RSVP for A Journey Toward Great Lakes Resilience

media release: 2025-2026 Friends of the UW Arboretum Luncheon Lectures

We are pleased to announce another fantastic roster of speakers this year!  Luncheon Lectures filled up quickly, so register soon. Luncheon Lectures are held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Arboretum Visitor Center. A buffet lunch, provided by Blue Plate Catering, is followed by an educational presentation. Register online at foamadison.org or send a check payable to FOA to Friends of the Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Hwy., Madison, WI 53711. The cost of each Luncheon Lecture is $48.  Registration closes 10 days before each event. The Friends of the Arboretum is a nonprofit organization that supports the missions of the UW Arboretum.

Wednesday October 15, 2025: A Journey Toward Great Lakes Resilience by Jane Elder, president, Jane Elder Strategies, LLC.    Registration closes 10 days before the event.  

The Great Lakes are one of Earth’s most significant freshwater ecosystems. A complex network of agencies strives to manage this vast and vulnerable ecosystem at multiple government levels, but current policies fall short of needed protections when it comes to threats ranging from agricultural pollution to climate change. Lifelong advocate Jane Elder will share observations from her memoir and policy critique, Wilderness, Water & Rust on the region’s environmental challenges, why we’re “stuck” in policy progress, and potential system-scale solutions.