Need help from public land advocates!

[seeth07]

Interesting timing on finding this article given the thread I've been contributing to lately.

Basically our WI department of natural resources last fall approved spending about 5 million to gain a conservation easement on 56,000 acres of forest land. This spending is matched with a 10 million grant that they got approval for from the federal forest legacy fund.

This is a pretty cool area of the state with a lot recreation opportunities along the Pelican River that didn't previously exist since this property was once private (it was recently purchased by The Conservation Fund).

So what's the issue? Well this legislative session Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, is trying to block the move. Some kind words from fellow HT members to her would be appreciated. I know this purchase isn't exactly for "public land" but it's the next best thing putting an easement on it and in return the state requires the property to be open to public for some sort of use. I believe on this particular one, it would have little restrictions though I can't find much for specific details about that.

Largest land conservation effort in state history threatened as lawmakers object to funding

Lawmakers on the state’s finance committee are objecting to what would be the largest land conservation effort in Wisconsin history, threatening to halt the project altogether.

www.wpr.org

 

[Big Fin]

Dang. I hoped misinformed legislators was just a Montana thing.

She opposes under the premise that conservation easements take taxes off the property rolls. It doesn’t. A favorite BS myth used by the ignorant folks who aren’t concerned with fact it law.

Then, when pointed out that taxes are still paid in these lands, she complains that the taxes get reduced for being enrolled in a forest management plan under state law, the same as any other lands enrolled in such program. We’ll, that’s a state law issue, completely separate from a conservation easement.

What is at play is orchestrated efforts against conservation easements and access easements by fringe elements across the country. When the flaws of their arguments are pointed out, they pivot to some other grounds for opposition. We see it in MT all the time, when they ignore that the at lands being placed under a conservation easement already pay minuscule taxes under state exemptions for ag classification.

Folks need to be ready for more or this. The effort to discredit easements is well funded. The effort against CEs is mostly supported by the same folks who ten years ago opposed fee title acquisitions and told us to solve the access issues with easements. Well now we are working on easements and they claim easements are a problem.

Hope this can be sorted out.

 

[seeth07]

[email protected]

Here is her email so you don't have to look it up.

 

[BoulderBulls]

[email protected]

Here is her email so you don't have to look it up.

I've never stepped foot in Wisconsin but I'm here for the fight

Email sent

 

[OriginalOscar]

The Conservation Fund, a national environmental conservation group, bought 70,000 acres of private forestland across northern Wisconsin in 2021 called the Pelican River Forest to set it aside for recreational use and logging.

Collaborate with the logging industry to point out the land will still provide economic benefit. Conservation easements which protect the open nature of the land but also enable use like grazing, logging make sense. Good luck!

 

[Treeshark]

Thank you for posting seeth07, on it.

 

[BigHornRam]

The Forest Legacy Program is a great program @seeth07 . For 8 years I got to serve on a committee that review the Montana Forest Legacy program and a lot of good projects were funded and continue to be funded. It is a popular program in Montana. Occasionally a detractor will bring up legitimate concerns which are most often easily addressed, making the project even better. Often times the detractors are misinformed and once informed they are satisfied. Sometimes the detractors are set in their ways, and there is nothing you can do to change their way of thinking. At that point it is best to focus on the 95% favorable support and not focus on the 5% opposition.

Watch the video clip of one of the many good projects Montana was able to complete. Well done media explaining all the multiple use benefits goes a long way to gain support for this and future projects like it. Good for you to bring this particular project forward. I will comment on it today.

Montana's Forest Legacy Program | Montana FWP

The Forest Legacy Program provides funding for conserving high value working forests. The program is administered by the U.S. Forest Service and managed in Montana by Fish, Wildlife and Parks

fwp.mt.gov

 

[seeth07]

The Forest Legacy Program is a great program @seeth07 . For 8 years I got to serve on a committee that review the Montana Forest Legacy program and a lot of good projects were funded and continue to be funded. It is a popular program in Montana. Occasionally a detractor will bring up legitimate concerns which are most often easily addressed, making the project even better. Often times the detractors are misinformed and once informed they are satisfied. Sometimes the detractors are set in their ways, and there is nothing you can do to change their way of thinking. At that point it is best to focus on the 95% favorable support and not focus on the 5% opposition.

Watch the video clip of one of the many good projects Montana was able to complete. Well done media explaining all the multiple use benefits goes a long way to gain support for this and future projects like it. Good for you to bring this particular project forward. I will comment on it today.

Montana's Forest Legacy Program | Montana FWP

The Forest Legacy Program provides funding for conserving high value working forests. The program is administered by the U.S. Forest Service and managed in Montana by Fish, Wildlife and Parks

fwp.mt.gov

Thanks for that info, I'll be sure to watch the video later today.