Anderson: With Walz not running for re-election, hunters and anglers hope the next governor ‘gets’ the outdoors

Tim Walz has a lot on his plate right now.

Pointing out that many Minnesota hunters, anglers and other conservationists consider it good news that he won’t seek re-election seems like piling on.

But there it is.

When he was elected governor in 2018, Walz seemed as if he might follow in the conservation footsteps of his predecessor, Mark Dayton.

Dayton, who as a kid spent a lot of time outdoors, sometimes up north with his family on Lake Vermilion and sometimes bird hunting, was widely regarded by hunters and anglers as a politician who “got it.”

And he followed through.

In 2014, Dayton convened the first-ever Minnesota Pheasant Summit, and in 2016 he successfully advocated for passage of a stream buffer law, the state’s first.

The buffer law was among the reasons Dayton was given standing ovations at annual Department of Natural Resources Roundtables, attended by 300 or so of the agency’s stakeholders.

Would Walz be similarly received?

When he was sworn in as Minnesota’s 41st governor, it seemed so.

Originally from a small town in Nebraska, Walz from 2007-2019 represented a largely rural Minnesota district in Congress. Plus, he hunted, shot trap and otherwise spent time outdoors.

One red flag was raised when leaders of a major conservation group in his congressional district said he had never contacted them or visited their headquarters in the dozen or so years he was in Washington.

Garry Leaf saw promise, too.

Leaf was an important player in developing consensus among hunters and anglers to support the 2008 Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.

“When Walz was first running for governor, I attended a debate where he was asked whether he supported the idea of a citizens commission to guide Minnesota conservation, including the setting of Department of Natural Resources policies and the hiring and firing of its commissioner,” Leaf said. “Walz said he liked the idea. So I was encouraged.”

About 40 states have similar commissions, with Missouri’s being the gold standard.

That state’s four citizen Conservation Commission members appoint the director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, approve its fish and wildlife regulations and direct its strategy and budget.

But mostly by the governor.

This setup is why the success of Minnesota land and water stewardship is hit-and-miss, depending on the interest or disinterest in conservation by the governor.

Each year, Minnesota hunters, anglers, boaters, paddlers and campers contribute some $13.5 billion to the state economy. And voters as recently as November set a turnout record when they re-dedicated proceeds from the state’s lottery to conservation.

Yet for many Minnesota governors and legislators, citizens’ outdoor interests fall far behind those of social services, agriculture, health, public safety, and other priorities.

That’s what happened too often with Walz. Yes, after taking office he emphasized clean energy and climate initiatives, and when the state had a $17 billion surplus a couple of years back, he supported nearly $100 million for fish hatcheries, fishing piers and boat landings.

Other Minnesota governors, both Republicans and DFLers, have left significant marks on the outdoors.

Elmer L. Andersen, a Republican who was elected governor in 1960, established several state parks and was a driving force, in and out of office, in the establishment of Voyageurs National Park.

Rudy Perpich, a DFLer, in 1983 gave the keynote address at the inaugural Pheasants Forever banquet, signed the state’s pheasant stamp bill and in 1986 promoted and signed the Reinvest in Minnesota bill, funded with $16 million.

Republican Arne Carlson announced during his governorship a plan to make the Minnesota River “swimmable and fishable” in 10 years. Still today, Carlson is one of the state’s leading advocates for clean water.

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s political support was critical in placing the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment on the 2008 Minnesota ballot.

Many Minnesota conservationists were encouraged this week when Democrat U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar indicated she might return to Minnesota from Washington to run for governor.

Klobuchar grew up taking long bike rides with her dad, Jim, the late Minneapolis Star columnist. She’s appeared at many hunting and fishing banquets, and as far back as 2016 played a critical role in acquiring federal funding to restore iconic Marsh Lake in western Minnesota.

Klobuchar won’t please everyone, considering she’s advocated for delisting the gray wolf (as divisive a topic as Minnesota has) and increasing biofuel production (farmers love it; many conservationists are against it).

Whether she’d support a citizens commission to set the state’s land, water, fish, wildlife and other conservation priorities is unknown.