About the MALC

Mission

About Us

The Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy (MALC) is a conservation organization, founded by local volunteers, that offers several alternatives in land protection.

MALC Staff

Executive Director

Kristen Wilhelm

Kristen Wilhelm holds an Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences. She worked for the Federal Aviation Administration prior to the start of her family. She credits Wehr Nature Center's Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and outreach programs as well as the dedicated volunteers for bringing her back to her true interest. She has served on the City of Franklin's Environmental Commission for almost 8 years. She was instrumental in the implementation of the City's policies regarding woodland preservation and increased wetland setbacks. She helped develop their noxious weed ordinance, storm water basin landscaping guidelines, and their first land trust conservation agreement. She previously worked for Prairie Future Seed Co. installing and maintaining native prairie landscapes and performed natural area management for the Village of Greendale. Kristen and Dr. Burch were the grant writers and driving force behind the outdoor environmental education area at Pleasant View Elementary in Franklin. She continues her education in non-profit management and natural area preservation. She previously worked with the WDNR as a Program Assistant for the Root-Pike WIN Water Partner Team and the River Revitalization Foundation. Kristen has received state recognition for her conservation achievements and is a founding member of the Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy. She has worked more than 15 years in natural area preservation, conservation, and habitat restoration.

MALC Board

President

Don Dorsan

Don has been employed at Quad/Graphics for 12 years. He is currently a Contract Manager responsible for global purchasing agreements for the Maintenance, Repair and Operations Group. Don was elected to office as a City of Franklin Alderman in 2001. During his term, he received his collogues support for the position of Common Council President and fulfilled the role of acting mayor as needed. Don continuously gives back to the community through a wide variety of service organizations. In 2003, Don was awarded Policy Maker of the Year by Gathering Waters for his work in negotiating, drafting and implementing the City's natural resource protection ordinances. Don also served as Chairman of the City's Environmental Commission, which under his direction was named Newsmaker or the Year in 2001 by the Franklin Hub. Don founded the Franklin Cultural Arts Center making a substantial difference in bringing art and cultural events to the community. As the founder of the Friends of Franklin's Park, he currently serves as the Chairman and also is a Commissioner on the City of Franklin's Park Commission.

Vice President

Howard Aprill

Howard Aprill is currently a Naturalist at Wehr Nature Center with the Milwaukee County Parks. He conducts environmental education and interpretation programs for all ages from pre-kindergarten through college. He has also served as a naturalist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, UW Extension, and at Denali National Park, Alaska. In his spare time, Howard has conducted fieldwork on the distribution of the state-threatened Butler's Garter Snake in Wisconsin. He holds a BS from Michigan State University in Environmental Issues.

Treasurer

Delene Hanson

Delene Hanson received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from UW-Milwaukee in 1971. She has almost completed a second major in Biological Aspects of Conservation. She worked for the IRS as a Tax Auditor and Appeals Officer for 17 years. She is an early-retired Small Business Administration Loan Officer. Delene is the past president of the Wehr Chapter Wild Ones, a volunteer at Wehr Nature Center, the past president of the Hales Corners Historical Society, has served on the Historical Society board, has worked for Prairie Future Seed Co. as a Natural Landscape Consultant for 10 years, has done natural area restoration in the Village of Greendale, and is the former president of the Hawthorn Garden Club. Delene is a Master Gardener and a Master Naturalist. As the former Vice President of Stahl Conrad Homestead, a historical property in Hales Corners and the MALC office location, she is working to recreate the site's native historical landscape. In addition, she serves on the Village of Hales Corners Environmental Committee and Historic Preservation Commission.

Secretary

Patricia Brust

Patricia Brust graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a B.A. in Zoology and a B.S. in Medical Technology in 1979. After working for several years in the medical laboratory field, she worked briefly in food science research, and then veterinary medicine, spending 18 years as a veterinary technician at a busy small animal practice in Milwaukee. Upon returning to Milwaukee in 1987 after 7 years as a Navy spouse, she became involved with the Natural Landscaping Club at the Wehr Nature Center, becoming one of the first officers when this club became the second chapter of the fledgling national organization, Wild Ones Natural Landscapers. Pat served on the original Board of Directors for this organization, and also served a term as its first Secretary, during a time of fast growth and expansion. She has since held every office and committee chair in the Wild Ones chapter at Wehr, currently serving as president, membership chair and newsletter editor. Pat has transformed her suburban one acre grass yard in Franklin into a variety of natural habitats, including prairie, shade and wetland. She is also belongs to the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, and is an avid "birder."

Other Members of the Board

Tim Burch

Tim Burch, Ph.D. received his BS in Chemistry at North Central College and his doctorate in Biochemistry at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He spent two years at the University of Minnesota Medical School doing post-doctoral work. Although he has always had an interest in the outdoors and natural systems, it was while in Minnesota that he began to change his focus from the laboratory to the classroom and life outside of test tubes. He taught as an adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul and the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. He also worked as a volunteer at the Minnesota Public Museum and enjoyed touring the many natural areas throughout the state. Dr. Burch has been teaching Chemistry in the Milwaukee area for 8 years. Together with Kristen Wilhelm, he helped restore a sedge meadow to create an outdoor environmental education area for Pleasant View Elementary in Franklin. He has been a member of Wild Ones (Natural landscapers) for six years. Tim is eager to help MALC educate the citizens of Milwaukee County about the importance of conserving the few remaining refuges in the area, not only for wildlife habitat but also for connecting people back to the beauty and tranquility that these areas afford. Tim is the former president of MALC.

