Good news that yesterday, we purchased 16.5 acres of land at Allen Creek Wetlands State Natural Area on Star School Road just south of Fort Atkinson. The property is about two miles upstream from where Allen Creek flows into the Rock River south of Fort. The property is mostly sedge meadow with savanna and other uplands, providing good nesting and foraging habitat for a variety of birds and other animals, possibly including the state-threatened Blanding’s turtle.

The state natural area is within the Allen Creek River-based Conservation Area, a part of the Glacial Heritage Area which is an initiative to link parks, preserves, and wildlife and natural areas to nearby cities and villages in Jefferson County and beyond, providing opportunities for residents and visitors to get outdoors to enjoy and learn about nature. The property will be open to the public, and we hope to donate it to the DNR for long-term management.

Funding for this acquisition came from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, and Groundswell members. Our thanks to the landowners and everyone else who made the conservation of this property possible.