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$9.18 Million Easement Backed; Move Saves Thousands of Acres From Development

Posted on: Thursday, 18 August 2005, 18:00 CDT

As expected, the Natural Resources Board approved spending $9.18 million for an easement to protect 18,511 acres in eastern Langlade County for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation.

The purchase from Plum Creek Timber Co. is one of the largest acquisitions of public land in state history.

The acquisition was endorsed last week by Gov. Jim Doyle, who must formally approve spending the funds from the state stewardship program.

The acquisition will take place over two years $5.2 million in 2005, including $2 million from the U.S. Forest Service, and $3.9 million in 2006. Other federal money might be obtained in 2006, state officials said.

State land officials were attracted to the parcel because it will ensure access to thousands of acres of forest land that Plum Creek, the largest private landowner in Wisconsin, might have otherwise sold off for development.

"It's a very attractive piece of land," said Paul DeLong, the state forester. "It easily could have been developed."

Board member John Welter of Eau Claire applauded the acquisition and said the alternative increased development is being played out in Maine, where residents are finding less land for recreation as timber companies, such as Plum Creek, sell land for non-timber uses.

Another board member, Stephen Willett of Phillips, said that northern Wisconsin's economy has been hurt by the loss of timberland to development, making it harder for loggers and forest products companies to find timber.

The property includes 21,000 feet of frontage on both banks of Nine Mile Creek and 2,000 feet on both banks of the Lily River. It also includes the 15-acre Tyra Lake.

For generations, Wisconsin's paper industry held vast amounts of land. In exchange for favorable tax treatment, the public could use it for fishing, hunting and other recreation.

However, between 1997 and 2002, about 1 million acres of such land changed hands, and its future as forestland, open to public access, is in question.

The Plum Creek land is on two parcels. The smaller of the two is in the Town of Wolf River, next to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The larger parcel is in the Town of Langlade, just west of state-owned land along the Wolf River.

Plum Creek will continue to own the land, but the easement means the land can't be developed. In addition, an existing agreement banning the use of all-terrain vehicles will stay in place, officials said.

The forest land will continue to be logged, but DeLong said cutting will be done on a sustainable basis. All logging will be reviewed by a state forester.

In another acquisition, the board agreed to spend $185,000 to buy 27 acres in Jefferson County that will expand the boundary of the southern unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest.

The purchase from Bernard D. Gilbert means that additional forested acres will be added to the Kettle Moraine, which is 35 miles from Milwaukee and is one of the state's busiest public land holdings.

The parcel, mostly hardwood forest and some wetlands and grasslands, is in the Town of Palmyra along Highway 59 and Carlin Trail Road.

The land would be open for hunting, bird watching and other outdoor activities.

Copyright 2005, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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