ACCESS | Keeping Track of the WDNR

If you climb in Wisconsin, you probably spend a lot of your time climbing on State-owned land.  And most climbing sites on State property are managed by the Department of Natural Resources[1].  So it is important to pay attention to changes in how the DNR manages its properties.

As a public agency, the DNR regularly publishes announcements about what it’s up to.  Back in the day, you looked for these things posted on physical bulletin boards and in the “newspaper of record.”  Nowadays you can sign up to receive all these announcements by email (and even text).

How to Get DNR Announcements

There are several ways you can subscribe to DNR email announcements.

If you are browsing through the DNR website (dnr.wisconsin.gov), at the bottom of many pages you will find a link you can click.

You can also just go directly to the subscription link:

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIDNR/subscriber/new

Make an Account with your Email Address

You create a subscription account for yourself using your email address and a password (optional).  You’ll be able to come back to this website and add or drop subscriptions in the future.  You will receive a confirmation when you first sign up, and in the future whenever you make any changes.

Pick From a Menu of DNR Topics

From there you are taken to COMPREHENSIVE list of topics you might subscribe to (it’s a big agency, that is required to manage many things).  There isn’t a single topic for “climbing” – you’ll want to subscribe to a few different items to keep tabs on what the DNR is up to.

Also, be aware that topics come and go – subscribe to some of the general news items so that you may hear when there is a new topic of interest.

I recommend you take some time to browse through these top level topics:

  • Announcement & News – DNR Hearings and Meetings will send you a weekly calendar of upcoming opportunities to ask questions and/or voice your opinion.

  • State Parks, Forests and Trails – for news about what’s going on at specific Parks, or throughout our park system.

  • Property Master Planning – for properties and regions that are currently being planned.  You’ll need to come back to this as more properties enter the planning process.

Some additional topic areas that you should take a look at are:

  • Volunteer – park and State Natural Area volunteer opportunities

  • Office of Communication – DNR-wide news

  • Outdoor Recreation – for SCORP, the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, that is updated every 5 years.

  • Natural Resources Board – looking at their agenda each month is a good idea.

Save Your Choices

When you’ve clicked on the list of topics that is important to you, SAVE the list (the button at the bottom of the page).  You’ll be given an opportunity to subscribe to topics from other government agencies, and SAVE A SECOND TIME.

The subscription website will email you a list of topics you have subscribed to.

What the WCA is following

You subscribed to topics:

  • Rib Mountain State Park

  • Devil's Lake State Park

  • Governor Dodge State Park

  • High Cliff State Park

  • DNR News Releases

  • Mill Bluff State Park

  • Willow River State Park

  • Interstate State Park

  • Wyalusing State Park

  • Black River State Forest

  • Outdoor Report

  • Ice Age National Scenic Trail

  • Brief of Action

  • Natural Heritage Conservation News and Events

  • Agenda

  • Sauk Prairie Recreation Area Master Planning Process

  • Southeast Region State Natural Area Volunteers

  • Southwest Region State Natural Area Volunteers

  • Rib Mountain Master Plan Amendment

  • DNR Hearings and Meetings

  • Wisconsin Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan

  • Central Sands State Natural Area Volunteers

  • State Parks, Forests, Recreational Areas, and Trails Volunteer Opportunities

  • Recreation opportunities analysis

  • Northwest Sands Ecological Landscape Master Plan

  • Central Sand Plains Region

  • Southwest Savanna Regional Master Plan

  • Statewide Master Planning

  • Central Sand Hills Master Plan

[1] There are two important exceptions:  Petenwell Bluff (Necedah) and Hillbilly Hollow.  Both of these sites are on State property managed by the Department of Transportation.  Additionally, there are climbing sites on Federal, county, municipal, and private property scattered around Wisconsin.  These distinctions  matter.