State Rep. Joel Kitchens and State Sen. André Jacque are calling on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to hold a public meeting in Door County following concerns about tree removal and road widening work at Potawatomi State Park.

In a letter sent Tuesday to DNR Secretary Karen Hyun, the lawmakers requested a public forum to discuss the impact of the project and explain future plans before a second phase of construction begins.

The request follows complaints from residents and park visitors who say too many trees were removed during the first phase of work along Shoreline Road and South Norway Road. Critics of the project argue the roads do not need to be widened and say the tree removal has permanently altered the park’s landscape.

“Like many people in our area, I was shocked by the number of trees the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources cut down in Potawatomi State Park,” Kitchens said in an official statement. “That’s why Senator Jacque and I are formally asking the Department to hold a public meeting to better explain their next steps before they begin Phase 2 of the project.”

Jaque said he reviewed project documents and found them lacking in detail.

“While they may have technically met the legal requirement regarding notice and gathering public input, they did not come close to meeting the public’s expectations for transparency,” he said in the statement.

The lawmakers also said the scope of the work surprised members of the Friends of Potawatomi State Park organization, which supports maintenance and improvements within the park.

In their letter, Kitchens and Jacque said the DNR “owes all of us an explanation of what they are planning in the future” and urged the agency to coordinate a public meeting as soon as possible.

The DNR had not publicly responded to the request as of Tuesday.