Getting educated at the in-person WCC spring hearings

Getting educated at the in-person WCC spring hearings

Dear Readers:

I haven’t attended an in-person Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing in quite a while — I guess since my husband, Anthony Drew, was assistant editor of the News-Review back in the 2010s. 

I used to accompany him to events and meetings here and there, long before I had any interest or experience in journalism. It was just something to do to get out of the house, and I didn’t put much thought into what those hearings actually meant.

Now that I have to pay attention to what’s happening to be able to put together a coherent news story for readers, I realize how neat the spring hearings are for people who love the outdoors to be able to make their voices heard when it comes to natural resources policy and management.

The WCC is unique to Wisconsin, and is the only group in the state where citizens can not only elect delegates to advise the Natural Resources Board and the DNR on how to responsibly manage Wisconsin’s natural resources for present and future generations, but also bring forth their own resolutions. 

It might not always be friendly, but the arguments that took place during last Monday’s in-person meeting were all from a place of passion about maintaining and protecting the outdoors. 

As neither a hunter nor an angler, I felt a little lost at times on the subject at hand, but it was interesting to listen to those who know far more than I do about the wilderness verbally duke it out and make their points to the room.

Back when I first attended, the only way to take part in these discussions was to go there, in person, and dedicate your evening to learning about the topics being presented to voters. It was a learning experience, as the hearings are led by a panel full of delegates and DNR staff, all ready to respond to questions from the crowd.

Since Covid and the move to all things virtual, I feel like something has been lost. Is it handy to be able to log onto your computer and fill out a questionnaire in the comfort of your own home? Sure it is. But there is also an important element lacking — the ability to ask real-live people for clarification.

Not to mention, the online version omits the whole local aspect where those who attend in-person can cast their vote on ideas presented by their neighbors as part of the citizen resolution portion. For many of those, the authors of the resolution are in attendance and happy to discuss why they’re important for the public to consider. Another bonus of these discussions is that others in the room can point out flaws or missing facts in these resolutions, so if they fail one year, they can be tweaked and come back around stronger the next time. Or maybe not come back at all if the policy is bad.

It’s not an easy thing to write up a concise, explanatory few paragraphs on what can be a sprawling and nuanced topic. Sometimes you need that verbal explanation to get the full story, and a good old-fashioned argument can do wonders to tune the finer points. 

So maybe next April, set aside a few hours and plan to attend your spring hearing. You might just learn something.