Case Statement 2011

Summary  

The Driftless Area Land Conservancy makes its home in southwestern Wisconsin, a region of exceptional natural beauty. With its rolling hills and fertile valleys, this region contains natural and cultural resources of statewide, national and global significance. The water that falls on this land recharges aquifers and serves multiple uses on its journey to the gulf. Our prairies and oak savannas sustain wildlife and imperiled species, and represent some of the most rare habitat types in the world. Our thriving rural heritage sustains local economies and quality of life. Timely action is needed to help protect this very special region so that future generations might also enjoy its abundance and opportunity.

Threats

Within this strikingly beautiful landscape, fragmentation of land – primarily through poorly planned development – destroys our farmland, natural communities, wildlife habitat and water quality. Given its proximity to Madison, Rockford and Chicago, farms throughout the region are being split up into housing tracts and small acreage recreational land. Until the early 2000’s, private landowners had few, if any, options to permanently protect their land. The Driftless Area Land Conservancy was created in response to this problem. The Conservancy formed with the following mission:

To protect the rural landscape and quality of life in southwest Wisconsin - this includes protection of farms, forests, grasslands, wetlands, soils, and the natural beauty of the area.

The need to protect this region is more urgent today than it was ten years ago. New federal and state land conservation programs require the expertise and commitment of an organization like the Driftless Area Land Conservancy. Without the important service provided by our land trust, critical needs may go unmet and threats unheeded.

Opportunities

Today there is an unprecedented amount of public funding available to help safeguard conservation priorities in the Driftless region. The Conservancy continually receives calls for our services, representing years of future obligations. We have the support of a large membership, strong staff, and an active and generous Board of Directors committed to our mission and goals. We also have the support of many state and federal conservation organizations and agencies. Given the growing threat to our vulnerable Driftless Area landscape, we are committed to working collaboratively to protect our agricultural and conservation heritage.
There are outstanding opportunities to conserve the rural character of the region while maintaining family farming as an important part of the local economy. Through the use of conservation easements, the Conservancy not only protects natural communities and productive farm land but also helps sustain multi-generational family farms. While allowing landowners to retain ownership of their property, conservation easements can reduce the tax burden making farming more affordable for the next generation while encouraging future agricultural investment.

Successes and Prospects

To date the Conservancy has protected over 1,700-acres of prairie, forest, savanna, grasslands and productive farmland. We have achieved this by accepting and/or acquiring real estate interests in land so that the conservation values and habitats of that land can forever be protected. The Conservancy provides voluntary land protection opportunities to landowners who care passionately about their land and hope to see it protected from inappropriate and damaging development. In short, our expertise helps landowners make informed decisions about the legacy they hope to leave behind.
Over the years we have received many generous financial gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations in support of our conservation efforts. We have also been very fortunate to work with many wonderful landowners committed to conservation. Their donations of land and easements not only protect the special places of the Driftless Area, but also allow the Conservancy to leverage these donations to protect other properties within the region.
Currently, we have a large number of landowners interested in protecting the outstanding conservation values found on their properties. These landowners need our expertise and support to achieve their dreams of land conservation. Together we protect globally rare oak savannas, pine relicts, high-quality prairies, and grasslands that provide habitat for imperiled plants and animals. We help assure that archeological treasures are forever protected. We help working farms fend off inappropriate development. We expand State Natural Areas and protect rivers, streams and habitat that provide sanctuary for many living things.

History and Goals

The Conservancy was founded in 2000 with the support of Gathering Waters Conservancy, a statewide umbrella organization for land trusts. Our current Board of Directors are committed conservationists, philanthropists and landowners that represent forestry, fundraising, education, legal and finance professions. As an organization we have accomplished a great deal over the years, however significant protection needs remain. We intend to be a highly efficient and effective organization well into the next century, and we need your help to get there. Please consider supporting our organization so that together we can help protect one of Wisconsin’s most beautiful, productive and enduring landscapes - our Driftless Area.