State budget scrutiny affects river conservation projectState budget scrutiny affects river conservation project The Department of Natural Resources has severely curtailed spending on land purchases through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. On February 7, 2011 nine land trusts received notice that projects that were in the final stages of review by the Governor had been placed on temporary hold. The organizations impacted organizations are: Door County Land Trust; Natural Heritage Land Trust; The Prairie Enthusiasts; Kettle Moraine Land Trust; Kinnickinnic River Land Trust; The Aldo Leopold Foundation; Mississippi Valley Conservancy; The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin; and Waukesha County Land Conservancy. Partners in Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program projects, including nonprofit organizations and local units of government, have been requested by the DNR to “to refrain from making commitments that rely on Stewardship funding.” Since 1990, the program has purchased 600,000 acres for public recreation in Wisconsin. The program received broad bipartisan support as it was reauthorized by the Legislature in the 2007-’09 budget bill. The program’s funding was set at $86 million per year from 2011-’19. The fund is paid for by general obligation bonding and is not directly part of the state’s current $137 million budget shortfall and the projected deficit of $3.6 billion in the next biennium. Click on image to view story about a Kinnickinnic River project that has been placed on hold. Click below to learn more about the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program. Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program Background Economic benefits of Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program |
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