By Fred Koontz & Adrian Treves
This op-ed, co-authored by Wildlife for All board member Adrian Treves and Fred Koontz, examines Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources and its priorities (which are at odds with current human values and biodiversity needs). Ongoing threats to climate and biodiversity, as well as shifting human values towards wildlife, require that the DNR rethink its purpose and policies. “Clarifying the DNR’s mandate around a top priority of conserving all wildlife for all people will provide a unifying direction for the floundering board and strengthen the department’s biodiversity mission. Changing the department’s purpose recognizes that government agencies require modifications as society’s needs and public values change.”