We’re thrilled to share the good news that the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program awarded the Town of Westport a grant of $812,100 to support the purchase of a prized property on the northside of Lake Mendota.
Groundswell protected this special place, once slated for development, in December 2022. Since then, we continued to work with the Town of Westport and Gathering Waters to secure additional funding for this large purchase through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Our request for funding was approved last week.
A mix of grassland, wetlands, and oak woods, the land is an important part of the Lake Mendota watershed. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife. It also provides essential outdoor recreation space for the community.
Protecting special places is always a team effort. We are grateful to Steve and Marianne Schlecht and the citizens of the Town of Westport for their support. A special thanks to Senator Dianne Hesselbein and Representative Alex Joers for championing this grant. Thank you to Governor Tony Evers for making the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program a priority.
And thank you to our Groundswell supporters for caring about conservation where you live.