Cape Cod Commission model interests neighbors to the West 

Door County, Wisconsin, is a peninsula comprised of more than a dozen distinct communities. Surrounded by Lake Michigan and Green Bay, the area is a popular tourist destination. With its geography, natural beauty, arts and culture, and miles of beautiful coastline, it's no wonder Door County has been called the Cape Cod of the Midwest. And like Cape Cod, Door County faces threats, including an increase in cyanobacteria blooms, development concerns, and rising home prices that force the region's families to seek housing elsewhere.   

Steve Eatough serves as the President of the Door County Environmental Council (DCEC), an organization dedicated to preserving the region's environment. On a visit to Cape Cod, Eatough noticed the area's natural beauty and abundance of local character and became curious about how the region is succeeding in balancing development with environmental protection.    

To learn more, Eatough invited Commission Deputy Director Erin Perry to share with DCEC members the origins of the agency and the impact it has had on Cape Cod in its 30-plus years of existence.  

"We'd like to compare and contrast what Cape Cod has faced in the past and in the present," said Eatough. "They've seen a lot of the same challenges that we are currently having; only they are ahead of us on dealing with it." 

Perry’s presentation outlined the history of the Commission, its role in the community and ways it coordinates with local, state, and federal government, nonprofits, and citizens, and how the agency’s work has evolved to ensure it continues to pursue its missions of balancing environmental protection with economic progress.  

Learn more about the Door County Environmental Council and watch the presentation by visiting https://dcec-wi.org/.