Kristin Marek

Kristin serves as President and Project Manager for Marek Landscaping, LLC on consulting projects involving natural resources, environmental documentation, and permitting. She has over 8 years of consulting experience as a soil scientist & hydrogeologist for various clientele, including private, non-profit, financial, and government agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. This work has led her to become the primary author of environmental analyses prepared in accordance to the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act and NR 150, Phase I and II Environmental Assessments, and permits for the Clean Water Act, navigable waterways, wetlands, and endangered species. She has also coordinated numerous surveys involving wetlands, endangered species, plant inventories, archaeological, and historical resources.

Paul Ryan

Paul has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Aspects of Conservation from UW-Milwaukee. Along with numerous natural history field courses and more recent post-graduate studies at UW-Madison in Geographical Information Systems (GIS), he has nurtured interests in botany, stewardship and ecology into a more comprehensive career in land management. As part of a natural areas inventory, he contributed a collection of over 120 specimens to the Milwaukee Public Museum Herbarium. A current board member of Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy, former secretary of the Milwaukee Audubon Society, an active member of Wild Ones, and a lifetime member of the Rachel Carson Council, he has also completed prescribed burn training with the Nature Conservancy and is a State certified and licensed pesticide applicator. As proprietor of Northern Lights Natural Landscaping, Paul's principal concern continues to be providing sustainable solutions through specialized contracting and consulting services, including native plant community restoration and maintenance, invasive species controls, botanical inventories and land management plans. Former professional positions have included Land Manager of the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and the Koenen Land Preserve (Milwaukee Quakers).

Matt Smith

Bio coming soon.

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Our Team

The Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy has a dedicated land management team that will be overlooking the various properties MALC owns. This team consists of three highly experienced individuals that will work to ensure the rejuvenation and continued natural growth of MALC's properties.

Richard Barloga

Richard Barloga has a degree majoring in Economics from Valpariaso University. He is a naturalist and was the first Director for the River Bend Nature Center in Racine. In 1977, he started a nature program with the Milwaukee County Parks System at Jacobus Park to aid the elderly and handicapped in learning about natural systems. His strong interest and knowledge for plant identification was further inspired by the classes he attended of Dr. James Zimmerman at the Madison Arboretum, and the sedge/grass workshops of the UW field station in Cedarburg. Over the past 25 years, Richard has inventoried and retained detailed records of almost all of the remaining natural areas in Milwaukee County and several sites throughout the surrounding counties. He is a Milwaukee Public Museum Associate and provides herbarium species to the collection of Wisconsin plants. Richard's work, and his natural area inventories, has assisted in acquiring community natural areas such as Franklin Scout Park, Deer Creek Sanctuary in New Berlin; Martins Woods and the Eagle Prairie. He frequently gives slide presentations to groups such as the Wild Ones and is seen as holding a special connection to the natural world in his ability to teach in a soft spoken and spiritual manor.

Mike Marek

Mike Marek has fifteen years experience working as a landscape design/builder and urban forester. In 1996, Mike founded Marek Landscaping, LLC with a commitment to provide sustainable design and installation services using low impact development techniques. Mike serves as Lead Designer and Project Manager for projects involving prairie and woodland restorations, shoreline stabilization, historic preservation, storm water solutions, public and private gardens, green roofs, and community gardens while tapping a wide network of engineers, scientists, and planners during design and construction phases. Mike also provides general consultation and serves as an Artist in Residence at Lincoln Middle School of the Arts (Milwaukee Public School system). Mike is a member of the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council and provides pre-scribed burning services to clients and volunteer groups. Formerly, Mike served as the Village Forester for the Village of Elm Grove.

Jim Uhrinak

Jim Uhrinak is a Restoration Ecologist and Certified Forester consulting on design and development as well as the protection of original and cultural landscape. He writes land management plans, conducts inventories and provides interpretive materials supporting tribal heritage, educational programs and natural area management. Jim has formal training in Wildlife Ecology, Educational Psychology, and Outreach Ministry. He is a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists; serves on the board of both MALC and the Milwaukee Audubon Society. He also gives presentations on Landscape Archeology, Indian land knowledge and conservation subdivisions.

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Our Advisors

Dennis Grzezinski - Environmental and Civil Litigation
Dennis M. Grzezinski Law Office

Arthur Harrington - Environmental and Energy Law
Godfrey & Kahn

Fred Klimetz - Attorney and Municipal Judge
Klimetz Law Office

Larry Leitner Ph.D - Principal Biologist
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

Neil Luebke - Curator of Botany
Milwaukee Public Museum

Peter McKeever - Attorney and Conservation Professional
Garvey McNeil & Associates, S.C.

Perry Rossa - Water Resources Project Scientist
Mead & Hunt, Inc.

Steven Schmuki - Attorney
Sayas, Schmuki, Rondini & Plum, S.C.

John Siepmann - VP Operations & Development Manager
Siepmann Realty Corp.

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In Honor of Lorrie Otto

Lorrie hosted MALC's first meeting in her home and continued her support as a friend, advisors and member. Some of her many prior accomplishments included: Founding member Citizens Natural Resources Association, Wild Ones & Nature Conservancy, and the WI Chapter WI Conservation Hall of Frame.

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