Accomplishments

The Natural Heritage Land Trust is a results-oriented organization. Since our inception in 1983 (originally as the Dane County Natural Heritage Foundation), we have protected 4,588 acres of land. See the list below and our project map for more information about the lands we have protected.

Major accomplishments include: working with governments to create county parks along Black Earth Creek and Fish Lake; protecting farm and recreation land in the Black Earth Creek valley; purchasing 57 acres of land at Patrick Marsh adjacent to the rapidly-growing city of Sun Prairie that we will restore to wildlife habitat and open to the public; collaborating with the Town of Dunn to protect over 2,400 acres of high-quality farm land; purchasing 349 acres of land in Rock County to expand the Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area and open it to the public for recreation and hunting; conserving a major source of freshwater for Token Creek and Lake Mendota; preserving an important link in the Nine-Springs E-way; and helping to protect the setting for Cave of the Mounds, a National Natural Landmark and important local business near the Village of Blue Mounds.

Projects of the Natural Heritage Land Trust

Ace Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2001. This 254-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

ARG Matey Addition to Patrick Marsh Natural Resource Site. 2005. This 23-acre property protects part of the upland landscape on the south side of Patrick Marsh.

Bolz Conservancy Park, Village of Waunakee. 2001. Thanks to the generosity of the Bolz family this ten-acre hill top park protects sweeping views of Lake Mendota and the state capitol. The Land Trust holds a conservation easement on the park to ensure that it will always remain open to the public as a natural area. (In addition, the Land Trust holds two more conservation easements that protect the view from the park).

Bruce Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2001. This 143-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Cell Conservation Easement, Town of Oregon. 1993. This 49-acre conservation easement protects the headwaters of Story Creek which flows through Tipperary Marsh and the Brooklyn Wildlife Area to the south. The easement was generously donated by landowner Charles Cell to protect his "Storybrook Farm" which features several large springs and the oldest brick structure in the town of Oregon.

Ebeneezer Brigham Conservation Easement, Town of Blue Mounds. 2004. This 26-acre conservation easement protects a significant part of the setting for Cave of the Mounds National Natural Landmark, an important local business.

Evenson's Woods Conservation Easement, Town of Vermont. 1985. Thanks to the generosity of the Evenson family, this seven-acre beautifully wooded hillside (called "Trillium Hill") was protected through the donation of land. The Land Trust sold the property to raise funds for additional conservation work but retained a conservation easement on the property, ensuring that it will be permanently protected.

Everson Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2007. This 68-acre conservation easement protects farmland and open space in the Lower Mud Lake Natural Resource Area between Lake Kegonsa and Lower Mud Lake in the Town of Dunn. The easement reserves a corridor for the proposed Lower Yahara River bike and pedestrian trail that would one day link McFarland with points to the south.

Franklin Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2002. This 46-acre conservation easement preserves wildlife habitat and hunting land in the Town of Dunn.

Graber Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2003. This 64-acre conservation easement preserves wildlife habitat and hunting land, including approximately 1,900 feet of frontage on the Yahara River in the Town of Dunn.

Gustrowsky Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2000. This 233-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Gustrowsky NE Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2005. This 150-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land as well as wetland and woodland in the Town of Dunn.

Hawkinson Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2000. This 80-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land and a 15-acre woodland in the Town of Dunn.

Hayward-D'Alessio Conservation Easement, Town of Blue Mounds. 1995. Thanks to the generosity of landowners Julie Hayward and Donn D'Alessio, this 77-acre diverse property, including oak savanna, wetland, prairie, and a portion of German Valley Creek, is protected by a conservation easement.

Hickory Hill Conservation Easement, Village of Cross Plains. 2006. Thanks to the generosity of three landowners, the Land Trust purchased this 53-acre property at a bargain price and then gave the property to the Village of Cross Plains as an addition to the Village's system of conservancy parks. The Land Trust retained a conservation easement on the property, ensuring that it would always remain open to the public in a natural state.

Jacob Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 1999. This 198-acre conservation easement protects productive agricultural land, 30 acres of wetland, 20 acres of woodland, and several archeological sites in the Town of Dunn.

JMS Farm Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2005. This 162-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Kramper Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2001. This 324-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land and a wetland in the Town of Dunn.

Lakin Trust addition to Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area. 2006. This 349-acre property is being restored through the NRCS Wetland Reserve Program. When the restoration is complete, the Land Trust will transfer it to the Department of Natural Resources for public hunting, hiking, and other activities as part of the Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area in Rock County.

Lalor Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 1999. This 150- acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land as well as 20 acres of wetland and 26 acres of woodland in the Town of Dunn.

Ledin Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2004. This 66-acre conservation easement protects wildlife habitat in the Town of Dunn.

Louis' Bluff Conservation Easement, Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area. 2007. This 133-acre conservation easement preserves a Dells landmark, Louis' Bluff, and more than one mile of undeveloped shoreline on the Wisconsin River.

Lower Eagle Heights Woods Conservation Easement. 1984. This eight-acre conservation easement protects wooded land along Lake Mendota that is park of the University of Wisconsin's Lakeshore Nature Preserve. This easement was generously donated to the Land Trust as part of the adjacent Wally Bauman Woods project.

Lussier County Park, Town of Roxbury. 2001. This complex project resulted in the creation of a 140-acre county park, featuring approximately 3,000 feet of shoreline on Fish Lake in northwestern Dane County.

