Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Weekly Digest Bulletin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2021
Contact: Kevin Olson, DNR Community Financial Assistance Specialist
Kevin.Olson@wisconsin.gov or 608-234-2238

DNR Seeking Public Comment For Environmental Review Of City Of New Lisbon Safe Drinking Water Loan Program Project

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the City Of New Lisbon is an applicant for funding through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) to address deficiencies in its public drinking water system. The project includes the replacement of lead service lines throughout the City of New Lisbon.

Activities related to this project are minor actions under Chapter NR 150, Wis. Admin. Code, for which no environmental analysis is required; however, following the SDWLP federal requirement 40 C.F.R. §35.3580, an environmental review must be conducted before funding this project.

The SDWLP has determined that the project will not result in significant adverse environmental effects, and no further environmental review or analysis is needed before proceeding with funding the project.

The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding this decision and the potential environmental impacts of this project. Submit comments by July 21, 2021, to:

Department of Natural Resources
C/O Kevin Olson, Community Financial Assistance, CF/2
101 S Webster St.
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: 608-234-2238 or Email: Kevin.Olson@wisconsin.gov

Based on the comments received, the SDWLP may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the funding process. The analysis would summarize the DNR’s consideration of the project's impacts and reasonable alternatives.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 6, 2021
Contact: DNR Office of Communications
DNRPress@wisconsin.gov

Iconic Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park A Must See

Official Ribbon Cutting Scheduled For Friday

The DNR will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the base of the newly constructed Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

FISH CREEK, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the base of the newly constructed Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021.

Located on top of Eagle Bluff, Eagle Tower is 60 feet high, with the top observation deck sitting 253 feet above the Bay of Green Bay. The public can now reach the top of the legendary landmark using the 100 tower stairs or the 850-foot fully accessible canopy walk.

The tower offers panoramic views of the park, surrounding islands, the Upper Michigan shoreline and local communities – making it a trendy spot for viewing sunsets and taking selfies. And while the stairs are available for quick access, the canopy walk provides an educational and picturesque way to access the scenic views the tower has to offer.

“The Eagle Tower is a celebration of community and making outdoor recreation opportunities available to anyone, regardless of your ability,” said Diane Brusoe, DNR Deputy Division Administrator for the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Division.

Made entirely of wood and featuring new wood technology, including glulam structural elements, the Eagle Tower is the only known fully accessible wood observation tower of its height in the country.

“The feedback we’ve received is overwhelmingly positive,” said Eric Hyde, DNR Peninsula State Park Superintendent. “Visitors are enjoying the new tower, whether it’s been a decades-long tradition to visit or a brand-new experience. The Eagle Tower is back, and we couldn’t be prouder of how it’s turned out.”

The first Eagle Tower was built in 1914 and stood in place for 18 years before being deconstructed and fully rebuilt in 1932 (second Eagle Tower). The 1932 version of Eagle Tower was closed in 2015 due to structural safety concerns and carefully deconstructed in 2016.

Members of the public are invited to join in the ribbon-cutting celebration, a co-sponsored event by the Friends of Peninsula State Park and the DNR. There will be a brief program at the base of the tower at 10:00 a.m., followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The tower will be temporarily closed to the public between 9:45 - 10:30 a.m. to allow for the ceremony.

Those in attendance that are not yet vaccinated are encouraged to wear face coverings. If anyone is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked not to attend the event.

Funding for the $3.5 million Eagle Tower was made possible by partnerships with local state legislators, the DNR and the Friends of Peninsula State Park, which donated $750,000 to the project.

Access to Eagle Tower is free; however a park admission pass is required. Parking is available near the tower site, and there is access from various property hiking and biking trails.

Peninsula State Park offers over 460 campsites, three group camps, a summer theater, an 18-hole golf course, sand beach, bike trails, a lighthouse and eight miles of Door County shoreline. The rollicking waves that skip towards Peninsula's sky high bluffs are part of the Niagara Escarpment.

In addition to reopening Eagle Tower, visitors will be in for a treat with new facilities and infrastructure upgrades across the park. More information on the park updates is available on the DNR website here.

Eagle Tower Ribbon-Cutting

When: 10 a.m. Friday, July 9, 2021

Where: Peninsula State Park, 9462 Shore Rd., Fish Creek, WI

Note: The tower will be temporarily closed to the public between 9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. to allow for the ceremony.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2021
Contact: Ryan O’Connor, DNR Conservation Biologist Ryan.OConnor@wisconsin.gov or 608-354-2383

DNR Biologist Finds “Holy Grail” Of Rare Plants In State Natural Area

Green violet, a species last documented in Wisconsin in 1958, was found this spring on a State Natural Area in west central Wisconsin by DNR Conservation Biologist Ryan O’Connor. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – A Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation biologist has found the “holy grail” of a rare plant in Wisconsin: A green violet long thought gone from the state, but growing by the hundreds in a State Natural Area (SNA) in west central Wisconsin.  

The species (Hybanthus concolor) was last documented in Wisconsin in 1958 when it was collected from a site in Grant County. That site was severely impacted by grazing and the species was thought to no longer grow in the state.

