A land conservation program was stripped out of the Wisconsin state budget. Carol Abrahamzon and Charlie Carlin joined to discuss why that’s a problem, the importance of bringing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program back and the politics surrounding it all.

Abrahamzon is the executive director of the Mississippi Valley Conservancy, and Carlin is the director of strategic initiatives at Gathering Waters.

The two first explained what Knowles-Nelson is and how politics played a role in Republicans removing it from the budget. After that, they talked about its importance and the many ways communities across Wisconsin have used it since 1989 — including, most recently, ORA Trails’ Trail Farm project on La Crosse’s south side.

The Mississippi Valley Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that protects and restores native habitats, farmland, and scenic open spaces in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin.

Gathering Waters is a statewide nonprofit that supports and strengthens Wisconsin’s land trusts through advocacy, education, and technical assistance.