The public will have an opportunity at two upcoming open house meetings and through public comment periods to review and comment on two separate proposed master plans for properties in southeastern Wisconsin.
An open house on the Southern Kettle Moraine Waters group will be on Thursday, April 12, and an open house on the Southern Region Planning group will be on Monday, April 16. Both open houses will run from 4 to 7 p.m. and be at Park View Middle School, 930 N Rochester St., Mukwonago.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has developed draft master plans for the Southern Kettle Moraine Waters Area and the Southern Region Planning Group.
The Southern Kettle Moraine Waters Area includes the Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Lulu Lake State Natural Area, which together comprise about 2,200 acres of fee title lands and 740 acres of easement acres in Waukesha and Walworth counties, near the Village of Mukwonago. These lands are owned and managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The Southern Region Planning Group includes nine large properties and numerous scattered parcels totaling about 39,700 acres of wildlife, fish, natural areas and Ice Age Trail properties. These properties are predominately within Waukesha, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties with small portions in Rock, Jefferson and Dodge counties.
The properties in these groups will be managed to provide quality, nature-based recreational experiences in lightly developed settings for the large and growing population in southeast Wisconsin, according to Shelley Warwick, a DNR property planner.
“The natural communities will be managed for user enjoyment consistent with the purpose and ecological capacity of these properties. The diversity and quality of the waters, wetlands, grasslands and forests will be maintained, and enhanced as practicable, for future generations,” Warwick said. “Management of these natural resources will be most effective and sustainable when citizens, private landowners, interest groups, government and resource management agencies work together.”
At the open houses, the public will have an opportunity to review maps and copies of draft plans and to meet with DNR specialists who will be available to answer questions.
“Public input is welcome at the meetings, in addition, people may submit comments to the DNR by mail or email or by taking online surveys through the DNR website – DNR staff are interested in your input as to the future management of these properties,” Warwick said.
To learn more about each of the master planning processes, review the proposed master plans, or submit comments, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keywords “master planning” and select “Southern Kettle Moraine Waters” or “Southern Region Planning Group.”
For additional information regarding these master-planning processes or to submit comments, contact Shelley Warwick at 608-266-2698.
