pinion: Businesses must make natural capital a priority

Wisconsin’s commitment to environmental conservation, long a critical component of state politics, has taken a backseat in this age of budget cuts under Gov. Scott Walker. The examples set by pioneer Wisconsinites such as Aldo Leopold, John Muir and Gaylord Nelson are fading from memory as polluters go unpunished and government agencies charged with protecting the state’s natural resources are gutted. 

Walker’s promise to balance the budget has resulted in a period of exploitation of our cherished public lands. Fines for polluters dropped 78 percent from 2014 to 2015, setting a dangerous precedent that will only encourage polluters to continue to disregard the health of the environment. 

With at least two more years with a Republican governor and state legislature—neither of which displays any interest in protecting the state’s land and wildlife—and toothless conservation agencies, the future looks bleak....

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Ken Notes: We do have a great private sector opportunity to acquire and protect environmentally sensitive lands. Lands trusts, local parks, as well as some recreational use facilities are doing nice work and demonstrate that the government is not always the best solution.