Amanda Wuestefeld, of the Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife, and Keith Warnke, of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, have been named to the steering committee of the Midwest Landscape Initiative.

The two join nine others in providing the overall leadership, direction and support of the initiative’s priorities and collaborations.

Wuestefeld is director of Indiana DNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, managing and conserving the state’s fish and wildlife populations. She has worked for the DNR since 2012, and previously has held positions as State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator from 2012 to 2019 and assistant director in the Division from 2014 to 2019. She holds a degree in wildlife science.

Warnke is the division administrator for fish, wildlife and parks at Wisconsin DNR, developing the division’s strategies and priorities and managing those who implement those strategies. He previously was the hunting and shooting sports coordinator from 2011 to 2020 and a big game specialist from 2004 to 2010 for the agency. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in wildlife conservation.

Wuestefeld and Warnke join a team of leaders from state and federal fish and wildlife agencies on the Steering Committee.

The Midwest Landscape Initiative is a multi-state collaboration to identify and share conservation and management priorities to address at-risk species and habitat loss to achieve healthy, functioning ecosystems. The Initiative was launched in 2018.