On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage held a hearing on Assembly Bill 315 and Assembly Bill 612—the Republican proposals to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
Testimony at the hearing was unified and clear: Hunters, anglers, trappers, conservationists, and outdoor recreation advocates consistently called for adequate land acquisition funding. Committee discussion, however, focused largely on revisiting a 2024 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision rather than on what Wisconsin needs from Knowles-Nelson today.
The full hearing is available to watch on WisconsinEye.
With the Senate expected to take floor action next week, the window for compromise is closing quickly. A path forward still exists … but only if legislators are willing to work together on what actually matters for Wisconsin’s land, water, and outdoor heritage.
Following the hearing, committee member Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin made a strong case for compromise in a statement:
I remain committed to passing a bipartisan reauthorization of the Stewardship program, but the integrity and purpose of the program must be kept intact … Without adequate funding for land acquisitions, however, this proposal is “Knowles-Nelson in name only” and does not reflect our state’s long-standing, bipartisan legacy of conservation. With meaningful improvements to the legislation to uphold the integrity and original intent of the program, I am hopeful there is still a path forward for Stewardship.
Testimony from stakeholder groups reinforced Sen. Habush Sinykin’s message. Speaker after speaker emphasized that land acquisition is essential for any workable compromise:
We need stewardship to continue, and we need it stronger than ever in the past.
— Larry Meyer, Wisconsin Trappers Association (1:10:58)
Our public lands are currently a patchwork of pieces on a map. Opportunities to fill some of those gaps with real estate transactions typically only come around once in a generation, if at all. It’s important that the state have a mechanism in place for considering these targeted land purchases.
— Mike Kuhr, Trout Unlimited, emphasizing the time-sensitive nature of conservation opportunities. (1:24:31)
Land acquisition is not incidental. It is what makes public access, habitat protection, and outdoor opportunity possible in the state of Wisconsin. Those priorities are particularly important in those faster growing parts of the state of Wisconsin, where suburbanization and habitat fragmentation are falling into the mix as well, and if we are not able to act on certain properties in those highly developed areas, that opportunity is gone forever.
— Cody Kamrowski, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (1:03:06)
Just a few days ago, we closed on a property where we used Knowles-Nelson in your district , [Sen. Stafsholt]. Just east of New Richmond, 185 acres. It’s going to be turned into about 100 acres of upland grass and about 80 acres or so of wetlands.
— Marty Moses, Pheasants Forever (1:52:13)
Looking ahead, the future of conservation Wisconsin is inseparable from the future of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. As pressures on public land, wildlife habitat, and public access continue to grow, this program remains one of the state’s most reliable and accountable ways to meet those challenges. Its success is proven, its benefits are statewide, and its importance only increases with time.
— Tyler Flynn, National Wild Turkey Foundation, connecting land acquisition to the Stewardship Program’s entire purpose. (1:21:44)
Republican Senators chose to rehash the past instead of focusing on Wisconsin’s future.
While testimony centered on the future of Knowles-Nelson, the committee discussion focused heavily on the 2024 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision.
For years, a single anonymous legislator could indefinitely block projects the Legislature had already approved—without explanation, debate, or recourse. During the early years of the Evers administration, more than two dozen projects were stalled this way. In a 6–1 ruling, the Wisconsin Supreme Court found the practice unconstitutional, with Justice Rebecca Bradley writing the majority opinion.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Senator Jagler asked whether Gathering Waters “regrets” joining the lawsuit, with Senator Stafsholt adding, “I think that 100% of the reason we’re sitting here today is because of that lawsuit.”
Let’s be absolutely clear: Gathering Waters remains incredibly proud of our participation in that lawsuit. Transparent government is not negotiable – and it’s time to focus on the future by funding Knowles-Nelson.
Open, transparent, and accountable government is a baseline expectation. Allowing a single anonymous legislator to block projects indefinitely was never acceptable governance.
But that is not the question before the Senate now. The question is whether legislators will preserve a program that has protected Wisconsin’s land, water, and outdoor heritage for 35 years.
If Senators choose to act, the path forward is clear:
Provide adequate funding for land acquisition. Without it, Wisconsin cannot protect sensitive natural areas, expand public access for hunting and fishing, or act on time-sensitive conservation opportunities before they are lost to development.
Build a habitat management grant program that works for nonprofit conservation organizations. The current bill limits grants to state-owned or local government-owned land, excluding nonprofit-owned lands that are open to the public. This weakens the partnership model that has made Knowles-Nelson successful for decades. The fix? Allow habitat management on all publicly accessible lands.
Governor Evers has been clear that he will only sign a reauthorization that includes adequate funding for both land acquisition and habitat management.
This is officially the 11th hour.
The Senate is expected to take floor action next week—one of the last opportunities to reach a compromise before Knowles-Nelson funding expires on June 30.
Any reauthorization in the Senate will require bipartisan support. Unlike in the Assembly, this bill is unlikely to pass on a party-line vote.
Your voice matters more than ever.
Communicating with your legislators and the Governor is critical in this final stretch.
Tell your legislators: You want Knowles-Nelson to actually work for Wisconsin – not get bogged down in internal power struggles.
We have updated all messages at action.knowlesnelson.org for this moment.
To your Senator: Urge a bipartisan compromise that includes adequate land acquisition funding and habitat management that works for nonprofit conservation partners
To your Assembly Representative: Reinforce the importance of land acquisition and habitat management, and ask for support when a compromise bill returns
To the Governor: Thank him for standing firm that any reauthorization must fully fund both acquisition and management
For decades, Knowles-Nelson has helped protect Wisconsin’s land and water. The decisions being made now will shape what comes next.
