Mark your calendars for April 11 & Vote to Protect Wisconsin Natural Resources!
You can make a big impact in only 30 minutes this April by just giving your opinions. Starting on April 11, there will be an annual survey about Wisconsin natural resources. Open for 72 hours, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) survey allows your voice to be heard. The questions cover many areas such as wildlife, water, land use and many other natural resource issues. Click here for the voter guide.
This online survey is referred to as the “Spring Hearing” and is conducted by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress every year.
Ready to vote?
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Fill out the survey using the voter guide.
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Let us know if you have any questions.
Background:
What is the Wisconsin Conservation Congress? It is a state-funded statutory group focused on collecting citizen input and serves as an advisory partner to the Natural Resource Board and works with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In fact, it is their mission to “gather and convey the wisdom and influence of Wisconsin citizens in the formation of natural resource policy, research, education and conservation.”
Why is voting in the online “Spring Hearing” so important? You can weigh in on important state issues, showing public support (or not) for things that the DNR could ultimately influence or change here in Wisconsin. Additionally, Wisconsin lawmakers and the media look at the overall results in reporting and when drafting bills and reference local results in the counties they represent when voting in the Wisconsin legislature throughout the year. We’ve seen some examples of how important the Conservation Congress vote is in the last few months. In the environmental analysis of the Line 5 pipeline, the DNR referenced the Conservation Congress vote as an indication of the public thoughts of this bill. In February, at a hearing on the Every Kid Outdoor bill, Senator Jacque used the Conservation Congress vote to describe the vast public support for the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should I allow 20+ minutes to take the WCC survey?
A: Some questions can be a bit tricky and seeing words like “killing contests” without reading the question and answering “no” quickly might not be the answer you want to give. Best advice read it slowly and fully.
Q: What should I do if I don’t understand or feel comfortable answering a question?
A: You should answer “no opinion” and keep moving.
Q: Can people outside of Wisconsin take the survey?
A: Yes, and it is great to have them participate. However, please understand those results are tabulated separately and they will not have a “citizen resolution” section as that is done at the county level only for WI residents.
Q: Can kids take the survey too?
A: Yes, if they can read the questions, they can participate.
Q: Why was my survey different than my friend’s survey who lives in a different county of WI?
A: Each county could have different “citizen resolutions” so likely that portion of the survey will differ from county to county in our state.
Q: What is the deadline to complete the survey?
A: Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m.
Q: Do you have to answer all the fishing questions?
A: Good news, this year the DNR doesn’t have that many and you can always answer “no opinion” to a question you are not sure about.
Q: If helping someone else complete the survey, why were the questions in a different order?
A: The survey questions could be randomized on the survey, so please review the Sierra Club Voting Guide in advance of taking the survey to be aware of the key questions. That way you know what to look for and how to answer rather than relying answering on solely by question numbers.
Q: Is the survey anonymous?
A: Yes, your name will not be published. They do collect some basic contact information, but it is not shared publicly.
Q: Do you have to complete each section?
A: No, but we highly encourage everyone to answer all the questions and especially the citizen resolutions. See below:
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