Vernon County
Land & Water Conservation Department

  
LWCD Office

     Administering a variety of county, state, and federal initiatives, the Vernon County Land & Water Conservation Department cooperates with and furnishes financial, technical and planning assistance to other units of government, organizations and individuals.
     The Land & Water Conservation Department is located in the Agricultural Service Center, and works in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), also located in the Service Center.

List of Land & Water Conservation Department (LWCD) staff:

County Conservationist
Kelly Jacobs   (E-mail)
Telephone number:(608)637-5475

Answers your questions on fish habitat (creating or maintaining), hunting on county land, prairies, Purple Loosestrife Program, County fishing easements, Coon Creek Watershed, and general conservation concerns.
Program/Accounts Manager
Julie Hill   (email)
Telephone number: (608)637-5484
 Administers the Nonmetallic Mining Reclamation Ordinance. Handles all accounts payables and receivables, and manages web site.

Project Manager
Paul Krahn  (E-mail)
Telephone number: (608)637-5478

 Handles animal waste regulations, manure storage, and barnyard issues and questions. Also works with landowners to install conservation practices.
Project Manager-GIS Specialist
Danielle Oftedahl (E-mail)
Telephone number:(608)637-5477
 Aerial photos, Land Use Planning, County remonumentation, CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program), and the Farmland Preservation Program.
Resource Conservationist
Phil Hahn   (E-mail)
Telephone number: (608)637-5483
 Oversees the operation and maintenance of Vernon County's 22 large flood control structures.
County Forester/Conservationist
Adam Zirbel   (Email)
Telephone number: (608)637-5476
 Oversees the County forests, handles County timber harvests and tree planting. Available to the general public to answer questions on species identification, logging, planting and general forestry-related issues.
Parks Administrator/Conservationist
Rod Engh   (Email)
Telephone number: (608)637-5485		 The Parks Administrator oversees all aspects of operating the County Parks.
Contact him for information on boating, camping, hiking, and other acceptable recreational uses at Vernon County Parks.
Dam Maintenance Specialist
Robert Storbakken		 Assists in all aspects of the operation and maintenance of Vernon County's 22 large flood control structures.
Parks Caretaker
Tim Jacobson		 The Parks Caretaker is responsible for the day to day operation of the County Parks. Contact him beginning April 15 every year. Tim also handles camping reservations.
     Our department provides a wide variety of public services and our staff are occasionally out of the office and unavailable by telephone or email. Since we do not have an office secretary, we ask that you send an email or leave a voice mail message for the staff member you wish to contact.
     If you are unsure which staff member you need to contact, please use our general number of (608)637-5480, and an available staff member will assist you. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Calling outside of office hours will only offer you the option of leaving a voice mail message in a "general delivery" mailbox, and may not be forwarded to the intended recipient in as timely a manner.
     If you are new to our county, community, have questions and don't know who to contact, or are a new landowner, we have gathered some useful information for you on Owning Land and Questions & Answers.