Reference Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings — Neonics and Wisconsin Conservation Congress 2018. Hearing results are in and I’m a bit surprised, but not hilariously so with people’s votes. To see the results for all the questions by county and state-wide, go to Summary of Results.
The question 45 to “take up the ‘Saving Wisconsin Pollinators Act,’ and include specific language to ban the use of neonicotinoid insecticides (dinotefuran, clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) regardless of application method on all state owned agricultural and forest lands, and establish limited use guidelines for continued use on commercial and private agricultural lands” got 4129 yes votes and 719 no votes with two counties rejecting the question entirely.
The question 16 to “support a $5 annual fee for all users between the ages of 16 and 64 of state fishery, wildlife, natural areas and leased public hunting grounds and dedicating the funds to directly support fish and wildlife habitat management and infrastructure on these properties” got 3378 yes votes and 2411 no votes with 22 counties rejecting the question entirely.
The question 19 to “encourage legislators and WDNR to support science and market based legislation and rules to reduce the risk of global warming and increase the use of renewable energy resources” got 3590 yes votes and 1840 no votes with 6 counties rejecting the question entirely.
The question 20 to ” support water basin management plans to reduce and control run off as partial mitigation for damage” got 4238 yes votes and 1052 no votes with no rejections.
The question 33 to “support requiring all students under the age of 15 to have a minimum of one field day of hands-on experience in hunter, bowhunter, ATV and boater safety classes in order to become certified” got 4651 yes votes and 779 votes with no counties rejecting the question.
The question 43 to “support establishing new rules designating the entire karstic areas of Wisconsin, both dolomite and calcareous bedrock areas, as sensitive areas meriting special groundwater protection by the State and freeing municipal governments to make additional rules and regulations based on local geological consideration” got 3631 yes votes and 1092 no votes with two counties rejecting the question.
The question 44 to “support conducting hydrogeological surveys in counties where none have yet been done” got 3863 votes and 873 no votes with two counties rejecting the question.
The questions 49-52 to “require non-motorized watercraft to be registered, but exempt hunters, trappers and fishers who already pay a fee, and create a separate rate for organizations with multiple watercraft”had mixed results with many counties rejecting questions 49 and 52.
Unfortunately, it is mostly sportsmen who participate in the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings, so their motives in voting are probably different from other typical conservationists. The questions related strongly to sports activities got wide approval/rejection depending upon the context of the question but always pro-sportsmen.
Astonishingly, while the question on neonics got outstanding approval (maybe because it’s in the news so much?), the global warming question did not (head in the sand syndrome?).
Astoundingly, the question on water basin management got high approval (affects fishing!), while the other questions related to water management did not (lack of understanding perhaps?).
In the long run, Wisconsin’s partisan legislature will do what it wants, while I long for the days when Wisconsinites worked together for the good of our natural resources and wildlife management. I’m glad I’m old, so I don’t have to see the erosion of the Wisconsin Idea.
Thanks for sharing the results Donna!
There has to be hope in this…
Roger