The annual spring fish and wildlife public hearings are set for all 72 counties in Wisconsin Monday, April 9.
Kari Lee-Zimmerman is the DNR's liaison with Wisconsin Conservation Congress who says citizens are invited to participate to provide input on possible policy or rule changes. The hearings are held the second Monday in April.
Lee-Zimmerman says the hearings provide a conservation sounding board...
"....it's an opportunity for citizens to provide input on a wide array of natural resource areas. Typically they include hunting, fishing and trapping. There will also be a number of other things in the spring hearing questionnaire. It's a good opportunity for the DNR and Conservation Congress to get everybody together and get and get a large amount of input on a wide variety of subjects..."
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress is the only statutory body in the state where citizens elect delegates to advise the Natural Resources Board and the DNR on how to manage Wisconsin's natural resources.
Lee-Zimmerman outlines this year's topics..
"...This year there are no rule changes. The questions are all advisory to get a feel for the ideas being discussed. It's also an opportunity for the Conservation Congress to get input on ideas started in their process that started as citizen resolutions...."
The spring hearings cover three areas: delegate elections, wildlife and fishery ideas for potential rule changes and proposals for future development.
The meetings start at 7:00 p.m. on April 9 in all locations in the state. The advisory questionnaire package is on the DNR website.
