Dane County Parks Earns Three Major Awards for Design, Inclusion, and Conservation Education
February 23, 2026
Joleen Stinson, (608) 422-0657
Land & Water Resources
Dane County Parks is proud to announce it has recently received three statewide awards recognizing the department’s leadership in park design, inclusive programming, and conservation education. These honors reflect Dane County Parks’ ongoing commitment to protecting Dane County’s natural resources while delivering high-quality, welcoming park experiences for residents and visitors.
“These awards reflect the outstanding work happening every day in Dane County Parks,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “I’m proud of a team that is designing beautiful, accessible spaces, expanding inclusive programming, and delivering meaningful conservation and educational experiences for our community.”
Dane County Parks received two Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association (WPRA) Awards at the WPRA Annual Conference banquet on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
WPRA Outstanding Park Design Award: Playground at McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park
Dane County Parks received the WPRA Outstanding Park Design Award in the Under $250,000 category for the new playground at McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park in the Town of Sun Prairie. The McCarthy Playground is the first playground in the Dane County Park System to incorporate poured-in-place rubber surfacing, setting a new standard for accessibility. Nature-inspired climbing features, custom rope structures, and inclusive layouts bring innovative design solutions to a conservation park setting. WPRA Park Design award projects are separated into categories based on project budget.
To learn more about the new playground: www.danecountyparks.com/parksproject/detail/McCarthy-Youth-Conservation-County-Park-Playground-Installation
WPRA Silver Star Award: Women and Gender Minorities Chainsaw Trainings and Workdays
Dane County Parks received a WPRA Silver Star Award for its Women and Gender Minorities chainsaw trainings and workdays in the Adult/Older Adult Programming category. The program provides hands-on training and skill-building opportunities focused on safe tool use, field readiness, and peer learning - supporting inclusive participation in outdoor work and stewardship activities across Dane County Parks. It can often be hard for women, folks who are non-binary/transgender, and other gender minorities to feel comfortable using chainsaws and brush cutters in a typical restoration workday environment. These workdays are open to anyone who feels it is an appropriate space for them to learn and work.
If you’d like to participate in a future workday, upcoming workdays are listed here: www.danecountyparks.com/Events
In addition, Dane County Parks received a Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) ISA Gold Leaf Award. This award was presented at the WAA Annual Conference on Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
WAA ISA Gold Leaf Award for Outstanding Arbor Day Activities
Dane County Parks received the 2025 ISA Gold Leaf Award for Outstanding Arbor Day Activities for the 2025 Arbor Day Field Trip held at Indian Lake County Park in the Town of Berry. The field trip welcomed 250 sixth-grade students from the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District and highlighted the value of trees and urban/community forestry through age-appropriate learning, outdoor engagement, and conservation education. Dane County Parks is offering this experience countywide, partnering with a different school district each year.
“These three awards reflect the strengths of Dane County Parks and the dedication and professionalism of our staff,” said Joleen Stinson, Dane County Parks Director. “Our team consistently delivers phenomenal work, from designing outstanding park spaces to expanding inclusive programming and creating meaningful conservation education experiences for our community.”