McLain Conservation Easement, Mud Lake. 1987. Thanks to the generosity of the landowner, this donated 13-acre conservation easement protects wetland, savanna, and agricultural land adjacent to Mud Lake on the Yahara River.

Merrimac Town Park, Lake Wisconsin. 2004. The Land Trust made a short-term loan to the Town of Merrimac to allow the Town to purchase eight acres of woods and shoreline for a new town park on Lake Wisconsin in Sauk County.

Mueller Trade land, Iowa County. 1993. Landowner Gene Mueller generously donated a two-acre parcel to the Land Trust for the purpose of reselling it to raise funds for other conservation work.

Mueller Trade Land, Iowa County. 1991. This half-acre tract of land was generously donated to the Land Trust for the purpose of reselling it to raise funds for conservation work elsewhere.

Pederson Springs, Token Creek. 2002. This 19-acre property protects a large spring that is an important water source for Token Creek. The Land Trust transferred the property to Dane County Parks to ensure proper management of the property.

Potthast Addition to Cherokee Marsh. 1991. The Land Trust purchased this 21-acre wetland parcel and transferred it to the City of Madison as an addition to the City's Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park.

Roark Conservation Easement, Town of West Point. 2004. This 21-acre conservation easement protects approximately 4000 feet of undeveloped shoreline, including important fish habitat, on Lake Wisconsin in Columbia County.

Schmidt's Orchard Addition to Nine Springs E-Way. 1988. The Land Trust and the Friends of Dane County Parks purchased this 24-acre parcel as an addition to the environmental corridor that runs south of Madison. The property was transferred to Dane County for management as part of the E-Way. The Capital City State Trail runs through the property.

Schneider East Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2005. This 60-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Schneider West Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2005. This 106-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Schoepp Addition to Black Earth Creek Fishery Area. 2001. The Land Trust purchased and, in partnership with the NRCS Wetland Reserve Program, restored 63 acres of wetlands along Garfoot Creek, a major tributary of Black Earth Creek. The property was transferred to the Department of Natural Resources and is open to the public for hunting and other activities.

Sinaiko Nine Springs E-Way and Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 1997. This 238-acre project added 21 acres to the Nine Springs E-Way for the Capital City State Trail, created a Town of Dunn park, and preserved 160 acres of productive farm land under a conservation easement as the Town of Dunn's first Rural Preservation Program project.

Smith Streambank Easement, Token Creek. 1996. This three-acre streambank easement protects a spring, pond, and 200-foot stretch of Token Creek.

Southbridge Park Easement, Village of Waunakee. 2001. Part of the Bolz Conservancy Park project, this 13-acre conservation easement protects public park land and helps preserve the view from Bolz Conservancy Park. This easement was generously donated by the Village of Waunakee.

Stern Addition to Patrick Marsh Natural Resource Site. 2004. This 35-acre property protects wetland and savanna habitat on the south side of Patrick Marsh.

Sunnyside Seed Farm, Black Earth Creek. 2004-2005. A collaborative project of Dane County, the Town of Middleton, and the Land Trust, this project brought 294 acres of land into Dane County ownership as part of the Black Earth Creek Natural Resource Area. The property includes more than a half-mile of Black Earth Creek and extensive uplands with views of Blue Mounds.

Swalheim Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2002. This 130-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Thomas Streambank Easement, Token Creek. 1993. This two-acre streambank easement protects a portion of a tributary of Token Creek.

Tierney Hillside Development Conservation Easement, Village of Waunakee. 2001. Thanks to the generosity of developer Don and Joanne Tierney, this five-acre conservation easement is part of the Bolz Conservancy Park project and places height limits on buildings to preserve the view of Lake Mendota and the state capitol from the Bolz Conservancy Park.

Trewartha Conservation Easement, Iowa County. 2003. This 169-acre conservation easement, generously donated by the landowner, preserves productive farmland, savanna and prairie remnants, and important grassland bird habitat north of Dodgeville.

Wally Bauman Woods Conservation Easement. 1984. The inaugural project of the Land Trust, it protects 3.4 acres of woodland on the bluffs of Lake Mendota. The Land Trust purchased the property and transferred it to the City of Madison which then transferred it to the University of Wisconsin where it is now open to the public as part of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. The Land Trust retains a conservation easement over the property to ensure that it will never be developed.

Watt's Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn and City of Fitchburg. 1986. Thanks to the generosity of the landowner, this donated 226-acre conservation easement co-held with the American Farmland Trust protects productive farmland, woods, and wetlands. The donor, Dr. Alice Watts, left 115 acres of the property to the Land Trust in her will, and the proceeds from the sale of the property (permanently protected by the conservation easement) was invested in many Land Trust conservation projects, including Lussier County Park.

Whiteside Conservation Easement, Cherokee Marsh. 1993. Naomi Whiteside generously donated a conservation easement on 17 acres to preserve woods and fields adjacent to county-owned land at Cherokee Marsh.

Wick Conservation Easement, Town of Dunn Rural Preservation Program. 2000. This 51-acre conservation easement preserves productive agricultural land in the Town of Dunn.

Wilke Prairie Preserve, Town of Vienna. 1994-1997. Thanks to the generosity of Hazel Knudson, this 40-acre nature preserve, including prairie, wetland, and a tributary of Six Mile Creek, is open to the public north of the Village of Waunakee.

Zander A and B Conservation Easements, Black Earth Creek. 2004. These conservation easements protect a total of 215 acres of productive agricultural land in the Black Earth Creek Valley.