DNR proposals would do away with wildlife at state environmental center
Citing costs, the state Department of Natural Resources has four proposals for the 287-acre property that could do away with the animal exhibits. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is proposing changes to the MacKenzie Center in Wisconsin, a state environmental center. The changes are part of the draft vision of the Central Sand Hills Region Master Plan process, which aims to address management objectives for over 60 state-owned properties. The DNR is also considering plans to address overcrowding at Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo and where to build a new interpretive, educational and visitor center. Concerns are raised about $5 million needed to upgrade the wildlife exhibits and another $5M for roads, parking lots and buildings, many of which require significant repair and upgrades due to a backlog of deferred maintenance. However, members of the Friends group have called for modified wildlife exhibits, which are native to Wisconsin, to be kept. They believe that increased public and private funding can be raised.
Published : 4 months ago by barry adams, BARRY ADAMS [email protected] in Science
The proposals are part of the draft vision of the Central Sand Hills Region Master Plan process designed to lay out management objectives for more than 60 state-owned properties. They include Devil's Lake and Hartman Creek state parks and a number of fishery, wetland, wildlife and natural areas and marshes. For Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo, the DNR is trying to determine how to deal with overcrowding and where to build a new interpretive, educational and visitor center.
But proposed changes to MacKenzie by the DNR are more involved and are being floated as a way to address funding issues and concerns over the need for $5 million needed to upgrade the wildlife exhibits and another $5 million for roads, parking lots and buildings, many of which require "substantial repair and upgrades due to a backlog of deferred maintenance," the DNR cites in its report on the property.
Of the MacKenzie Center's $400,000 budget, just 33% ($130,000) of the revenue comes from user fees and donations with the remaining 67% ($270,000) coming from DNR funds. The facility employs two to three year-round educators, three to four wildlife technicians and three to four operations staff that repair and oversee the center's vast grounds and facilities. In addition to paid staff, nearly 200 volunteers contribute over 5,000 hours of a work a year with things like educational programming, property and habitat maintenance and helping with major events like the annual maple syrup production program.
All of the DNR's four alternatives for the property would do away with the wildlife center with only one of the alternatives maintaining the educational programming at the center. A second alternative plan would maintain existing day-use activities and continue to host major events like the maple syrup program but would move educational programming to a different DNR property like Devil's Lake State Park.
"Depending on the future uses of the property, it is likely that some new buildings may be needed, some existing buildings may need to be renovated and others may need to be removed," the DNR wrote in its draft vision document. "It is also possible the (DNR) may not be the best entity to manage the property to meet certain goals."
But for members of the Friends of MacKenzie, none of the four alternatives are acceptable. The closest the DNR comes is the first alternative, which the Friends group, founded in 1976, would like to see modified to include keeping the wildlife exhibits, all of which are native animals to Wisconsin. The Friends have also raised more than $200,000 to fund improvements to the wildlife center and believe that more money can be raised via increased public and private funding. The Friends would also like to see more outdoor education classes for youth, an increase in user fees increased to help cover more of the costs and assistance from state lawmakers to increase funding for the center.
"We want to see these kids get the opportunity to come out and enjoy the outdoors for a day and learn about nature, and photosynthesis and get an appreciation of what the DNR is all about and yet the DNR wants to shut it all down," said Reggie Finn, vice president of the Friends and who lives in nearby Rio. "It's the most mystifying thing to me."
The property was divided in the 1960s with one half focused on raising pheasants and the other half designated for outdoor education. Dormitories and the main lodge building were built in 1975 with the animals once housed along the road moved in the 1980s to their current location, behind the maple sugar cook shack, a cabin housing a small logging museum and the Friends group's clubhouse constructed in 2007.
For Lucke, who has been active with the Friends group since 2010, the combination of exhibits, events, educational programs and nature offered at MacKenzie is unique and would be missed by the thousands of school children who come to the facility each year. Improvements to the wildlife center and bringing back other animals like coyote, bobcat and mountain lion would bring more people to the center and help enhance the center's educational efforts.
Topics: Wildlife