Cherish Wisconsin Fund hits milestone $3 million mark

Madison — The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin (NRF) said the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund has hit a new milestone: $3 million – an exciting win to celebrate on National Public Lands Day.

Established to protect, restore and improve habitat for Wisconsin’s plants and animals, the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund supports the conservation and management of the state’s public lands.

Wisconsin has more than 1.5 million acres of publicly owned forests, prairies, streams, lakes and parks. Managing vast tracts of public land requires active stewardship: managing invasive species, restoring native ecosystems, enhancing wildlife habitat and improving public access.

The endowment provides a permanent source of funding for habitat improvement and ecological restoration across lands owned or managed by the state, such as state natural areas, parks, trails, and recreation, wildlife and fisheries areas as well as state forests.

“The Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund presents an exceptional opportunity for all who enjoy and appreciate the outdoors to help support the stewardship of our public lands, which are a critical fabric to what makes Wisconsin great,” said Eric Lobner, DNR Fish, Wildlife and Parks Division administrator. “With the continued support of public land conservation through this endowment, our management efforts will continue to grow along with the fund as we work together to support Wisconsin’s wild spaces and everything that depends on them.”

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For every $1 million in the endowment, approximately $50,000 (5%) per year is distributed for land stewardship. The first disbursement was in 2017, funding conservation projects in Walworth and Dunn counties.

Last year, five high-priority habitat projects came to life in Calumet, Dane, Florence, Sauk, and Vilas counties.

Grant funds in Vilas County were used to mow brush, apply herbicides and remove excess trees to reclaim forest openings and maintain natural frost pockets as open habitat. These openings support game species such as ruffed grouse and elk and several of the area’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the American woodcock and golden-winged warbler.

Fund facts

• 5% of license purchasers choose to donate.

• The average donation given is $4.27.

• It is a public-private partnership between the DNR (state) and NRF (a conservation nonprofit).

• 88% of donations come from purchasers of hunting and fishing licenses.

The endowment fund was created in 2013 by an act of the legislature to provide a permanent source of funding to care for Wisconsin’s public lands.

“This milestone is exciting, but the truth is that it isn’t enough when you consider all the challenges nature faces in Wisconsin,” said David Clutter, NRF’s executive director. “If everyone renewing their hunting, trapping or fishing licenses gave just $2, we could put $3 million into the fund every year. Then we would make some amazing headway.”

Information about the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund or making a donation is posted on the NRF’s Cherish Wisconsin web page.