Do you enjoy your hikes along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail as it ambles through woods and prairies?
Do you wish for more contiguous Ice Age Trail and fewer road walks?
Then ask your State legislators to support the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
- If you have a favorite segment along the Trail, there’s a good chance Knowles-Nelson Stewardship funding played a crucial role in its existence.
- The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is a vital source of funding for the Ice Age Trail. Each of the 66 Stewardship purchases by the Ice Age Trail Alliance was leveraged with private, county or other funds, well over $20M since 2000.
- Additionally, the DNR has acquired Ice Age Trail rights on more than 100 properties (87 miles) for the Trail over time – nearly all of these used the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
Time is of the Essence!
The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) has begun holding executive sessions and are crafting the budget that will be sent to the full legislature for approval. This is a crucial moment for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. The dollar amount and number of years of reauthorization for the program will be decided in JFC meetings soon.
The Joint Finance Committee could be entering these budget discussions right after Memorial Day!
Raise your voice in support. In June 2018, a statewide survey by Public Opinion Strategies and FM3 Research showed a staggering 86% of voters supporting continued funding of the program.
Take Action Now!
Please Contact Your State Legislators.
- Request their support for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund in the soon-to-be released State budget.
- Ask them to encourage the bi-partisan Joint Finance Committee to support a 10-year reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship fund at current level of $33M/year as they craft the budget.
- Remind them to prioritize the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
EMAIL Your State Legislators in Three EASY Steps!
Simply click here and do the following:
- Enter your address and zipcode.
- Customize, or not, the automatically generated letter of support. It pops up along with the contact information for your representative.
- Click SEND.
CALL the Members of the Joint Finance Committee in Four EASY Steps!
- Go to the Joint Committee on Finance page.
- Scroll down the page to see the list of members.
- Click on each member (or the ones you’re comfortable calling) to locate their phone number.
- Call them! State the “Request, Ask, Remind” message outlined above.
Thank you for your support of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail!
Sincerely,
The Advocacy Team of the Ice Age Trail Alliance.