NORTHEAST WISCONSIN LAND TRUST: PRESERVING OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

Stephanie Vrabeck discussed how the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust is a nonprofit charitable  organization formed in 1996 to protect land for public benefit; conserve land for natural, recreational, scenic and historical value; and to preserve essential ecosystem functions.  The NEWLT's mission is to preserve lands that protect our waters, landscapes, and natural habitats for this and future generations. NEWLT is a regional land trust serving 12 counties:  Brown, Calumet, Green Lake, Langlade, Marinette, Marquette, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca. Waushara and Winnebago.  There are over 50 land trusts in Wisconsin protecting over 200,000 acres of land.  Lands are protected by preserves (land donated or purchased and owed by the Trust) or conservation easements (land protection partnership agreements with willing landowners).  NEWLT has permanently protected more than 4,700 acres of land on 40 conservancies and 6 publicly accessible nature preserves,  Land protection requires long term land stewardship.  NEWLT works to ensure that native plants and animals flourish and thrive on each protected property.  Land conservation is important for wildlife habitat preservation; plant and animal species protection; air quality protection; educational opportunities; recreation and enjoyment; and water quality protection. Toxic blooms of blue-green algae grow in lakes, ponds and streams when the water is warm and enriched with nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen.  Mats of algae plug waterways and intake pipes and can be a serious health hazard to animals and humans. Nutrients end up in our waterways because of land use change and run off.  This can be reduced by using lawn fertilizers only where truly needed; preventing yard debris from washing into storm drains and planting and maintaining buffer strips along shorelines of lakes, ponds and streams.  The Lake Michigan West Shore Water Quality Preservation Project is a unique public and private collaboration.  It was formed because 1/3 of surface water that flows into Lake Michigan comes from Green Bay, 1/4 of all fish in Lake Michigan comes from the West Shore and Green Bay area, many depend on Lake Michigan's water quality and many reply on Lake Michigan for drinking water.