Twas the week before Christmas and near Baraboo
A wonderful gift was about to disappear from me and you!
By Topf Wells

Groundswell Conservancy and the DNR wildlife and fish biologists had worked for months to purchase a 40 acre inholding in the DNR’s Dell Creek Hunting and Fishing Area.  The 40 acres has over 2,000 feet of double streambank frontage and a tributary.  The land has some higher spots with oaks and creek bottom.  Nancy Frost, the wildlife biologist, had advocated for this purchase for years because it would offer excellent hunting and because it filled a gap in a large tract of DNR owned lands.  Nate Nye, the fish biologist, had just completed an extensive survey of Dell Creek and its tributaries and knew that the creek is a good and improving trout stream.  Groundswell Conservancy took the lead on this purchase, as it typically and wonderfully does to improve natural resources in a broad swath of southern Wisconsin, and had all the funding lined up.

But an essential grant fell through; would a Grinch spoil this Christmas gift to the trout anglers and outdoor enthusiasts of southern Wisconsin?  Nate contacted the Aldo Leopold and Southern Wisconsin TU Chapters to see if we could plug the gap.  After reviewing Nate’s and Nancy’s information about the creek and property, Mike Barnikis, President of AL, and Jim Hess, President of SWTU, recommended to  their Boards that both should help.  The two and Topf Wells of SWTU contacted Mike Kuhr, President of the State Council, and Bob Harrison, President of TU’s good friend and staunch ally, Badger Fly Fishers.

Thereafter ensued a whirlwind of incredibly positive and focused activity.  Jim Welsh, the Executive Director of Groundswell, found another donation and  negotiated with the conservation-minded owner so that the gap TU had to fill was $20,000.  Mike Kuhr contacted Kim McCarthy of TU’s State Access Fund.  Mike and Kim responded to the chapters’ request within MINUTES (really!) with offers of help.

Within 10 days, the chapters’ and BFF’s boards had allocated funds:  Kim and the directors of the State Access Fund were able to cover the difference.  Groundswell had the $20,000 and by the end of  January Groundswell will have the property, which will soon be open to the public.

Whenever the wind chills subside and the tundra loosens, some folks from the chapters are eager to walk the property.  Maybe we can have a joint workday there.  Several of us have a new stop on our fishing tour this spring or summer.

Lots of thanks are due!

To Groundswell, Jim, Nancy and Nate for the hard, persistent work to make this purchase possible.

To the Aldo Leopold and  Southern Wisconsin  TU Chapters and the Badger Fly Fishers.  AL showed great and quick leadership on this opportunity and all three had to use reserves that have been strained by the difficulty of fund raising during the pandemic.

Mike Kuhr, Kim McCarthy, and the State Access Fund.  Their response was immediate, positive, enthusiastic– “Let’s get this done” was Kim’s mantra.  All of Kim’s questions and suggestions were extremely helpful.  The landowner needed to have the purchase closed by the end of January and Kim instantly recognized and acted on the need to work quickly.

As you read this, the purchase should be completed.  While that is good in and of itself, it’s a positive step forward for this area.  The DNR has not been purchasing parcels with trout streams in southern Wisconsin.  While easements are all well and good, sometimes landowners want or need to sell the land and not an easement.  The DNR and conservation organizations need to find ways of making those purchases.

In the world of TU, COVID has crunched the State Banquet and the State Council will need some donations.  This episode shows, in my opinion, how valuable the state organization is to local TU chapters.  Simply put, Aldo Leopold and Southern Wisconsin could not have made this purchase without State Council and the Access Fund.  State Council has earned our support and will make good use of any donations.

Finally, I remember Dan Wisniewski, my sadly departed good friend and fishing partner, who always believed that land trusts would be a great ally to TU in conserving Wisconsin trout streams and making them available to the public.  Dan’s belief is wholly validated by Groundswell’s leadership in this transaction.