Re: Jay Rath's "Bat Sanctuary" (2/5/2015): Using the bunkers at the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant to benefit our beleaguered bat populations is a fine idea, already proven elsewhere. But the story misses the context in which this may happen. Over the last decade, land transfers at Badger -- including the DNR's acquisition of its portion at no cost to Wisconsin taxpayers -- have taken place due to agreements put into place under the community-driven 2001 Badger Reuse Plan. In the article, DNR public affairs manager Robert Manwell touts the possibility of "ATV trails or possibly a shooting range" at Badger, failing to mention that the Badger Reuse Plan and the transfer agreements expressly restrict recreational uses to low-impact activities. This, unfortunately, fits a continuing pattern of the DNR's authorities issuing half-truths and misleading information throughout its planning process. This is not an issue of ATVs and shooting ranges. It is an issue of the trust between the DNR, its Badger partners, and the citizens of Sauk County and Wisconsin.
Curt Meine, Sauk City (via email)