“It was pretty exciting,” said DNR Conservation Biologist Ryan O’Connor. “It really drives home several things, including that there are still important things to discover on State Natural Areas and that our SNAs are vital to the conservation of plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the state.” 

This isn’t the first rare plant finding within Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas – 75% of wildlife species listed in Wisconsin as threatened or endangered, and 90% of state-listed plants are supported on State Natural Areas. These sites, owned both by the DNR and more than 50 partners, represent Wisconsin’s best native forests, wetlands, prairies and geological and archaeological sites. Their primary purpose is to maintain this natural heritage for future generations.

O’Connor’s discovery also underscores the importance of having experts conduct “biotic inventory surveys” to document the different rare species on state-owned lands and assess how the natural community they are part of is faring.

Natural communities are defined by the soils, geology, plants and animals that evolved together to form different types of prairies, wetlands and forests. Wisconsin has more than 100 of these distinct communities, some of which are globally rare. The state legislature created the State Natural Areas program to conserve examples of these communities 70 years ago.

The DNR uses the inventory survey information to inform master plans determining how to manage properties and prioritize the attention they receive.

Green Violets At A Glance Green violets are native to the eastern United States. Wisconsin is at the very northern edge of the green violet range. Across its range, green violet is limited to rich mesic forests on limestone soil. Many of these sites have been lost to logging, grazing and invasion by weeds like garlic mustard and honeysuckle. Most violets have white, yellow or purple petals and green sepals, but green violet has much less showy flowers. The plant’s scientific name, Hybanthus concolor, refers to the petals and sepals being the same color (green). The word “concolor” is Latin for “same color.” Like other violets, green violet has a gelatinous substance, called an elaiosome, attached to its seeds. The elaiosome is rich in fats and proteins, which attract ants. The ants bring the elaiosomes back to their nests to eat, and as they move them around, distribute the violet seeds. To learn more about State Natural Areas and to find one near you, click here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2021
Contact: Kevin Olson, DNR Community Financial Assistance Specialist
Kevin.Olson@wisconsin.gov or 608-234-2238

DNR Seeking Public Comment For Environmental Review Of City Of Cumberland  Safe Drinking Water Loan Program Project

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the City of Cumberland is an applicant for funding through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) to address deficiencies in its public drinking water system. The project includes the replacement of water mains throughout the City of Cumberland.

Activities related to this project are minor actions under Chapter NR 150, Wis. Admin. Code, for which no environmental analysis is required; however, following the SDWLP federal requirement 40 C.F.R. §35.3580, an environmental review must be conducted before funding this project.

The SDWLP has determined that the project will not result in significant adverse environmental effects, and no further environmental review or analysis is needed before proceeding with funding the project.

The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding this decision and the potential environmental impacts of this project. Submit comments by July 23, 2021, to:

Department of Natural Resources
C/O Kevin Olson, Community Financial Assistance, CF/2
101 S Webster St.
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: 608-234-2238 or Email: Kevin.Olson@wisconsin.gov

Based on the comments received, the SDWLP may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the funding process. The analysis would summarize the DNR’s consideration of the project's impacts and reasonable alternatives.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2021
Contact: Lindsey Long, DNR Wildlife Veterinarian
Lindsey.Long@wisconsin.gov or 608-219-5038

DNR Following Multi-State Reports Of Sick Songbirds

A healthy blue jay perches on a branch. The DNR is actively following incidents of bird mortalities first reported in the eastern U.S. in late May. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is actively following incidents of bird mortalities first reported in the eastern United States in late May. At that time, wildlife managers in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky began receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs.

The illness affecting birds in the eastern U.S. has not yet been identified, and it has not been linked to bird mortalities in Wisconsin. Out of precaution, the DNR asks the public to report sick or dead birds with clinical signs and to follow best practices for bird feeder and bird bath hygiene.

The department continually monitors reports of sick and dead wildlife and has received a few scattered reports of birds in Wisconsin with swollen, crusty eyes. These reports may be associated with several causes and may not be associated with the illness reported in eastern states. Symptoms of concern include crusty or swollen eyes as well as seizures and lack of coordination. If you observe a songbird with any of these symptoms, report it to your observation to your local conservation biologist or wildlife biologist.

"Several wildlife laboratories, including the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, are working to identify the cause or causes of these cases," said DNR Wildlife Veterinarian Lindsey Long. "These symptoms can be from multiple causes, so these groups have been conducting expansive testing. As part of our continued monitoring of wildlife health, we ask Wisconsinites to report birds with swollen or scabbing eyes so that we may investigate further. Sometimes, we may ask to collect these birds for testing."

Cases have been identified in Washington, D. C., Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Juvenile or fledgling blue jays, common grackles, European starlings and American robins have predominately been associated with the eastern U.S. event.

Anyone who observes sick or dead birds at their bird feeders or bird baths should remove their feeders. If you have not seen sick or dead birds at your feeders or baths, take care to clean and disinfect them regularly with soap and water, followed by a rinse in 10% bleach solution. It is always good practice to wear gloves while working with and around bird feeders. Pets should be kept away from the area below the feeders and away from any sick or dead birds.

For the most up-to-date information on Wisconsin birds, click here. For a statement on this event from the National Wildlife Health Center and its collaborating partners, visit the USGS website.