DNR Public Hearing

press release: The public will have an opportunity to provide input on outdoor-based recreation in Wisconsin as part of a Department of Natural Resources Recreation Opportunities Analysis, which is examining existing opportunities and future recreation opportunities in eight regions throughout Wisconsin. The final regions to be studied are the Southern Gateways and Lower Lake Michigan Coastal regions. The counties included in these regions are as follows:

• Southern Gateways: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, and Sauk
• Lower Lake Michigan Coastal: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha

The public is invited to participate in this analysis by providing information through an online input form by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keyword "ROA." The public can provide feedback online or print out the questionnaire and send completed forms to the department. Public input opportunities for these two regions are open through Jan. 2, 2018.

In December, the department will host public open house meetings to gather additional input to the Southern Gateways and Lower Lake Michigan Coastal regions. The open houses will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on the following dates and locations:

• Tuesday, December 5, Baraboo - Baraboo Civic Center, 124 Second St.
• Wednesday, December 6, Horicon - Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center, N7725 Highway 28
• Tuesday, December 12, Milwaukee - Urban Ecology Center - Menomonee Valley Branch, 3700 W. Pierce St.
• Wednesday, December 13, Fitchburg - Wyndham Garden Hotel; 2969 Cahill Main

The ROA process has been underway in other regions of the state. Each of the regions studied will have chapters describing the findings of the analysis. Drafts of these chapters will be compiled providing additional detail. The goal of the analysis is to generally describe recreation opportunities for each region.

For more information regarding the recreational opportunities analysis, search keyword "ROA." To receive email updates regarding the ROA process, click on the email icon near the bottom of the page titled "subscribe for updates for DNR topics," then follow the prompts and select "Recreation opportunities analysis," found within the list titled "outdoor recreation."