Hunters To DNR: Do More To Remove Gray Wolf From Endangered Species List

Some hunters say the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources isn’t doing enough to get the gray wolf off the federal Endangered Species list.

In August, a federal appeals court decided the wolf in the western Great Lakes region should remain protected. But there are two bills in Congress that could lead to the animal’s delisting.

Mike Brust of the Wisconsin Bowhunters Association told the Natural Resources Board on Wednesday that the DNR should step up its lobbying.

“Actively support federal delisting legislation,” Brust said.

Brust also said the DNR should do a better job of telling people in southern Wisconsin that high numbers of wolves are causing problems in the north.

DNR official Kurt Thiede said agency leaders have been vocal in their efforts to remove the gray wolf from the federal Endangered Species list and return management to the state. Thiede also urged citizens to let their elected officials know that the public wants action on the wolf legislation.

Also at the board meeting, a Natural Resources Board member said the arrival of Taiwan-based Foxconn in Wisconsin could lead to more demand for ginseng, including illegal demand.

Vice Chair Dr. Frederick Prehn said it’s his understanding that the leader of Foxconn has a strong personal interest in ginseng. It’s a popular herbal medicine, though its benefits are still being debated.

Prehn said the interest in ginseng by the electronic company’s leader will boost the commercial ginseng market in Wisconsin. But Prehn also told the board that there could be more illegal cutting of wild ginseng.

“Just to put things in perspective, wild ginseng is harvested and it’s poached pretty regularly up north,” Prehn said. “And if somebody spends an afternoon with a bag, they can come out with over $10-20,000 worth of ginseng illegally.”

Prehn wants the DNR’s Bureau of Law Enforcement to brief the Natural Resources Board about the protection of wild ginseng. The Walker Administration is still working on a contract with Foxconn to build a large factory in southeastern Wisconsin.

Calls To Stop Kohler Co. Golf Course

A group opposed to the Kohler Co. using part of a state park for a new golf course asked the board to halt the DNR’s review of the park’s master plan.

The company wants to take over several acres of Kohler-Andrae State Park. But Mary Faydash of the Friends of the Black River Forest says the DNR’s analysis should stop.

“This process of amending is costing taxpayers money when it’s unclear the plan can ever be amended in compliance with the law,” Faydash said.

Faydash also asked the Natural Resources Board for an audit of DNR staff time spent on the Kohler golf course project since it was first proposed about seven years ago. The board did not comment on the request.

The new golf course would bring hundreds of jobs to the Sheboygan area, according to Kohler Co.

New DNR Secretary’s First Meeting

At the beginning of the DNR’s board meeting Wednesday in Minocqua, the new DNR secretary — former state Rep. Dan Meyer — briefly addressed the board before it began its work.

Meyer pointed out he lives in nearby Eagle River, and said Wisconsin’s north woods offer plenty of recreational opportunities but it’s hard to make a living in the region.

He said he looks forward to protecting the state’s natural resources and then urged the board to get on with its agenda. He said nothing about any goals he has in mind for the agency. It was the first board meeting for the new leader.

Gov. Scott Walker announced Monday that Meyer will serve as the agency’s secretary. He replaces Cathy Stepp, who left in August to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.