Wisconsin Senate passes resolution honoring George Meyer

Madison — The Wisconsin State Senate recently passed a resolution honoring the life and work of the late George Meyer, who passed away Dec. 10, 2025.

In making the resolution, Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska), the primary author, said, “Every life in this state was impacted by the work of Secretary Meyer. He was a true conservation and environmental leader and will be dearly missed.”

The resolution states:

Whereas, George Meyer, a devoted public servant, conservationist, attorney, and former secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), passed away on December 10, 2025, at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy of environmental stewardship that will benefit Wisconsin for generations to come; and

Whereas, born on a dairy farm in New Holstein, Wisconsin, George Meyer lived his family’s values of hard work, land stewardship, and deep faith, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from
St. Norbert College and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison; and

Whereas, George Meyer began his storied career during a transformative era in conservation, starting as a law clerk at the DNR in 1970, just days before the first Earth Day, and was subsequently hired full-time to fill one of the first staff positions funded by the federal Clean Water Act; and

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Whereas, as a staff attorney and administrator of the Division of Enforcement, George Meyer championed the Public Trust Doctrine to protect the state’s waterways and helped develop Wisconsin’s wetland protection regulations, which are regarded as some of the strongest and most comprehensive in the nation; and

Whereas, George Meyer demonstrated profound courage, successfully using legal means to confront the Posse Comitatus militia in Shawano County regarding land-use permits, despite facing threats of violence; and

Whereas, during a period of intense tension regarding Ojibwe off-reservation treaty rights, George Meyer displayed exemplary leadership by upholding the rule of law and protecting tribal hunting and fishing rights, reminding DNR wardens that their duty was to defend democracy, and successfully negotiating over 40 agreements with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission to ensure safe and equitable resource management; and

Whereas, appointed by the Natural Resources Board and reappointed by Governor Tommy Thompson, George Meyer served as secretary of the DNR from 1993 to 2001, a tenure during which the state acquired 142,000 acres of land for recreational use—including the Willow Flowage and the Great Addition—reestablished the state’s wild elk population, and implemented the nation’s first mercury emission regulations; and

Whereas, under his leadership, the DNR cleaned up 12,000 contaminated sites through brownfields cleanup programs and successfully advocated for the reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program; and

Whereas, after his retirement from state service, George Meyer continued his advocacy as the first executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, where he founded the Wisconsin Conservation Leadership Corps to mentor the next generation of conservation policy leaders; and

Whereas, in his final years, George Meyer worked tirelessly to balance growing energy needs with wildlife protection, achieving a landmark settlement regarding solar power development near the Buena Vista State Wildlife Area; and

Whereas, George Meyer was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in 2018 and received the National Wildlife Federation’s lifetime achievement award in 2025, and he was recognized by colleagues and family alike as an eternal optimist, a “force for nature, and a man who treated every person with dignity and respect; and

Whereas, George Meyer is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jayne, their children Jocelyn and Andrew, their grandson Laken, and a wide circle of family and friends who cherish his memory;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Senate, the Assembly concurring, that the members of the Wisconsin Legislature honor the extraordinary life and legacy of George Meyer, express their deepest gratitude for his decades of service to the natural resources and people of Wisconsin, and extend their sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

Pfaff’s office noted that the resolution was passed unanimously by a voice vote and was “messaged” to the Assembly.

State Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) said that she worked with Pfaff to offer the joint resolution.

“I joined my Senate colleagues and George’s wife on the Senate floor, and was pleased to be part of honoring George and his long legacy of service to the state of Wisconsin and his enduring commitment to preserving our natural resources,” Subeck said. “George left his mark on our state in ways that will live on for generations to come.”