Lawmakers split on how to preserve funding for Knowles-Nelson

Wisconsin’s oldest conservation program is at risk of losing its funding, and state legislators are split on how to keep it going. 

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program helps conservation organizations and the state Department of Natural Resources protect Wisconsin’s natural environment. 

“Historically, Republicans and Democrats alike have constantly supported this program and remunerated because there is such a huge value in preserving our conservation here in the state,” said state Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) while speaking with Civic Media’s Melissa Kaye.

Testin’s co-sponsored a bill to continue funding the program. 

“I do think there’s a willingness on both sides of the aisle to hopefully address this. And my hope is, is that we can come together and create a bipartisan bill that can get support from both sides of the aisle,” he said.

Testin’s proposal would secure funding for the program until 2030.

The Stewardship program used to purchase land through proposals that would be reviewed by the Legislature’s powerful budget committee. 

Individuals on the committee had the power to veto project proposals anonymously, even if funding was already appropriated. 

A Wisconsin Supreme Court decision last year ruled that power unconstitutional, and Testin says the decision put the program on life support. 

“I think what we’re going to end up proposing is, all right, let’s just reauthorize this program until we can get into the next state budget,” he said.

The Republican-led budget committee balked at including the program in this two-year budget. 

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers have also introduced a bill to continue the program

The proposal would create an oversight board to advise the DNR on projects and have the authority to approve large land acquisitions. 

If the legislature doesn’t pass a measure to extend the stewardship program, it will lose funding after June 2026.

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