Volunteer Spotlight – Winnebago Waterways Program

At Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance we have several active volunteer projects across the Fox-Wolf Basin. Our volunteers help with large-scale clean-ups, monitoring water quality, searching for invasive species, and even identifying macroinvertebrates! 

This article focuses on folks who volunteer through the Winnebago Waterways Program to monitor water quality in the lakes and tributaries, search for aquatic invasive species, and assist with aquatic plant surveys. We are very grateful to have such passionate and dedicated individuals and would like to show some of our gratitude by shouting out to some of these awesome people. 

Interested in volunteering with our organization?

We offer several ways for people of all ages and abilities to get involved.

Valarie collecting water hyacinth, an invasive plant found in Lake Winneconne

Valerie Stabenow, AIS Volunteer

Winneconne, WI

Tell us about yourself:
Lifelong community activist and volunteer; Winnebago County Master Gardener/Project Lead for Invasives & Education Committee Member; Volunteer, “Renew the Slough” (Neenah); Invader Crusader Award (2016); Fox-Wolf Watershed Hero (2019); EAA Volunteer; Board Member, Butte des Morts Historical Association.

Why did you choose to volunteer with Fox-Wolf?
Controlling Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasives is a constructive effort. We may not get all the “baddies”, but if I can do my part and encourage others to take up the fight, we CAN make a difference.

What have you learned as a volunteer?
Concerted effort by a few or by many can and does make a difference.

Gary assists the program with monitoring water quality in the three Upper Pool Lakes as well as providing access to a boat for other monitoring efforts.

Gary Doering, Water Quality Volunteer

Appleton, WI

Tell us about yourself:
I am a recently retired mechanical engineer that worked in the paper and foundry industries. I am married to my wife Barb and currently am enjoying the free time with her and our black lab, Ruby. We hope to do more traveling, when we no longer have to worry about COVID-19. I like to fish, hunt deer & ducks and going to rock concerts. I enjoy spending time with family and also make some homebrew beer occasionally.

Why did you choose to volunteer with Fox-Wolf?
I chose to volunteer with FWWA because I enjoy the outdoors and thought this would be something I could do while providing a service that was interesting and meaningful.

What have you learned as a volunteer?
As a volunteer, I am learning a little more about things that affect lake water quality along with with different plant types and I previously had not spent much time on Lake Winneconne, so this is giving me an opportunity to learn a little bit more about its structure and possible fishing spots.

Photo shows Shannon volunteering with the Pollenablers – Fox City Group. She helped design and plant the native pollinator garden at Paper Discovery Center in Appleton during National Pollinator Week, 2019.

Shannon McClusky, Water Quality Volunteer

Wisconsin

Tell us about yourself:
I grew up in the Milwaukee suburbs and was always fascinated with nature and the outdoors since it was a place to get away from the “Big City”. I started at UW-Milwaukee in the Environmental Science Program but eventually transferred to UW–Oshkosh where I completed my degree in Environmental Science. During this time, I started volunteering with local groups on campus, and eventually was able to travel to Africa where I helped local communities with wildlife conservation efforts, clean water programs, and sustainable agriculture.

Since then I have also been lucky enough to participate in other volunteering opportunities with the Wisconsin DNR, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, and The Nature Conservancy to name a few.

Why did you choose to volunteer with Fox-Wolf?
I first chose to volunteer with FWWA when I learned of the Lake Management Plan focus groups. These groups aligned with my educational background, along with my professional career. After reading FWWA’s mission statement and the goals of Winnebago Waterways, it seemed like a perfect fit and a great way to give back to my local community.

What have you learned as a volunteer?
Being a volunteer has taught me the importance of conducting citizen science. Many of the issues our natural resources face often get overlooked due to lack of funding. Each of us however has the ability to go out and collect accurate and precise data in our communities that helps to provide the framework for management decisions.

Dylan Johnson collecting field data during stream monitoring of Willow Creek, Winnebago County

Dylan Johnson, Water Quality Volunteer

Wisconsin

Tell us about yourself:
Growing up in Northern Wisconsin, being outside was a way of life. Each season offered something different and provided a unique experience that instilled a lifelong love and passion for the ecology behind these natural processes. I studied at UW-Stevens Point where I continued these passions and graduated with a degree in Water Resources and a minor in Soil Science. Since that time I have been involved in stream and wetland restoration throughout the Midwest and have been a member of various conservation groups looking to restore native ecosystems.

Why did you choose to volunteer with Fox-Wolf?
Volunteering with FWWA started off as a work opportunity and way to give back to the local community. As an avid fisherman, I spend most of my free time on the waters that are the focus of FWWA. Being able to directly contribute to the health of these waters made complete sense for me to become a member and volunteer where I could help make a difference and sustain a healthy aquatic ecosystem.

What have you learned as a volunteer?
The biggest take away I have learned as a volunteer is the importance of sharing our knowledge with others. Working with groups of people from various backgrounds has been a rewarding and fulfilling learning experience whether it’s the local history of a place to the chemical process that occur in lake systems. There is always something to learn at each volunteering event.

Eric and his family took a quick break while volunteering with the Love Your Mother group during the 2019 Earth Day Cleanup along the Fox River near Tellulah Park. 

Eric Englund, Water Quality Volunteer

Wisconsin

Tell us about yourself:
I am originally from northern Minnesota and grew up hunting and fishing, like most everyone from the “Northwoods”. I started my education in Forestry but quickly transitioned to Water Resources given the abundance of lakes. I ended up meeting Dylan at UW-Stevens Point, and we have continued to collaborate both professionally and recreationally in everything outdoor related. I’ve tried to become involved in local organizations throughout my career which is how Shannon and I came to volunteer together through a shared interest in a Winnebago Waterways Focus group.

Why did you choose to volunteer with Fox-Wolf?
I became interested in volunteering with FWWA shortly after moving to the area. The level of science being completed by the group is incredible and will help provide the basis to access progress made over the coming decades. I’ve tried to be involved with as many volunteer opportunities with FWWA as I can.

What have you learned as a volunteer?
One thing that I have learned as a volunteer is importance of team work. Being able to work with a group of dedicated team members has allowed us to accomplish more work and collect higher quality data which benefits everyone in the long run.