What is a County Steward

The Wisconsin Stewardship Network is looking for 72 good people - one person in each county - who want to help build better communication and coordination statewide on environmental and conservation issues.

What is a WSN County Coordinator?

What Would County Coordinator Do?

Stay in regular contact with the WSN Hub Coordinator assigned to their particular region of the state, and relay key information on a timely basis. (The Hub Coordinators could set regular monthly or bi-monthly dates for County Coordinators in their region to meet face-to-face or communication could be handled by mail, phone, fax or Internet. This could be handled flexibly - whatever is easiest for each Coordinator.)

Commit a few hours each month to gathering information from their County for the Wisconsin Stewardship Network. For example:

Upcoming environmental and conservation events in their County. (Meetings of environmental and conservation clubs, public programs, group banquets, fundraisers, rallies, protests, displays, workshops, training sessions, etc.)
Current issues in their County which need public involvement - with basic details, public comment deadlines, agency staff in charge (name, address, phone, fax, e-mail) and a key activist contact person (name, address, phone, fax, e-mail) for more information.
Updated leadership lists from annual elections and appointments for all the environmental and conservation clubs in their County (name, address, phone, fax, e-mail).

Conduct at least one phone survey per year to learn the issue and activity priorities of each environmental and conservation club in their County.

Participate in statewide meetings 2 or 3 times per year to choose statewide priorities and strategies based on the interests and concerns of their County.

Search their County for promising new environmental or conservation leaders (name, address, phone, fax, e-mail) to invite to WSN meetings.

Help the Hub Coordinators plan outreach and coordination activities which would be effective in their County.

What Would County Coordinators Get In Exchange?

Knowledge that the information gathered will help Wisconsin’s environment in several ways:

Detailed calendars can be created on the Internet listing events and issues of interest to each County - paper copy versions might be distributed if funds allow. This will help to build broader public awareness and participation in local issues.
Directories of key contact people and clubs can be provided to County groups, so they will know who they might work with on issues.
Statewide activities can be fine-tuned to ensure that we’re coordinating issues local leaders care about or are involved with - to make us all more effective. This doesn’t mean everyone will be working on all the same issues, but with improved communications, more help might become available for some issues.
Promising new leaders can be encouraged and given valuable training in organizing and Internet skills, and issues research. This will help prevent burn-out and build a stronger statewide team of enthusiastic activists.
Through the WSN Internet Homepage, the general public, especially young people, can quickly find information they need on issues that concern them. This will empower people to act to protect local wetlands, stop pollution sources, plan better transportation for their communities, etc. Citizens will be able to quickly locate environmental and conservation leaders in their community to request help and advice. As more people hook up to Internet in coming years, WSN will be poised to provide powerful services.

Each County Coordinator will also receive recognition in the WSN Homepage as the key County contact for relaying information; therefore, each Steward will benefit from being at the center of discussions and actions surrounding local environmental and conservation issues. Each Steward will also be a focal point or conduit in their county for valuable information on issues of statewide, national and international importance. This can be exciting and satisfying, especially as the effectiveness of WSN increases.

Stewards will be part of an exciting new statewide team. Each Coordinator will receive special support, regular communication, and training from WSN Hub Coordinators, computer experts, and long-time Wisconsin activists.

In coming years, WSN leaders will be working to locate cost-sharing funds or wholesale group purchases to hook each County Steward up to Internet, and perhaps help additional activists to hook up as well. This will allow us to communicate instantly and cheaply all across the state and within our Hub regions. Stewards can be at the forefront in this trend. Training can be provided (e-mail is really easy once you get over the initial fear.)

To find out who the WSN hub coordinator is in your region, click here.