessible-bird-observing/)

These activities are designed with access in mind. If you would like to request additional accommodations, please email Luciana.Ranelli@wisc.edu or call Luciana at (715) 399-4085 at least 10 days before the event.

This free event was made possible through the University of Wisconsin–Madison Dean’s Innovation Grant to collaborators from Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center, the Reserve, Wisconsin Sea Grant, University of Wisconsin Extension, and Bayfield and Ashland counties.

The post Free accessible birding outing first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/free-accessible-birding-outing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-accessible-birding-outing

Outdoor guide online training program offered for free

On: October 11, 2021

In: GORP Wisconsin, Guide and Outfitter Recognized Professional, Natalie Chin, Oregon Sea Grant, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Kayakers receive instructions from their guide before a trip in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

A new international training program for outdoor guides and outfitters is now available online for northwestern Wisconsin. The program, named Guide and Outfitter Recognized Professional (GORP) is being offered by Wisconsin Sea Grant in conjunction with Oregon Sea Grant.

GORP content was developed with input from professional guides, educators and tourism organizations. It’s aligned with best practices recommended by the Adventure Travel Trade Association. With completion of the program, experienced guides and outfitters will be recognized for their existing knowledge and information on a wide range of topics and best practices, demonstrating the value of their guiding services over competitors to potential clients. For aspiring guides, it will provide a great foundation for their future business.

GORP consists of four online modules that participants are encouraged to complete within a month, although there is flexibility. These are augmented by optional live webinars conducted by Oregon Sea Grant Extension staff. The next course begins Monday, Nov. 1, and it is free. Future course offerings will have costs associated with them. Although the course is geared toward northwestern Wisconsin, registration is open to all and may be helpful to guides in other parts of Wisconsin, too.

Course content covers a broad range of knowledge and skills that guides can use to improve client experiences, including identification of 101 local species of plants and animals, knowledge of local history, natural resource agencies, tourism organizations and economic impacts, group management, customer service, sustainability, marketing, personal interpretation skills and more.

Those completing the GORP program will be awarded a certification and a package of marketing benefits including: a GORP branded shirt, GORP logo vinyl for boat or truck, special listing on the GORP website, and other online marketing services.

Development of Wisconsin’s GORP program was led by Natalie Chin, climate and tourism outreach specialist for Wisconsin Sea Grant. For more information or to register, visit the GORP site and choose the Wisconsin program.

The post Outdoor guide online training program offered for free first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/outdoor-guide-online-training-program-offered-for-free/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=outdoor-guide-online-training-program-offered-for-free