Door County villages apply for more land, expanding outdoor recreation

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Both the villages of Sister Bay and Egg Harbor have applied for grants to buy more land and expand opportunities for outdoor activities.

Both villages applied to the 50% matching Urban Green Space grants from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, says the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

According to authorities, the village of Sister Bay has applied for approximately 16.8 acres on the bay of Green Bay inside the village of Sister Bay.

The property includes approximately 600 feet of shoreline with a polished stone beach and white cedar forest. The DNR also says Sister Bay plans to provide public access to the shoreline to allow for low-impact recreational use.

On the other hand, authorities announce the village of Egg Harbor applied for approximately 1.2 acres on the bay of Green Bay inside the village of Egg Harbor.

The DNR says this land is irregular in shape, wooded, and is sloping toward Egg Harbor waterfront. The site also has an old concrete pier with approximately 171 feet of shoreline. Egg Harbor plans to extend the existing public beach area, adding more room for amenities, such as additional parking and future trailhead development.

Multiple press releases say the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund was created in 1989 to preserves natural resources, protect water quality and fisheries, and expand opportunities for outdoor recreation.

In addition, the DNR has decided that if the land is purchased they will not allow people to discharge firearms and trappings on the property. They believe preventing these activities are a necessity for protecting the publics’ safety. The DNR says they examined multiple factors before the decision was made, such as the proximity to a public roadway.

For more information on the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, visit the DNR website.