Wild turkey chicks, photo by Carolyn Byers
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE consider participating in the on-line Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing and Elections. They begin (tonight!) at 7:00pm on Monday, April 12 and end at 6:59pm on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Visit this website to access the questions and submit your feedback.
Traditionally, one of these hearings occurs in each county of the state. The proceedings have largely been in person. They run for hours and, for all their potential importance, often feature interminable debates over the deer herd and deer hunting. Because of COVID, this is the second year that the proceedings are wholly on-line and continue for three days. Expressing your opinion on a variety of conservation topics has never been easier. The Conservation Congress and DNR must pay attention to the choices supported by participants, although the results are advisory and not binding.
The questions fall into two broad categories.
The first concerns proposed changes to hunting, fishing, and trapping regulations. The DNR has made the preliminary decision to make these changes and finding out the public's opinion of them via these hearings is an important and late step in that process. Often these changes have very circumscribed effects (for example, changing trout regulations on one stream) and, consequently, have limited public interest. Nevertheless, all are worth a quick look.
Killdeer over water, photo by Monica Hall
Probably of more interest are the second category of questions offered by the DNR Board, the Conservation Congress, and the DNR on much broader policies, many of which concern important conservation or environmental protection. The topics range from requiring a buffer of perennial native vegetation along rivers, streams, and ditches to determining if hunting dogs should remain on-leash between April 15-July 31 to protect nesting birds.
Please review these and register your opinion.
Often measures calling for greater environmental and conservation protection pass. Fabulous. Not so fabulous is the scant attention some policy-makers pay to those results. Why bother registering an opinion in these hearings, then? one might reasonably ask. Because:
These hearings offer the rare opportunity for explicit, state-wide consideration of some very good and much needed ideas (an example from past hearings: encouraging or requiring non-lead, non-toxic ammunition for hunting). Having positive support for these ideas on an official record will help in the too long but one day successful struggle to implement them.
Thanks,
Topf Wells, Madison Audubon board member and advocacy committee chair
