George Koonce: Protecting Wisconsin’s public lands is a team effort
Media Contacts
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Beth Schwingel
Midwest Media Relations
Phone: 630-414-0901
Email: beth.schwingel@tnc.org
This op-ed was also published by the Wisconsin State Journal.
In football, you learn early that success depends on preparation, teamwork and protecting what matters most. The same is true for Wisconsin’s public lands.
From the Northwoods to the Driftless Area, these Wisconsin landscapes shape our identity. They’re where families gather, hunters and anglers pass down traditions, and visitors from across the country come to experience the beauty of our state.
Public lands also are economic drivers of an outdoor recreation industry that contributes $11.2 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy and supports more than 96,000 jobs, according to the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. In fact, 91% of respondents to a survey of Wisconsin residents said they would ask their legislator to renew the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and support public funding for land, water and wildlife conservation.
A national survey commissioned by The Nature Conservancy also confirmed this year that public lands are as popular as ever. Nearly 80% of respondents agreed that protecting our national parks, forests and other public lands should remain a national priority.
The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund has been one of the most effective tools for keeping these lands healthy and accessible. Since 1964, this fund has helped protect parts of northern Wisconsin’s Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. It has secured public fishing access along our rivers, and established and improved local parks.
Perhaps even more important, the fund's investment in public lands helps keep our air and water clean. And it does all this without Wisconsin taxpayers having to shell out a single penny, relying instead on offshore oil and gas revenues.
As someone who’s seen the power of teamwork both on the football field and in our communities, I know that the big wins come when we all pull together for a common goal. Protecting our public lands isn’t a partisan issue. It’s something we need to do together to maintain the beautiful communities where we live, work and play.
What I’m asking everyone in Wisconsin to do today is reach out to your federal congressperson and tell them to push back on proposed changes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. While you're at it, contact your state representatives and tell them to renew the very popular Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program to protect public lands here in Wisconsin.
In sports, a missed opportunity can cost you the game. When it comes to our public lands, there are no do-overs. Once our forests, rivers and trails are gone, it’s unlikely we’ll ever get them back. Let your representative know you want to leave our public lands in better shape than we found them for healthy communities, a healthy economy and a healthy future.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.