On July 5, 2024, a state Supreme Court ruling stated that the Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee can no longer obstruct conservation funding through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program by way of anonymous objections and indefinite delays, deeming such actions unconstitutional. This monumental ruling removed the threat of anonymous objections or delays that had become commonplace.
Since then, land trusts have applied for and received millions of dollars in grants. For the first time in over a decade, all of the state conservation funding available for land trust projects was allocated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in a matter of months.
Here is one shining example of an agricultural land protection project that Knowles-Nelson funding made possible.
Groundswell Conservancy protected 189 acres of prime farmland in Rock County through a conservation easement. A Knowles-Nelson grant helped fund the conservation easement with Brian and Renee Bjugstad, the property owners, ensuring the agricultural viability and integrity of this vital piece of farmland between Evansville and Janesville.
The land protection agreement states that the land will remain in agricultural production and continue as a crucial wildlife habitat for pheasants, waterfowl, and songbirds — all preserved for future generations. The Bjugstads also wanted to ensure the tradition of public access for the community, keeping the land open for hunting, hiking, cross-country skiing, and bird watching.
“We want to pass the love of farming down to future generations,” said Brian Bjugstad. “Let’s keep this agricultural land preserved along with the history of stories embedded into the soil.”
The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is a matching grant program, so to secure this vital source of state funding, Groundswell Conservancy first had to raise half of the funds from other sources. Support came from partners like the American Farmland Trust, the Rock River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever, and the Wisconsin Farmland Protection Partnership. Additional funding was provided by Rock County’s Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements Program and a federal Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant.
The Bjugstad Farm is just one of the special places now protected thanks to funding from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. We look forward to seeing the continued success of this program, which is currently up for renewal in the next state budget.
If you want to show your support of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, we’ve made it easy for you to tell your lawmakers. Visit knowlesnelson.org/take-action.
