Source: Jimmie Kaska | Civic Media
After realizing their limited capacity to implement statutory state conservation programs, Wisconsin replaced the district model in 1982 with a county-based model, which joined overlapping issues like parks and planning with conservation.
Judith Ruiz-Branch / Public News Service
Jan 6, 2025, 11:31 AM CST
Wisconsin is the first state in the country to run its conservation programs by county rather than by district.
One conservation advocate said Wisconsinites may not realize this – or know how it benefits them.
Matt Krueger is executive director of the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, which represents all 72 counties across the state.
He explained the county conservation model is unique to Wisconsin. It allows for more diverse funding opportunities – and speaks to the state’s innovative DNA.
“Wisconsin has a long history of being an innovator in many different topics, you know – politically, but with conservation, too,” said Krueger. “Everybody’s heard of Aldo Leopold, of course, and John Muir and Gaylord Nelson, and we have this rich history of conservation in the state.”
Every county has a Land and Water Conservation Department to help land and business owners, farmers, and waterfront owners solve complex conservation problems and implement effective practices.
In 2025, the state is investing more than $11 million to support staffing for these departments.
Krueger said those staff members are then able to leverage additional funds for conservation projects – unlike district models that are more limited.
He said tapping into funding from state and federal grants and private organizations can often amount to a two-to-one return on investment.
“These professionals, they come in,” said Krueger, “they listen to what these private landowners need, they listen to what their management and their business goals are, and they essentially open up this toolbox of conservation tools.”
He added those can include project planning, partnership development and connections to additional resources – all to help counties better focus on meeting their own needs, which vary greatly based on size and location.
This article originally appeared on Public News Service.
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