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Stewardship Fund Uncertain |
The state Senate
and Assembly negotiators on the budget are close to hammering out
an agreement on the Department of Natural Resources budget, according to
Dave
Cieslewicz of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.
One item yet
to be determined is the level of support for the state Stewardship Fund.
The WI Senate has advocated a funding level of $60 million per year.
The Assembly position would actually cut Stewardship by $2.1
million per year.
The State Stewardship
Fund was created in 1989 to protect and restore critical wildlife and fish
habitat, preserve high quality natural areas, improve water quality and
expand opportunities for outdoor recreation. The Legislature authorizes
general bonding to fund acquisition of land to expand recreational opportunities
and protect environmentally sensitive areas. Local units of government,
the Department of Natural Resources and local non-profit conservation organizations
are eligible to receive grants for these purposes.
Since the program's creation, the Stewardship Fund has purchased more than 130,000 of land for public protection and use. Among the major purchases by the Stewardship Fund are the 23,600 acre Turtle Flambeau Flowage in Iron County, the 8720 acre Willow Flowage in Oneida County (which also includes with matching appropriations the purchase of 106 islands and 64 miles of shoreline), 1485 acres of land in Lincoln County for the Bill Cross Rapids State Recreation Area, and 1040 acres located in the Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area.