About Wisconsin Stewardship Network

 Background

A union of hunters, fishers, and environmentalists working cooperatively is far more likely to capture the public's ear and the minds of elected officials than any lone voice.

The need for such a union was painfully demonstrated in 1995 when, despite statewide opposition, legislative action dismantled the Public Intervenor's Office, politicized the DNR and radically cut budgets for some of Wisconsin's most important programs, i.e., preventing childhood lead poisoning, helping farm families develop more sustainable methods and encouraging successful recycling programs.

This partisan legislative agenda rolled back 25 years of environmental progress.

From adversity, however, comes opportunity.  These trying times enabled the formation of the Wisconsin Stewardship Network, a bipartisan group of more than 60 environmental, conservation and sporting groups from around the state, working together to restore Wisconsin's conservation tradition.  Once a project of Wisconsin's Environmental Decade (now Clean Wisconsin), the WSN became a stand-alone nonprofit organization in 2003. 

Philosophy

We believe that conservation of environmental resources must cut across political and ideological differences because nature is neither radical nor conservative.  Working collaboratively, shoulder to shoulder, we are reviving  Wisconsin's tradition of conservation leadership.  We believe we each have a personal and collective responsibility to care for nature and assure environmental quality for all.

We have common goals.  We all want to fish, boat and swim in water where we can see the bottom, breathe air that is clean, hike or hunt in unspoiled forests and drink water that is safe.  We want to see birds and hear frogs.  We know that we must create communities where we can live, work and raise children safely, without gobbling up precious farmland and wildlife habitat and without threatening our inner cities. We want a future where our children have it better than we did and their children better than that.

Mission

Th WSN is building a cooperative environmental network that strengthens Wisconsin's stewardship ethic for the betterment of its people and natural resources.

Goals

• To foster better communication and cooperation among diverse groups.
• To develop an environmental strategy for political change
• To implement a powerful educational campaign that inspires, empowers and engages the public to action

Committees - Much of the work for the network is done by committee formed around each of our member-selected priority issues.  Committees are open to all who wish to participate.

• Priority Issues for 2004-2005:
   
• Water Regulation
• Shoreland Zoning Rules Rewrite
• Blocking construction of the proposed 345,000 volt Duluth to Wausau Arrowhead Transmission Line
• Environmental Education Initiatives
• Forest Fragmentation
• Revising the motorboat gas tax formula
   

Contact - For information on the Wisconsin Stewardship Network, contact any of the board of directors or the WSN regional hubs.

You can also call the WSN office in Madison at 608-268-1218.  Our mailing address is 122 State St., Suite 510, Madison, WI 53703 (the FAX # is the same number).  You can directly email WSN by clicking here.

For information on the WSN website or to receive technical assistance, contact Alice McCombs webmaster@wsn.org or call 715-524-5998.

For information about the history of WSN, see http://www.wsn.org/history_wsn.html.