Section 51.05. Eligible and ineligible acquisition projects.

 

(1)   Eligible projects. The department may award grants under this chapter to nonprofit conservation organizations for acquisition of all or some of the rights of property for the following:

(a) For natural areas under subch. III ; the Ice Age Trail and state trails under subch. VIII ; stream bank protection under subch. VII ; habitat areas and fisheries under subch. V ; bluff protection under subch. IV ; wild lakes under subch. VI ; the Baraboo hills under subch. X ; aid for local parks under subch. XII ; urban green space under subch. XIII ; urban rivers under subch. XIV and acquisition of development rights under subch. XV .

(b) For the Lower Wisconsin state riverway, and wild rivers designated under s. 30.26 , Stats., including lands within or adjacent to their acquisition boundaries.

(c) For the middle kettle moraine.

(d) For state forests or state parks including lands within or adjacent to a state forest or state park or its acquisition boundaries.

(e) For public shooting, trapping or fishing grounds, state wildlife areas, state recreation areas, lands within or adjacent to their acquisition boundaries, or for projects that have similar purposes.

(f) For preservation of endangered or threatened species under s. 29.604 , Stats.

(g) For fish farms as defined in s. 95.001 (1) (aj) , Stats., doing cooperative work with the state.

(h) For acquisition of development rights to create agricultural, forestry or other buffers on lands adjacent to properties acquired for the purposes listed in this subsection.

(2)   Ineligible projects. The department may not award stewardship grants for ineligible acquisition projects including:

(a) Any property that has restrictions or other covenants that prevent or limit the property from being managed for the conservation or public recreational purposes of the stewardship program or that would preempt the department's reversionary interests under s. 23.096 (5) , Stats.

(b) Any property that was acquired more than one year before a grant application is submitted for that property. Eligible properties not funded in the fiscal year in which an application is submitted due to insufficient funds may be considered for funding in subsequent fiscal years.

(c) Any property that is used or may be used for licensed game farms, fur farms, deer farms, shooting preserves, forest nurseries or experimental stations.

(d) Any property used for commercial or industrial purposes, except with prior written approval of the department for sponsor fundraising and other activities that protect or enhance the conservation values of the project.

Emerg. cr. eff. 9-1-00; CR 00-135 : cr. Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01; correction in (1) (g) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register April 2005 No. 592 ; CR 10-127 : am. (title), (1) (intro.), (2) (intro.), (b) to (d), cr. (1) (title), (2) (title) Register February 2012 No. 674 , eff. 3-1-12.