Incidental Take Notice For Door County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue an authorization for the incidental taking of a rare plant, which may result from the Peninsula State Park Shore Road Replacement Project.  

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.

Peninsula State Park proposes to replace several miles of Shore Road. Most of the roads at the park were last surfaced in the 1960s and are much narrower than roads constructed with current standards. In addition, many of the roads are past their typical lifespan and are now to the point of needing replacement.

The presence of the state and federally threatened dwarf lake iris is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some plants. This proposed authorization would cover any incidental take for the state listing but would not cover any incidental take for the federal listing.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of the species or the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on dwarf lake iris are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Rori Paloski at 608-516-3742 or Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to dwarf lake iris by March 11, 2023 to:

Department of Natural Resources
c/o Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist
101 S. Webster St. Madison, WI 53707
Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-3742