Dr. Janet Silbernagel
Professor and Program Director - Environmental Conservation Professional Masters
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Media Coverage

July 6, 2016

Podcast Just Released!

Silbernagel featured in Springer Storytellers at IALE Portland 2015

Janet Silbernagel was one of 6 storytellers for Before the Abstract, a live science storytelling event hosted by Springer and Story Collider in conjunction with IALE Portland 2015.

Janet Silbernagel speaking at Springer Storytellers


Apr 21, 2016

The Urban Buzz: Pollinator Protection in Madison, Wisconsin

Vera Pfeiffer writes about bees for Edge Effects

Urban Buzz cover


Apr 6, 2016

Science on Tap Minoqua - Lands for the Public

Silbernagel speaks on CONSERVATION AND DESIGN OF OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND FORESTS at Science on Tap Minoqua in April.


Sep 16, 2015

St. Louis River Estuary Website Wins Regional Award

Our Science and Stories site about the St. Louis River Estuary in Minnesota and Wisconsin earned an Outstanding Programming Award from the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network.

Janet Silbernagel speaking at Springer Storytellers


February 12, 2015

The Nature Conservancy features collaboration with Landcape Conservation Lab

The Nature Conservancy described the vital role of the Forest Scenarios project in modeling the future of northern Great Lakes forests to inform today's conservation activities. Read the story here.


February 9, 2015

Poyang Lake Landscapes project highlighted by Shanghai Seminar grants

UW-Madison's Shanghai Seminar grant program profiled Janet and Ben's Poyang Lake Landscapes project. This program provided valuable support that enabled international travel to foster collaboration and collect key data. Read more here.


February 12, 2014

Student film made by Ming Hua

This is a student film from a course called "From Ecotopia to Ecopocalypse: Telling Digital Stories About the Environment" taught by Alex Rivera in the University of Wisconsin-Madison. More.


September 17, 2013

Sarah Wilkins Earns Knauss Fellowship

Geographic and intellectual journeys lead Sarah Wilkins to Knauss Fellowship. More.



Grads cook at Kemp Research Station

Welcome to our graduate research group!

We are interested in the environmental conservation of landscapes and regions in a changing global environment. We combine geospatial analyses, modeling, and scenario approaches to inform innovative conservation strategies and design. We explore human-nature dynamics, undertaking work in climate adaptation strategies, ecosystem services, spatial literacy and geo-design. Special areas of conservation interest include:

  • International crane conservation (Grus spp) in Wisconsin and Asia
  • Great Lakes forest landscape scenarios
  • Place-based learning and stewardship in coastal communities
  • Landscape connectivity in neighborhoods
  • Bioregional landscapes & ecosystem services (e.g.: pollinator foraging, wild rice harvesting (Zia spp), maple sugaring)
  • Cooperative conservation models: Leopold-Riley Game Cooperative
  • Protected areas models

If you are interested in contributing to this area of scholarship, please inquire with a resume and brief statement of interest to me at: jmsilber@wisc.edu, or via LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jsilb