Thanks to Natural Heritage Land Trust, a new land acquisition along the Sugar River will be Dane County’s second largest acquisition of land for conservation and its largest acquisition including river frontage ever.
The land and river will be open to the public for hiking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting and trapping. The river itself is known to offer some of the best trout fishing in the area and with only a 30-minute drive from downtown Madison this land is sure to be popular for years to come. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said it well: “This will truly be a destination for people in Dane County and beyond”. The protected land will likely raise property values in the area and help businesses in Verona and Montrose as well.
The land was previously owned by the Bruce Co. for around 25 years who had planned to build a golf course on it but were stopped short when the local government did not grant approval. However, the Company is now eager to protect the land from development and share it with the county. The acquisition will include 340 acres that are being purchased by the county and an additional 126 acres which will be placed in a conservation easement to limit future development. Natural Heritage Land Trust, who is partnered with Dane County, has also applied for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant in order to pay for half of the acquisition.
Read more about this exciting project in the Wisconsin State Journal and at madison.com.
Photo taken by M.P. King of the Wisconsin State Journal
