September 24, 1941 – February 28, 2026
By Heidi Habeger, Executive Director
Where do I begin? For more than 50 years, Bill Lunney held leadership roles in land conservation across Wisconsin, and we all benefit from his extraordinary dedication.
In April 1970, Bill spoke at the first Earth Day celebration at UW-Madison. His early efforts to change land use policies helped preserve wetlands including Dunn’s Marsh, the South Beltline Wetlands, and what would become the Lewis Nine Springs E-Way. Bill’s hard work can be seen across Dane County in places like the E-Way, Cherokee Marsh, CamRock County Park, Donald County Park, Patrick Marsh, and the Lussier Family Heritage Center—as well as many connecting trails that link these cherished landscapes.
At the state level, Bill was part of efforts to preserve thousands of acres in the Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area, Baraboo Hills, the Door Peninsula, Northern Wisconsin Forests, and the State Trails system.
Bill was one of the key figures in Groundswell Conservancy’s inaugural conservation success —Wally Bauman Woods —and the formation of our organization in 1983, then known as Dane County Natural Heritage Foundation. As Bill O’Connor put it, “As a County Board member in 1983, Bill Lunney was an indispensable ally for the newborn land trust.” Bill went on to serve as our second board president from 1988 to 1993. Under his leadership, Groundswell was the first nonprofit to receive a Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program state grant.
He chaired the Dane County Parks Commission for more than 30 years and served as Board Chair of The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin and the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks. He also served on the boards of Gathering Waters and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. In recognition of his lifetime of leadership, he received Gathering Waters’ Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. He traced this lifelong commitment back to his days as a law student, where he was influenced by Stuart Udall and became deeply aware of social and environmental issues. “He was generous in sharing both his knowledge and his connections—invaluable to a newly founded board,” said former Groundswell board member and charter member Jean Meanwell.
But beyond his many accomplishments, Bill was a trusted advisor, a generous mentor, and a dear friend. He is deeply missed. I’ll always be grateful for the time Jim Welsh and I spent with him and his wife, Judie Pfeifer, each year—conversations filled with wisdom, perspective, and his steady encouragement. He had a remarkable ability to connect past and present, reminding us where we came from while helping us see where we needed to go. His legacy lives on not only in the lands he helped protect, but in the people and organizations he guided along the way.
“I didn’t know what a wonderful powerhouse Bill Lunney was when I was first introduced to him in 1990,” said John Hutchinson, who served as Dane County Natural Heritage Foundation (one Groundswell’s previous names) Board President during the time when Bill was active with our organization. “At that time, I was coming onto the board of The Dane County Natural Heritage Foundation, and Bill was the current President and a cofounder of the organization.”
John said Bill greeted him with “an amazing smile and enthusiasm.”
“As time passed, I began to hear of all his environmental and other accomplishments,” John said. “The more time I spent with him, the more I admired him. He mentored me from the first meeting until his passing. As a result of my association with him I have followed my love for many of the same passions. I will truly miss his smile.”
Bill was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame on April 21. Watch for a recording of the ceremony at wchf.org/2026-induction-events/
On Wednesday, Groundswell Conservation Director Tony Abate spoke at the State Capitol in support of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program — Wisconsin’s most important land conservation tool. Speaking up to protect the state’s longtime land conservation program is crucial because it provides funding to protect natural areas, wildlife habitat, farmland, and recreational spaces across the state. For more than 35 years, it has helped Groundswell permanently protect 75 properties and more than 6,000 acres.
Tony spoke before the Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks, and Outdoor Recreation. The committee is considering a bill that would extend Knowles-Nelson funding for four more years. During his testimony, Tony raised concerns about parts of the bill that could delay or block important conservation projects.
The Wisconsin Examiner covered the hearing and quoted Tony in its article.
“Opportunities to provide such access sometimes only come once in a generation,” Tony said. “We are concerned with the funding threshold and the logistics of the proposed major land acquisition program. Real estate near population centers is expensive, and we often compete with non-conservation buyers to secure farmland or recreational lands.”
Groundswell believes Wisconsin must keep the Knowles-Nelson program strong and flexible. Without it, we risk losing once-in-a-lifetime chances to protect the lands we love. That’s why we’re calling on our supporters to contact their legislators now. Taking just a minute to send an email in support of Knowles-Nelson could preserve the dollars needed for this important program. Without renewed funding, many conservation projects would stall or even unwind.