By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
The impending purchase of more than 169 acres of land adjacent to the Kettle Moraine State Forest has been viewed as a positive, a forestry official said this week.
Paul Sandgren, forestry superintendent with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said the state agency’s purchase of the property on the southern tip near Whitewater will ensure the area remains designated for conservation use in the years ahead.
The state DNR’s Natural Resources Board last month announced its intention to purchase the 169.33 acres of land from the Elaine D. Taylor estate.
The land is about three miles southeast of Whitewater’s city limits and is located off Hi Lo Road.
The transaction carries a $796,000 price tag and includes 52 acres of wooded area and 34 acres of wetlands. The balance contains a variety of agricultural fields and assorted grasslands.
With both parties in agreement, the purchase plan is now in the hands of Gov. Scott Walker and awaiting his signature for final consummation. It remains uncertain when Walker will be acting on the proposal.
“This is a unique parcel,” Sandgren said. “There are a lot of unique features in the area that we look forward to incorporating into the Kettle Moraine State Forest. We think this purchase is going to help improve the viability of the area.”
The land in question features a tall ridge that is considered part of a glacial moraine, 75 miles in length, that runs through a number of areas, including portions of Fond du Lac, Walworth, Waukesha and Washington counties.
Sandgren said the purchase will enable the Kettle Moraine State Forest to expand on some of its existing offerings. For example, plans call for more acreage of the existing Whitewater Lake Campground that is within the forest.
“There are about 60 sites right now at the campground, and we’re looking at having about 100,” Sandgren said.
Also, a fish habitat that runs through Whitewater Creek is expected to grow since a trout stream already runs through the parcel that is being purchased.
Additionally, in keeping with an all-seasons view of the property, plans are in motion to expand an existing snowmobile trail that runs through the existing boundaries of the forest.
Sandgren said the expansion in offerings are detailed in the state DNR’s master plan that was drafted in 1991. Acquiring the property was a pivotal part of seeing through the principles found within the document.
“There is native wetland prairie vegetation in this area, and it’s a true asset,” Sandgren said.
While the land is being incorporated into the Kettle Moraine State Forest, it also abuts two undisturbed habitats already in the state’s hands. One area is the Bluff Creek State Natural Area; the other is the Clover Valley Fen State Natural Area.
