A Conversation with

As we move into spring, there are numerous elections taking place around the Midwest this year. Some of those leaving office have been enormous cheerleaders for silent sports—both

through advocacy and through creating infrastructure. One of those stewards is Tony Evers, governor of Wisconsin since January 7th, 2019. I have followed the governor throughout his terms, thankful he has placed such an emphasis on the importance of silent sports filled with wild places to explore. Governor Evers agreed to talk with me about his tenure, accomplishments and his personal preferences for enjoying Wisconsin’s outdoors.

Silent Sports

What benefits does Wisconsin receive from nurturing and promoting silent sports activities?

Governor Evers

Outdoor recreation, including things like biking, hiking, canoeing, fishing, skiing—you name it—is part of our Wisconsin heritage, frankly. These sports not only drive our local economies but also have so many positive impacts on kids, families, and communities, including on folks’ mental and physical health. So, it’s a big economic driver for our state for

Sure, but to me, it’s also about basic things like getting outside, getting exercise, and being healthy, too. I also have to say—this is also something that, as Wisconsinites, it’s part of our DNA. We have such a proud history of protecting and conserving our natural resources. A big part of that is because we want to continue to be able to recreate and enjoy the outdoors just like generations of Wisconsinites who came before us have. When folks support outdoor sports like biking and hiking and activities like that, it’s also about continuing that important tradition.

Wisconsin’s vast and valuable natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities make our The state is a key destination for visitors, including during the winter months. From fishing on our lakes to biking our trails, outdoor recreation is a more than $11 billion industry in our state, driven in large part by silent sports year-round. So, promoting opportunities for folks to get out, getting active and taking a moment to appreciate what Wisconsin’s natural resources have to offer isn’t just good for people’s mental and physical health, but it’s good for our local and statewide economies, too. That’s a win-win-win for our kids and families, the community, and the state.

Silent Sports

As governor, what have you worked on to support silent sports in Wisconsin (including infrastructure, land management, and laws?

Governor Evers

Over the last seven years, we’ve made investments in our natural spaces and recreation opportunities a top priority. We created our very own Office of Outdoor Recreation in my very First budget as governor, which I was really jazzed about. And I was really excited that our last The budget made that office permanent moving forward. Additionally, I am a big fan of our state park system, so we’ve made it a top priority to invest in infrastructure improvement projects at our state parks, from campground improvements to making trails more accessible for folks of all abilities. I have also been proud to invest in a number of programs that support local infrastructure and tourism across the state. We created the Tourism Capital Investment Program using federal pandemic dollars to invest in improvement projects at numerous outdoor recreation sites that are important to our economy, such as improvements at Mt. Telemark Village with the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation and completing the Great Sauk State Trail. I was also proud to direct $15 million to build the Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center, which, as a fan of ice skating, I was thrilled to visit last month. And through our Coastal Management Program, we’ve invested in making our shorelines, beaches, and trails more accessible and improving parks and facilities for folks to enjoy, as well as protecting our vital Great Lakes resources and their tributaries.

As leaders of conservation, in Wisconsin, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been a pillar of our state’s proud heritage of conservation, protecting our natural resources, and preserving our vast and valuable natural areas and public spaces. Wisconsin’s tradition of being Good stewards of our lands have long been supported through the Stewardship Program, and I have been proud to champion that program. Unfortunately, that program is set to expire in June of this year, so I am continuing to urge Republican lawmakers to join me in reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program so we can protect our state’s natural spaces and resources for folks to enjoy for generations to come.

*Sidenote: On a follow-up call, I asked the governor which Knowles-Nelson project he was most proud of, and he said the Pelican River Forest acquisition, which protected 70.000 acres in Northern Wisconsin near the Michigan border.

Silent Sports

Prior to your time as governor, you were the superintendent of public schools for ten years. What value do you think silent sports areas and activities have for our youth in the Midwest?

Governor Evers

It has a huge impact. Silent sports are undeniably beneficial to our kids. First, silent Sports provide an opportunity for kids to get moving, get active, and challenge themselves to grow and learn because often, in a silent sport, you’re not competing against anyone else but yourself. That takes a lot of dedication and mental toughness, and specifically Here in the Midwest, kids get to experience every season and a wide variety of activities, offering plenty of options to explore and new ways to challenge themselves, both physically and mentally. And they can take that with them all lifelong. When they get to Kathy (Tony Evers’ wife) and my age, they can still ski and skate and enjoy these activities that will keep them physically and mentally fit.

