Iowa DNR's Forestry Division wants to cut down trees at the Decorah Hatchery--including the favorite tree of the Decorah Eagles

As decorahnews.com reported earlier (http://www.decorahnews.com/news-stories/2019/05/22295.html), the Decorah Fish Hatchery is hosting a public hearing Monday night on a proposal to cut down some trees at the hatchery.

That might not be a topic which draws a large crowd, but in this case, it could.

That's because sources tell decorahnews.com that one of the trees the DNR Forestry Division wants to cut down is the favorite tree of the Decorah Eagles. 

There would certainly be valid reasons for cutting down the tree--it has a few dead branches and could come down in a storm.  On the other hand, the first tree on the right as you head into the Chuck Gipp Decorah Hatchery is beloved by the Decorah Eagles and, thus, by fans of the Decorah Eagles.  That's because the eagles frequent the tree often, since it overlooks the ponds at the hatchery, and so photographers know it's a good place to get a close-up of the eagles.

Which argument will prevail--that it is a "hazardous tree" which should be cut down--or that it is part of the tourist attraction that is the Decorah Eagle Nest?  Monday's 6:00 p.m. meeting at the Hatchery could tell the story.