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MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced three appointments to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board. The governor has appointed Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings and Jim VandenBrook and reappointed Paul Buhr. These appointments fill the vacancies created by the expiration of two former appointees’ terms on May 1, 2023, and the expiration of Buhr’s term.
“From working to protect wildlife to making necessary progress on getting harmful contaminants like PFAS out of our water once and for all, the work of the Natural Resources Board is essential to the health and prosperity of our state,” said Gov. Evers. “We are thrilled to have each of these well-qualified, motivated individuals on the board and for the expertise and perspectives they will bring to this critically important work.”
Jennings is a citizen of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and is currently a HEAL Earth Partnership doctoral fellow at the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison. Jennings is also associate director of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College, where he oversees the institute and the Hulings Rice Food Center. He served two consecutive terms as an elected Tribal Council Member for the Bad River Tribe and previously served as director of public information for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). Dylan was also a writer, photographer, and editor for Mazina’igan, a newspaper circulated quarterly by GLIFWC. He is a recipient of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development “40 under 40” award and a recipient of the UW-Madison Nelson Institute Rising Star Alumni award. Jennings was appointed to the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change in 2019. He holds a master’s degree from the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. A photo of Jennings is available here.
“I’m extremely humbled and honored to work on behalf of all Wisconsinites on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board,” said Jennings. “I look forward to working to protect our environment for future generations to come.”
VandenBrook served as the executive director of the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association from May 2012 until May 2018 and previously served as Water Quality Section Chief with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) from April 1986 to April 2012. Prior to his role at DATCP, VandenBrook was a county conservationist in Vernon and Trempeleau counties. A photo of VandenBrook is available here.
“I am honored to be nominated by Governor Evers for a seat on the Natural Resources Board,” said VandenBrook. “As a life-long resident of Wisconsin I believe that our economy and quality of life are completely dependent on the wise use and management of our land and waters. I hope that my 40 years of experience in land and water resource management will help advance the governor’s work to make Wisconsin a better place to live, work, and enjoy.”
Buhr was appointed to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board by Gov. Evers in January 2023. For 45 years, he has owned and operated Rabur Holsteins, a family dairy farm and elite breeding herd of registered Holstein cattle in Viroqua. He has served as president of Heartland County Co-op, board member for Holstein Association USA, and chairman of the National Genetics Advancement Committee. Paul has been recognized as a Wisconsin Master Agriculturist, Wisconsin Distinguished Holstein Breeder, and his family was recognized as a Wisconsin Farm Family of the Year. Paul is a former member of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. A photo of Buhr is available here.
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