Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program
Interim Protocol for Grant Review

With the passage of 2007 Wis. Act 20, hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing are required on land acquired with Stewardship Program funding – either by DNR or grantees – unless the Natural Resources Board allows them to be restricted. Until the new Stewardship Access rules are effective, the Natural Resources Board has approved an Interim Protocol to be used when certain parcels are acquired with Stewardship grant funding.

Under the Interim Protocol, grant reviews will consider hunting any/all game species as well as fishing, trapping, hiking, and cross country skiing.

1. All Stewardship grant applications for land acquisition received on or after October 27, 2007, will be required to state whether or not each nature-based outdoor activity listed in s. 23.0916(1)(b), Wis. Stats., was/is available to the general public prior to grant activity, whether or not the activity will be permitted after the grant, and the reason if not.
2. All property acquired in fee simple must be open to the public as directed in s. 23.096(3)(bn), Wis. Stats., even if one or more nature-based outdoor activities is prohibited.
3. If one or more nature-based outdoor activities is proposed to be restricted, grant staff will use Staff Guidance for Nature-based Outdoor Activities to review the application.
4. If one or more nature-based outdoor activities conflicts with one or more of the three conditions contained in the Staff Guidance for Nature-based Outdoor Activities, the grant will be allowed with the proposed restriction.
5. If Department grant staff do not find that the proposed restriction fits the conditions in the Staff Guidance for Nature-based Outdoor Activities and the grantee requests further review, grant staff will seek Natural Resources Board Stewardship subcommittee review of the project.
6. Department grant staff will collect and maintain records of all grant projects where one or more nature-based outdoor activities are restricted, including the reason for the restriction, and report annually as required by s. 23.096(6), Wis. Stats.
7. Public notice will be issued prior to grants being awarded, according to the procedure in s. NR 150.20(1)(b), Wis Adm. Code. Such notice will include a press release to local papers and legal notice in the Wisconsin State Journal. Such notice will include proposed public access and allow public comment for 10 working days.

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Staff Guidance for Nature-Based Outdoor Activities

The staff will consider all forms of nature-based outdoor recreation, including hunting (various seasons), fishing, trapping, hiking and cross country skiing. The following restrictions on nature-based outdoor activities may be allowed for Stewardship grant-funded projects.

1. Public Safety
   1. One or more nature-based outdoor activities is restricted by local ordinance, zoning, or regulation.
   2. Proximity of one or more nature-based outdoor activities to: public institutions; residences; trails; developed businesses, commercial or industrial areas; or roadways endangers public safety.
2. Protect Unique Plant or Animal Community
   1. Department Bureau of Endangered Resources staff determines that one or more nature-based outdoor activities will degrade, destroy, or otherwise impair individual species or natural communities to be protected in the project.
   2. One or more nature-based outdoor activities will degrade, destroy, or otherwise impair individual species or natural communities protected under state or federal law.
   3. One or more natured-based outdoor activities that has been allowed on a grant-funded property may be subsequently restricted if it is found to negatively impact plant, animal, or natural communities protected in the project.
3. Accommodate Usership Patterns
   1. One or more nature-based activities will alter or significantly curtail a primary recreational use of the property.
   2. One or more nature-based outdoor activity significantly interferes with land management activities necessary to preserve, enhance, and restore the conservation values protected in the project.
   3. One or more nature-based outdoor activity is retained for a period of years by the seller(s) of the grant property and will not be available to the public until a date in the future.

• Interim Protocol Proposal approved by the Natural Resource Board December 5, 2007 [PDF 206KB]

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