Conservation Congress Sends Mandate

The representatives who attended the 2001 Conservation Congress hearings, held in all 72 counties on April 9th, have sent a clear message to our political leaders on wetlands: We want our vulnerable isolated wetlands protected!

A total of 57 of 59 counties voted YES on a wetlands resolution that "strongly urges the State of Wisconsin to immediately protect our state's vulnerable isolated wetlands by adopting legislation assigning permitting authority for these wetlands to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources."

The vote was unanimous in 18 counties; only two counties voted NO by a small margin and 13 counties are unreported or did not introduce a wetlands resolution.

Fully 91% (3517) of the total vote (3,845) on this resolution introduced on the floor by citizens of our state was in favor.

This call to action for wetland protection by the conservation community, represented at Conservation Congress to a large degree by hunters and anglers, parallels the strong support already generated within the state by a coalition of 72 national, statewide and local organizations, representing more than 321,000 members in Wisconsin.

These groups have called on the Legislature and Governor to pass appropriate legislation to restore protection to wetlands lost as a result of an unanticipated Supreme Court decision in early January that left vulnerable approximately 1 million acres of Wisconsin's wetlands. Representative organizations include Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Trout Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Wisconsin Audubon Council, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, the Forest County Potowatomi Community, and many others.

Wetlands Resolution

2001 Conservation Congress Spring Hearings

WHEREAS, on January 9th, 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers does not have permitting authority over wetlands not connected to navigable waters (“isolated” wetlands), thereby leaving an estimated 30%, or 1 1/2 million acres, of Wisconsin’s wetlands unprotected from development, and

WHEREAS, these isolated wetlands can be vitally important as critical habitat for a wide range of plants and animals, including waterfowl, game and song birds, numerous mammals, frogs, turtles, and invertebrates;

WHEREAS, wetlands serve many other useful functions such as groundwater recharge, water purification, sediment trapping, and provide other important environmental services;

WHEREAS, it is the assigned duty of the Wisconsin State Legislature, under the Public Trust Doctrine, to act as trustee of the public’s interest in the water resources of the State, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Conservation Congress, at its annual meeting held in ______________ County on April 9th, 2001, strongly urges the State of Wisconsin to immediately protect our state’s vulnerable isolated wetlands by adopting legislation assigning permitting authority for these wetlands to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

SUMMARY OF COUNTY VOTES

Counties in favor:                                   57 (18 unanimous)

Counties opposed:                                    2

Counties unreported or with no vote:     13
Total: Yes = 3517 (91%)    No = 328 (9%)
Adams Co. 32-- 5 Ashland Co. 31-- 2 Barron Co. 32-- 0 Bayfield Co. 36-- 7 Brown Co. 121-19 Buffalo Co. 27—1 Burnett Co. 27— 5 Calumet Co. 58— 3 Chippewa Co. 51—12 Clark Co. 21—34 Columbia Co. (unreported) Crawford Co. 17—2 Dane Co. 375—29 Dodge Co. 75—2 Door Co. 37—1 Douglas Co. 21—2 Dunn Co. 78—0 Eau Claire Co. 71—0 Florence Co. 16—2 Fond du Lac Co. 124—0 Forest Co. (unknown) Grant Co. 23—0 Green Co. ---- Green Lake Co. 25—10 Iowa Co. 25—28 Iron Co. ---- Jackson Co. 22—5 Jefferson Co. 74—13 Juneau Co. ---- Kenosha Co. 56—2 Kewaunee Co. 33—0 La Crosse Co. 79—0 Lafayette Co. 29—3 Langlade Co. 45—0 Lincoln Co. 40—3 Manitowoc Co. 51—1	Marathon Co. 67—16 Marinette Co. ---- Marquette Co. 20—5 Menominee Co. 3—0 Milwaukee Co. 118—18 Monroe Co. 36—6 Oconto Co. ---- Oneida Co. 62—9 Outagamie Co. 86—0 Ozaukee Co. 82—5 Pepin Co. ---- Pierce Co. ---- Polk Co. 51—5 Portage Co. 239—0 Price Co. 29—3 Racine Co. 80—8 Richland Co. 29—6 Rock Co. 71—2 Rusk Co. 40—7 St. Croix Co. 61—3 Sauk Co. 55—4 Sawyer Co. 34—0 Shawano Co. 29—15 Sheboygan Co. 87—4 Taylor Co. ---- Trempealeau Co. 10—3 Vernon Co. ---- Vilas Co. 45—0 Walworth Co. 49—0 Washburn Co. 35—0 Washington Co. ---- Waukesha Co. 87—0 Waupaca Co. ---- Waushara Co. 44—0 Winnebago Co. 149—18 Wood Co. 65—0