Almost Too Late for Stewardship Program?

 

This week’s Senate hearing on Knowles‑Nelson made one thing crystal clear: hunters, anglers, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts all called for one thing—real investment in land acquisition. Yet much of the committee discussion centered on revisiting a 2024 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision that was settled decisively and unanimously, rather than attend to the urgent conservation needs facing Wisconsin today.

 

Only a brief opportunity remains to find common ground. The Senate is expected to take floor action next week—one of the last opportunities to reach a compromise before Knowles-Nelson funding expires on June 30. The only path forward is a bipartisan compromise that truly protects Wisconsin’s land, water, and wildlife.

Tell them what YOU already know:

• Funding for land acquisition is essential
• Conservation opportunities in Door County don’t wait
• Public access, habitat protection, tourism, and outdoor recreation depend on this program working as intended

This may be our last chance.

Tell your legislators: Wisconsin needs a fully funded, fully functional Knowles‑Nelson Stewardship Program. Not a hollow version in name only.

• Ask your Senator to support a bipartisan compromise that includes adequate land acquisition funding and habitat management for nonprofit conservation partners
• Remind your Assembly Representative of the importance of land acquisition and habitat management—and encourage them to support these efforts if a compromise-bill returns to the Assembly.
• Thank the Governor for insisting on a bill that includes adequate funding for land acquisition and habitat management in Wisconsin.

 

Take action now: action.knowlesnelson.org

 

For 35 years, Knowles‑Nelson has protected the places that make Wisconsin home.
What happens this week will determine the next 35.