By james art 
UW–Madison Senior Director of State Relations and State Outreach Crystal Potts, UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Dean Glenda Gillaspie, Ho-Chunk Nation District 1 Representative Jessica Greendeer, Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, UW– Madison, Tribal Relations Director Karla Vig and Ho-Chunk Nation DNR Executive Director Brandon Bleuer pose for a photo on the Nine Eagles property on Ho-Chunk Nation land that overlooks the Wisconsin River in Lyndon Station. Photo by Anna Barry/UW–Madison
Badgers have a strong presence in Monroe and Juneau counties in central Wisconsin and in Oneida and Villas counties in the Northwoods. Combined, more than 200 current UW–Madison students, 2,347 alumni and 118 employees live in these four counties alone. Add this to the two research centers and partner with dozens of local businesses, health centers and educational institutions located in the area.
These university partnerships were the focus of UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin’s visit to the four counties the week of Oct. 14. It was also a chance to explore new opportunities that enhance the area’s natural resources, build the state’s economy and advance important research.
“There are so many incredible stories, connections and strengths to talk about,” Mnookin said of the university’s connection to Wisconsinites during his visit to Trout Lake Station near Boulder Junction.
Operates the UW–Madison Center for Limnology Trout Lake Stationwhich celebrates 100 years of supporting ecological and limnological research, education and outreach in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. The station supports year-round research and community engagement by providing public talks and species identification services to residents.
UW–Madison researchers, staff, organizational partners, alumni and community members tour Trout Lake Station near Boulder Junction as part of a visit to Oneida and Vilas counties. Photo by Anna Barry
Gretchen Gerrish, director of Trout Lake Station, led Mnookin on a tour of the facility along with Carl Martin, dean and director of UW–Madison Extension, and Troy Runge, associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. life.
The topics explored at the station connect directly to challenges and needs facing area residents, Gerrish said.
“Water is a unifier. Residents interact with it all the time,” he said.
In addition to the facility tour, Mnookin participated in a roundtable discussion with Trout Lake Station researchers and staff and members of partner institutions, including the Wisconsin DNR, Nicolet College and the local UW–Madison alumni chapter.
During the discussion, both Mnookin and Nicolet College President Kate Ferrell noted a recently announced partnership which creates a seamless path for Nicolet College students to transfer to UW–Madison Online, demonstrating the new opportunity for them to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration without leaving the Northwoods.
After the roundtable, Mnookin traveled to the Kemp Natural Resources Station near Woodruff.
Administered by CALS, the Kemp supports research on forest and wildlife ecology, with a strong emphasis on the responsible management of local natural resources. Kemp Station’s 231 acres support some of the last remnants of old-growth forests in the Lake States, and scientists from CALS and from numerous out-of-state universities have used Kemp to study fungi, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects.
Chancellor Mnuchin also traveled to Rhinelander to visit Enterprise Wood Products, a family business led by UW–Madison alumnus Tom Ory that manufactures custom wood products from local lumber. The visit demonstrated the importance of wood products manufacturing in northern Wisconsin communities and, therefore, the importance of ongoing research and outreach efforts supported by the Kemp Natural Resources Station.
At Enterprise Wood Products’ woodworking shop in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Tom Ory and Steve Ory describe repainting a cut maple trunk to prepare it to become a table. Photo by Katie McMullen
Enjoying peak fall colors, Mnookin ended his visit with a visit to a famous Northwood landmark: the Hodag sculpture at Rhinelander.
Chancellor Mnuchin poses in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, in front of an image of “Hodag,” a legend who has become the town’s official symbol (and high school mascot).
“What a beautiful part of our great country!” Chancellor Mnuchin remarked.
In Monroe County, Mnuchin visited Russell Rezin & Son Cranberry Marsh, a 5th generation family farm in Warrens. Rezin & Son has ongoing partnerships with researchers at CALS to improve agriculture and production. Pest control, frost protection and nutrient management are just a few areas Wisconsin cranberry growers and UW-Madison researchers have worked together to improve.
Chancellor Mnuchin and CALS Dean Glenda Gillaspie get their feet wet in a cranberry bog.
State Representative Nancy VanderMeer and CALS Dean Glenda Gillaspie also joined to discuss potential future collaborations related to agriculture, natural resource management and economic growth in central Wisconsin.
In Juneau County, Mnookin visited Ho-Chunk Nation land overlooking the Wisconsin River near Lyndon Station. The Ho-Chunk Nation DNR is currently implementing projects on the Nine Eagles property that include wildlife data collection and oak savanna restoration. Representatives from UW–Madison and the Ho-Chunk Nation discussed current work and potential future research collaborations at the site.
“This is all about partnership across the board, not just between our nation and the university. We’re all just trying to be good citizens and good relatives to each other,” said Ho-Chunk Nation District 1 Legislator Jessika Greendeer, who met with UW–Madison representatives at Nine Eagles.
Greendeer shared his hope that working with organizations like UW–Madison will lead to faster solutions to important problems.
“A lot of this work is legacy work. It’s not about what we are I will see; it’s about what the next generations will see and experience,” she added.
Gillaspie noted that engaging with Indigenous Nations allows access to their unique experiences. “You get to approach different problems that maybe we haven’t looked at at university,” she said. “This is a true partnership, and in any good partnership, both organizations should benefit from it.”
“The more we understand what the Ho Chunk Nation’s priorities are and how we can help support them for education, research and outreach, the better we can work together and the better we can serve the entire state,” Mnookin said . “This is what our shared future is all about.”