Virent employees team up with nonprofit to preserve local marsh, benefit Madison-area lakes

• Virent employee volunteers recently took part in a cleanup effort at Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park in Madison, Wisconsin, to remove invasive plant life.
• The volunteer effort, in partnership with Clean Lakes Alliance, is part of a larger effort by the nonprofit to improve the water quality of area lakes, streams and wetlands.
• Virent, a 2023 sponsor of the organization, has taken part in a variety of fundraising events throughout the year to support Clean Lakes Alliance.

Employees from Virent recently teamed up with Clean Lakes Alliance, a nonprofit devoted to improving water quality of the lakes, streams and wetlands of the Yahara River Watershed in Madison, Wisconsin. Virent, Clean Lakes Alliance and the City of Madison worked together to remove invasive plant life from the marshland area of the Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park North. The area is critical to the health and vitality of the much larger watershed.

“On behalf of Clean Lakes Alliance, thank you for volunteering with us at Cherokee Marsh,” said Clean Lake Alliance’s Executive Director & Founder James Tye. “The City of Madison was wowed by how much your team accomplished.”

Virent employee Mariana Gama helps remove invasive plant life from area marshland.

Clean Lake Alliance was formed in 2010 and has worked to bring the local business community together to help restore and protect the robust family of lakes and waterways that provide both a picturesque and purposeful backdrop to Wisconsin’s capital and home to nearly one million people. Virent is a 2023 Lake Partner of the nonprofit organization.

“Our lakes and area waterways are such a big part of our way of life here in Madison,” said Bob Rozmiarek, Virent’s VP of Strategy & Business Development, who also sits on

Virent employees Shelly Norris, Mariana Gama and Meg Holler take part in cleanup effort at Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park in Madison.

Clean Lake Alliance’s Community Board. “We are proud to sponsor this organization and its mission to improve the local water quality, while at the same time, our overall quality of life here in Madison.”

The Yahara River is part of the critical watershed in the greater Madison area.

Throughout the year, employees from Virent have taken part in a variety of fundraising events in support of Clean Lake Alliance, including a golf tournament in September.