As part of its $1.2 billion biennial budget, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program at $100 million annually for the next 10 years, representing a substantial boost from the current funding of about $33 million a year through 2026. A portion of Stewardship Program funds are available specifically to land trusts to acquire land or make improvements at protected properties.
“Governor Evers has long been a proud supporter of the Stewardship Fund, and he looks forward to approving the department’s request and proposing a 10-year reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program in the executive budget he’ll introduce early next year,” said Governor Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback.
In 2021, Governor Evers proposed funding Knowles-Nelson at $70 million annually for 10 years. However, the program was ultimately only authorized at $33 million per year for four years. Returning to a 10-year reauthorization would offer local governments and nonprofits the stability and predictability needed for strategic project planning.
The DNR’s budget request also includes $505 million for addressing a $1 billion maintenance backlog on state properties, including critical repairs and upgrades to facilities, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure across DNR-managed lands and parks.
Governor Evers will now consider the DNR’s request as he prepares his executive budget proposal, expected in February 2025. A Door County Pulse articles notes that this proposal will also detail funding allocations for conservation priorities. The state legislature will then review this during spring budget debates, where the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program’s future is likely to be a key discussion point.
Read more in this article from Wisconsin Public Radio.
Photo by Jay Brittain/The Conservation Fund.
