The Largest Easement Donation to a Wisconsin Land Trust

On December 1, 2011, the Winter Park Pines Nature Preserve was established with the granting of a perpetual conservation easement by Ken and Carolyn Aldridge to the Northwoods Land Trust.  This 3,195 acre property -nearly  five square miles – includes about 43 kilometers of cross-country ski and snow shoe trails at the core of the Minocqua Winter Park Nordic Center’s trail system.  This project is the largest conservation easement ever donated to a land trust in Wisconsin.

Minocqua Winter Park is regarded as one of the premier cross-country ski trail systems in the Midwest.  The ski chalet is located on 40 acres of land owned by the Town of Minocqua and managed for public use under an agreement with the Lakeland Ski Touring Foundation, Inc.  The Winter Park Pines Nature Preserve surrounds the chalet property.

Through the land protection agreement, the Aldridges have granted skiers perpetual access to the existing trails, allowed for sustainable forestry, and limited land fragmentation and development which will keep the land in its natural state.  Through the Aldridge’s generosity, the land will remain forever open to the public for winter sports including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skijoring (skiing with dogs).

The conservation agreement also protects over 13 miles of natural shorelines on the Squirrel River, Yukon Creek, Howard’s Creek, and other small, un-named streams and ponds.  In addition, the land provides natural habitat buffers around and adjacent to the Squirrel River Pines State Natural Area.

The public is invited to the dedication of the new  Winter Park Pines Nature Preserve on  Thursday, December  29^th at 11 a.m.  at the chalet.  

To get to Minocqua Winter Park, take Hwy. 70 about 6.5 miles west of Minocqua, turn south on Squirrel Lake Road for about 4 miles, and follow the signs east ¼ mile on Scotchman Lake Road to the entrance drive.   For more information on the preserve or dedication, contact land trust Executive Director Bryan Pierce at (715) 479-2490.   

Squirrel River, Northwoods Land Trust Photo

Wintertime Family Fun

There may not be snow on the ground around most of the state but winter is upon us. Wisconsin’s treasured landscapes can be absolutely stunning in winter and are an excellent opportunity to enjoy the outdoors this holiday season. Thanks to our conservation organizations here in Wisconsin there are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the winter weather. Whether you like to ski, snowshoe, hike, or help out on restoration projects, there is way for every nature lover to spend time outside. Here are three of the many opportunities you can find on our Land Trust Events page:

• Baird Creek Winter Wonderland Hike – Discover the beauty of a snowy Baird Creek on December 17th at 1 pm at Christa McAuliffe Park. Join Dr. Mike Draney, professor from UW-Green Bay, as he leads you through the park and answers your questions about spiders, the effects of harsh weather conditions and anything else that comes to mind.

• Ice Age Trail Alliance Restoration and Brush Burning – Winter is a great time to do savanna and prairie restoration. Enjoy the beautiful snowy landscape, and take breaks by the fire of a brush pile with the Dane County Chapter of IATA. You’ll have such a good time you’ll forget to be cold! The work will take place at Table Bluff at 9am.

• National Audubon Society’s Holiday Bird Count – From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission to count birds. Many chapters across Wisconsin are taking part in the event.

We hope to see out this winter enjoying the places that make Wisconsin special!

Tall Pines Conservancy Concert on the Farm

On Saturday, October 1st, Tall Pines Conservancy hosted its first ever Concert on the Farm as part of their annual Fall Harvest festival.  For the past 3 years Tall Pines has been gathering at a local barn to celebrate the results of their work over the previous year.

This year, the Fall Harvest is at one of the first 16 farms chosen to participate in the PACE program to highlight the importance of working lands in Southeastern Wisconsin and across the state.  The inaugural Concert on the Farm was held at the Zwieg Maple Acres farm.  Zwieg Maple Acres is a 6th generation Dairy farm operating in Ashippun and Lebanon since 1856.

After Tall Pines worked to establish an Agricultural Enterprise Area in the Towns of Ashippun and Oconomowoc, Joe Zweig was the first landowner to step up to enroll in the PACE Program.  “He and his son, Kyle, contacted me and said they wanted to preserve their farm and do it with Tall Pines and through the PACE program,” notes Susan Buchanan, Tall Pines’ executive director.  Kyle is the 6th generation working on the farm and plans to continue the agricultural tradition.

Adds Buchanan, “This family just gets the importance of combining working lands with conservation to protect Wisconsin’s specialness.  They have an absolutely picture perfect 250-acre working farm that is a great model for PACE and, with three generations currently living on the farm, they are great spokesmen for the program.  They have hosted a variety of meetings and events on their farm for us, including our “Ride to the Barns” for the last two years.”

This year’s event featured a book signing and concert by Michael Perry and the Long Beds.  Michael was the perfect fit for an event like this.  His books, most recently, Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting, chronicle the highs and lows of farm life in rural Wisconsin.

Additionally, Fall Harvest showcased local food prepared by a local chef in the town of Lebanon.  Bodhi Personal Chef and Catering specializes in sourcing local & seasonal food and in 2010 Bodhi won the Milwaukee Iron Chef Competition.  One of this year’s features will be beef burgers made from Scottish cattle raised in the area and seasonal vegetable salads.

We at Gathering Waters are very excited to announce this marquee event for Tall Pines Conservancy.  It is just another example of the great work being done by Wisconsin’s land trusts and another reminder that we can all play a role in helping protect the places that make Wisconsin special.

All In An Excellent Day’s Work

On July 28th we packed the GWC staffers into a minivan and headed up to the West Bend area to do some field work on one of Ozaukee-Washington Land Trust’s fee-title properties.  We feel lucky to work with and for land trusts, whether it’s in our offices finding solutions to administrative and strategic issues or by pulling thistles and burdock in former pastures.  To us it represents another way people can help land trusts do their work better.

On this particular steamy Friday we all benefited from the experience; the land trust gained a few more volunteers and we spent a terrific day amongst friends getting our hands dirty.  We see as much value in protecting land as in stewarding it.  To be able to participate in this work is an honor and also fun.

OWLT has a full calendar of volunteer activities and events all summer long.  They’re also our pick for Land Trust of the Year and will be coming down to Madison on September 29^th to celebrate with us.  One way or another, we encourage you to join us in celebrating this organization’s great work protecting the places that make Wisconsin special in Ozaukee and Washington Counties.

Explore New Places this Weekend

The warm weather is here and it’s time to get outdoors!  We’ve compiled a collection of events happening all summer and fall on land trust-protected properties and you’re invited to attend.  We call it our Parade of Preserves and we hope you’ll join us!

Land trusts work hard to protect our state’s special places.  They also host field trips, tours, work days, and educational events for everyone who loves Wisconsin. There’s something afoot almost every day in the coming months.  Next weekend alone you can help the Ice Age Trail Alliance build trail, take a Door County lighthouse walk with the Ridges Sanctuary, or picnic on the prairie with Caledonia Conservancy.

Join us in celebrating the places that make Wisconsin special.  And, check back in.  We’re constantly updating our list of land trust excursions and events, just for you.