The Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) has recognized two Shawano County employees as recipients of its 2026 Conservation Awards, honoring individuals and families who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to Wisconsin’s land, water, and natural resources.
Blake Schuebel was named Outstanding Conservation Employee-Technician Planner. He began his conservation career in 1992 with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He then moved into county government in southwest Wisconsin, becoming a watershed technician in 1993 and serving in that role until 1998. That same year, he found his next position as a conservation technician, establishing roots at a latitude not far from his hometown, and he has remained in that role ever since.
Schuebel is the kind of person a county conservation department builds around. Over more than three decades, he has inspected septic systems, issued address numbers, designed conservation practices, coordinated wildlife damage programs, led nutrient management workshops, managed targeted runoff management grants, helped administer the farmland preservation program, and trained four new staff members in the past six years alone.
What his colleagues emphasize most, though, isn’t the breadth of the work, but how he approaches it. Schuebel is a strong communicator who can explain complex issues in a way that makes sense, helping landowners find solutions that work for everyone involved. He treats people with respect, and that respect is reflected in the many friendships he has built with coworkers and farmers throughout the county during his 30-year career.
Scott Frank was named Outstanding Conservation Employee-County Conservationist. Frank began his conservation career in 1995 as a watershed coordinator and has spent the decades since in dedicated service to one county. After transitioning through another department, he settled into his current role as Shawano County conservationist, a position he has held for 16 years and made entirely his own.
Frank helped launch an annual nutrient management planning class, organized a producer-led watershed group, and worked with the county health department to start a well water testing program. He maintains a rock-solid budget that has earned the confidence of county supervisors. Frank also serves on three boards, helps lead a nationally award-winning organization, and is a regular presence at community events. He can be found pounding stakes at the Shawano County Brunch on the Farm, judging poster contests, and serving as president of a local Wild Ones chapter.
Frank’s passion for the next generation of conservationists runs especially deep. He helped build a youth field day program that now runs twice a year, bringing together nearly 400 students from 10 schools. He volunteers as a counselor for WLWCA’s Youth Conservation Summer Camps, where his enthusiasm and warmth earned him a nickname that has stuck ever since. To those campers, he isn’t the Shawano County Conservationist — he’s simply “Ranger.”
Those who work alongside Frank describe him the same way — humble, thoughtful, and deeply respected. He is often the first to arrive and the last to leave. He encourages his staff to stay curious, stay involved, and give their time where it matters most. The best short description anyone has offered is simply this: he is a warm smile you can trust.
The annual awards recognize conservation professionals, farm families, and community partners whose contributions — whether in the field, the office, or on their own land — have made a lasting impact on Wisconsin’s landscapes and communities.
“The people we celebrate this year represent the very best of locally led conservation,” said WLWCA Executive Director Matt Krueger. “Each winner has spent years showing up for their community, their colleagues, and the land itself. And their combined impact on Wisconsin’s natural resources is extraordinary.”
Award recipients are nominated by their peers across Wisconsin’s county land and water conservation departments. The WLWCA Professional Improvement Committee reviews the nomination materials and selects the winners. Recipients are recognized during the Conservation Awards Banquet, held each year at WLWCA’s annual conference.
