Protecting The Places We Cherish: Fund Supports Public Lands And Vital Conservation Efforts

Emma Schatz

Emma Schatz is the digital communications coordinator for the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin.

Whether it's the crunch of fall leaves, a tranquil fog over a favorite lake or amazing wildlife viewing, Wisconsinites across the state can enjoy fall’s best moments at our state’s public lands. But what will it take to keep those moments happening far into the future?

Wisconsin boasts over 1.5 million acres of publicly owned forests, prairies, streams, lakes and parks. But conservation is more than just setting aside land — it requires active stewardship. Managing invasive species, restoring native ecosystems, enhancing wildlife habitat and improving public access are vital.

In 2013, the DNR and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin established the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund to support the conservation and management of our state’s public lands for generations to come.

This endowment fund provides a permanent source of funding for habitat improvement and ecological restoration across lands owned or managed by the state.

These include state natural areas, parks, trails, wildlife and fisheries areas, recreation zones and forests.

The fund grows when Wisconsinites make small donations while purchasing their hunting and fishing licenses or when they give directly to the fund.

Most donations are $10 or less, but it adds up quickly. This year, the fund reached an important milestone: an astonishing $3 million! Every dollar helps make sure future generations can enjoy the same natural places we do today.

Projects Pay Dividends

As the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund has grown, so has its positive impact on the lands we love. Last year, five high-priority habitat projects came to life in Calumet, Dane, Florence, Sauk and Vilas counties. These projects are restoring habitat for rare species while enhancing recreational opportunities for all.

From removing invasive species to restoring prairie remnants along the Ice Age Trail, the work protects the state’s species of greatest conservation need and globally significant habitat.

Meanwhile, past projects enabled by the fund continue making a difference.

• In 2023, the fund supported habitat improvements at Leola and Buena Vista wildlife areas, home to the state-threatened greater prairie-chicken and many other grassland birds. A DNR crew removed invasive woody vegetation and brush across 350 acres, improving habitat for rare butterflies and grassland species.

• At Lulu Lake State Natural Area just west of Milwaukee, the Savanna Enhancement Project in 2021 aided more than 200 acres of oak savanna, prairie and old field habitat. The work restored abandoned agricultural fields to prairie, increased plant diversity, controlled invasive buckthorn and improved wildlife movement between grassland and savanna ecosystems. Now, Lulu Lake has richer habitat for birds and pollinators plus improved access for hunters, anglers, birders and hikers.

• In 2019, restoration crews improved 278 acres at Lawrence Creek Fish and Wildlife Area, removing invasive plants across oak savanna, barrens and sedge meadow. The area in Adams County is home to the American woodcock, eastern whippoor-will, blue-winged warbler and several types of reptiles and butterflies along with a variety of game species and a Class 1 trout stream. The work has improved hunting opportunities and enhanced the site’s beauty and accessibility for outdoor recreation.

These projects are just a glimpse into the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund’s growing impact on public lands in Wisconsin.

Whether you fish, hunt, camp, canoe, hike, bike, birdwatch or watch your children and grandchildren experience these activities, the fund helps ensure these recreational activities can long be enjoyed by everyone.

Learn More

To learn more about the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund and to make a donation, visit the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin website.