I received an email the other day with the subject line “Peat the clock.” I’m pretty sure it was a typo and should have said “Beat the clock,” but it got me thinking about wetlands and the pressures of life. For me, and I’m sure for many of you, getting my boots wet in a wetland is refreshing and revitalizing in a world where rushing to the next thing often takes over.
This love for wetlands is always at the core of our work at Wisconsin Wetlands Association (WWA). It even shows up in our recently completed five-year Strategic Plan, which includes the values that guide our approach and how we conduct ourselves; we are collaborative, enthusiastic, non-partisan, impact-driven, science-based, and solution-oriented. Today I want to look at just one of them—our enthusiastic approach to wetlands.
To some, being enthusiastic about wetlands may seem fine, but not essential. Wetlands work is serious work. We’ve lost half of our wetlands in Wisconsin, and many that are left are in rough shape. So, WWA works with the legislature, we work with state and tribal programs, we work with communities and anyone who can help us turn things around to get healthy wetlands back on the landscape—serious work. But what we’ve found over the years is that just presenting the facts about wetland loss, how wetlands can help solve community problems, and why wetlands are important for just about everything else is not enough to get the job done. We need to convey and build enthusiasm for wetlands.
Enthusiasm is different from excitement. Excitement comes from outside. It is a reaction to something happening around you—a ball game, a concert, or another event that increases your adrenaline. Excitement is shallow and short-lived. Enthusiasm, however, is internally driven. It is grounded in deep connection and understanding. It comes when we genuinely care about our subject matter and show a joyful commitment to making things better. It is long-lasting. Excitement may affect how we celebrate, but enthusiasm drives how we live.
So, for WWA, successful wetland enthusiasm isn’t just about how we love ducks and frogs and pretty flowers. It’s about helping others see how wetlands are important to the things they already care about. It requires respect for the needs and perspectives of others. When it’s presented in this way, wetland enthusiasm is contagious.
Enthusiasm also involves commitment, showing that we’re working hard to make things better for wetlands. It requires displaying that what we’re working toward is achievable.
Finally, enthusiasm helps bring people together—not in a short-term flash-mob kind of way, but in a way that develops into long-term partnerships. It’s rooted in the land, in the water, and most importantly, in the relationships and shared experiences we have with each other.
So, let’s keep our connections to wetlands and to each other strong. We’ve got a lot of work to do to protect and care for the wetlands of Wisconsin, but when we join together, our work is meaningful and our vision for the future is achievable. Our recent strategic planning efforts have reinforced this sentiment in us, and we look forward to getting out in the mud with you all to keep our connections and enthusiasm for wetlands and for each other healthy and productive. See ya out in the peat.
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