The importance of local Land and Water Conservation Departments

We all agree that "being blessed with good health" is essential to acquire and retain a high quality of life.  

A healthy environment is vital to attaining that goal. As Dunn County neighbors, we must be diligent in caring for our ecological network. We must treat our air, land, forests, streams, rivers, lakes,  groundwater, and wildlife with respect. Together, they play a key role in assuring a healthy and vibrant county.  

Every family, child, and individual deserves to enjoy the places in which we live, work, play, and gather.  To achieve all these basic needs, we must continue to be supportive stewards of our environment.  Doing so provides many health benefits, such as the nutritional food that rich farmlands provide.  

HEAT is a group of citizens in Dunn County working to support the county’s Land and Water  Conservation Department (LWCD). The LWCD helps protect and improve our natural resources through testing, public education, partnerships, and community outreach. Their work is important for keeping our environment healthy and creating a better place to live. Based on the 2024 Community Health  Needs Assessment, one of HEAT’s goals is to improve the ecological health of Dunn County by educating and empowering our 46,000 residents to get involved in civic life and speak up about issues that matter to them.  

Currently, our governor and state legislators are in the process of finalizing Wisconsin’s 2025-2027  budget, which includes discussions about funding for conservation staff like our local LWCD. Chapter 92  of Wisconsin State Statutes requires that the state legislature attempt to fully fund every county conservation staff member. However, over the past 19 years, the state funding that was received is lower than what local conservationists identify as necessary to meet Wisconsin’s conservation and environmental needs.  

Understanding how the state budget impacts local health and environmental efforts is a crucial aspect of education and civic engagement. As a result, HEAT encourages you to check out the attached infographic to learn more about how you can participate in the decision-making process that impacts your community.  

For more updates and educational materials, you can follow Health Dunn Right on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/healthdunnright or visit the Health Dunn Right website: healthdunnright.org

Media release.