The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently approved $7.7 million in funding for twelve conservation and outdoor recreation projects through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, marking the first approvals since July’s Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling eliminated legislative roadblocks to these conservation initiatives.
“Wisconsin’s tradition of being good stewards of our lands has long been supported through the Stewardship Program, and I’m excited that we’re continuing to build upon our conservation efforts through these 12 projects that will help bolster the accessibility, enjoyment, and preservation of our natural spaces in local communities across our state,” Governor Evers said in a press release.
Two Fox Valley communities received significant funding for park improvements, according to FOX 11 News and Seehafer News. Neenah will receive $1 million for renovating and reconstructing Doty Park‘s seawall and habitat-enhanced riprap shorelines. Nearby Menasha was awarded $920,000 for realigning the Jefferson Park boat launch, which will separate park traffic from boat launch traffic to reduce congestion and improve safety. The project includes construction of a three-lane boat launch and a new parking lot with improved flow patterns.
Other funded projects span the state, including Beloit’s $766,000 for downtown Riverwalk construction and Milwaukee’s $403,000 for a paved walking loop at Metcalfe Playfield. Another notable award went to Ashland, which received $1.02 million for an ADA-accessible boat launch facility—a project that had been rejected three times by the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
These projects represent a significant step forward for the Stewardship Program, which had been hampered by political obstruction in recent years. Since 2019, the Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Finance had vetoed 27 projects by raising anonymous objections through its passive review process, until the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 6-1 in July that this practice violated the separation of powers.
The impact of this gridlock had been substantial, as many organizations had stopped applying for Stewardship funding due to the uncertain approval process.
“The fact that all those dollars have been awarded, it certainly demonstrates that now that that obstruction is a thing of the past, we’re seeing money moving again,” said Charles Carlin, strategic initiatives director with Gathering Waters, in a Wisconsin Public Radio article.
Looking ahead, Governor Evers has indicated support for reauthorizing the program for ten years at $100 million annually beginning in 2026, a significant increase from its current funding of approximately $33 million.
Featured image by Mark’s Postcards from Beloit, 2011
