By George Ermert, WWA Board Member and Policy Committee Chair
This article appeared in the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s July 2025 Newsletter edition.
Wisconsin is fortunate to have a rich sporting heritage, with hundreds of thousands of sportsmen and women taking advantage of our public lands each year. That tradition continues to thrive, thanks in part to the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
Since 1989, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has provided more access and opportunities for outdoor pursuits like hunting, fishing, and trapping. But the program is set to expire in June 2026.
That is why the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association is part of a coalition of more than a dozen major conservation organizations representing hunters, anglers, and trappers from across the state working to ensure that Wisconsin’s premier land conservation program will continue. If the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is not renewed before June 2026, we will lose the best way to provide more access and opportunities for our state’s hunters, anglers, and trappers.
While the program is extremely popular (in a recent poll, ninety-three percent of Wisconsin voters support continued public funding for conservation through Knowles-Nelson), some lawmakers have raised concerns about the impacts public lands have on the tax base for some areas of the state (e.g. getting adequate funding for things like roads, fire, and EMS can be difficult for local governments that also have large areas of public land within their boundaries). Other lawmakers have expressed concerns that we need to do a better job of taking care of our existing public lands before we acquire more.
These are all valid points and concerns. So, for the last year, our coalition has been meeting with state lawmakers to understand their concerns and educate them on why this program is so important for our state’s hunters, anglers, and trappers.
Two lawmakers have stepped up to ensure this critical outdoor program continues. State Senator Pat Testin (R – Stevens Point) and Representative Tony Kurtz (R – Wonewoc) have introduced legislation that helps address the concerns raised by lawmakers and will allow the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program to continue.
Assembly Bill 315 / Senate Bill 316 will allow much-needed improvements to be made to our existing public lands, while also ensuring that a usable program will continue with input from both the legislative and executive branches.
In addition to Sen. Testin and Rep. Kurtz, nearly two-dozen state lawmakers have signed on to support this legislation.
WWA applauds the work done by Representative Tony Kurtz and Senator Pat Testin to provide updates to the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and supports the framework they have proposed to ensure that this critical program will continue.
Thank you, Senator Testin and Representative Kurtz, for listening to and standing with Wisconsin’s hunters, anglers and trappers. We look forward to working with the full legislature and Governor Evers to pass this legislation in the fall session.
The Sporting Coalition for Stewardship is a group of more than a dozen major conservation organizations representing hunters, anglers, and trappers from across Wisconsin. Our members are actively engaged in Wisconsin’s rich sporting heritage, hunting, fishing, and trapping on our public lands, and providing time and resources to fuel conservation efforts across the state. Coalition members include: Ducks Unlimited · Pheasant Forever & Quail Forever · National Wild Turkey Federation · Wisconsin Waterfowl Association · Safari Club International · Delta Waterfowl · Wisconsin Trappers Association · Wisconsin Trout Unlimited · Wisconsin Wildlife Federation · Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation · Audubon Great Lakes · Ruffed Grouse Society / American Woodcock Society · Boone and Crockett Club
