By George Ermert, WWA Board Member and Policy Committee Chair
This article appeared in the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s August 2026 Newsletter.
Conservation Challenges Ahead: Why Waterfowl Hunters Must Stay Engaged
As Wisconsin heads toward the next legislative session, waterfowl hunters and conservationists face two major policy battles that will have lasting impacts on our hunting heritage: restoring long-term funding and certainty for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, and addressing the ongoing financial challenges within the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fish & Wildlife Account. Both issues may sound like budget debates in Madison, but their effects reach every marsh, boat landing, wildlife area, and hunting blind in the state.
The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been Wisconsin’s premier conservation program since 1989, helping protect wetlands, grasslands, forests, and public access opportunities across the state. The program has traditionally provided funding for land acquisition, habitat protection, and outdoor recreation development, benefiting hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, and local communities alike. It has played a critical role in conserving thousands of acres of waterfowl habitat and ensuring public access to outdoor recreation opportunities.
Unfortunately, the program’s future remains uncertain, and for waterfowl hunters this matters because wetlands are the foundation of our sport. Stewardship-funded projects have helped protect critical migration habitat, nesting areas, and public hunting lands throughout Wisconsin. Every acre lost to development or left unprotected places additional pressure on waterfowl populations and limits opportunities for future generations of hunters. Continued investment in Knowles-Nelson is ultimately an investment in habitat, access, and the future of Wisconsin’s hunting traditions.
At the same time, Wisconsin must confront the ongoing challenges facing the DNR Fish & Wildlife Account. This account is largely supported by hunting and fishing license revenues and funds many of the services sportsmen and women rely upon, including wildlife management, habitat work, fish and wildlife surveys, law enforcement, stocking programs, and hunter education.
The consequences of failing to address this problem are real. The DNR has warned that budget shortfalls could lead to reductions in fish stocking, wildlife monitoring, habitat management, waterfowl banding, and maintenance of public lands and facilities. These are not luxury programs. They are the core conservation activities that help maintain healthy wildlife populations and quality hunting experiences.
Wisconsin’s hunters have always been among the nation’s strongest conservation supporters. Through license purchases, stamps, excise taxes, and volunteer efforts, sportsmen and women have helped fund wildlife conservation for generations. As the Legislature prepares for another session, it is critical that elected officials hear from hunters about the importance of both reauthorizing and strengthening the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and securing a sustainable future for the Fish & Wildlife Account. Our wetlands, our wildlife, and our hunting heritage depend on it.
