Mississippi Valley Conservancy will permanently protect a 33-acre property along Halls Creek with a conservation easement. For nearly two decades, Christine (Chris) Kelley and Jerry Schmidt have been stewarding this land north of Black River Falls. The property has wetlands, pine-oak forests, and a special white pine tree. It is a haven for wildlife, plants, birds, and aquatic species.
“The ecological, geological, scenic, and water resources of the Kelley & Schmidt property make it an exceptional conservation easement project,” according to Chris Kirkpatrick, Mississippi Valley Conservancy conservation manager. “In addition to offering a scenic experience for paddlers traveling through the property, protecting the diverse habitats and complex wetlands along Halls Creek is an important climate strategy and will ensure the property will be more resilient to the effects of climate change.”
This conservation easement safeguards land in an area that has been experiencing an increasing amount of development in recent years.
Read more in this blog article by Mississippi Valley Conservancy and this article by The Chippewa Herald.
Photo by Vendi.
