THERE IS THE ASSUMPTION IN THE MARKETING OF THIS GOLF COURSE THAT ITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS EXCEED THE BENEFITS KOHLER ANDRAE STATE PARK PROVIDES TO THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.
Steven Davis, Professor of Political Science, Edgewood College, Madison Wisconsin:
These claims, however, desperately require some context. First of all, the use of real estate appraisal values in this case means close to nothing as it leaves out all the context which makes the intact park a local economic powerhouse. It’s like yanking out someone’s teeth and declaring them worth the value of the metal in the fillings.
Watch Steven Davis's informative interview on the economic and ecosystem service values of Kohler Andrae State Park
Economic impact of Kohler-Andrae State Park significant
In 2013, DNR and UW researchers estimated that the annual economic impact of Kohler-Andrae State Park was $19.9 million, which is equivalent to about $26.3 million in 2023 dollars. The same study estimated that the entire State Park system had a $626.9 million annual economic impact (2013 dollars) and created 8,251 jobs. If we extrapolate the job creation figures to Kohler-Andrae using the same ratio as overall economic impact, the state park would be expected to support approximately 264 local jobs.
DNR illegally trades prime ecologically significant Kohler Andrae State Park land for run down stables and scrub land outside the park owned by Kohler
Why?
Because Kohler prefers to use park land instead of its own.
Kohler had previously asked Scott Walker to streamline the approvals and told Walker they wanted state park land.
Governor Evers: Free Kohler Andrae State Park. Review the flawed Kohler Land Swap Deal Sign the petition here.
The Land Swap Story
Devils Lake State Park acreage given to a billion dollar company to use for its own gain?
We don’t think Wisconsin would stand for that.
IT HAS HAPPENED TO KOHLER ANDRAE STATE PARK IN 2018
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A Wisconsin ecological gem
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A camping paradise
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467,000 + visitors (2018 attendance)
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Over 19 million dollar economic benefit to state plus millions of dollars in ecosystems services
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Held in trust by the state for the benefit of its residents
The DNR created a deal benefitting A PRIVATE COMPANY over the rights of Wisconsin Taxpayers
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WI law and DNR procedures ignored
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Value of Kohler Ardrae State Park misrepresented
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Federal LAWCON requirements manipulated
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Taxpayers and residents of Wisconsin stripped of their right to challenge a state agency by 2022 State Supreme Court
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DNR trades prime ecologically significant land for Kohler scrub land outside the state park.
"(A)llowing the State of Wisconsin to give away valuable and ecologically rare state park public property to a private company for their personal business/profit use is 'wrong' and is the worst kind of precedence to set. The public expects their DNR to preserve and enhance our state parks, forests, and other public lands and to protect our water quality and rare wetland habitat for the benefit of all Wisconsin citizens."
-James Buchholz, former 26 year Superintendent of Kohler Andrae State Park
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TODAY THE STEAL CONTINUES
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The agreement signed by Scott Walker allows Kohler to destroy Kohler Andrae State Park land whenever it wants. When is governor Evers going to take action on rescinding this?
The DNR continues to hold prime acres of KASP dunes and forest for the Kohler Company to develop whenever it chooses. The Kohler Company has no wetland permit to build its proposed golf course. The Land Exchange Agreement giving the company prime State Park land was tied to a specific golf course plan which can't be built. FBRF believes the agreement should be rescinded. The DNR and Governor Evers have been asked repeatedly to rescind the agreement, however, a DNR attorney suggests that the agency will wait until Kohler decides if it will use the park land. FBRF BELIEVES THAT THE DNR'S REFUSAL TO RESCIND THE AGREEMENT BY DEFERRING TO KOHLER, HAS CEDED ITS MANDATE TO MANAGE STATE PARK LANDS FOR THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN TO A CORPORATE ENTITY.
Wisconsin residents value their state parks and we believe they reject the precedence this will set for future GIVEAWAYS of our state gems to for-profit corporations.
Follow the campaign to STOP THE SWAP on instagram, Friends of the Black River Forest on Facebook. and friendsblackriverforest.com