Conserving local land for birds and people

We need you: support the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program!

what is the knowles-nelson stewardship program?

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (KNSP) provides 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!

Why does the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program need support now?

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. Unless it is renewed this spring in the 2025 budget, the program will end in June 2026. Without KNSP funds, Wisconsin’s primary mechanism for protecting natural areas and increasing outdoor recreation opportunities will vanish.

90% of Wisconsin voters support the knowles-Nelson Stewardship Project.
How could something so popular be at risk?

Though Wisconsinites are spending more and more recreational time in nature, such as hiking and birding, the amount budgeted for the program has decreased and has not yet bounced back to previous levels. Though the $1 billion the DNR has asked for over the next ten years ($100 million per year) may seem like a lot, it’s a reasonable request to continue a program that so crucially supports our state’s strong tradition of conservation.

Unfortunately, some top lawmakers have already been signaling that they are not planning to approve funding for the program.

how can You Support The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program?

You can take action to support the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program RIGHT NOW. Here’s how:

Learn more about these and other ways to take action by visiting knowlesnelson.org/take-action.

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.