(© Matt Whitney/TNC)
In 1960, a small group of people came together in Wisconsin to protect the places in nature they loved and that they saw disappearing. In their 60 year history, The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin (Madison) has helped protect more than 231,100 acres of irreplaceable natural lands and waters.
As a chapter of a leading conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) owns and manages nature preserves across the state. Through their tireless work, TNC conserves spaces where we can walk, canoe, kayak, watch wildlife and enjoy time with family and friends.
Working with members and donors, landowners, business, public agencies, and communities, the Wisconsin chapter of TNC has conserved some of Wisconsin’s most beloved and ecologically significant landscapes, including the Baraboo Hills, the Door Peninsula and the forests and wild lakes in the Northwoods. The chapter is currently celebrating six decades in the state with events around their expanded work to: address climate change, promote healthy cities, and help provide food and water in a sustainable way.
Media & PR Manager Emily Mills (she/her) tells us more about TNC's essential work:
Why did you decide to join the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber?
TNC believes in providing a safe and inclusive workplace where everyone can bring their full selves to work, and we believe in supporting like-minded organizations. We also appreciate the opportunity to continue learning and 
improving our DE&I efforts and the Chamber represents an important conduit for the resources and connections to help us on that path.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I get to meet and learn from a wide variety of people doing work that genuinely makes a positive difference in our local communities and the world - and I have the privilege of helping to tell their stories and help educate others about that work. Bonus: I get to go on hikes as part of my job!
How would you most like people to remember you and The Nature Conservancy?
I'd love to be remembered as someone who helped connect people with each other and with work/ideas/things that were important to them.
I hope TNC will continue to be a stalwart presence in the conservation/environmental field, remembered and known for their science-based, inclusive, and thoughtful approach to problem solving, coalition building, and earth-saving!
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started?
That I could work in science/conservation at all. As someone with a writing/communications/creative background, I didn't consider that this field was even a possibility but I've always wanted to be involved in environmental work of
A glimpse of the serene and irreplaceable beauty of Baraboo's Baxter's Hollow. (© Steve S. Meyer)
some kind.
What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce?
Connecting with and learning from the other member organizations and the people who represent them.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
Listen first, do your research, and then go for it. Don't let impostor syndrome stop you from making a difference.
Finally, when work or life get stressful, how do you relax?
Speaking personally: I play roller derby, I play in a band, I read books, and I go on hikes.
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Make a difference with The Nature Conservancy here.
The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin is located at 633 W Main St in Madison, WI.
