Natural Resources

The state’s Sierra Club is calling for independent testing of a proposed iron mine site.  The group has long been against Gogebic Taconite’s plan to mine in the Penokee Range. 

Dave Blouin is mining chair for Wisconsin’s chapter of the Sierra Club.   Blouin says recent findings of asbestos-like fibers underscore the need for watchdog testing.

Presque Isle’s Van Vliet Hemlocks will become a State Natural Area.  And the mostly old-growth parcel will be managed with as little interference as possible.  The state Natural Resources Board voted today to approve the DNR’s recommendation to passively manage the entire area. 

Tom Olson President of the group Friends of the Van Vliet spoke at the meeting, citing widespread public support for letting the hemlock parcel manage itself.

The state Natural Resources Board is set to decide Wednesday on a plan for the Van Vliet Hemlocks.  DNR officials are recommending the mostly old-growth parcel be managed with as little involvement as possible. 

The agency had originally planned to do some cutting on part of the site that didn’t fit the old-growth profile.  But after overwhelming public comment, the DNR changed its plan to passive management for the entire site. 

Chief DNR state forester Paul Delong says he doesn’t know whether the Natural Resources Board will approve the recommendation. 

The DNR is changing its tune on a management plan for the Van Vliet Hemlocks.  The agency plans to take a hands-off approach to the 400-acre stand of mostly old growth trees.

Officials had originally proposed to actively manage a section of the forest that didn’t fit the profile of the rest of the site: meaning some trees would be cut in hopes of speeding the process of old growth development.

But community outcry appears to have changed the DNR’s mind.  DNR Chief State Forester Paul DeLong says officials received dozens of letters.

The Midwest has been hosting a lot of wildlife biologists lately.  The International Wolf Symposium was held this past weekend in Duluth, Minnesota.  A week earlier, the Wildlife Society held its annual conference in Milwaukee. DNR Carnivore Specialist Dave MacFarland was at both.  WXPR’s Natalie Jablonski sat down with MacFarland to hear about the conference highlights.  

Changes are coming to deer management in Wisconsin.  

The DNR is holding a series of meetings in the next few weeks to get public input the rules package that sums up those changes.  Officials are also taking comments through an online survey that launches today. 

The DNR’s Eric Lobner says the rules package comes out of the Deer Trustee Report and public comment taken earlier in the year. 

Wolf hunting season opens Tuesday.  

About 2500 people have been awarded permits to harvest a wolf.  The DNR most recently reported fewer than half of those have actually purchased their licenses.  But DNR Carnivore specialist Dave MacFarland says that’s nothing unusual.

The DNR is gathering public input on proposed changes to deer management.  

It’s holding an online chat today  at noon on implementing the Deer Trustee Report.  Spokesperson Jennifer Pelej says this is the next step in the process of collecting feedback that began in March. 

“And we want to continue to keep the doors open with the public.  So this is just a tool for us to connect with people who might have questions about the process or the rules package.”

The Oneida County Clean Waters Action group is hosting a meeting to discuss environmental changes in Wisconsin's Act 1 Iron Mining Law.

Spokesperson Karl Fate says the changes in the iron mining law enacted by the legislature resulted in confusion....

"....we had requests from people to have a briefing on the iron mining law. There were so many changes made with that bill that it's rather mind-boggling to try to sort through it to figure out what exactly happened..."

The DNR is sponsoring a listening session this month on the future direction of the 4,800 acre Powell Marsh State Wildlife Area in Vilas county.

DNR Regional Program Manager Mike Zeckmeister says the the process of revising the master plan for the area near Manitowish Waters began in August. A meeting was held at the Manitowish Waters town hall. He says they decided to do a second meeting...