Share your support of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program

Bike Fed Board Director Jeff Currie and Executive Director Kirsten Finn at Three Eagle Trail in Vilas County

1. With so many new legislators in Madison, we want to get a jump start on educating them on the importance of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund – Wisconsin’s largest source of funding for land conservation and outdoor recreation.

2. Knowles-Nelson funding impacts EVERYONE by providing cities, counties, non-profit groups and the states with funds to purchase land for conservation, outdoor recreation and trails. It funds essential upkeep and maintenance of our waterways, parks, forests and trails. Hiking, biking, snowmobile and ATV trails across the state owe their existence to the program AND there are Knowles-Nelson funded projects in every county of the state.

3. Governor Evers is expected to support the DNR’s budget request to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program at $100 million in annual funding over the next decade. While this represents a significant increase from current funding of $33.25 million, it would provide less purchasing power than the program had in 2007 due to rising costs. Key members of the Joint Finance Committee are threatening to defund Knowles-Nelson altogether.

What can you do right now?  Send a Knowles-Nelson Postcard! Our friends at Gathering Waters have a nifty tool that allows you to create a personalized postcard in minutes. Upload a photo, draft a short message and they will print your postcard and mail copies to the governor, your assembly representative, and your state senator.