Prof. Kevin Fermanich from UW-Green Bay was named the 2020 NEW Watershed Champion during the World Water Day event on March 10, 2020, hosted by NEW Water and the Green Bay Water Utility. He is recognized for his collaborative research on water quality, soil health, and field management in Great Lakes priority watersheds. Fermanich has been at UW-Green Bay since 1998 and also serves as a soil and water resources specialist with Wisconsin Extension.
World Water Day, initiated by the UN in 1993, focuses on raising awareness of water issues, including local challenges like aging infrastructure. The 2020 theme was “Water and Climate Change,” highlighting the growing global demand for water. Nancy Quirk, general manager of the Green Bay Water Utility, emphasized the utility’s adaptation efforts to address these climate-related challenges. Tom Sigmund of NEW Water praised Fermanich’s collaborative spirit in tackling pressing water issues in Wisconsin.