Silent Sports

You recently made two trips to support silent sports—one being Blackhawk Ski/Mountain Bike Club for your first fat bike experience, and the other being a visit to the Birkie Foundation.

Could you share a bit about both visits?

Governor Evers

Wisconsin is a key destination for winter recreation like downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and our outdoor recreation industry and workforce, as well as Several local businesses in communities across the state rely heavily on winter recreation. We know our outdoor recreation industry is a big economic driver in our state, and last month, our The Office of Outdoor Recreation released its second annual Do-It-Yourself Economic Impact Reports showed that just six unique Wisconsin outdoor recreation destinations alone generated over $49.1 million in economic activity. So, I was visiting these organizations, not just because they are a lot of fun, but because we know winter outdoor recreation is a really big deal to our local and statewide economies. As a lifelong Wisconsinite, I have enjoyed.my fair share of winter sports, but now that I have tried fat tire biking, I can say that it might be one of my new favorites! It’s definitely not as easy as it looks. The Blackhawk Ski Club is a cornerstone of Winter outdoor recreation here in Dane County, so I was jazzed to have my first fat tire biking experience with them and to learn about their good work to get folks and families, and especially young people, outside and active in winter sports. And you can’t talk about winter outdoor recreation and tourism without talking about Mt.Telemark Village. The Birkie Foundation welcomes over 100,000 visitors and guests each year, including an estimated 40,000 skiers and spectators for the annual Birkie race. So, it was great to visit with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Anne Sayers, and hit the trails on some cross- country skis and learn all about this time-honored tradition. Any sport that allows Wisconsinites and visitors alike to view our natural spaces and beautiful landscapes in new ways is a win-win in my books. These visits also came as the Trump Administration has continued to delay releasing critical statewide outdoor recreation economic data. That data is about two months late now due to the government shutdown and staffing cuts in the federal government. And without this data, the industry is left to plan and make decisions with an inadequate view of the business and economic landscape, limiting opportunities for future success.

Silent Sports

What are your favorite silent sports activities, and do you have specific locations you return to again and again?

Governor Evers

There are so many silent sports that Kathy and I love—biking, hiking, skating, cross-country skiing—you name it. We even have hydro bikes at the Executive Residence that we take out on the lake when it’s nice in the summer. As I mentioned, I would like to get back to fat tire Biking—that was a lot of fun. We walk—a lot—when the weather is nice. We have a loop that we do here in town that takes us all the way from the Executive Residence on the east side of the Isthmus out to the west side of the Isthmus. And Kathy and I love to get out to the state parks. We go to Governor Nelson State Park quite a bit, since it is right in the neighborhood. Whitefish Dunes State Park, up in Door County, is one of my favorites, too. We actually have a goal to make it to every state park in the state once I retire. Whether it’s cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter or walking alongside the acres of prairies in the summer, there’s no shortage of natural beauty to admire at our state parks, and both Kathy and I feel incredibly lucky to have such breathtaking surroundings to exercise in.

Silent Sports

Moving forward with a new governor coming, what do you hope they will accomplish on the human-powered sports scene?

Governor Evers

Conservation is really core to who we are as Wisconsinites. Wisconsin is proud to be the home to various lakes, rivers, state parks, and forests, where Wisconsinites go to hike, fish,bike, hunt, and so much more—and protecting these spaces is incredibly important for our state’s culture, but also for our economy and well-being. So, I hope the next governor, Republican or Democrat, continues that tradition and heritage of conservation, and continues to Invest in the protection of our natural spaces so folks can enjoy all that Wisconsin has to offer for generations to come.

Silent Sports

Finally, are there any activities or
events on your bucket list?

Governor Evers

Every year, I make it a goal to visit all 72 counties in the state, and travel four or five days a week over the last seven years have really cut down my bucket list. That said, Kathy and I love being outdoors, so one of our goals after I retire is making it to all of Wisconsin’s State Parks.

In a follow-up conversation, I asked Evers what he felt other Midwestern states were doing well and what Wisconsin could improve on. Without hesitation, he recalled growing up and skiing at Nutt Hill in Plymouth, WI—a small community-supported hill. Both Michigan and Minnesota have a plethora of ski hills like this, which introduce the next generation to skiing in an affordable and safe atmosphere. Evers hopes Wisconsin will not only keep small ski hills alive, but also add more. If you love silent sports activities, and my guess is you are, since you are reading this

magazine, I encourage you to share with candidates your desire and concerns to protect the silent sports around the Midwest and help it continue to grow for upcoming generations to enjoy. Having leaders work to protect and foster silent sports goes a long way.