Making Your Plan Happen:
Implementing Your Agricultural, Natural, & Cultural Resources Element
The Wisconsin statutes describe the “Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources” element of a comprehensive plan as a compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps, and programs for the conservation, and promotion of the effective management, of resources. Such resources include groundwater, forests, productive agricultural areas, environmentally sensitive areas, threatened and endangered species, stream corridors, surface waters, floodplains, wetlands, wildlife habitat, metallic and nonmetallic mineral resources, parks, open spaces, historical and cultural resources, community design, recreational resources, and other natural resources.
This page provides access to programs related to the “Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources” element of a comprehensive plan. You will find information about DNR programs, sample plans, model ordinances, related materials, and links to state and nonprofit resources.
Please choose a topic from the drop-down list below for resources related to the "Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Reosurces" element of your comprehensive plan
Conservation Easements
Conservation easements are legal agreements entered into voluntarily by a property owner with the purpose of protecting ecologically significant areas occurring on a parcel of property. Property ownership allows the landowner to exercise a collection of rights such as the right to sell, lease, and mortgage the property. With a conservation easement, the property owner sells or gives away some of the rights associated with land ownership such as the right to construct buildings, harvest timber, or clear vegetation. Ultimately, the property owner gains a tax benefit or compensation for the sale or donation of specific property rights. The property owner also gains satisfaction in knowing that he or she is protecting the property's resources for future generations. The fact sheet at this link provides additional information on conservation easements.
More on Conservation Easements from Gathering Waters [Exit DNR]
This web site includes a helpful Q & A that covers many of the basics about conservation easements.
Model Ordinances
The DNR has developed a number of model ordinances to assist local governments in protecting and managing natural resources.
- Creating an Effective Shoreland Zoning Ordinance: A Summary of Wisconsin's Shoreland Zoning Ordinances
- Shoreland Zoning Resource Guide / Annotated Model Ordinance [PDF file]
- Model Shoreland Zoning Ordinance [PDF file]
- Model Shoreland-Wetland Zoning Ordinance for Cities and Villages [PDF file]
- Model Floodplain Ordinance
- Model Nonmetallic Mining Reclamation Ordinances
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water has compiled a variety of model resource protection ordinances from around the country.
This document summarizes published decisions of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. This publication will be periodically updated to include new decisions in zoning cases.
League of Wisconsin Municipalities [Exit DNR]
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities web site includes links to several communities’ Codes of Ordinances.
Municipal Code Corporation [Exit DNR]
Municipal Code Corporation publishes Codes of Ordinances for local governments, both original codification and updates. Contained on this web site are Codes for more than 1,100 local governments in searchable online databases and information about other services and products including planning templates.
The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission and Chicago Wilderness provide this PDF document.
Model Sign Ordinance [Exit DNR]
The appearance of a community is part of the foundation for civic pride. A big factor in the appearance of any community is signage. To help communities prepare signage plans, Citizens for a Scenic Wisconsin has produced three model sign ordinances prepared by experienced professionals and taking into consideration ordinances already in effect in Wisconsin communities and other states.
Tax Policies and Programs
Early property tax policy in Wisconsin required woodland owners to pay higher taxes on their lands. This policy was a financial burden on woodland owners and in many instances, landowners overcut their timber to pay their tax obligation. The negative effect of overcutting prompted state authorities to enact forest tax laws to promote timber growing. Today about 25,000 landowners, owning more than 2.5 million acres, are enrolled in the three existing forest tax laws: Forest Crop Law (FCL), Woodland Tax Law (WTL), and Managed Forest Law (MFL).
DNR Programs
Smart Forestry for Smart Growth
The Smart Forestry for Smart Growth initiative takes an issues-based approach to addressing forests in comprehensive plans. Key issues that you may want to consider in your community’s comprehensive planning include forest fragmentation, wild fire, forest economy (forest industry and recreation), forest ownership patterns, and property taxes.
The Smart Forestry for Smart Growth Internet tool kit provides integrated access to information on forestry issues that should be considered in comprehensive plans, local forest data and analysis, and sample comprehensive plan language that can be used to better plan for forests.
The Smart Forestry for Smart Growth Internet tool kit provides integrated access to information on forestry issues that should be considered in comprehensive plans, local forest data and analysis, and sample comprehensive plan language that can be used to better plan for forests.
An urban forest includes all of the trees and other vegetation in and around a town, village, or city. Traditionally, the term urban forest has referred to tree-lined streets, but an urban forest also includes trees in home landscapes, school yards, parks, riverbanks, cemeteries, vacant lots, utility rights-of-way, adjacent woodlands, and anywhere else trees can grow in and around a community. Shrubs, flowers, vines, ground covers, grass, and a variety of wild plants, and animals also are part of the urban forest. Streets, sidewalks, buildings, utilities, soil, topography, and, most importantly, people are an integral part of the urban forest.
The Endangered Resources Program works to conserve Wisconsin's biological diversity for present and future generations by identifying, protecting, and managing native plants, animals and natural communities.
- Rare Species Maps The Natural Heritage Inventory County maps provide generalized information about endangered resources (rare, threatened, or endangered species and high-quality natural communities) to the section level and are intended for public audiences.
Wildlife Damage and Nuisance Web Sites
This page provides access to web sites that provide answers to questions about nuisance wildlife in and around urban and suburban areas. Many of the sites provide on-line publications with information to help minimize conflicts with nuisance wildlife.
State of the Basin Reports, prepared for each major drainage basin in Wisconsin, provide a picture of the status of the water-based ecological resources and identify key areas for DNR work. A clickable map allows you to view basin reports of interest.
This page includes publications and web sites that highlight such topics as: construction near wetland sites, wetland laws, wetland protection programs, and the place of wetlands in commercial and private zoning. Use this information as a starting point for any building project or other wetland protection issues.
Other Implementation Resources
DNR Publications
The Wisconsin DNR has produced several publications that can aid citizens and communities in their plan implementation efforts. Some of these related to the “Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources” element include:
- Managing Habitat for Grassland Birds: A Guide for Wisconsin [Exit DNR]
Order hardcopy as Other/Miscellaneous Publication #925
- Wetland Restoration Handbook for Wisconsin Landowners [.PDF File]
Order hardcopy as Other/Miscellaneous Publication #989
- Building the Big Picture: Identifying Wetland Management Opportunities in the Milwaukee River Basin [.PDF File]
- The Definition and Mapping of Environmental Corridors by Three Regional Planning Commissions [.PDF File]
Order hardcopy as Research/Management Findings #47
- Protecting and Restoring Shorelands [.PDF File]
(Note: other resources on shoreland restoration are available on the DNR’s shoreland Management Program web site)
Links
- American Farmland Trust [Exit DNR] is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting farm and ranch land from development and keeping it productive and healthy. AFT provides tools and expertise to help both farmers and communities. AFT’s operates a national clearinghouse, the Farmland Information Center, for information about farmland protection and stewardship.
- The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection published “Planning for Agriculture in Wisconsin: A Guide for Communities.” [.PDF File; Exit DNR]
- The Wisconsin Historical Society published “A Guide to Smart Growth and Cultural Resource Planning.” [.PDF File; Exit DNR]
- American Forests [Exit DNR], the nation’s oldest nonprofit citizens’ conservation organization, is a leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests.
- CITYgreen [Exit DNR], a geographic information systems (GIS) software application produced by American Forests, provides individuals, local organizations, and agencies with a powerful but affordable and user-friendly way to evaluate development and restoration strategies and their impact on neighborhoods and communities.
- Citizens for a Scenic Wisconsin [Exit DNR] is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the scenic character of Wisconsin's communities and countryside.
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