Wisconsin Named Volunteers of the Year
The state recognized two volunteers for their extensive restoration work at a local prairie preserve.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Environmental
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has named Diane Perschbacher and Rory Williams as the 2026 State Natural Areas Volunteers of the Year. The pair was honored for their long-term efforts at the Oshkosh-Larsen Trail Prairies State Natural Area.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights the essential role that volunteers play in maintaining Wisconsin state natural areas. These sites protect a significant portion of the state’s rare plants and wildlife, and community involvement is vital to ongoing conservation efforts.
The volunteers contributed nearly 1,500 hours of work over eight years. Wisconsin state natural areas support 90 percent of state rare plant species and 75 percent of state rare wildlife species.
The players
Diane Perschbacher
She is one of the two individuals honored as the 2026 State Natural Areas Volunteer of the Year for her conservation work in Wisconsin.
Rory Williams
He is one of the two individuals honored as the 2026 State Natural Areas Volunteer of the Year for his conservation work in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
This state agency is responsible for managing public lands and protecting natural resources across Wisconsin.
The details
The award recipients have dedicated their time to removing invasive plants, collecting native seeds, and monitoring rare species. They also conducted surveys for local bumblebees and butterflies to track biodiversity within the prairie.
Timeline
The pair began volunteering at the site in 2018.
The volunteers received the Volunteer of the Year award in 2026.
The Big Picture
This award marks a continuation of the state's reliance on citizen-led conservation efforts within the Wisconsin State Natural Areas program.
This project demonstrates how community-led ecological management can preserve rare plant and wildlife populations. It highlights the potential for public land restoration to increase biodiversity in local prairie environments.
The takeaway
Volunteers provide essential labor for protecting state biodiversity that might otherwise go unmanaged. Individuals interested in similar work can contribute by joining local land stewardship programs and participating in species monitoring efforts.
Further reading
Learn more about local restoration efforts in the Wisconsin Environmental section.
More information
Find ways to get involved by viewing Wisconsin DNR volunteer opportunities.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WWIS Radio.
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Would you consider volunteering your time to help local conservation or state natural areas?
