County forest land acquisition grants
Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program
In 2007, the Wisconsin Legislature made changes to the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program (s. 23.0953, Wis. Stats.) allowing counties with lands entered under the County Forest Program (s. 28.11, Wis. Stats. [exit DNR]) to compete for land acquisition funding under Stewardship.
Grant applications are evaluated jointly by a ranking panel consisting of staff from DNR Forestry and the Wisconsin County Forests Association (WCFA) and selected for funding based on ranking criteria and priorities set forth in s. NR 51.960, Wis. Adm. Code [exit DNR].
Who can apply
Counties must have lands entered under the County Forest Program (s. 28.11, Wis. Stats.)
Eligibility
Eligible Projects
Fee simple acquisition of lands that meet the requirements for entry into County Forest as stipulated in s. 28.11(4), Wis. Stats. The following must be true for a parcel to be eligible for grant funding.
- The county must have land entered into county forest law pursuant to s. 28.11 Stats.
- The county must enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DNR for land acquisition through Stewardship fund.
- The property must be free of restrictions or covenants preventing the property from being managed for the purposes set forth in s. 28.11(1) Stats.
- The property cannot have been purchased more than one year prior to the date DNR receives the grant application.
- The current use of the property must be something other than a licensed game farm, fur farm, deer farm, shooting preserve, forest nursery or experimental station.
- The property must be free of commercial or industrial uses inconsistent with the purposes of the county forest law under s. 28.11(1), Stats.
- The property must be free of perpetual easements for uses inconsistent with the purposes of the county forest law set forth in s. 28.11(1), Stats.
- The county must have a real estate offer to purchase or a letter of intent signed by the seller for the parcel to be acquired.
How to Apply
- Application Deadline
- Applications for county forest grants are accepted year-round.
- How to Apply
- Submit the following to the DNR county forest specialist. See grant contact information for the mailing address.
-
- Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant Application County Forest Land Acquisition [PDF] Form 8700-329
- County board resolution authorizing the application: County Board Resolution Template [PDF]
- Offer to Purchase or Letter of Intent to Sell signed by landowner
- Maps of the subject parcel
- Helpful Documents
- Land Acquisition Information
To request payment, use Grant Payment Request [PDF] Form 8700-001
Ranking
Project Selection Priorities
Priorities for ranking can be found in s. NR 51.960, Wis. Adm. Code and in the Memorandum of Agreement entered into by each participating county with DNR, as required by s. NR 51.963 Wis. Adm. Code.
Help
For more information and application forms contact:
Doug Brown
Lemay Forestry Center
518 W Somo Avenue
Tomahawk, WI 54487
715-966-0157