Bill introduced to make Apostle Islands Wisconsin's first national park

WASHINGTON – Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany has introduced the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act, which would redesignate the Apostle Islands from a national lakeshore 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” said Representative Tiffany. “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.”

Additionally, Representative Tiffany says the move will allow proper recognition of the Ojibwe tribe that first called the islands home.

“The Apostle Islands are integral to the culture of the Ojibwe. Elevating this unit to national park service will elevate their history as well” said Tiffany. He has also consulted with both the Bad River and Red Cliff bands of the Lake Superior Chippewa on the bill.

Representative Tiffany says in 2022, visitor spending in communities near national parks generated a record 50.3 billion dollars to the nation’s economy and supported 378,400 jobs.

This push is not the first time the islands have been considered for national park status; as far back as 1930 Congress conducted a study on the region to determine if it should be given the designation. Prior to earning their status as a national lakeshore, President John Kennedy described the islands as “part of our American heritage.” The islands would ultimately earn national lakeshore designation in 1970.

According to the National Park Service, a proposed unit will be considered nationally significant if it meets all four of the following standards:

It is an outstanding example of a particular type of resource.
It possesses exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our Nation’s heritage.
It offers superlative opportunities for recreation for public use and enjoyment, or for scientific study.
It retains a high degree of integrity as a true, accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of the resource.

There is some recent precedent for a national lakeshore to transition to a national park; the Indiana Dunes along that state’s Lake Michigan coastline made the shift in 2019.

The Apostle Islands bill has received support from fellow Wisconsin congressional Republicans Bryan Steil, Derrick Van Orden, Scott Fitzgerald, and Glenn Grothman.

You can view the full text for the bill here.

Author’s note: a follow-up article detailing concerns with the bill raised by local tribal leaders and Bayfield, Wisconsin Mayor Tom Dougherty can be found here.

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