Silent Alarm: Call to Action! Parks Funding Crises in Wisconsin

However, tax revenue for conservation and parks in Wisconsin has steadily eroded over decades, leaving the state more dependent on user fees and borrowing to finance both public land purchases and ongoing operations. Historically, the state has been blessed with innovative conservation programs championed by prominent figures such as Aldo Leopold, Gaylord Nelson, and Warren Knowles, according to the report. However, conservation and park programs are having difficulties due to a lack of funding. There is an estimated $1 billion in deferred maintenance and infrastructure issues in the state park system alone.

“Wisconsin residents are older than the national average,” Stein said. “So, we need to attract people to the state. Many workers can live wherever they want. You want to be an attractive place for tourism and the labor force. People who are recreating already get it, but everyone should care about conservation. And we need to make sure the next generation gets it.”

According to the report, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that Wisconsin outperformed most other states in outdoor recreation. At the same time, however, public funding for maintaining and expanding these opportunities is stagnant or declining. This has created a difficult task for state and local governments seeking to meet public demand, the report cites.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) counts that Wisconsin has more than 15,000 lakes, 84,000 miles of rivers, and 6.6 million acres. This means that 17 percent of Wisconsin’s land is open for public recreation, according to the DNR’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

Sales of annual state park stickers rose by 52.2 percent between 2019 and 2021. Out-of-state sticker purchases more than doubled in 2020 and remained 77.7 percent higher in 2021 than in 2019.

In 2017, Wisconsin’s state parks received 3.1 visits for every state resident, the 17th-highest nationally and well above the national average of 2.5 visits per capita. These park visits are concentrated in a small number of properties. Just three parks — Devil’s Lake State Park (2.4 million visits), Peninsula State Park (1.5 million), and the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest (1.2 million) — accounted for 24.9 percent of total statewide visits in 2022.

Silent Sports Popularity

Wisconsin offers thousands of miles of trails for off-road cycling, hiking, and cross-country skiing as well as a wide variety of forests for birding and other wildlife viewing. Silent Sports are popular throughout the state, driving economic activity.  According to the 2019 through 2023 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 68 percent of residents reported hiking or walking on trails, making it the most popular activity.

Since 1990, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program has helped finance the purchase of more than 723,000 acres of land by the DNR at a cost of $560.8 million and $143.3 million in other funds.  The program has diminished in size and put less emphasis on land conservation. Stewardship spending in 2022 was $14.1 million, the lowest in at least two decades and down 83.2 percent from its 2007 peak.

Parks Get the Shaft!!!

Wisconsin spends little on parks and recreation compared to other states nationally and relies heavily on user fees to pay for its parks, according to the report. In 2017, Wisconsin spent $19.6 million to operate its state parks, or $3.39 per state resident, which was less than any other state except Texas, and $1.08 per visit, which was the lowest in the country, despite ranking high nationally for participation.

Wisconsin State Parks might be the only system in the country that’s entirely funded by user fees. Aging and dilapidated infrastructure have complicated maintenance throughout the entire system. “We have 6,000 projects on the books including failing fresh water and septic systems, roofs, bridges, buildings, and much more,” according to Wisconsin State Parks Director Steven Schmelzer. “Some of the water systems were built in the 1930s and have aged out. Our campsites are full almost every summer weekend and people would like more, but it’s difficult to maintain the system we currently have.” This problem is exacerbated by a 20 percent staff reduction and a 43 percent increase in visitorship in the past fifteen years.

“There is no way to fix these systems with our current revenue,” Schmelzer said. “Governor Evers’ budget includes $100 million for this infrastructure, which would really help.” However, that’s a fraction of the estimated $1 billion that’s really needed. “People love our parks,” Schmelzer added, “and the great diversity they offer. From the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River to the large forest lands, we have incredible properties. The economic benefit to communities from park visitors is tremendous.”

Schmelzer is quick to credit partners like Park Friends Groups who are doing the heavy lifting in this revenue-starved environment.

