Inspiring community stewardship
People protect what they love. In the 1970s, that belief inspired Cal DeWitt to engage his neighbors in permanently protecting Waubesa Wetlands from encroaching development. Through field trips, door knocking, and Cal’s teaching of hundreds of University of Wisconsin-Madison students in the marsh, the community discovered this hidden wonder on their doorstep. Neighbors donated land, purchased development rights, and created the first-of-its-kind land preserve in Wisconsin.​
More than fifty years later, the need for community-led land stewardship is more urgent than ever. Federal and state protections of our land are not guaranteed – as seen in 2023, when a Supreme Court ruling stripped federal protections from nearly half of America’s wetlands. Local stewardship is essential to rebuilding our connection with the land and ensuring its long-term preservation. The film is only the first step. Building on the success story of Waubesa Wetlands, we are developing meaningful resources and partnerships to empower local communities to discover and protect the places they love.
Coming spring of 2026.
In collaboration with
