Stephen M. Born was associated with the University of Wisconsin from 1969 until retirement in 2005, where he was a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning and Environmental Studies. He has served as Chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and the UW-Madison graduate Water Resources Management Program. From 1974 to 1977 Born served in Wisconsin state government as Director of the State Planning Agency and later Wisconsin State Energy Director. He has also worked in natural resources and governmental policy planning in Thailand, Tunisia, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia. His interests are in the areas of environmental and natural resources planning and management, with emphasis on watersheds. His recent research has focused on groundwater management and assessing watershed partnerships. Born has been a principal in the development of Wisconsin’s laws for lake and watershed management, groundwater protection, land use planning, and mineral development.
Born has served as chairman of the National Resources Board of Trout Unlimited USA, the conservation agenda-setting body for the largest coldwater conservation organization in the U.S.; he has also served on the Boards of Directors of the River Alliance of Wisconsin, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin (President), Trout Unlimited Canada, Henry’s Fork Foundation, and the Black Earth Creek Watershed Association.
Born is coauthor of Exploring Wisconsin Trout Streams (UW Press) and writes occasionally for conservation/angling periodicals. He has flyfished all over the world for fresh and saltwater species.