Stewardship stumbles and how we move forward

On Wednesday, the Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation met to amend Rep. Tony Kurtz’s Knowles-Nelson reauthorization bill (AB 315/AB 612) and decide whether to advance it to the full Assembly. Even after months of waiting, the hearing brought mixed results and no real progress.

The most significant change in the presented amendment was a proposal to lower the threshold for when DNR land acquisitions must receive full legislative approval. Instead of requiring approval only for projects over $1 million, the amendment would trigger the full legislative process for any purchase over $250,000. That means every project above that amount would have to move through the Legislature as its own bill, even after completing the DNR’s rigorous internal review and approval by the Natural Resources Board.

We have consistently expressed concerns about this approach. It is simply not realistic to expect the Legislature — which already struggles to advance routine legislation — to take up conservation projects at the speed and consistency required for real estate transactions. And even if a bill were introduced, there is no guarantee it would ever receive a hearing or a vote.

By contrast, the Democratic proposal would create an independent, bipartisan Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Council with clear deadlines to review and vote on larger projects. It offers a predictable, workable process that doesn’t depend on the full Legislature’s pace.

Although the committee adopted the amendment, the bill itself deadlocked 6–6. Democratic members voted no because none of their concerns were addressed, and two northern Wisconsin Republicans—Rep. Rob Swearingen and Rep. Calvin Callahan—also voted no, citing an overabundance of land conserved by Knowles-Nelson in their districts.

So we looked into the math. Using DNR data through fiscal year 2024, we found that Knowles-Nelson has protected about 4.7% of the land in Rep. Swearingen’s district, which covers Rhinelander, Eagle River, and the surrounding Northwoods up to the Michigan border.

In Rep. Callahan’s district, which includes the communities of Antigo, Tomahawk, and Merrill, the share is even smaller – under 4%.

Knowles-Nelson has conserved more land in these northern districts than in many others — working forests are central to the Northwoods economy — but these are still modest amounts. They show why continuing this work matters, not why we should walk away from it. You can explore the data yourself on our interactive map at map.knowlesnelson.org.

In conversations with legislators across the political spectrum, one message continues to ring true: any successful reauthorization of Knowles-Nelson will require bipartisan support. Republicans hold the majority, but the Governor must sign any final bill, and it’s difficult to imagine that happening without meaningful Democratic input.

Rather than trying to appeal to the most skeptical members of either party, a more realistic path is to bring conservation supporters from both parties to the table and work toward a modest, practical compromise.

On Wednesday, that didn’t happen. As I shared with the Wisconsin Examiner, the hearing was a missed opportunity to build the bipartisan cooperation this program needs.

But hearings are not the end of the process and a tied committee vote does not prevent a bill from advancing. Chairman Mursau has already sent the bill to the full Assembly “without recommendation.” The Assembly meets next week, though the bill is not yet on the agenda. If it does not move then, the next opportunity will come in January.

In the meantime, your voice matters. Here’s how you can help:

• Contact your legislators and tell them you’re paying close attention to the debate over Knowles-Nelson. Ask them to work across the aisle and find a compromise that keeps the program strong.
  
  
• Share your story by writing a letter to the editor, talking with friends and neighbors, or inviting your legislators to visit Knowles-Nelson sites in your district.