WHEATLAND - At a tour of a lakeshore here benefiting from Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Fund money, Gov. Dave Freudenthal called lawmakers on what he said is their reluctance to feed more dollars into the account.

'Everybody has an excuse for why they don't want to give it more money, but at the end of the day, they all put it in their brochure,' Freudenthal said. 'They show up at these events and tell everybody they're in favor of it. When it comes time to vote, they aren't quite as dedicated as they are today.'

He said the wildlife trust board has forged incredible alliances in communities around the state, creating projects that leverage trust investments with local commitment.

Looking around at Festo Lake on Saturday, Freudenthal recalled planting Russian olives as a boy on his family's Thermopolis ranch. They'd been advised that the strong roots would help stabilize ditch banks bordered by soft red bluffs.

Now, Wyoming knows better, he said, commenting on the collaboration in Wheatland that would transform the lakeshore into an ideal spot for public recreation.

'If that isn't what you want to have happen, then I don't know what is,' he said in an interview following the tour, adding that strong data on improvements to the water resource could prompt more funding for the trust fund. Legislators didn't provide as much money as the trust board asked for in the recent budget session.

'At the end of the day, they (legislators) always end up with some excuse,' Freudenthal said. 'We can set aside money to redo the Capitol Building so we have nicer offices for politicians, and we can't get enough money into the wildlife trust fund. To me, those aren't the right priorities.'

Sen. Curt Meier, R-LaGrange, attended the event and said funding priorities are a matter of perspective.

'We have to develop a balance between all of the needs of the citizens of Wyoming, and the wants,' he said.

Lawmakers also must make sure they 'fund things that are going to affect more than one special interest group.' While Wyoming is wealthy, the benefits people expect from the state are costly and should be prioritized carefully, he added.

Meier noted that he strongly disagrees with the trust board's ability to pay private landowners for conservation easements, with requirements that the landowners continue doing the same things they do anyway.

While holding off on a commitment to the trust, Meier said the Festo Lake project is one that benefits many interests. He suggested hard water data could demonstrate yet another benefit, and the project could be used to mitigate other state costs regarding water.

Freudenthal said projects like the one at Festo Lake wouldn't be possible without the trust fund, created by the Legislature in 2005. He commended the trust board members for seeking out projects that benefit habitat and water resources.

The trust board has performed well above expectations, leveraging its dollars with local commitments to assure the highest possible return on its investments, the governor said. He added that he is particularly pleased that the trust money has been distributed to projects across the state, instead of to two or three large projects in high-visibility areas.

Since its inception, the trust has awarded $7 million among 105 projects to enhance and conserve wildlife habitat and natural resources. Board member Bob Anderson of Casper said the board tries to generate as much leverage as possible on all projects. On-the-ground impacts of funded projects is $18 million, suggesting that the trust's investments are matched at a rate of eight to one, according to the trust Web site.

Rep. Deb Alden, R-Wheatland, attended the tour and spoke briefly about the trust's work.

'It is redeeming to see a board work so diligently and be so accountable,' she said, adding that she is an advocate for the trust.