(June 4, 2024) -- “Today, the Wisconsin Legislature took an important step to protect the state’s flagship land and water conservation program.
State Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) and State Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Steves Point) introduced legislation, LRB-0036/LRB-3557, that would extend the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and would—for the first time—provide Stewardship funds specifically for the conservation of wildlife habitat.
Birds are in decline and are counting on us to conserve the areas they need across Wisconsin. This extension is critical to providing the certainty that Stewardship projects can continue, without disruption, to be planned and carried out across all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties for the benefit of birds, other wildlife and communities.
Wisconsin has lost up to 50 percent of its historic wetlands and many of the grasslands that birds depend upon. Dedicated funding for wildlife habitat will help support some of our state’s most vulnerable species like the state-endangered Black-Tern and state-threatened Henslow’s Sparrow.
We thank Rep. Kurtz and Sen. Testin for working to preserve Wisconsin’s long-standing, bipartisan commitment to conserving the state’s most treasured natural spaces for all that depend on them. We look forward to working with the Wisconsin Legislature and the Governor to ensure the continuation of this successful Conservation Program that has been vital to protecting important bird and wildlife habitat for over 30 years.”
About Audubon Great Lakes
Audubon Great Lakes is a regional office of Audubon, learn more at gl.audubon.org.
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety
