For 30 years, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been protecting our lakes and streams, securing critical wildlife habitat, and providing world-class recreational opportunities. Let’s keep it that way.
The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is one of Wisconsin’s proudest achievements. Since 1989, Wisconsinites have come together to care for our state’s land and water as well as build the trails, campgrounds, and boat launches that allow us to get out and enjoy Wisconsin. Knowles-Nelson is a rare bipartisan success story. It is an invaluable program that will continue to thrive only with a strong community of supporters who ensure that Wisconsin’s legislators continue to prioritize protected land, clean water, and access to outdoor recreation for every Wisconsin resident.
KnowlesNelson.org is a project of Team Knowles Nelson. We are a dedicated coalition of environmental conservation organizations, fishing and hunting advocates, trail builders, bicycle enthusiasts, and thousands of committed individuals. Our coalition is a remarkable example of how solution-focused organizing and advocacy can produce results, even in the most difficult political climates.
We offer KnowlesNelson.org as a comprehensive resource on Wisconsin’s Stewardship Program. Read about the economics of environmental conservation, learn about individual Knowles-Nelson projects, keep up on the latest Knowles-Nelson news, explore interactive maps, and join our team to ensure that we protect Wisconsin’s land and water so that nature can care for us.
A motion to allocate $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds failed to pass, falling three votes short of the two-thirds majority needed.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance awarded its prestigious Henry S. Reuss Award to Rep. Loudenbeck for her work on the Joint Finance Committee in support of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
The Wisconsin DNR will manage the public conservancy, which sits next to the McCann Creek State Fishery Area.
A legislator on the Joint Finance Committee confirms that the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program grant for the Cedar Gorge Clay Bluffs Nature Preserve is unlikely to get a second look for approval.
The Joint Finance Committee awarded a $392,000 Knowles-Nelson grant to the Village of Sister Bay to offset the purchase of the waterfront property.
Ozaukee Washington Land Trust hopes to acquire the 131-acre the Cedar Gorge Clay Bluffs property, but funding through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is stalled by an anonymous lawmaker.
Companion bills sponsored by a pair of northern Wisconsin Republicans would allow conservation lands acquired through state grants to be sold for private use.
A bill recently introduced by Republican state lawmakers would loosen requirements for selling land bought with Knowles-Nelson funds.
The organization lauded work by Gov. Evers and Rep. Born to renew Knowles-Nelson and to approve an increase in the price of the state waterfowl stamp.
Knowles-Nelson grants awarded to local governments and nonprofits, like land trusts, are matching grants. This means that every dollar that the state invests in a conservation project is matched by another dollar (or more) contributed by local governments or generous individuals.
Knowles-Nelson funds support land purchases, trail building, boat launches, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and more. Check out our impact stories for examples of some of the thousands of projects around Wisconsin that have been supported by the Stewardship Program.
But there’s a lot of work left to be done. Wisconsin lags behind its neighbors Michigan and Minnesota in the amount of land that we protect and the amount of money that we invest in public lands each year.
Wisconsin needs a robust investment in both land acquisition and land management in order to meet the challenges of climate change, to provide accessible recreation for all Wisconsin residents, and to support Wisconsin wildlife.
Image by Gary Shackelford, 2012.
If there’s a natural place in Wisconsin that is special to you, chances are the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has made it better.
That’s why we’re working together to make sure that Knowles-Nelson will keep working for Wisconsin.
We’re Team Knowles-Nelson, a diverse coalition of conservation organizations, sporting groups, businesses, and individuals committed to taking care of our state. If you love Wisconsin’s land and water, then Team Knowles Nelson is for you. We’ll keep you updated on our advocacy work, share success stories, and make it easy for you to reach your legislators with the right messages at the right time.
Across the entire state of Wisconsin, Knowles-Nelson provides funds to protect land, build trails, clean up our waterways, and improve our parks. Non-profit conservation organizations, local governments, and the state of Wisconsin all use Knowles-Nelson funds to care for our land and water. Prairies in the Driftless region, forests Up North, the Ice Age Trail, and the neighborhood parks in our backyards all benefit from Knowles-Nelson support.
But if we don’t speak up, Knowles-Nelson will go away. Join the Team and we’ll work together to keep Wisconsin beautiful for our kids and grandkids.
knowlesnelson.org is supported and maintained by Gathering Waters, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 39-1805090) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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