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Amid the devilish details of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed two-year budget is the stripping away of protections for Downer Woods, UW-Milwaukee’s research and recreational forest. UWM didn’t ask for this change, so it must have come from the Walker administration. The question is, why?
Think about the UWM campus, the East Side and the Milwaukee River that runs along it. It’s already a densely packed part of the city and it once had major industry that spewed terrible chemicals into our soil, air and water. But, fortunately, residents, researchers and environmentalists saw something much more: a place where nature could be preserved within an urban setting, which benefits not only the environment, but our health and quality of life. They’ve worked tirelessly to turn blight into an oasis in the city.
The 11-acre Downer Woods has been used as a research and recreational area for almost 20 years. It’s vitally important to the health and well-being of not only the university but all of us in the city, at least indirectly.
So why mess with success? The Walker administration indicates that this is just part of turning the UW System into the UW Authority. We aren’t buying it. Rather, we think that Walker’s cronies want to buy the woods and develop them. Consider the premium that could be charged to, say, high-end condo residents if they could live among a precious natural setting like Downer Woods. We’re sure Walker’s friends are thinking about this.
Instead of stripping away protections for Downer Woods, the state should do all it can to ensure that they are protected for this generation and those to come. UW-Milwaukee and its rare urban forest should be appreciated and enjoyed—not sold to the highest bidder.
Got something to say about the governor’s proposed budget? Weigh in at the public hearings held by the members of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee. The Milwaukee hearing will be held on Friday, March 20, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Alverno College’s Pittman Theatre, 3400 S. 43rd St., Milwaukee.
