In an Urban Milwaukee article, Jason Stein of the Wisconsin Policy Forum notes that compared to funding in the mid-nineties, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) revenue has fallen almost 41 percent without adjusting for inflation. Similarly, spending under the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has seen its lowest level in two decades, from $84 million in 2007 to $14.1 million in 2022.
The decline in state support for conservation, public lands, and the environment is at odds with the value Wisconsin residents place on outdoor recreation & access to public lands and its economic impact. In 2020, outdoor recreation contributed $7.8 billion to Wisconsin’s gross domestic product. In 2021, it grew to $8.7 billion and in 2022 it grew again to $9.8 billion.
Wisconsin’s state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas see more than 20 million visits a year. The report calls out survey data from the National Association of State Parks Directors showing that in 2017, Wisconsin spent the lowest amount on parks nationwide, about $1 per visit compared to $3 per visit nationally. Data from the DNR shows that four decades ago, general purpose revenue for state parks operations made up about 40 percent of the budget. Under the 2015-2017 budget, however, general purpose revenue was completely eliminated for park operations.
Charles Carlin, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Gathering Waters, said “The report just demonstrates that there’s this enormous gap between how Wisconsin residents value the outdoors, both for the economy and for taking care of us for health and for recreation, and how the state actually values those same resources through the investments put into it or not in this case.”
Danielle Kaeding of Wisconsin Public Radio reported on this topic in March 2023 and it was republished by Urban Milwaukee in April 2024.
Featured image by Kate Gardiner, 2015.
