23.0916 Stewardship land access.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Former managed forest land" means land that was withdrawn from the managed forest land program under subch. VI of ch. 77 on or after October 27, 2007.

(b) “Nature-based outdoor activity" means hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, cross-country skiing, and any other nature-based outdoor activity designated by rule by the department for purposes of this section.

(c) “Stewardship grant" means a grant that consists in whole or in part of funding from the stewardship program under s. 23.0917.

(2) Requirement of access; nondepartment land.

(a) Earlier acquisitions. Except as provided in par. (b) and sub. (4), any person receiving a stewardship grant on or after October 27, 2007, and before July 1, 2011, that will be used to acquire land in fee simple or to acquire an easement on former managed forest land shall permit public access to the land for nature-based outdoor activities.

(am) Later acquisitions. Except as provided in par. (b) or (c) and sub. (4), any person receiving a stewardship grant on or after July 1, 2011, that will be used to acquire land in fee simple or to acquire an easement on former managed forest land shall permit public access to the land for nature-based outdoor activities.

(b) Authority to prohibit access; earlier acquisitions; trails. Except as provided in par. (c), the person receiving a stewardship grant subject to par. (a) or (am) may prohibit public access for one or more nature-based outdoor activities only if the natural resources board determines that it is necessary to do so in order to do any of the following:

1. Protect public safety.

2. Protect a unique animal or plant community.

3. Accommodate usership patterns, as defined by rule by the department.

(c) Authority to prohibit access; later acquisitions. For acquisitions of land or easements that are not for state trails or the ice age trail the person receiving a stewardship grant subject to par. (am) may prohibit public access for one or more nature-based outdoor activities only if the natural resources board determines that it is necessary to do so in order to do any of the following:

1. Protect public safety.

2. Protect a unique animal or plant community.

(3) Requirement of access; department land.

(a) All acquisitions. Except as provided in par. (b) and sub. (4) and ss. 29.089, 29.091, 29.301 (1) (b), and 29.621 (4), the department shall permit public access for nature-based outdoor activities by others on land that is acquired by the department in fee simple or is an easement acquired by the department on former managed forest land.

(b) Authority to prohibit access; earlier acquisitions; trails. The department may prohibit public access on land or an easement subject to par. (a) for one or more nature-based outdoor activities if the natural resources board determines that it is necessary to do so to protect public safety, protect a unique animal or plant community, or accommodate usership patterns, as defined by rule by the department. This paragraph applies to all acquisitions of land in fee simple and easements on former managed forest land that occur on former managed forest land before July 1, 2011, and to the acquisition of easements on former managed forest land for state trails and the ice age trail that occur on or after July 1, 2011.

(c) Authority to prohibit access; later acquisitions. The department may prohibit public access on land or an easement subject to par. (a) for one or more nature-based outdoor activities only if the natural resources board determines that it is necessary to do so to protect public safety or to protect a unique animal or plant community. This paragraph applies to acquisitions of land in fee simple and easements on former managed forest land for purposes other than for state trails and the ice age trail that occur on or after July 1, 2011.

(3m) Board determinations.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), a determination by the natural resources board under sub. (2) (b) or (c) or (3) (b) or (c) with regard to public access on land or an easement requires 4 or more members of the natural resources board to concur in that determination if the land or easement was acquired on or after April 17, 2012.

(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a determination by the natural resources board with regard to public access on an easement, if the primary purpose of the easement is to provide public access to a navigable water on which public fishing is allowed.

(4) Fish and game refuges. The department or an owner of land that is in a fish or game refuge and that is subject to sub. (2) (a) or (am) or (3) (a) may prohibit hunting, fishing, or trapping, or any combination thereof.

(5) Rules. The natural resources board, by rule, shall develop all of the following:

(a) Provisions relating to public access for nature-based outdoor activities for all lands other than those subject to sub. (2) (a) or (am) or (3) (a) that are acquired in whole or in part with funding from the stewardship programs under ss. 23.0915 and 23.0917.

(b) A process for the review of determinations made under subs. (2) (b) or (c) and (3) (b) or (c).

(6) Reporting requirement. The department shall prepare a biennial report that identifies all land subject to this section that has been acquired during the preceding fiscal biennium and upon which public access for any nature-based outdoor activity is prohibited. For each acquisition, the report shall specify for which of these nature-based outdoor activities public access is prohibited and shall include the reason for the prohibition. The department shall submit the report to the joint committee on finance and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided under s. 13.172 (3). The department shall submit the report no later than November 15 for the preceding fiscal biennium and shall submit the first biennial report no later than November 15, 2009.

History: 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32, 168.