By Pat Durkin
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and wildlife agencies nationwide have spent recent years trying to recruit, retain and re-engage hunters and anglers in a society increasingly disconnected from nature.
As Richard Louv noted in his 2005 book, "Last Child in the Woods," kids often prefer to play indoors because, as one fifth-grader said, "That's where the electrical outlets are." Louv coined the term "nature-deficit disorder" to describe the chronic ailment...
...Judging by Gov. Scott Walker's proposals for the DNR's 2015-17 budget, and some lawmakers' efforts to inflict even more cuts, maybe all those hunting, fishing and outdoor mentors should have focused first on politicians. If lawmakers aren't eliminating naturalists' jobs, they're shifting education and communications jobs from the DNR to the Department of Tourism while considering whether to auction off naming rights to our parks.
Talk about nature-deficit disorder. Besides eliminating 24 of 27 research scientists and two of three research technicians, the budget calls for eliminating 11 communications jobs, eight of 16 educator jobs, and the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education at UW-Stevens Point.
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