This writer’s park of choice to recreate within is the Kettle Moraine State Forest due to its proximity and abundance of trails. At just this one park, deteriorating and aged campground septic and water systems will cost approximately $2 million to repair, according to Property Superintendent Samantha Lindquist.

Solutions?

State leaders must provide greater funding for conservation and recreation to maintain these facilities and protect the diminishing revenue streams. This could be accomplished by dedicating additional tax resources or by creating new dedicated forms of revenue. Some states, including Illinois, Arkansas, and Tennessee, redirect the state real estate transfer tax to fund conservation and parks.

Another option would be to draw on a portion of the sales and use taxes. For each one-tenth of one percentage point, just under $140 million could go toward conservation and parks. Such a change would shift Wisconsin away from its current heavy reliance on user fees.

Other options include imposing a separate sales tax on outdoor recreation gear. Sales of outdoor equipment have risen alongside participation and skyrocketed during the pandemic. A 5 percent sales tax on outdoor recreation equipment in Wisconsin would generate over $30 million annually. Many recreationists might favor a bike or paddlecraft tax to help pay for facilities.

Western states such as Colorado, North Dakota, and Wyoming use taxes on oil and gas extraction to fund conservation. Wisconsin’s industrial sand mining industry is second only to Texas. Could this work for Wisconsin?

“This is a sensitive topic,” Stein said. “We shouldn’t rely on a single industry to solve the conservation funding issue. It should be broader-based.”

According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Minerals Yearbook, in 2018, Wisconsin produced 34.3 million tons of industrial sand, valued at $1.9 billion. A fee of $3 per ton would generate $102.9 million annually, providing a substantial increase in conservation funding that could be split between state and local governments.

General purpose revenue (tax) for state parks in Wisconsin has disappeared and funding for many other natural resource functions has eroded, according to the report. Most people support paying additional taxes to back conservation efforts. Given the state’s large surplus and the importance that parks and outdoor recreation have, state leaders could choose to provide both one-time funds from the surplus for land conservation and support for ongoing needs.

I was describing the dire status of Wisconsin natural resource funding to my sister, Becky Petrashek from Montana. “Why don’t they legalize marijuana and use the tax revenue to fund parks?” Becky quipped. Laughing, she added, “And stoners like to hike.” Kidding aside, Illinois alone collected over $562 million in 2022 from marijuana sales.

The federal stimulus was so large that the state is in a good financial position. The reality is that conservation and recreational investment are modest in terms of the whole state budget. According to Stein, “A relatively small investment has a big impact. This needs to be part of the conversation. These investments increase the quality of life and attractiveness [of Wisconsin] as a destination.”

Going Forward & What YOU Can Do!

Wisconsin’s sizable budget surplus, the uptick in outdoor recreation, and the growing recognition of these challenges provide both an opportunity and an impetus to re-prioritize conservation and public lands, according to the report. “We live in a world without roots; many people can move where they want,” Stein said. “How can we tie remote workers to our state? Love for a natural world inspires people to visit, and some stay.” 

Are you a park lover? The Policy Forum Report has laid out several approaches to easily fund parks. Study after study proves that Wisconsinites are willing to invest in natural resources. It’s incredibly important to fix the hole our legislature is driving the state into. As elected officials work through state budget gyrations, please contact your legislator and ask for increased state aid. Your voice does matter, now more than ever. Wisconsin State Parks are at a tipping point and we can do something about it.

Find your legislator here by using this URL: legis.wisconsin.gov.

Editor’s Note: The Wisconsin Policy Forum is a 501c3 that conducts impartial public policy research and analysis to drive informed debate and effective decision-making in the state of Wisconsin. The Forum encourages elected officials and community leaders to find effective, data-driven solutions to pressing policy challenges; and promote productive discussion among the public and private sectors. Its membership is comprised of local units of government, school districts, colleges, universities, government entities, companies, 501 c3s, and now our own Silent Alarm columnist, Michael McFadzen. With gratitude, thank you, Mike! Gathering Waters was a lead sponsor of This Land is Your Land Report.

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