In light of the recent state budget, Wisconsin lawmakers must decide the fate of funding for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, a program that aims to protect public lands and wildlife habitats throughout Wisconsin, according to Spectrum News.
The Knowles-Nelson Program was created in 1989 as a means to preserve valuable natural areas, water qualities, fisheries and improve opportunities for outdoor recreation, according to the program’s website. Director of strategic initiatives at Gathering Waters Charles Carlin said the organization is Wisconsin’s flagship environmental conservation funding program.
Carlin’s organization, Gathering Waters, is one of many groups working under a coalition called Team Knowles-Nelson that is dedicated to continuing the work Knowles-Nelson does for Wisconsin.
He said that Knowles-Nelson provides funds for acquiring conservation land, building basic outdoor infrastructure and sends money directly to the state for state properties and amenities.
The program also gives competitive grant awards for local governments and nonprofit conservation organizations like land trusts, Carlin said. Their work makes it possible for Wisconsin to have things like parks, wildlife areas, bike paths, campgrounds and many other natural features.
Knowles-Nelson is currently funded at $33 million a year, according to PBS Wisconsin. The program was continuously authorized after its creation in 1989, Carlin said. But, former Gov. Scott Walker nearly cut the funding in the state budgets during his term.
Gov. Evers then extended the program for two years in his first budget, and then four years in the 2021 budget, according to the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau. With the program up for reauthorization, Governor Evers wanted to spend $100 million annually. But, in the 2025 state budget, the budget writing committee decided against the renewal of the funding in June, according to Spectrum News.
“If we don’t have a fix or a separate bill that provides new funding for the program, then come June 2026, there’s going to be zero funding for acquiring conservation land or maintaining outdoor recreation facilities in Wisconsin. The situation is pretty dire,” Carlin said.
Wisconsin legislators on both sides of the political aisle have jumped to propose funding plans for the program, according to Spectrum News.
Many have expressed their value of Knowles-Nelson and their conservation efforts in Wisconsin, including University of Wisconsin professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology Adena Rissman.
“Without funding from Knowles-Nelson, more of our forests and open lands would likely be lost for public recreation and sustainable timber management. Wisconsin has rare habitat types and very little of the historic prairies or wetlands have long term protections,” Rissman said.
Rep. Tony Kurtz, R-Wonewoc, and Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, brought forth a bill that would keep the program afloat with $28 million a year for four years, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.
Among that funding, the bill allocates $11 million to land acquisition, $14.25 million for state property development and local parks and recreation and $3 million to recreational boating facilities, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.
The bill would also put a $1 million limit on individual land purchases and would require legislative action for larger projects, according to Knowles-Nelson.
“Legislative oversight of the program is a big point of contention. The Kurtz and Testin proposal creates an incredibly uncertain timeline. You don’t know if your project is ever going to be considered or approved because the legislature can’t be compelled to hold a hearing or to vote on a particular bill,” Carlin said.
In late August, lawmakers Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin, D-Whitefish Bay, and Rep. Vincent Miresse, D-Stevens Point, also introduced legislation to save Knowles-Nelson, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
They propose spending $72 million a year for six years, allocating $17.2 million for land acquisition, $45 million for state property development and local parks and recreation, $7.8 million for recreational boating facilities and $2 million for motorized recreation, according to Knowles-Nelson.
The Democratic bill has no limit on project size and also proposes a new board of directors to oversee the funding for Knowles-Nelson, whereas the Republican bill leaves that oversight to the DNR, according to Knowles-Nelson.
Carlin encourages students and community members to visit action.knowlesnelson.org to send messages to their legislators regarding the program.
“It’s so easy right now to be incredibly cynical about our political process and yet here in Wisconsin our legislators really do listen to what their constituents say. Something as simple as an email really helps communicate just how broadly popular this program is,” Carlin said.
