The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, a critical source of state conservation funding, has remained unfunded since June 2026.
what is the knowles-nelson stewardship program?
Bobolink (photo by Arlene Koziol).
The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (KNSP) provided a source of funding for conservation organizations and local governments to purchase land, restore habitats, and enable better access to natural spaces throughout the state. Established in 1989 and named after two former Wisconsin governors (Warren Knowles and Gaylord Nelson), this popular bipartisan program is administered by the Wisconsin DNR and has helped fund more than 10,000 projects throughout the state. Learn more here.
If you’ve ever spent time at our sanctuaries and lands, you’ve seen firsthand how these funds make a difference for birds and people. KNSP funds have allowed Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance to acquire property to expand our sanctuaries, undertake ambitious long-term projects to revitalize and protect habitats, and create important places for people to enjoy nature. As of January 2025, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has received 25 of these grants (more than $5.6M), allowing us to permanently protect more than 3,200 acres:
14 grants to acquire 1,372 acres of land that are now part of SoWBA sanctuaries
5 grants to acquire and restore 1,721 acres of other lands, like Zeloski Marsh and Rose Lake (prior to giving them to the Wisconsin DNR, who now manages these properties)
3 grants to fund placing permanent easements on properties we manage (125 acres)
3 grants for habitat restoration work at Goose Pond Sanctuary
Of course, we can easily count the number of acres that Knowles-Nelson Stewardship has helped protect throughout the state of Wisconsin (find other projects funded near you with this interactive map). It’s much harder to measure the program’s positive impact on birds, wildlife, soil protection, water retention, clean water, recreation, and so much more—it has been monumental!
90% of Wisconsin voters support the knowles-Nelson Stewardship Project.
What happened to it?
Birders search for grassland birds (photo by Matt Reetz/SoWBA).
Though Wisconsinites are spending more and more recreational time in nature, such as hiking and birding, top lawmakers signaled in 2025 that they were not planning to approve funding for the program.
Typically, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is renewed in ten-year cycles, though the legislature bucked that trend in 2021 by only providing five years worth of funding. Since the program was not included in the 2025-2027 budget, the program went dark in June 2026.
Wisconsin’s primary mechanism for protecting natural areas and increasing outdoor recreation opportunities remains unfunded for the first time in almost 40 years.
how can You Support The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program?
Learn more about ways to take action, including contacting your legislators, by visiting knowlesnelson.org/take-action.
Further reading
Recent media coverage about Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, compiled and updated by Team Knowles Nelson.
“Saving Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.” Audubon Great Lakes blog post focused on the impact of KNSP funds at SoWBA’s Goose Pond Sanctuary; October 17, 2025.
Cover image by Emma Raasch/SoWBA. Prairie plants thrive at a protected prairie in Dane County, Wisconsin. This land, purchased in part with Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program funds, is owned, restored, and managed by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance.
