Research Reorientation
Conservation has been a significant undergoing for Wisconsin since the early 20th century, peaking in the mid to late 1900’s, and decreasing efforts ever since. I was able to research the historical events and look at priorities from the 1970’s through the early 2000’s. I read about different legislative decisions that caused the decrease in conservation and outdoor recreational efforts beginning in 2007 in order to understand why Wisconsin has nearly been at a standstill for two decades. My initial focus on Buffalo County, Wisconsin necessitated greater research methods than I was able to accommodate. Instead, I have taken a broader stance on Wisconsin conservation legislation, past and present, in order to summarize a look toward the future of the state's general endeavors. Overall, I believe that my research has produced significant insight into the state’s nature preservation efforts, examined when we lost this leadership position among the states, and imagined what Ever’s v. Marklein (2024) can do to regain strong conservancy efforts. My research helped me to understand the situation and its circumstances, and may provide insight to an audience that is not keen on the subject matter. My research is not an eye-opening discovery of information or ideas that I would present to the strongest of environmental advocates, or anyone that is familiarized themselves with the past decades of conservation legislation.
Presentation Sequence
The flow of my presentation, titled, “Two Decades After the Wisconsin Land Legacy Report, What's Next for Conservation in the Wake of Evers v. Marklein?," will start with a brief history of Wisconsin conservation legislation and the great strides the state made to be a leader in natural spaces and outdoor recreation, as well as the leaders of the political theory behind it. This includes the Knowles- Nelson Stewardship Program (KNSP), the purposes for grant funds, and the power balance between branches of government. Next, I will focus on the 1990’s though early 2000’s, including the Land Legacy Report and the 180 degree turnaround the Wisconsin legislation made during the time of Scott Walker. Avoiding partisan politics, I will instead focus on enacted legislation that moved away and blocked conservation advancement for nearly two decades. The Wisconsin State Legislature Chapter 23 on Conservation has included at least two crucial changes of the Joint Finance Committee’s authority in the last two decades. In conclusion, I plan to thoroughly brief Evers v. Marklein (2024), the Wisconsin Separation of Powers Doctrine, and explain what the ruling ‘undid’ as well as what it could do moving forward. Since beginning my research, it has been important to stay up to date with current events regarding this Wisconsin Supreme Court decision. Court proceedings were still in process when I began the project. This is a relevant concept to most researchers, and what sets apart large ongoing projects from ordinary class assignments. As of this post, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved KNSP 7.7 million in funding for 12 projects issued in the October press release found on Wisconsin.gov.
Pelican River Forest WPR
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