September Natural Resources Board Meeting

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board met September 27-28 in Kenosha. The Board held its business meeting on the 28th after spending the previous day on various educational tours. The majority of the agenda items concerned land and resource management, and concluded with presentations on blue-green algae and the development of biomass sustainability guidelines for the emerging bioenergy sector.

One of the first items on the agenda was a request for a public hearing on modifications to the state’s popular snowmobile and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) grant programs. In an effort to embrace new technologies, the public hearing will include participants via video conferencing from three to five locations across the state.

The Board approved a plan to remove downed timber in the Governor Knowles State Forest. A July 1 wind storm downed trees across 3,000 acres in the state forest, including 2,000 acres within a designated wilderness area. The DNR wants to remove the timber from about 660 acres in the wilderness area to reduce the potential for damage from insects, disease, and fires while ensuring regeneration of the forest area. The forest's master plan states that the board must approve the removal of salvage timber from the wilderness area. The DNR estimates it could salvage about $250,000 worth of timber.

After all action items were considered, the Board heard informational presentations on blue-green algae, the creation of biomass sustainability guidelines, and the management of greater prairie chickens.

The Board requested a presentation on blue-green algae in Wisconsin. A substantial amount of information on the ecology and ecological effects of the algae, locations of blooms, the human health effects, and the DNR’s monitoring and response programs was presented. Of particular interest is a map on page nine of the presentation illustrating the occurrence of algae across the state.

The Board also heard a presentation on the Wisconsin Sustainable Planting and Harvest Guidelines for Nonforest Biomass. The Guidelines were initiated under the direction of former DNR Secretary Frank and former DATCP Secretary Nilstestuen. The voluntary guidelines are intended for use in policy, land management, research and natural resources decisions related to the state’s growing bioenergy industry.  Guidelines for Forestland Woody Biomass Harvesting already exist and are being implemented.

Although not part of the NRB meeting, it is of note that on September 23rd Governor Walker issued an executive order creating a white-tailed deer trustee in Wisconsin. The order directs the Department of Administration to retain, and the DNR to pay for, an "independent expert with recognized scientific credentials and demonstrated experience in the field of whitetail deer management" to provide an "independent, objective, and scientifically-based review of Wisconsin's deer management."

This post was authored by GLLF staff attorney Emily Kelchen.