Good news that today, May 25, 2018, we permanently protected 43 acres of land rising above Lake Wisconsin in the Town of Lodi, Columbia County. Thanks to the generosity and foresights of the landowners, Tim and Terri Escher, our perpetual conservation easement now permanently prevents development of this property.
This latest conservation easement is located between two other conservation easements. Together, all three easements that we hold form a corridor of conserved land that extends across 182 acres of upland woods, prairie remnants, wetlands, and 3,000 feet of mostly undeveloped shoreline on Lake Wisconsin. These lands are not open to the public but they protect beautiful scenery that will be enjoyed forever by boaters on the lake. The easements also help maintain water quality by restricting the disturbance of soil and sediment that might otherwise end up in the lake.
Conservation easements are flexible land protection tools that help landowners and communities meet conservation goals. They provide permanent protection from selected land uses but keep the land in private ownership and on the tax rolls. It is an honor for us to work with these landowners who have saved important land for the benefit of future generations.