Not since the ‘70s has Wisconsin’s Legislature seen such interest in environmental legislation. The zero-P lawn fertilizer bill is now statewide law. It is now illegal to transport aquatic plants and animals. BCLF’s no-wake buffer from undeveloped shoreland is now statewide law and our effort to have the penalty for violation of the no-transport law has been a success. On a somewhat larger scale, our Wisconsin Legislature has banned together to call for a change in the selection process for the position of DNR Secretary. This has been the year for conservation in Wisconsin.

In spite of budget woes that have cut some key programs important to our environment, including many of the AIS control grants important to our local lake associations, legislative progress in the environmental sector continues.

One thing is clear: persistent pressure by the Bayfield County Lakes Forum, the Wisconsin Association of Lakes and our new Northwest Wisconsin Waters Consortium have been key to the success of these and other important conservation advances. Northwest Waters now represents 10 countywide lake organizations in our region. It has great potential, not only in statewide legislation, but also as an advocate for county and local lake conservation efforts. Through this coalition, all our neighboring countywide lake groups can share ……….. BCLF is a ‘co-founder’ of  Northwest Waters and will work to make this an effective instrument for all lakes in our region. Watch for more from the Northwest Wisconsin Waters Consortium in the future.