NCCT signs two new conservation easements

For the Hub City Times

CLARK COUNTY – North Central Conservancy Trust recently signed two new conservation easements, protecting almost 250 acres of privately-owned land.

The Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross of Merrill signed a conservation easement protecting their 190 acre property located in the Harrison Hills of Lincoln County. In Clark County, Tamara Stone and her husband, Art Colburn, signed a conservation easement protecting 50 acres on Lake Arbutus.

“Projects like these are central to our mission to conserve the natural heritage of Central Wisconsin through the protection of land. We are incredibly honored to be able to assist these passionate landowners in achieving their goals of protecting special places for the benefit of the environment and future generations. They are incredibly generous and were a joy to work with. I am truly inspired by their passion for protecting beautiful and ecologically significant areas forever. It is my hope that their actions will inspire others to think about protecting their land with the help ofa conservation easement,” NCCT Executive Director, Chris Radford said.

“A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement between a landowner and land trust, like NCCT, which defines the types of uses that can take place on a private property in order to protect its conservation values. Conservation easements are permanent, and can provide significant peace of mind for property owners who know that their land will continue to be protected by future owners. The terms of a conservation easement are discussed by the landowner and land trust until they are completed to everyone’s satisfaction and filed with the local Register of Deeds. NCCT is then legally responsible for ensuring that the terms of the easement are permanently honored by current and future owners of the property,” an NCCT release stated.

Tamara Stone first contacted NCCT in 2019 after reading an article about another Clark County conservation easement project and found herself inspired. She said that she inherited the property that “always loved” from her parents, and didn’t want to see it developed in the future.

“I chose to put a conservation easement on my land as a way to honor a place that I love and as a way to preserve the land and its native, natural, and historic significance that is so important to my family,” she said.

Consisting of 50 acres, Tamara’s property features upland oak and maple dominated forest, tamarack bog, sedge meadow, and seasonal wetlands.

“The Stone easement ensures the protection of the last remaining undeveloped parcel on Lake Arbutus, which forms the southwestern boundary of the property along with the East Fork of the Black River. To the east and west of the property are hundreds of additional acres of Clark County and State forest land,” the release added.

“The setting of this property within a large, forested corridor, combined with its diversity of habitat types and frontage on Lake Arbutus make it extremely significant for conservation.

“Tamara has successfully managed the land for wildlife habitat using sustainable forestry practices and has observed Black bear, bobcat, fisher, otter, porcupine, Striped skunk, coyote, beaver, and other species on the property using a trail camera provided by Snapshot Wisconsin, a statewide volunteer-based project for wildlife monitoring.”

NCCT is a non-profit organization that operates within an eight county service area that includes Lincoln, Taylor, Clark, Marathon, Wood, Portage, Adams, and Waushara Counties.

For more information, visit www.ncctwi.org or call 715-344-1910.