Incidental Take Notice For Door County

MADISON, Wis. –  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare plant, which may result from Europe Bay Road vegetation removal in Door County.  

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.

The town of Liberty Grove proposes to remove trees that have grown and encroached upon the road within approximately 6-8 feet from the edge of the traveled portion. The road was most recently repaved in 2008 with the hope of having a life span of 30 years. However, the presence of large shade trees on the south side of the road has kept the sun from reaching the road and drying it. As a result, the surface now has potholes and cracks due to deterioration and dampness. After vegetation removal, the road will be reconditioned and the elevation of the surface will be raised approximately 4 inches. Once the asphalt has cooled and firmed, gravel shoulders will be added to support the slightly higher road and provide water drainage away from the surface and subsurface.

The presence of the state threatened and federally endangered 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 permit would cover any incidental take for the state listing and would not cover any incidental take for the federal listing.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the dwarf lake iris are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR conservation biologist Stacy Rowe at 608-228-9796 or Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the dwarf lake iris by June 9, 2024, to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
2514 Morse St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796