JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, VERNON COUNTY, WIS. — “It’s like having your own little piece of a park, our own little sanctuary. We can hear the owls at night and the beat of horse’s hooves on the road. We see deer, turkey and roughed grouse.” This is how Sherry Piros described the 58 acres of scenic woods and wetlands along the North Fork Bad Axe River owned by her and her husband Bob.
Located in Vernon County near the community of Esofea, the property consists of 1,700 feet of frontage on the North Fork Bad Axe River, and is home to the state threatened Cherrystone Drop snail and Butternut trees, a species of Special Concern in Wisc.
Bob and Sherry have wonderful memories of finding morel mushrooms in the spring, enjoying the spring flowers, and viewing the vibrant colors of fall while overlooking the river from the rock outcropping on their 200 foot bluff. These are memories of the past, and there are many more memories yet to be made, now that the Piros’ have protected this land forever with a conservation agreement with Mississippi Valley Conservancy. An agreement that means no houses will be built on their bluff, no disturbance will be made to the river, and no land will be torn up for mining or development of any kind – ever.
Sherry and Bob believe in the conservation of natural areas. “We have had experience with conserving some of the land where we live in Illinois,” Sherry said. “We have long believed in protecting land from abuse or exploitation.”
Bob said, “Over the years I’ve seen the degradation of our woodlands and the loss of spring ephemerals in Illinois. I’ve been doing prairie restoration since the early 1970s with our local group The Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County. I’m dedicated to keeping this from happening to our property in Vernon County.” The Piros’ goals for the land are to see the wildflowers thrive and have a biodiverse ecosystem.
“Twenty years after purchasing the property Bob and Sherry have set the example for their children to follow when it comes to caring for and protecting the land,” said executive director, Carol Abrahamzon. The Conservancy has great admiration for the Piros’ conservation leadership. “It’s been a pleasure to work with them.”
