About Us
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To protect, conserve, support, and advocate for the wise long-term management of the physical, biological, environmental, cultural, and historical resources that constitute the heritage and future assets of the Black Earth Creek Watershed
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To foster and encourage citizen and locally-based stewardship among the many members of the watershed community
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To provide a forum for civil and informed discussion of issues and problems in the watershed
Goals of BECWA
Areas of BECWA Concern
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The health and sustainability of the natural/physical/biological/environmental resources of the Black Earth Creek Watershed
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Recognition of the region's cultural, geological, and historical heritage
Accomplishments
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leading public involvement in the planning and implementation of a $1.7 million Priority Watershed Project to address agricultural and urban nonpoint source pollution problems;
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initiating educational activities, including a watershed signage program ("Welcome to the Black Earth Creek Watershed"), collaborating with UW-Extension in conducting residential well testing programs, holding training workshops for school teachers and community leaders, and organizing an annual stream cleanup event;
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leading efforts to fund and conduct studies of the regional groundwater system and critical wetland and habitat areas;
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coordinating various state and local governmental programs, and preparing a periodic summary of "Who's doing what in the watershed";
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serving as an information clearinghouse for citizens and as a forum for resolving conflicts. (Issues addressed over the years include landfill closing and remediation efforts, floodplain management, fishery management, leaky underground storage tanks and land redevelopment potential, wastewater treatment, sand and gravel mining, transportation projects, urban stormwater management planning, development proposals, hilltop development and scenic resource protection, and reviews of governmental monitoring and survey activities).
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Activities and Functions of BECWA
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To educate and enhance awareness of the watershed and its natural resources and heritage
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To monitor issues and areas of concern in the watershed community and to serve as a "watchdog" in the watershed
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To serve as an information clearinghouse, meeting/convenor, and facilitator of coordination among public and private entities within the watershed
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To sponsor mediation of significant conflicts in the watershed
Board of Directors
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Barbara Peckarsky - Chair
Professor Emeritus of Entomology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University, Honorary Fellow and Adjunct Professor at UW-Madison Integrative Biology and Entomology Departments. Resident of the Town of Cross Plains since 2005. Specialties are aquatic entomology and stream ecology. Prefers catching bugs to catching fish.
Kate Beardmore - Vice Chair
Masters Degree in Public Health from St. George’s University. Program Evaluator in the Climate and Health Program at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Resident of the Town of Black Earth since 2017 with a home on Black Earth Creek. A lover of the outdoors, Kate enjoys mountain biking, hiking, camping, canoeing and birding.
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Michelle Harris - Secretary
Emeritus Teaching Faculty. PhD from the UW-Madison Zoology Department in 1999, focusing on vertebrate functional morphology. Taught honors Biocore students at UW-Madison for 23 years. Advisor to the Biocore Outreach Ambassador Program. Retired in 2022. Resident of Black Earth and Town of Black Earth since 1994. Enjoys exploring the Black Earth Creek via kayak, learning and teaching about the watershed.
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Mary Devitt - Treasurer
Interdisciplinary outreach, research and public service at UW Madison and the Biodiversity Project. Owner emeritus of the Crossroads Coffeehouse in Cross Plains, which brought people together to share her love of the natural assets of the Black Earth Creek Watershed over good coffee. Resident of the Town of Cross Plains since 1986. Focus is on protecting the place we call home.
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Johnny Armstrong - Webmaster
Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sustainability from DePaul University, focused on water resource management, specifically non-point source pollution. Contract Specialist in the Office of Great Waters at the Wisconsin DNR working on Great Lakes Restoration Initiative projects in addition to the Beach Monitoring program. Moved to Madison in 2014. Avid outdoorsman.
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Pam Allen
​Teaches Ag Sciences at Mt. Horeb High School. Subjects include Animal Science, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Welding/Mechanics and Biotechnology. Owns and operates cash grain and commercial beef farm in the Black Earth Valley (since 1981). Former USDA FSA State Chair. Hobbies include camping, hiking, and fishing.
Barbara Borns
Emerita staff member of the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, UW-Madison.
32 year resident of the Town of Vermont. Avid restorer of prairies, and interested in American Indian history in northwest Dane County.
Steve Born
Professor Emeritus of Environmental Planning, former volunteer Chair National TU, former state agency official (State Planning Director, State Energy Director), water resources professional expert, and trout fishing addict. ​
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Andy Morton
Retired Wisconsin DNR regional supervisor in the water program where he was responsible for managing several water programs including groundwater, nonpoint pollution, wastewater, water quality, and fisheries. Retired in 2018 after 36 years with the agency, he now has more time to devote to trout fishing on Black Earth Creek.
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Past Chairs
Bud Sather, Steve Born, James Van Duerzen, Barbara Borns, Greg Hyer
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Past Board Members
Bud Sather, Del Esser, Ronald Ahner,Vern Wendt, Bob Pailing, Ken Zander, Lee Swanson, Walter Haack, Jim Festge, Lisa Lutz, Simeon Wolf, Mark Schoeneann, Jeff Rettenmund, Bob Boehnen, Wendy Sterne, Tim Grizwold, Tim Mattix, Jim VanDuerzen, Jim Troupis, Dave Lucey, Tom Ehlert, Jeff Postle, Carl Jones Jr., Barbara Fess, Porter Martin, Wayne Rounds, John Mulligan, Richard Anderson, Greg Hyer, Pam Bosben, Hugh Anderson, Harriet Irwin, Briana Burns, Dan Buckland, Christopher Long, Kathy Haig, Deb Weitzel
