PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Potawatomi Advocates for Trees, Conservation and Heritage, or “PATCH”, is speaking on its lawsuit against the Department of Natural Resources.
It did so at a meeting at the Door County Granary in Sturgeon Bay last week.
PATCH alleges the DNR improperly removed trees and conducted road work at Potawatomi State Park. Among the work it cites as problematic:
- Roads widened by up to 10 feet, from 18-20 feet to 28 feet, to add designated bike lanes
- A 150-foot clear-cut swath through old-growth forest to “straighten” South Norway Road, destroying a winding, canopied corridor that has defined the park for nearly 100 years
- Removal of historic tree medians and road canopy across approximately 1.75 miles of park roads
- Tree clearing and soil disturbance within the 200-foot protected buffer zone of the Niagara Escarpment, home to state threatened and endangered snail species
- Removal of natural screening trees around parking lots
According to PATCH’s attorney Brian Potts, a main point of the DNR’s argument as to why the work was necessary and must continue is safety.
“I’m trying to overcome the DNR and DOT saying it’s unsafe, even though they provide no evidence of that. They just say it,” said Potts.
In June, Judge Jennifer Moeller signed an injunction for no further tree clearing, but road work was allowed to continue.
PATCH President David Allen said even though the DNR says it’s already done clearing trees, that’s still an encouraging sign.
“I think it indicates the seriousness of this case and the importance of the trees in that park and whether it leads to other things to stop construction we’ll have to wait and see,” said Allen.
“She seemed very well prepared and to actually be taking these issues very seriously, which is great,” said Potts.
State Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, was at the meeting and criticized the DNR.
“I will say that there’s no question they did not comply with the spirit of the law. They ignored what needed to be done,” said Kitchens.
When asked for comment, the DNR said it’s unable to speak on active litigation.
During a hearing on July 14, Judge Moeller will decide whether to stop construction completely or allow it to continue while the case is considered.
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