To the editor:
I am a local sportsman who is greatly concerned about some of the conservation issues in the proposed state budget.
The governor’s budget makes the Natural Resources Board an advisory council rather than the official decision-making body for the Department of Natural Resources. Sportsmen and women many years ago fought to have a citizen board over the DNR to minimize political decision-making in the DNR. Board members, even though appointed by the governor, have shown a willingness to listen to average citizens on conservation matters and have shown independence in making their decisions.
Sportsmen and sportswomen should not want to go back to the days when hunting, fishing and trapping regulations were set by what friends of the governor wanted and not what the average sportsman or sportswoman wanted.
In addition, the governor’s budget eliminates 18 research biologist positions in the DNR. These are the men and women who do the fundamental research on bobcat, bear, wolves, walleye, panfish, musky, sturgeon, turkey, waterfowl, quail, ruffed grouse, pheasants, beaver, fisher, otter, rabbits, sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chickens, squirrels, loons, endangered resources, forest management, grassland birds, smallmouth bass, trout, northern pike and other issues involving factors that are impacting fish and wildlife habitat in the state. This research is the fundamental scientific building block for fish and wildlife management in Wisconsin.
As sportsmen and sportswomen, we need these research biologists.
I encourage sportsmen, sportswomen and other conservationists to contact their state senator and representative and ask them to take these items out of the state budget. Just go on the Legislature’s website to make the contacts.
Kevin Marquette,
Shawano
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