Celebrating Lake Beulah's Own: 2026 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Award Winner
Tom VanDenBogart: 2026 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Award Winner
Protect Lake Beulah is proud to congratulate our former president, Tom VanDenBogart, on being named the 2026 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Award Winner for Excellence in Public Engagement. This recognition reflects what our community has long known: Tom’s dedication, energy, and unwavering commitment to protecting Lake Beulah have made a lasting impact on our lake and on lake stewardship statewide.
Tom’s leadership helped strengthen PLB’s role as a science-based, community-driven advocate for healthy waters. His ability to bring people together — residents, students, partner organizations, and state agencies — continues to inspire our work today.
We are honored to share the official press release announcing this well-deserved award.
PRESS RELEASE
(As issued by the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership)
ANNOUNCING
2026 Lake Stewardship Award Winner For Excellence in Public Engagement
Tom VanDenBogart
Protect Lake Beulah, Walworth County
The 2026 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards were celebrated April 16 at the 48th annual Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention in Stevens Point. The Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership presents these prestigious awards each year in celebration of the extraordinary volunteer and professional efforts made to protect and improve lakes in Wisconsin. The Lake Stewardship Awards represent our best collective effort to honor and celebrate all the incredible work that goes into ensuring the future of our state’s legacy of lakes.
For over three decades, we’ve been celebrating Wisconsin’s outstanding lake stewards. In 2021, we updated the categories to reflect the importance of organizational work and projects in which individuals and lake organizations are involved. We want to recognize volunteers who are strengthening their community capacity with the goal of protecting and improving lake health. In addition, we include a category which allows us to recognize professionals who go above and beyond to increase organizational capacity for lake associations, districts, and lake communities in general.
The 2026 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Award winner for Excellence in Public Engagement is:
Tom VanDenBogart from Protect Lake Beulah. This category recognizes an individual, group, or business who has taken steps to increase public understanding, engagement and support for lake issues and opportunities.
Tom, a former president of Protect Lake Beulah, is widely recognized for his exceptional public engagement and stewardship in Walworth County, where his leadership has driven remarkable community and statewide interest in Lake Beulah. Known for going “all in” on education and outreach, Tom has partnered with the DNR and Triangle Sportsman’s Club on habitat improvements and fish stocking while also involving local students through hands-on learning opportunities.
As a Steward of Lake Beulah, Tom has brought together stakeholders through information sessions and town halls, advocated against developments threatening water quality and habitat, and raised awareness on enhanced-wake recreation through public programs and research. Though he recently stepped down as president, Tom continues his work through new initiatives, including the Lake Beulah Natural Shoreline Coalition and a forthcoming nonprofit focused on conservation advocacy.
For his enduring commitment to educating, engaging, and energizing others to protect vital water resources, Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers proudly recognizes Tom VanDenBogart among this year’s award winners. One colleague shared, “Over the course of my life, I’ve been privileged to be associated with many, many quality individuals who care deeply about our lake’s natural environment. Without question, though, Tom VanDenBogart is by far the most dedicated and selfless of them all.”
Other 2026 Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Award winners include:
Excellence in Building Partnerships
Steve Johnson, Fish Lake Property Owners Association, Burnett CountyProgrammatic Excellence for Lake Health
James Brancel, Spider Lake Association, Iron CountyExcellence in Professional Service
Tim Asplund, Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesLifetime Achievement
Larry Bresina, Lake Kit
To learn more about the Lake Stewardship Awards, visit www.wisconsinwaterweek.org.
The Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership joins science, education, and citizens to empower people to work together to care for our waters. Since its genesis in the early 1970s, the Partnership has been recognized as a national model of collaboration. The Partnership has three core partners: the Department of Natural Resources (supplying scientific research, technical expertise and regulatory authority), Extension Lakes at UW-Stevens Point (providing education, communications, and collaboration), and Wisconsin Lakes (mobilizing communities to advocate for lakes).
This partnership is a statewide, multi-faceted effort that reaches far beyond the core groups to include regional, county, Tribal, non-profit, and federal partners. Our goal is to continue to protect and preserve our shared water legacy and support those meeting the challenges that come with the management and stewardship of Wisconsin’s lakes.
We are grateful for Tom’s continued leadership and the example he sets for all who care about Lake Beulah. Please join us in celebrating this well-earned honor and in continuing the work of protecting our lake for generations to come.
