Gustke is 2025 NEW Watershed Champion Award recipient

GREEN BAY – In honor of World Water Day, held March 22, NEW Water — the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District — announced its 2025 NEW Watershed Champion Award recipient —Green Bay Botanical Garden Director of Education Linda Gustke.

“World Water Day, established by the United Nations in 1993, serves as an important reminder to raise awareness about global water issues and to encourage action to address them. Naming a NEW Watershed Champion comes as part of NEW Water’s commemoration of World Water Day, through a celebration of individuals or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional efforts to improve water quality in our region,” a NEW water release stated.

“This year, we are thrilled to recognize Linda for her dedication to incorporating water education into her work. Through her role with Green Bay Botanical Garden, Linda has continuously found innovative ways to engage the community and her team in understanding the connection between land and water. With her initiatives such as bringing the Washed Ashore Exhibit to Wisconsin to educate the public about plastic pollution in waterways, Youth Field Trips and Outreach Programs, and the Brown County Seed Library, Linda has successfully raised awareness about the crucial connection between land, water and our daily lives.”

“Engaging area youth in water education connects them with water through hands-on experiences, helping them gain a deeper understanding of its importance and empowering them to protect this precious resource,” added NEW Water Director of Environmental Programs Jeff Smudde.

NEW Water said that Linda’s partnership with the Greater Green Bay STEM Network has expanded the reach of these educational efforts, providing students and community members with hands-on experiences that foster a deeper understanding of local water resources and ecosystems.

Past NEW Watershed Champion Award recipients include the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for leading PCB remediation efforts of the Fox River, Brickstead Dairy for conservation efforts on their family farm and Charlie Frisk, science educator and president of the Baird Creek Foundation.