MADISON — The Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WI Land+Water) applauds the decision to increase county conservation staffing funding as part of the newly signed 2025-27 State Biennial Budget.
For the first time in decades, the state will support the first three conservation staff positions in each county, at 100, 70, and 50 percent, respectively, per the funding goal defined in state statute. Under the budget, total annual funding for county conservation staff will rise to $14,589,500 in 2026 and $15,362,400 in 2027, above the current 2025 funding level of $11,214,400.
“This is the most significant funding increase we’ve seen in years and is a meaningful victory for county conservation,” said WI Land+Water Executive Director Matt Krueger. “The state meeting its obligation for supporting the first three positions in each county is a long-overdue milestone that will help counties expand conservation services and provide greater support for farmers, waterfront property owners, and landowners across Wisconsin.”
Krueger added, “We are grateful to Governor Evers and the Legislature for recognizing the importance of county conservation and the need to invest in our local conservation professionals who deliver much needed support to our communities. This demonstrates a bipartisan commitment to protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources and supporting our rural communities.”
WI Land+Water appreciates the efforts of several key bipartisan legislators who provided vital support at different phases of the budget development process, including Senators Testin, Quinn, Jacque, Hesselbein, Pfaff, Smith, and Spreitzer and Representatives Kurtz, Hurd, Franklin, and Novak.
While celebrating this progress, WI Land+Water notes that the increase is provided on a one-time basis for the biennium, with base funding remaining unchanged at $8,964,100—a level that has not increased since 2018. The organization will continue to advocate for sustained, based funding to ensure counties can deliver critical conservation services for current and future generations.
