Under a new bill with backing from over half of Wisconsin’s congressional members, the Apostle Islands would receive national park status and become the first park in the state with the designation, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The bill was introduced by Northern Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who said the move would increase tourism in the area and help the local economy. The Apostle Islands are currently part of only four areas nationwide designated as national lakeshores.
The group of islands off the Bayfield Peninsula in Lake Superior would have increased access to federal conservation money and additional conservation educational programming specific to the islands if national park status is granted.
Under the bill, an area of the mainland Bayfield Peninsula inside the Red Cliff Reservation — currently part of the national lakeshore designation — would receive national park status along with 21 islands; however, Sand Island, which also currently has national lakeshore status, would be set aside as a national hunting preserve. Hunting on all the other islands under the national park designation would be prohibited.
