Lake Michigan Champions of Conservation
Behind the scenes, many individuals, organizations, businesses, tribes, and government leaders are initiating outstanding programs and policies to protect and enhance the lands and waters of the Lake Michigan Basin.
Annually since 2014, the Lake Michigan Champions of Conservation awards have honored outstanding environmental achievements of those who have gone beyond the normal scope of work on the restoration, improvement, or enhancement of Lake Michigan and its watersheds.
Meet our 2024 Lake Michigan Champions of Conservation:
Representative Katrina Shankland
Since 2013, Katrina Shankland has represented the 71st Assembly District covering most of Portage County. While in the State Legislature, she has held the position of Assistant Minority Leader, served on the Joint Committee on Finance, and served as the Vice Chair of the Water Quality Task Force and ranking member of the Assembly Committee on Environment. A leader on water quality policy in Wisconsin, Katrina has led the charge on tackling contaminants in our water and has passed bills into law to reduce runoff in our groundwater and surface water and invest in regenerative agriculture. She also worked with Governor Evers to establish a $10 million well compensation program to support families and businesses with contaminated private wells with remediation.
Peninsula Pride Farms
Back row from left to right: Nick Guilette, Paul Cornette, Chris Schneider, Nathen Nysse, Keith Braun, Mike Vandenhouten
Front row from left to right: Jeremy Heim, Adam Barta, Eric Olson, Jacob Brey, Duane Ducat
Peninsula Pride Farms is a farmer-led group that collectively works to protect and improve ground and surface water in Kewaunee and southern Door counties. The group leverages the ingenuity of the agricultural community, university research and scientists, and the local community to implement practices with measurable outcomes. The group's annual conservation survey of its members showed continual improvement over the past five years. In 2023, conservation practices implemented by participating farmers reduced phosphorus runoff by 60,894 pounds, potentially preventing 30.4 million pounds of algae growth in local water bodies in 2023.
The group receives support from members and partners, including agricultural and environmental organizations and the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Nigel Thao
Nigel Thao is a recent graduate of Neenah High School and will be attending the University of Stevens Point in the Fall, with plans to major in Water Resources. Nigel is an active member in the Winnebago Thao Clan community and works at the Wissota Chophouse in Neenah. He is the manager of Neenah’s South East Asian Club, the Photographer for the Neenah Fishing Team, and a 2024 Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association (WIFA) Ice Fishing State Champion.
Nigel has been an ongoing and dedicated member of the Neenah Fishing Team. He collaborated with the Wisconsin DNR and Merjent Engineering to coordinate stream water quality studies on the Neenah Slough and near Carpenter Reserve. These surveys are essential for watershed management and environmental planning in the Fox-Wolf Watershed and beyond. He also helped to ensure the success of these programs by volunteering his time and inspiring others to participate. Nigel’s role in coordinating stream activities has served as an inspiration for his future career path!
“I never thought about going to college, never felt valued to be on a team or a club, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life but the fishing team changed all of that.”
~Nigel Thao
Joe Bach
Upon retiring from Construction Management in 2008, Joe Bach moved from Michigan to Wisconsin and joined Fox Valley Trout Unlimited. He served on the Board of Directors in various roles, including President, Vice President, Secretary, and was a member of the Habitat and Fundraising Committees. Joe has been an active Water Action Volunteer (WAV) for 15 years and, along with Danielle Santry and Jim Kettler, established the Friends of Stony Brook.
Since 2015, Joe has played a pivotal role in rehabilitating Stony Brook. He secured funding for the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program, consistently monitored the stream, engaged riparian landowners, and secured conservation easements. He collaborated with the DNR on temperature and fish surveys and sought restoration funding through the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership (LNRP).
Joe's work has driven the development of the Friends of Stony Brook, improved trout habitat, and sustained fish numbers. His communication and action have been key to the project's success, securing community support and financial sponsors. Joe's persistence in the face of challenges has expanded the network of citizens caring for Stony Brook, demonstrating his commitment to long-term environmental improvement.
Mary Holleback
As the Citizen Science Manager for Riveredge Nature Center, Mary serves as the onsite Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Project Coordinator. The goal of the project is to re-establish a self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the Milwaukee River, where they have been absent for over 100 years. In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the project team has released 21,000 lake sturgeon into the watershed over the past 17 years. An additional 1000+ fingerlings will be released from the facility at Sturgeon Fest on September 29th. Some of the sturgeon from 2007-2019 have recently been detected returning to the river.
