Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Friday, February 23, 2007
Ecological stewardship
I am writing to express support for your coverage of issues related to the environmental health of our fair state. This issue goes beyond being bipartisan; it simply transcends politics.
Ensuring the health and safety of people and their environment requires watchfulness and action at every level: Personal, public, via media and through political means. Thank you for the many articles you have printed over the years in support of environmental protection. These kinds of stories are, in part, responsible for spreading hope and the possibility of maintaining a high quality of life.
However, your coverage of the governor’s budget neglected to mention the governor’s proposed funding for the wildly popular and bipartisan Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. I applaud the governor’s commitment and funding for this program.
Established in honor of former Govs. Warren Knowles, a Republican, and Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat, the stewardship program has been a bi-partisan commitment to protecting Wisconsin’s land heritage by purchasing our most precious lands. Already, the stewardship program has protected more than 475,000 acres of environmentally-sensitive land in Wisconsin from development.
In western Wisconsin, land near Straight Lake was protected in part due to the stewardship program and completed the largest missing gap in the National Ice Age Trail system. As a result, residents and visitors are able to hunt, hike, fish, camp and view wildlife in some of Wisconsin’s most beautiful natural areas.
The Legislature should continue this bipartisan commitment to land preservation and approve the governor’s on-going investment in preserving Wisconsin’s natural beauty.
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