Editorial: Protect the river

Two cases of clear-cutting along the Milwaukee River suggest that a single agency should be put in charge.

Posted: Nov. 13, 2007

Two recent incidents of cutting down vegetation along the Milwaukee River suggest that it might be time to change who is responsible for protecting the river and its habitat. The incidents don't instill much public confidence in the ability and willingness of at least Glendale and River Hills to provide that protection.

The Glendale incident appears to be the most egregious - Friends of the Milwaukee River has filed notice of intent to sue over the cutting - but both incidents point to a lack of adequate oversight by government and to developers unmindful of unintended consequences.

In Milwaukee County, municipalities are charged with protecting the river and lakefronts. Most do a good job, but given the recent incidents, maybe it's time to assign that protection to one agency responsible for the entire river.

In Glendale, Heartland Development removed almost all of the trees and shrubs on about an acre that abuts the river near Estabrook Park falls. The spot is popular with anglers and canoeists, who use the site as a portage around the falls.

A member of the Friends group said the trees and shrubs also provided a habitat for wildlife, that the area is a corridor for migrating birds and that soil erosion - which vegetation prevents - could increase the river's temperature, endangering the lake sturgeon that the state Department of Natural Resources is trying to reintroduce.

The DNR says it received several complaints about the cutting and began an investigation. A DNR spokeswoman said the land is so close to the river that Heartland should have taken steps to prevent erosion and that Glendale should have issued the permit and overseen the work.

Heartland said Glendale told the company that no permits were needed for the cutting. The cutting was done to clear a view of the river for the condos that Heartland is planning to build on the 12-acre site it purchased from the city a year ago.

A view of the river certainly will be nice for condo owners; sadly, making room for that view could well hurt the very river they'll be looking at.