The state legislature is in the home stretch of its budget process and
a handful of legislators will decide the quality of Wisconsin’s outdoor
experience into the next decade. While there are dozens of differences
between the houses on all kinds of topics, two issues dominate the land
use agenda.
The Stewardship Fund.
If it seems more crowded in state parks, on trails or in hunting grounds,
it is. In 1960, there were 15 visitors for every acre of state
park land; today there are 20. If this summer is like last year,
every state park campsite that can be reserved will be spoken for on weekends
from May through August. Between 1990 and 1995, bike trail use was
up 107%, registered all terrain vehicles by 28% and snowmobiles by 37%.
There are three times more hunters in the woods during gun deer season
than there were in 1950.
The state acquires land for public outdoor recreation and habitat protection through the Stewardship Fund. The problem is that the Fund has not kept pace with demand. Since 1990, it has been frozen at $23 million per year, while land prices have about doubled during that period.
The Stewardship Fund concept was started 35 years ago by then Governor Gaylord Nelson. Nelson recently told the legislature that the Fund would need to be $120 million a year to match the portion of the state budget he committed to it when he started the program. It would need to be $300 million if it had kept pace with inflation in land prices since then.
Viewed from this perspective, the 1000 Friends of Wisconsin proposal, endorsed by the State Senate, to increase the Fund to $60 million per year seems modest. But a $60 million annual program would allow us to restore the Fund to 1990 buying power and add new conservation initiatives to save wild lakes and bluff lands, close the gap between the Kettle Moraine units and start a purchase of conservation easements program.
The Assembly has weighed in with a much weaker proposal, which would leave the Fund 22% below its 1990 buying power.
The legislature needs to choose wisely because this is a ten year reauthorization. Chances of improving the program again before 2010 are slim at best.
Smart Growth for Wisconsin. The other major land use initiative in the budget has the promise to slow sprawl, reduce highway congestion, protect natural areas and lessen the pressure on property taxes. "Smart Growth" would overhaul Wisconsin’s 1920’s era land use laws to deal with the problems of today.
Less than one in three Wisconsin communities has any kind of land use plan. Those that have a plan, often fail to plan comprehensively or they let their plan age into irrelevance. And because there is no requirement that actions follow plans, even the best plans - usually written at significant public expense - often simply gather dust.
Smart Growth respects local control while it provides state assistance for the planning effort and incentives to follow plans once they’re written. Communities that plan for growth can grow more intelligently, phasing in public improvements like roads, sewers, parks and schools. The result can be more pleasant places to live, less congested roads, better protected farm land and natural areas, and reduced public service costs.
Again, the Senate position is the one we hope the conference committee will choose. The Assembly did not adopt a Smart Growth package while the Senate adopted a complete and promising initiative.
Gaylord Nelson said it best when he spoke to the legislature: "Every day we’re losing something. Unless the legislature acts and sets a much higher standard of stewardship than has even been proposed in the past, there won’t be anything left to enjoy."
1000 Friends of Wisconsin is a citizens land use policy and education group with 1,700 members statewide. Former Wisconsin Governor and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson is the organization’s Emeritus Board Chair. For more information, call 608-259-1000 or email the group.