Partnership saves 'Cut-off' from development
By Edith Kadlec
Monday, December 17, 2007 12:01 PM CST
Special to The News
Back in the lumber era, the Red Cedar River was a great waterway that transported logs to a growing nation. Now enjoyed for recreation, the river has a backwater channel — known locally as the “Cut-off” — that flourishes with abundant and diverse wildlife.
This secluded bend in the river is adjacent to land that was once owned by the Edgewater Acres Campground. When the former campground was sold for lakeshore development, the historic river access was all but lost.
West Wisconsin Land Trust provided the leadership impetus for a large coalition of businesses and sporting groups, as well as conservation and environmental agencies and organizations to purchase the adjacent Cut-off parcel, using a variety of grants and funding sources.
“There are those who try to pit traditional sporting clubs against environmental organizations, and that is just plain foolish,” said Rick Gauger, executive director of West Wisconsin Land Trust.
“In Wisconsin, our legacy is that of conservation and cooperation. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program gives testimony to how we preserve our state’s significant natural resources. This is exactly the type of project that the Stewardship Program was designed for: public access, strong local interest, hunting and fishing traditions, and high ecological integrity.”
Purchase of the Cut-off not only restores public access to the river, it further protects 100 acres of woods, wetlands and wildlife habitat on the property itself. A recent study by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists and water resource staff determined that the Red Cedar Cut-off site provides significant habitat for shorebirds, songbirds, turtles, frogs and game species, as well as prime habitat and spawning areas for fish.
Dunn County resident and Pheasants Forever member Pat Lammer noted, “This is a fantastic piece of property to preserve as a wildlife refuge. It has always provided some of the best duck hunting on the river, and there is tremendous wildlife viewing opportunity. The fishing is also excellent, and I’ve enjoyed it for years.”
Red Cedar Cut-off Acquisition Project Partners include: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Xcel Energy, 3M, Tainter-Menomin Lake Improvement Association, Dunn County Fish and Game Association, Downs-ville Sportsman’s Club, Chippewa Valley Sierra Club, Dunn County, Ducks Unlimited, Tainter Lake Sportsman Club, Colfax Sportsmen’s Club, Dunn County Conservation Alliance, Red Cedar Pheasants Forever, the Wagner family and one special anonymous donor.
“Red Cedar River users and Dunn County residents should applaud this achievement,” said Eau Claire attorney and member of the Natural Resources Board, John “Duke” Welter. “West Wisconsin Land Trust and this disparate group of partners put together a funding package to keep this area wild and available for public use. This is a great illustration of the value of partnerships, and how to get things done in the community. Together, they showed what ‘can-do’ means, and they all deserve a pat on the back,”
Preserving the property directly benefits the general public, who are able to enjoy the Cut-off for fishing, hunting, hiking, birding and other light recreational uses.
With the addition of the Red Cedar Cut-off, West Wisconsin Land Trust has now preserved more than 20,000 acres of lakes, rivers, farms, forests, bluffs and prairies in 18 counties in western Wisconsin.
The mission of West Wisconsin Land Trust is to preserve western Wisconsin’s natural character. West Wisconsin Land Trust accomplishes this by providing the tools to help landowners achieve permanent protection of their land, primarily through conservation agreements.
West Wisconsin Land Trust is a nonprofit, member-supported land trust. For more information, call (715) 235-8850 or visit WWLT’s Web site at www.wwlt.org.
Edith Kadlec is the associate director of West Wisconsin Land Trust. |
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