Dear Land Trust members,

 

The two islands in Mackaysee Lake on Chambers Island owned by the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands are being sold. The islands can be sold directly to a local unit of government by the Commissioners. The islands are not buildable and an appraisal of current market value conducted by Compass Land Consulting in August 2016 valued them at $21,000.

The Town of Gibraltar has agreed to ask voters on Wednesday, August 2, at 6 pm for approval to assist the Door County Land Trust in purchasing the islands for conservation, with the agreement that the Land Trust would pay 100% of the purchase costs. The islands would then be transferred to the Door County Land Trust for long term ownership as part of the Chambers Island Nature Preserve. If the land is not purchased by the Town, it would be sold through a public bidding process. 

 

Private funds have been raised by the Door County Land Trust’s Chambers Island Nature Preserve Committee to cover all the purchase and associated costs accrued by the Town to purchase the islands. These costs include the purchase cost of $21,000 and estimated associated costs of $4,000 -$6,000 for closings costs, title insurance, transfer and recording fees, and Town administrative costs to conduct the electoral vote.

 

As of date, the Door County Land Trust in partnership with the Chambers Island Nature Preserve Committee have protected nearly 500 acres on Chambers Island. All these lands are open to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing and trapping. The majority of these lands are in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Managed Forest Law (MFL) program and are on the property tax roll. They will be sustainably timber harvested in accordance with the DNR Forest Management Plans approximately every 15 years. 

 

The mature forests on the Mackaysee Islands provide important habitat for migratory birds, nesting bald eagles and other wetland species of plants and animals. Though the islands are not buildable, their conservation values are potentially threatened by clearcutting their forests and erecting hunting and recreational structures that could impact the wildlife habitat. It is important they remain protected for conservation purposes.

 

Thank you for considering voting for conservation of these important islands to be added to the Door County Land Trust’s Chambers Island Nature Preserve.

 

For more information please see the attachments which include; Special Town Meeting agenda, Mackaysee Islands map and Chambers Island Nature Protected Lands map.

 

Thank you for your consideration and assistance,

Terrie Cooper
Director of Land Program

Door County Land Trust 
P.O. Box 65
Sturgeon Bay WI 54235

phone: (920) 495-1358
e-mail: tcooper@doorcountylandtrust.org
website:  www.doorcountylandtrust.org

Door County Land Trust is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. Accreditation is awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.