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 The
Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship Fund is an innovative
public program that provides funding for land purchages for outdoor recreation opportunities
and protection of critical natural areas, wildlife habitat, and
water quality in Wisconsin.
One great strength of the Stewardship Fund
is how it recognizes the power of partnerships. Not only does
it fund state land purchases, it also provides matching grants
to local governments and nonprofit organizations to acquire conservation
land, effectively doubling the amount of money available for
land protection. To date, Wisconsin's private land trusts
have raised nearly $55 million to match the state's investment
. In the process, they have leveraged an additional $75 million
of conservation through donations from private landowners.
Our
Successful Campaign
Stewardship's renewal and increased
funding was quite an accomplishment for everyone in Wisconsin
who values our natural places.
The recent budget process was
one of the most contentious in state history. Legislators from
both parties ultimately made some difficult compromises. In the
end, the Stewardship Fund was one of the few "winners" in
a budget where few programs received significant if any funding
increases. 
While Gathering Waters provided the day-to-day
coordination and ongoing leadership, our Stewardship Campaign
was carried along by a groundswell of support from thousands
of people and invaluable partnerships with organizations like
The
Nature Conservancy, the Wisconsin
League of Conservation Voters and our member
land trusts across the state. In one week
alone, Gathering Waters helped to generate 1,800 calls from citizens
to legislators. We also encouraged writers to submit more than
200 favorable Stewardship articles, 18 editorials and dozens
of op-eds in Wisconsin newspapers, and we served as a hub of
Stewardship-related information for land trusts, government agencies
and citizens alike.
In addition,
Gathering Waters advanced changes to the Stewardship program
to improve its effectiveness and facilitate partnerships between
the state, local municipalities and non-profit conservation organizations.
These included a 50% increase in funding for grants to non-profit
organizations and municipalities, the possibility to receive
75% grants under certain circumstances, and administrative changes
to make the grant process run more smoothly.
The work ahead: Refining the
Stewardship Fund
The state budget makes several changes to the
Stewardship program which will need to be clarified by Administrative
Rule. Gathering Waters will be an active member of the committee
developing those rules. Rulemaking is critical to ensuring that
we have a Stewardship program that works well and gets the most
out of citizen's money. Once the process
is underway we will need your input and help – make
sure you're on our list serve.
Stewardship
into the Future!
The Stewardship Fund has been renewed but
not guaranteed. It remains vulnerable to proposed cuts until,
as is our goal, we make the Stewardship Fund a widely known,
celebrated and un-debatable institution in the state budget.
We are determined that the Stewardship Fund will survive the
next round of state budget negotiations. But, our work in 2007
confirmed while the public overwhelmingly supports using tax
dollars to purchase land for conservation and outdoor recreation,
few people are actually familiar with the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship
Fund.
Before the next budget, we intend to solidify
public support and expand public awareness of the Stewardship
program. We will remind lawmakers and their constituents who
are hiking, fishing, skiing, hunting, birding and picnicking
on Wisconsin's gorgeous and unique
landscapes that the Stewardship Fund is a critical conservation
tool for Wisconsin's communities and everyone who loves
Wisconsin's special places.
What can you
do to help? »
Photos provided courtesy of
Bill Pielsticker
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