MADISON, WI (WSAU-WXPR) – The Joint Finance Committee denied state funding for the Pelican River Forest Tuesday.
The Pelican River Forest is a 70,000 acre conservation project in parts of Oneida, Langlade, and Forest Counties. It was bought by the Conservation Fund in 2021 with the intention of keeping the large tract of land intact and securing the land for recreation, forestry, and climate resiliency.
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved using $4 million of Knowles Nelson Funds to buy conservation easements on the project. That funding request has been sitting in limbo for five months after some lawmakers on the committee anonymously objected to the project. Republican Senator Mary Felzkowski was one of the objectors. She says some local towns were opposed to the project. “I find it very interesting in this case that the conservation group that we speak about that made the purchase, has a year to year and a half time period to work with to meet with local snowmobile clubs, hunters, and all these groups to get them on board with the project, but yet fails to have a conversation with the local units of government that this very, very much effects.”
Monico, Sugar Camp, and Hazelhurst passed resolutions opposing the project.
Rhinelander, Schopke, Pelican, and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community have passed resolutions in support.
The committee voted 12 to 4 along party lines to deny the funding request.
The Conservation Fund, who currently owns the land, says they’re disappointed by the decision but will continue to work the DNR to complete the project.
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