The fate of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program remains uncertain after a Wisconsin Assembly committee deadlocked 6-6 on legislation to prevent the program from expiring in 2026, reported the Wisconsin Examiner.
The Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation split along party lines Wednesday on a Republican bill authored by Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc). The deadlock came despite broad public support for the program, with recent polling showing nine out of ten Wisconsinites favor Knowles-Nelson.
The Republican proposal requires full legislative approval for any DNR land acquisition costing more than $1 million. An amendment introduced this week would lower that threshold to $250,000. Democrats and environmental advocates oppose this approach, arguing it creates bureaucratic delays that could derail time-sensitive conservation deals.
Two Republican legislators from northern Wisconsin, Rep. Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk) and Rep. Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander), joined Democrats in voting against the bill. Some Republican legislators have expressed concerns about public lands reducing property tax revenues in their districts.
Charles Carlin, director of strategic initiatives at Gathering Waters, characterized the hearing as “a missed opportunity for bipartisan cooperation.” He noted that “no reauthorization is going to move forward without buy-in from both parties.”
Democrats have proposed an alternative approach that would establish an independent oversight board with bipartisan representation, removing the program from direct legislative control.
The Stewardship Program has funded conservation projects in all 72 Wisconsin counties since its creation in 1989. Republicans stripped reauthorization funding from the state budget earlier this year, leaving the program set to lapse in June 2026 without legislative action.
This article was also published in the Telegraph Herald and Yahoo! News.
Featured image by Gathering Waters staff, 2025
