Wisconsin: Despite Attack, Prized Stewardship Fund Prevails

For Immediate Release: June 12, 2007

Contact: Anne Sayers, Program Director, (608) 661-0845,

anne@conservationvoters.org

Madison- On Friday, legislators looking to eliminate Wisconsin’s prized land protection

program, couldn’t find enough support among fellow members of the Joint Finance

Committee. A motion introduced by Representatives Meyer and Rhoades to sunset the

program failed 9-7. As a result, the Governor’s original proposal of reauthorizing the

Stewardship Fund at $105 million per year for 10 years stood.

Just moments after voting to sunset the program, three legislators, Representatives Vos,

Kestell and Stone, voted for earmarks diverting $2,375,800 from the program to their

home districts. The motion passed.

Reauthorization of the Stewardship Fund at $105 million per year was selected as one of

just four conservation priorities by more than 50 conservation organizations last fall. Of

the many conservation issues addressed in the state budget, this was one of the most

eagerly anticipated by Wisconsin conservation voters.

As northern forest ecosystems continue to be fragmented and pristine lakes developed,

the Stewardship Fund remains critically important to Wisconsin. However, rising land

costs make the task of protecting Wisconsin’s most ecologically critical lands and waters

more difficult. Forest land values alone have quadrupled between 1995 and 2005.

The proposal will next be considered by the full Assembly and Senate as part of the full

budget bill.

Voting for the Stewardship Fund were Representatives Colon and Pocan, Senators

Decker, Hansen, Jauch, Lehman, Miller, Taylor and Darling.

Voting against the Stewardship Fund were Representatives Vos, Kestell, Suder, Meyer,

Stone and Rhoades and Senator Olsen.

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