Pine View finds new life at a new home

Pine View Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center has moved from the Town of Fredonia location it’s called home for decades to a new facility in the Town of Saukville.

It’s a move that founder and Executive Director Jean Lord said was needed as the center moves toward a more sustainable future.

Pine View, she said, had outgrown its former facility and much of its infrastructure — the cages and enclosures — was in need of repair.

The new center was unveiled during a “Thank you” celebration for Friends of Pine View and benefactors on June 1.

“We wanted to show them what they’ve helped build and grow,” Lord said of the new facility. “It’s amazing. We’re looking forward to continuing to meet the needs of our community.

“And none of this would be possible without the community. The sustainability of a small nonprofit is directly related to the community and the volunteers.”

Pine View got its start in 1981 and since then has grown to become a premier facility that is dedicated to the rehabilitation and preservation of Wisconsin wildlife.

Education is a major component of its work, particularly teaching people of all ages how to co-exist with wildlife and nature.

“We’ve never been just a rehabilitation center,” Lord said. “We want to educate people about the impact of their actions on the earth.

“Our educational efforts continue to expand and grow.”

Pine View recently completed a two-year project to update its handbook, which will be distributed to local schools.

The organization’s former home was also Lord’s home, and she said it was time to move the operation to a place of its own.

“Now I’m going to plant more trees,”  Lord said.

The move can be seen as a symbolic move from the decades its been led by Lord to a younger generation.

“I’m not going away,” Lord said. “But we have a succession plan. It’s time we have new life, new beginnings.”

Those new beginnings include finding a successor to Lord — Mick Jacoby, who started volunteering at Pine View when he was 12. Jacoby, Lord said, will assume her responsibilities over the next two years.

Another longtime volunteer, Kristen Bustamante, will continue on as Pine View’s hospital manager.

“I’m passing the baton,” Lord said. “I’m no longer picking up the phone. It’s time for the next generation to take the reins.”

Pine View’s new home is located on land that was donated to the organization a decade ago. Since then, it has slowly moved portions of its operation there.

A hospital for the animals was opened years ago, and the 100-year-old house on the property was renovated. The garage was redone, educational areas established and a number of enclosures moved from their former home to the new location, thanks to help from volunteers.

Lord gave a particular shout out to Tom Didier and his Re/Max United team, which  moved many of the enclosures.

“Without him, this would not have been possible,” she said.

But not every enclosure or building could be saved.

“Many of our structures were from the 1980s, 1990s,” Lord said.

A major flight cage used for large birds was built by Scouts and other volunteers over the course of three years, a project overseen by architect Jim Mikkelson.

Pine View is also raising money to build a new reptile room, Lord said, noting they have already raised $40,000 of the $60,000 needed for the project.

Lord said that the new property allows Pine View to maintain the quality of its operations with room to expand in the future.

“We don’t want to crowd our patients,” she said. “They need their space.”

Pine View services 16 counties, specializing in birds of prey, particularly hawks, owls, eagles and falcons, predatory mammals such as fox, coyotes and badgers, reptiles and amphibians.

In a typical year, Lord said, Pine View takes in 15 to 22 turtles struck by vehicles, three or four bald eagles — they’ve admitted two this year already, and “once the young fledge we expect more calls,” Lord said — and six to eight great horned owls. This year, two little great horned owls have been admitted, one that fell from its nest and one with cataracts.

Pine View typically also admits four to six coyotes a year, as well as numerous frogs in fall.

This is the first year they haven’t had a kestrel and the third year without a badger, she said, but they have admitted two immature screech owls, a female opossum with six juveniles and six fox pups.

“We’ll see what the year brings,” Lord said.

Anyone who finds a bird or animal in need that Pine View handles is asked to call (262) 692-9021.