In 1989, nine private and public organizations (including the WDNR) came together to create the Testing the Water (TTW) program to link high school students to water through technology. Over 46,000 students from 55 high schools in seven counties have participated in TTW since Mary took over coordination of the program in 1997.
As an environmental educator at Riveredge Mary has taught enumerable grade school, high school and college classes and other miscellaneous adult programs. Prior to her employment at Riveredge, she was a middle school teacher in Hartford, WI. Mary holds a BA in Conservation Biology and a MS in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.
Brad Eggold
Brad Eggold is currently the Great Lakes District Fisheries Supervisor with the Wisconsin DNR where he gets to work with great staff on both Great Lakes striving to provide the best fisheries for both sport and commercial anglers. He is stationed at the Lake Michigan office in the School of Freshwater Sciences which is located in the inner harbor of Milwaukee. The Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation effort has been highly rewarding for Brad on many levels: 1) helping to stock over 1,000 Lake Sturgeon on an annual basis, 2) meeting and working with incredibly dedicated staff and volunteers at Riveredge Nature Center and 3) getting to hold and observe the fruits of labor when team members capture Lake Sturgeon as part of the various assessments conducted to determine the success of the rehabilitation efforts.
The Milwaukee River Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Program ("Return the Sturgeon") is a long-term initiative that aims to restore sturgeon populations. Annually, 1,000 to 1,500 sturgeon eggs are raised in a streamside rearing facility at Riveredge, immersed in the Milwaukee River water to help them imprint on the river. The program is largely volunteer-led, with community members dedicating time to care for the sturgeon. Over 19,000 fingerling sturgeon have been released back into Lake Michigan so far. As of May 2023, 180 sturgeon from Riveredge’s facility have been detected in the Milwaukee River, indicating that they are returning to their breeding grounds.
Tony Kuchma
Tony Kuchma has dedicated over 20 years to habitat restoration for the Oneida Nation as the Environmental Project Manager, leading efforts to restore nearly 1,000 acres of wetlands, over 1,100 acres of forest, and 800 acres of native grassland habitat. His work has transformed agricultural lands back to native plant communities, resulting in the return of breeding birds, anurans, pollinators, invertebrates, reptiles, and reduced stormwater runoff into Green Bay. Tony collaborates with Oneida Nation and Tribal Elders to reintroduce culturally significant plants for foraging.
Numerous Oneida citizens have noticed the return of wildlife, such as Sandhill Cranes, attributing these changes to Tony's restoration efforts. He engages the community through youth activities, field trips, and political visits, incorporating cultural practices like tobacco blessings, Oneida language signage, and planting significant plants.
Support from both within Oneida and from outside partnerships makes this work possible. Tony has built partnerships with organizations like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WI Department of Natural Resources, Pheasants Forever, Audubon Great Lakes, Northeastern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, and UW-Green Bay's Cofrin Center for Biodiversity.
Notable projects include a 300-acre grassland restoration at the headwaters of Trout Creek. Tony's ongoing community involvement includes sustainable farming and assisting neighbors, ensuring his legacy in Oneida and northeastern Wisconsin. Tony lives in Oneida with his wife Jen and daughter Ruby where they manage a small, diversified farming operation.
John Antaramian
John Antaramian served as State Representative to the State Assembly (1982-1992), served as the 48th (1992-2008) and 50th (2016-2024) Mayor for the City of Kenosha, and was a consultant on brownfield sites for neighboring states. Throughout those years John has been conscientious about water protection, brownfields and their impact on the community, clean water, and clean land. He was a founding member of the Brownfields Study Group.
Some highlights of his tenure as mayor include:
In 2018 the state legislature enacted 2017 Act 137. The City of Kenosha was the first municipality in Wisconsin to seek approval to provide financial assistance to the owner of a property for the purpose of replacing privately owned lead water service lines.
Kenosha has been increasing the numbers of replacements since the program’s inception. In 2025 700 service lines or 10% of the lead inventory will be replaced.
Wisconsin is one of 4 states participating in the EPA’s lead service line accelerator program Kenosha is one of the 120 municipalities selected to be included in the program.
Kenosha installed a 30 million gallon wet weather equalization basin to help reduce the frequency and duration of sanitary sewer overflows into Lake Michigan.
Kenosha is working with the DNR to protect one of the last remaining natural dunes within the state on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Kenosha was heavily involved in the development of the Great Lakes Compact.
Development of stormwater basins to handle 100 years of storms.
2024 Lake Michigan Champions of Conservation Selection Committee:
