Twenty-one beautiful islands, cliffs, sea caves, old lighthouses, and 12 miles of shoreline make up the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Photo by Apostle Island Cruises
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) – A bill introduced by one of Wisconsin’s congressmen that would establish Wisconsin’s first national park will be the subject of a hearing on Wednesday by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
Congressman Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin’s 7th District proposed the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act, which would change the Apostle Islands’ status from a national lakeshore, which it’s been since 1970, to a national park.
“The Apostle Islands are one of Wisconsin’s true crown jewels and deserve to be recognized as the state’s first National Park. This prestigious designation would not only strengthen conservation efforts, bolster the local economy, and create new job opportunities, but would also ensure lasting environmental and economic security to our region for generations to come,” Tiffany said in a press release.
Renaming a national lakeshore as a national park is not unprecedented as a national park designation was given to Indiana Dunes in 2019 and other parks such as New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia was officially named a national park in 2020.
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