I've had time to read the documents provided by the DNR more carefully, and in my opinion there are several significant questions that the DNR needs to answer before taking the drastic step of permanently closing Over Lode Trail.
The Miller and Hickman studies cited by the DNR in the Rapid Ecological Assessment study make the case that narrow, recreational trails provide a pathway for predatory birds to move into deep woods and prey upon the nests of songbirds. They provide statistical evidence that these predatory birds are more likely to be found near trails and there more nesting failures near trails.
I believe these studies are valid under the conditions that were actually studied: trails near densely populated urban areas that get lots of visitors. The trails studied by Miller were located near Boulder Colorado and receive 3.5 million visitors per year. These trails are also much wider than Over Lode Trail. The trails studied in the Miller paper averaged 1.17 meters wide, or 3.8 feet. Over Lode averages about 1.5 feet wide. The trails studied by Hickman were located in Lake County Illinois, directly north of Chicago. He found more predatory birds located near trails than in other areas of the woods, but did not study whether the nests of the songbirds were affected.
The trails that were studied by the authors the DNR cites as reason to close Over Lode Trail are very different from Blue Mound trails.
The DNR cites these studies but provides no evidence they have found that the predatory birds have moved into the area where the songbirds are found. There is no indication the DNR found evidence of nest predation.
If predatory birds have moved into the woods at the eastern border of Pleasure Valley where Over Lode Trail is located, there is nothing in the Rapid Ecological Assessment that shows the DNR considered other possibilities for their presence, such as the abandoned service road which traverses the area, or the tree canopy breaks caused by erosion in the drainage ravines which cut across the boundary of the park.
The Wisconsin DNR is proposing to eliminate a valuable and well-liked trail based on a flawed comparison to problem trails in places that aren't like Blue Mound. They have provided no evidence that there is a problem to begin with! If there actually is a problem, they haven't shown they have considered alternative explanations.
Please take a few minutes and write to the DNR to let them know we won't allow them to close trails on a hunch without protest. The comment period ends December 16th. Write to:
Paul.Zajackowski@wisconsin.gov
