Funding for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program lapsed on June 30, bringing nearly four decades of conservation work in every one of Wisconsin’s 72 counties to a halt. Boat launches, bike trails, matching grants for local land trusts are all on pause. The Stewardship Program’s future now rests with the next legislature…the one Wisconsinites elect this November.
This week’s primary election narrowed that field of candidates, and the winners are one step closer to ultimately deciding whether Knowles-Nelson is saved. Budget writing will start early, and by the time new legislators are sworn in, the conversations that shape their priorities will already be happening. We want Knowles-Nelson to be part of them from day one, which is why it’s important to keep building these relationships now, before the shuffle of a new session and competing priorities set in.
Here’s how you can help:
- Reach out to a candidate who won their primary. Find election results here. A note of congratulations is a great reason to introduce yourself, and to ask where they stand on Knowles-Nelson: Will they support reauthorizing the Stewardship Program? View email template >>
- Queue up a postcard to your future legislators. Summer’s not over yet. Snap a photo from your favorite outdoor spot and create a postcard to send to your future legislators. We don’t know exactly how November’s general election will shake out, but we do know that we want to see a healthy stack of messages from constituents on every single legislator’s desk on the first day of the next session in January. Send a postcard >>
While legislators and candidates are on our radar, so are the people who elect them. We’ve been spending the summer talking with Wisconsinites in every corner of the state about why Knowles-Nelson is worth going to bat for.
Speaking of baseball…join us on September 13th for a Team Knowles Nelson Tailgate at American Family Field before the Milwaukee Brewers take on the Cincinnati Reds at 1:10 pm. We’re teaming up with Friends of Wisconsin State Parks to grill out and talk Knowles-Nelson before first pitch, and we’d love to see you there! ⚾
Read on to see what we’ve been up to lately and what’s on deck:
✅ We celebrated conservation champs. Wisconsin Conservation Voters released this session’s legislative scorecard and we made it out to Milwaukee and Appleton to cheer on the lawmakers who show up for Wisconsin’s land and water. Read more >>
✅ We turned trivia night into a call to action. Team Knowles Nelson joined Friends of Wisconsin State Parks at Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee for trivia night – and lots of great conversations about what’s at stake when if we lose Knowles-Nelson for good. Read more >>
✅ We dove into policy over pints in Paoli. Local supporters came together at Seven Acre Dairy on a summer evening to talk through what it will take to get Knowles-Nelson funded again. Read more >>
✅ We spent time in the Driftless with Rep. Jenna Jacobson. Mississippi Valley Conservancy helped give Rep. Jacobson a firsthand look at how Knowles-Nelson is protecting bluffs, prairies, and working farmland across Wisconsin’s 17th Senate District. Read more >>
✅ We talked cream puffs and conservation funding. A full day at the Wisconsin State Fair meant a full day of conversations with fairgoers about why Knowles-Nelson matters for the places they love to explore. Read more >>
Join Team Knowles Nelson and Friends of Wisconsin State Parks on Sunday, September 13th for a tailgate before the Milwaukee Brewers take on the Cincinnati Reds at 1:10 pm!
We’ll fire up the grills at 10:00 am for tailgate favorites at American Family Field, with sweet treats, games, and giveaways all part of the fun. Along the way, we’ll share how Team Knowles Nelson and Wisconsin’s Friends groups are working together to protect Wisconsin’s lands for future generations.
A portion of every ticket purchased through the special event link also benefits the Wisconsin State Park System. Read more >>
WXPR | Natural Resources Board to consider 1200 acre conservation easement in Vilas County A proposed easement in the Northwoods, backed by remaining Knowles-Nelson dollars, heads to the Natural Resources Board.
WKOW | Conservation partnership protects nearly 2,000 acres in southern Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited and Groundswell Conservancy complete a landmark Sugar River land purchase made possible in part by Knowles-Nelson.
UpNorthNews | Dropped anchor: GOP lawmakers let Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson conservation program expire A look at the politics behind the lapse, and what it will take to build a new coalition to bring the program back.
The Daily Cardinal | Wisconsin conservation fund expires, affecting natural areas statewide How Knowles-Nelson’s lapse is already being felt in Madison’s parks, research areas, and conservation projects.
The Cap Times | Opinion: We can’t ignore our health, environment and collective future State Sen. Sarah Keyeski on Knowles-Nelson’s expiration and why she says Wisconsinites can’t afford to look away.
TMJ4 | As Ozaukee County celebrates decades of conservation work, the grant program behind much of it has expired Dozens gathered in Mequon to celebrate decades of Ozaukee County conservation work, even as the Stewardship Program that funded much of it has run dry.
Featured photo by Seth Taft/Friends of Wisconsin State Parks, 2026
