Wi DNR to Sell Land?

I just found this. Anyone hear/know more?

MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp said Nov. 29 she would listen to a proposal to sell DNR-owned land as a way to infuse cash into the agency’s budget.

Speaking at the Dairy Business Association’s Business Conference, Stepp responded affirmatively to a proposal by Emerald dairy farmer John Vrieze, who suggested that DBA members across the state should come up with a list of properties that are not environmentally sensitive that the DNR could sell and return to the tax roll.

Vrieze’s proposal came after Stepp told DBA members the DNR is 15 years behind in developing a management plan for some of the land it owns.

“We have land we can’t manage now and we’re buying more,” Stepp said. “That would be like saying to my husband, ‘We have a house with a really leaky roof, but let’s go buy a vacation home.’ It’s about … making sure we take care of what we’ve got and then being very discriminate about looking at other unique opportunities. But let’s really work on getting our house in order.”

Vrieze said the DBA and others could help the DNR come up with a list of land it doesn’t need to own.

“(The DNR) doesn’t need the underutilized assets,” Vrieze said. “We could help you identify those lands to turn into cash and use on land you should be taking care of.”

Probably thousands of acres of land locked land they could sell and not affect anyone. Might as well make the guys that hunt it like private land pay for it.

Hopefully thats a lot of it. But knowing how govt agencies handle things some people are going to lose access to land they have hunted for a long time. RegardlessI dont like the idea of public land going into private ownership.