Letter to the Editor: Protect Plum and Pilot Islands

Most Door County visitors go to Washington Island or at least take the “curvy road to Northport.”

In any case, they see the lighthouse and keeper’s house on Plum Island across Death’s Door.

If they go to the island, they see the former lifesaving station on Plum. They may have spotted Pilot Island and its lighthouse out on the horizon.

These are icons in Door County. As much as the steel bridge and Cana Island. They are symbols, reminders of a critical part of the county’s history. They were and still are beacons of safety in Death’s Door, the county’s namesake. But they were built in the 1800s; the Coast Guard minimized its involvement with the structures on these islands in the late 1990s. Presently it is the responsibility of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Friends of Plum and Pilot Island (FOPPI) to see to it that these maritime icons continue to be viable elements of Door County’s infrastructure.

USFWS & FOPPI have worked diligently to provide public access to these treasures and at this time it is possible to hike on Plum Island, to see the historical structures, the eagle’s nest, the ruins of the first lighthouse in Death’s Door, and even take a guided audio walking tour around the island. Pilot remains off limits at this time. The point is, one can go to Plum Island, take a step back into Door County’s maritime past and ecological present at the same time. We have USFWS & FOPPI to thank for that.

Here’s the punchline. These buildings and their natural environment are getting long in the tooth. They are deteriorating. Without help they will become dust icons. There are ways to help though. One can join FOPPI and support island preservation activities. One of the many benefits of membership is regular volunteer access to the islands! FOPPI can be contacted at plumandpilot.org. Another way to help is to call or write Rep. Mike Gallagher, Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin. Tell them that these two icons are critical elements of Door County’s tourist infrastructure. When a federal infrastructure initiative is put in place, the preservation of the structures on these islands would be a good use of those resources. Projects are “shovel ready.” The jobs would benefit Door County residents. It’s a win-win.

In addition, USFWS can really use our support. These islands are part of the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The National Refuge system is under attack by the Trump Administration. These islands are also critical migratory bird resting and refueling stops. So we can help the birds by helping USFWS.

These two little islands on the tip of our peninsula are more important than we think. Over the years they have helped both birds and people migrate through Death’s Door. Now it is our turn to help them. Just think, one weekend at Mar-a-Lago costs taxpayers $3 million. What could that money do for Plum and Pilot Islands?

Mike Brodd, FOPPI Board Member

Sister Bay, Wis.