A majority of Wisconsin voters support the Knowles Nelson Stewardship fund. That’s according toa new poll from the Nature Conservancy.
Governor Scott Walker’s budget plan calls for freezing land acquisitionsfunded by the stewardship program until 2028.
But Government Relations Director for the Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin Todd Holschbach says a new poll shows broad support for the program across party lines.
“These results give good rationale for the governor to work with the legislature, to keep a healthy stewardship fund," Holschbach said. "The program has always been a bipartisan program from its very beginning.”
Almost 100 percent of Democrats and over 75 percent of Republicans said they would tell their legislators to vote in support of Stewardship program investments.
It also finds nine in ten Wisconsin voters believe conservation efforts are good for the state’s economy.
Wisconsin state director of the Nature Conservancy Mary Jean Huston said the poll reveals bipartisan support for the Knowles Nelson Stewardship program.
“So as far as they economy goes, tourism is key to our state, and people see the connection between land and water conservation, and a healthy tourist industry. So people truly made that connection – between our economy and conserving our environment.”
Huston noted the Stewardship program also secures land for forestry.
The poll also finds almost 9 out of 10 respondents say protecting public land is one of the things the government does best.
Supporters of freezing the program say it's gotten too expensive.
Public Opinion Strategies conducted the survey, polling 600 registered voters by phone.
