Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust History

Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust was founded in 1996 to “preserve and restore the natural heritage of Northeast Wisconsin land and waters through partnerships in land conservancy and resource management.” But the beginnings go back before that.

1993: The initial impetus for Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust was the desire for protecting land along streams and lakes to improve water quality in the watershed. In 1993 The State of the Bay: A Watershed Perspective was published by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay: “We cannot clean up lower Green Bay unless we clean up Lake Winnebago. We cannot clean up Lake Winnebago unless we clean up the Fox and Wolf Rivers. We have to attack pollution at its source and we have to do it through the entire watershed.” Extensive cleanup of “point” sources of water pollution, such as discharge pipes from industries or sewer treatment plants, meant pollutants and sediments were reaching Green Bay from “non-point” sources, such as eroded stream banks. One part of the solution was to protect the land from uses that are detrimental to our waterways.

The board of directors of Northeastern Wisconsin Waters of Tomorrow (NEWWT) told Executive Director Bruce Johnson: “Start a land trust!” Fortunately, good information for starting a land trust was available from the national Land Trust Alliance (LTA), and would soon be available from Gathering Waters, then being established in Wisconsin. Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust’s initial service area was the Fox-Wolf watershed, plus other counties draining into Lake Michigan, a total of sections of 22 counties. This watershed approach was a daunting service area, and has been cut back as other land trusts developed in the area.

1994: Two meetings were held in 1994, with speakers representing land trusts and state funding programs.

1995: In 1995, a core of interested people began meeting every two weeks as a Steering Committee, setting up four sub committees: Legal, Membership and Outreach, Finance, and Land Management & Protection. Bruce worked one-quarter time as Executive Director. He secured a $50,000 grant from the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office Habitat Preservation Program. This grant could not be used for direct land protection, but was to build the organization. Steering Committee members attended the Land Trust Alliance Rally in California, and began the steep learning curve of establishing a land trust and using land protection tools such as conservation easements.

1995 & 1996: In 1995 and 1996, public outreach meetings were held at Appleton, Waupaca and Lake Noquebay in Marinette County. A look at attendance at these first meetings reveals two landowners who would later protect their land through Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust.

1996: The Land Trust incorporated in Wisconsin in March of 1996, developing articles, bylaws, and an application to the IRS, with the assistance of attorney William O’Connor of Madison, who was at that time Chairman of the Land Trust Alliance board. The founding Board of Directors included President Jeanne Agneessens, Vice-president Sue Kinde, Secretary Curt Solberg, Treasurer Bob Stadel, Bill Elman, Sue Dyer, Kari Esbensen, Ken Jaworski, Bruce Johnson, Paul Neumeyer, Tim Schmidt, and John Young. The IRS gave preliminary approval of NEWLT’s 501(c)(3) status on December 10, 1996 and final approval on March 30, 2001.

1997: The first newsletter was published in 1997, and well-attended banquets were held in April 1997 and March 1998. Work parties and celebrations — including a yearly welcome at Ken and LouAnn Pauer’s Environmental Education Preserve — attracted new members to the Land Trust.

1998: Thanks to the patience of landowner Pat Timm, 60 acres known as Timm’s Woods/Vessey Lake Grasslands was protected in 1998, creating our first conservancy area. In 1998, 259 total acres were protected.

1999: In 1999, John and Jean Reeve donated the Reeve Reserve on the Little Wolf River, creating our first preserve with public access for fishing, hunting and pedestrian recreation. Volunteer resource managers developed a management plan for the property.

Four endowments have been established. The first at the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, for stewardship of protected lands, was started as the Esbensen Lake Protection Fund in honor of Dr. Victor G. Esbensen. A second stewardship endowment has been established at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, and a third at the Oshkosh Community Foundation. An administrative endowment has been established at the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Many donors have supported these funds.

2002: A Community-based Conservation Initiative was first developed in Waupaca County in 2002. As a result, a local “Friends of the Little Wolf Headwaters” group formed.

2005: In 2005, a similar “Friends of Red River/Red Banks” group formed in northeastern Brown County. The Land Trust will rely on the interests of these kinds of groups to make the case for protecting the special places that are important to local communities.

In 2005, the Land Trust received the Guckenberg-Sturm Preserve property on the west shore of Little Lake Butte des Morts in the heart of the Fox River Valley, as part of a Fox River habitat restoration project. This 48 acre protected marsh is used by many species of migrating waterfowl and provides opportunities to restore some measure of ecological value to the Fox River.

2006: In 2006, Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust celebrated its Tenth Anniversary with a picnic at the former residence of Peter and Sue Guckenberg, adjacent to the Guckenberg-Sturm Preserve. Over 70 members enjoyed an array of speakers who talked about the history and significance of preserving special places in northeast Wisconsin.

2007: Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust experienced a record breaking year with 9 new conservancies being completed and an additional 887 acres of land protected. Also astounding was the amount of landowner inquiries about conserving their land, 68. By the end of 2007, the Land Trust protected 30 conservancies throughout eight counties, 23 of these conservancies are located on water.

2008: Even though it is very early in the year we have received numerous inquiries about land conservation opportunities. This leads the Land Trust to expect that this year will be even busier than last. Your membership support is greatly appreciated and helps preserve lands in Northeast Wisconsin. This contributes not only to conserving our natural heritage but also improves water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic areas, and the overall quality of life of all who call this home and also for those who visit here. We thank you in anticipation of all the exciting things we are going to accomplish together this year!