Last week, the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust held a dedication ceremony to open a floating platform in their 48 acre Guckenberg-Sturm Preserve. The Preserve is situated along the west shore of Little Lake Butte des Morts and bordered on the north by Mud Creek at the point of its convergence with the Fox River as it travels northeast into Lake Michigan’s largest bay, Green Bay. This new platform will allow Fox City residents and visitors to venture into the marsh all the way from the upper flood plain to the water’s edge. The ability of the platform to float makes this area accessible from March through May when the annual spring floods come in as well as at other times when the water level is lower.
This wetland is home to a variety of wildlife. In the fall one can see thousands of Canadian Geese coming and going as well as otters gliding through the waters. In the summer one might see hundreds of ducks or handfuls of White Pelicans in the water. This area has always been an important preserve, and now people can really explore and experience what this 48 acres has to offer.
Not only is the Guckenberg-Sturm Preserve a beautiful scenescape, it is also an important area for health reasons as well. In a 2005 Clean Water Testing Report, it was concluded that this “marsh is a healthy, highly functioning filter for the Fox Valley’s soil and water cycle”. Because the Fox River Valley is one of Wisconsin’s most urbanized and industrialized areas, it is important that this wetland maintain its health in addition to its beauty.
You can visit this beautiful spot! Find out more at Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust’s website.
