Downer Woods’ future in question

State budget would remove protection

Is removing protection for the 11-acre research and recreational forest on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s campus a conspiracy to make way for development, or a technicality to shift rules governing the UW System from state statute to Board of Regents policy under a proposed UW System Public Authority?

It depends on whom you ask.

Wisconsin Code Chapter 36, which governs the UW System, established protection for Downer Woods — what it refers to as “the sole remaining natural area” on the UWM campus.

Gov. Scott Walker deleted much of Chapter 36 in his proposed budget bill with the stated intent that a new public authority governed by the UW System Board of Regents would transfer UW System rules to policies of the new UW System Public Authority.

The provisions protecting the fenced forest at the northern edge of UWM were among the measures struck from Chapter 36.

Political writer and environmental consultant James Rowen, who writes The Political Environment blog, characterized it in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Purple Wisconsin project blog post this week as “arbitrary removal of protections” by Walker “sprung without warning or an expression of need.”

Essayist and photographer Eddee Daniel wrote in his blog, Urban Wilderness:

“I can imagine only two motives: someone influential will benefit economically from the development of the land or the governor considers this a twisted kind of retribution for political opposition.”

UWM Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Communications Tom Luljak said UWM did not ask for the Downer Woods protection to be removed in the governor’s proposed budget bill.

“We have absolutely no plans for selling any of the land,” Luljak said.

“We have no plans for changing the property from what it is now.”

Luljak added that university officials were told that protection for Downer Woods would be transferred to Board of Regents policy, along with other provisions governing the UW System.

“We view Downer Woods as a very special place that’s part of our history,” Luljak said. “It’s used by faculty and students to do research in the biological sciences, and it’s a wonderful place for meditation.”