Wisconsin DNR says it will no longer operate major venue at the State Fair

In a move that effectively ends a seven-decades-old tradition of public exhibition that attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, the Department of Natural Resources will no longer operate a major venue at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis.

DNR employees were told of the changes in a message on Thursday, when top officials said the agency’s spot at the fair would now be managed by fair authorities and would be renamed “Exploratory Park.”

Effective this year, the DNR will no longer offer fisheries, wildlife or environmental management booths, casting clinics, archery, a children's nature play area, Smokey's Schoolhouse and a number of other attractions.

It will continue to provide information only on state parks and its Natural Heritage Conservation (formerly Endangered Resources) programs.

The DNR had provided a major exhibit on a 2-acre site at State Fair Park since 1948, Wisconsin's Centennial.

In a statement, DNR spokesman Jim Dick said the agency's presence at the fair would focus on the state park system, state forests and state natural areas, which he described as “places we can promote as premier destinations for outdoor activities.”

“This is an opportunity to educate visitors, many from urban areas, on what recreational locations and activities are available not far from home," Dick said.

News of the changes shocked many in the Wisconsin conservation community, including those closely associated with the DNR's State Fair exhibit.

"Seventy years of tradition, gone," said Doug Hoskins of Muskego, a retired DNR warden supervisor who has helped manage the exhibit since 2000.

Hoskins estimated the agency would maintain only about 2% of its former presence at the fair.

At Saturday's board meeting of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, the state's largest conservation organization, reaction to the DNR's plan was "just dismay," said George Meyer, former DNR secretary and current WWF executive director.

"We thought the DNR was trying to reach out and get more kids into hunting and fishing," Meyer said. "And if you ever wanted to reach an urban population on natural resources issues, the fair was an ideal place to do it."

Hoskins said surveys conducted by the State Fair and DNR estimated 300,000 people visited the DNR exhibit annually.

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The DNR's decision runs counter to investments made and plans it had for the State Fair as recently as three years ago.

In 2014, the agency incurred substantial expense to remove 19 ash trees at the site and replant the area with hundreds of small trees and shrubs.

At the June 2014 meeting of the Natural Resources Board, DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp addressed the department’s decision to stay ahead of invasive diseases and use the State Fair location for educational purposes.

“Both issues — controlling the invasive plants and keeping the remaining ash trees alive — will require an ongoing investment of resources,” Stepp said in a summary document. “DNR is using the issues on this very visible and much-loved site to raise awareness about invasive species.”

Events of last week revealed a change in DNR strategy. They also showed poor communication, planning and coordination within the agency.

Before DNR employees were notified last week, workers at the park had cleaned out the buildings used for decades by the agency. Some personal effects as well educational materials were removed and possibly discarded.

"We were supposed to be kept abreast of any changes," Hoskins said. "Nothing was said to us before it was too late."

The move is the latest in what some see as a larger effort to limit the public outreach of the DNR.

In his 2017-’19 budget, Gov. Scott Walker proposed eliminating Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, which has more than 80,000 subscribers.

The agency said the magazine no longer fit into the core mission of the DNR.

When Walker’s budget revealed plans to cease publication, critics said it was another example of the administration’s efforts to weaken the DNR.

Former editors said DNR leaders under Walker have wanted to avoid hot-button issues such as climate change and environmental regulation.

Recently, the Legislature's budget committee rejected Walker's plan to eliminate the magazine, but cut it back from six issues a year to four.

While details are still being worked out, Dick said the agency’s State Fair presence, in terms of manpower, would be sharply curtailed and be “far less” than the 100 to 200 people who traditionally worked more than 3,600 hours at the fair.

But many of those employees willingly volunteered their time to interact with the public at the fair, Hoskins said.

Meyer said the DNR's move was bad from both a business and natural resource management perspective.

"Where else can the DNR have face-to-face interaction and get information out to 300,000 people in 11 days?" Meyer said. "These are future voters, future license buyers, future employees and people who can support the department in its programs."

"This will have a long-term negative effect on citizens' knowledge and support for natural resources in the state," Meyer said.