If you fish, hike, hunt, bird, boat, paddle, camp or watch wildlife in Wisconsin, you likely know how important the Department of Natural Resources is to your favorite outdoor activities.
It’s possible you also know the department is suffering from funding woes, especially in its Fish and Wildlife Account, the portion that covers fisheries, wildlife, law enforcement and threatened and endangered species.
As you may also be aware, the funding for this account is heavily reliant on revenue from fishing and hunting license fees. And the cost of nearly all licenses for Wisconsin residents have been stagnant since 2005.
I’m among what I believe is a majority of annual license buyers who want the fees increased. Even better, Wisconsin should put in place a sustainable, long-term system for supporting its state conservation programs.
Results from the 2026 Wisconsin spring hearings showed strong support for both ideas.
The gatherings, officially called Department of Natural Resources Spring Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress County Meetings, were held in each Wisconsin county April 13 and online input was accepted April 13-15.
Given the DNR’s structural deficit in the Fish and Wildlife Account (estimated at $16 million in 2025), 13 of the 44 questions on the 2026 spring hearings ballot pertained to funding ideas or license fees.
Both the Natural Resources Board and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress asked what the public thought about a 0.125% statewide sales tax to support DNR conservation programs. Missouri has had such a tax in place since 1976 and is considered by many as the gold standard in conservation funding.
In 2008, Minnesota voters also approved a state sales tax to support conservation and other programs. Its version, commonly known as the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, increased the state sales tax by 0.375% for 25 years to fund natural resources, clean water, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage.
The NRB asked: Do you support a dedicated small increase in the sales tax of 0.125%, to be used to fund general conservation programs including wildlife management, fisheries management, and/or conservation law enforcement activities?
The result among Wisconsin residents was 4,045 yes, 1,076 no, or 79% support. The WCC asked about the identical amount of a sales tax and got a very similar result, 4,188 yes, 1,106 no.
Other ideas to increase DNR funding were supported, too, including: Do you support increasing hunting, fishing, and trapping fees to account for the 66% inflation rate over the last 22 years to bring back the levels of funding for: wildlife management, fisheries management, and/or conservation law enforcement activities to bring the levels of funding in line with current economic conditions? The result among Wisconsin residents who expressed an opinion was 3,233 yes, 1,878 no, or 63% support.
And another question asked: Do you support increasing hunting, fishing, and trapping license fees by 25% to support wildlife management, fisheries management, and conservation law enforcement activities? The idea was supported 3,706 to 1,357, or 73% approval.
So I’m not alone in my opinions on increased DNR funding.
But it will take more than desire.
When it comes to financial matters and state agencies, it also requires action by the Legislature.
Over the last couple years Cody Kamrowski, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, led an informal group to discuss DNR funding ideas.
It didn’t result in legislation.
But he’s back at it and, armed with the public input from the 2026 spring hearings, is more hopeful than ever at the prospects for positive change.
This time Kamrowski and a group are planning a different strategy, starting with what he’s calling a “Conservation Funding Policy Action Summit.”
The meeting is still being formulated but likely would take place in mid- or late August in Stevens Point or Madison.
The goal of the summit would be to bring together a “broad cross-section of Wisconsin’s outdoor community to discuss one of the most important issues facing our natural resources: ensuring sustainable, long-term funding for conservation,” Kamrowski wrote in an invite email.
He added: “Whether your passion is hunting, fishing, trapping, public lands, parks, trails, forestry, clean water, wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, or supporting Wisconsin’s outdoor economy, we believe there is tremendous value in bringing diverse voices together around a common goal. Healthy natural resources benefit all of us, and meaningful progress will require collaboration across organizations, businesses, and perspectives.”
Kamrowski said all perspectives and backgrounds are encouraged and welcomed. He’s seeking to create an “open, respectful conversation focused on identifying shared priorities and exploring opportunities for the next legislative session to strengthen investments in Wisconsin’s fish and wildlife, public lands, outdoor recreation, access, and conservation programs for generations to come.”
He’s looking for broad participation, so if your organization or business has an interest in the future of conservation funding in Wisconsin, here’s a chance to get involved.
As a first step, Kamrowski is asking for names of interested participants and help in selecting the meeting date and place for the summit. He’s created an online form for these purposes. He’d like the survey completed by July 19.
He’d also like the idea to be shared; I’m trying to do my part with this column.
If you have questions or problems with the online form, email Kamrowski at cody@wiwf.org.
“I think it’s going to be exciting,” Kamrowski said. “Awareness is high about DNR funding problems. I feel optimistic we can get a powerful, broad group of people and organizations to work together for a sustainable, long-term solution.
“The first step is the summit and then we’ll see where it goes.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New effort seeks long-term, sustainable conservation funding for DNR | Paul A. Smith
Reporting by Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
