The Marathon County Forestry Department has a plan to buy land for the Marathon County Forest. The County Forest Comprehensive Land Use Plan 1996-2005 calls for the purchase of an average of 200 acres per year from willing sellers. The majority of proposed purchase areas are located in the towns of Bevent, Elderon, Emmet, Guenther, Harrison, Hewitt, Kronenwetter, Marathon, Mosinee, Reid, Rib Mountain, and Ringle next to existing county forest lands. Recently, controversy about a local businessman's proposal to purchasing 10 acres in the Town of Rib Mountain centered around the possible development of a piece of land that had been identified as a potential addition to the Nine Mile Forest Recreation Area. Neighbors were concerned about possible development in an area they felt should become public forest.
Controversy is inevitable when three conflicting plans are in place for the same piece of land.
The promise of SmartGrowth is the elimination of conflicting plans. Growing smart means cooperating with each other, listening, and considering the welfare of all. Growing smart means putting real plans in place backed up by ordinances to help elected officials make tough choices. Growing smart means protecting the best farmland, the best forest land, recreation areas, special habitats, and groundwater and surface water. Growing smart means planning industrial parks, urban development, and rural subdivision developments that are desirable, cost effective, and environmentally friendly.