MADISON, WI – Today, Senate Democrats held a press conference on the expiration of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Held at Governor Nelson State Park, Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein, Senator Sarah Keyeski, and Representative Jenna Jacobson spoke about the value Knowles-Nelson has delivered to every corner of Wisconsin over the last 37 years. The legislators ended by ensuring that a Democratic trifecta would quickly move to restore Knowles-Nelson, which is supported by over 90% of Wisconsinites.

Read More on the Impacts of Knowles-Nelson Expiring and Democrats Promise to Reinstate the Conservation Program:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: With an eye on midterms, Democrats mark the demise of Knowles-Nelson

  • “As Wisconsin’s well-known land conservation program reached its final day, Democrats gathered to blast Republicans for their role in letting the program’s funding run out.”
  • “Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, of Middleton, Sen. Sarah Keyeski, D-Lodi, and Rep. Jenna Jacobson, D-Oregon gathered at Gov. Nelson State Park to lament the end to Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, which they said became a casualty of Republicans failing to negotiate with them.”
  • “’This has been going well for decades. It has worked well all over the state of Wisconsin, and today, because of Republicans and their failure to lead and to negotiate, it comes to an end,’ Hesselbein said at a news conference.”
  • “Now, a lot of people are asking why, and the answer is, I don’t know. I don’t know what Republicans have against beautiful places in the state of Wisconsin.”
  • “The back-and-forth over the stewardship program comes after Republicans removed funding for the program from the 2025-2027 state budget, saying that the program would be taken up separately.”
  • “Democrats put forward a bill to revive the program, but it was never given a hearing. A Republican bill was passed in the Assembly, but not given a vote in the Senate before the Legislature left for the summer.”
  • “Keyeski said unwinding the program will mean losing valuable green space to development. ‘I’m struck ultimately by the loss for future generations,’ she said. ‘They will steadily lose access to the trails, beaches, marshes and forests that have shaped the lives of so many of us.’“
  • “The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program — named for conservation-minded Wisconsin Governors Warren Knowles, a Republican, and Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat — began in 1989 and has been renewed each decade.”
  • “’[Republicans] decided to disregard the will of the resident, and no wonder why the Republican party is losing so much at the polls,’ Hesselbein said.”
  • “She said if Democrats manage to take the majority in both the Senate and the Assembly, as well as the office of governor this fall, reinstating the Knowles-Nelson program will be high on the list of priorities when they return to office in January.”
  • “We will bring back the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program in full force, so people can enjoy nature, regardless of their ZIP code,” she said.
  • “Habush Sinykin also said she’s committed to working with other legislators to reauthorize Knowles-Nelson in the 2027 budget cycle.”
  • “‘My sincere hope is that we can all come back here together to the Lion’s Den to celebrate that worthy victory,’ she said.”