Dane County continues expanding wildlife preserve near Sugar River

Dane County has been buying land near the Sugar River in south central Wisconsin as it works to expand a wildlife preserve in Greater Madison.

Its latest purchase in the Town of Verona connects recently-acquired county land with a forest owned by the Madison Metropolitan School District, creating about 1,000 acres of contiguous public land.

Last month, Dane County’s Board of Supervisors agreed to add on to the Sugar River Wildlife Area by using close to $3.6 million from the county’s conservation fund to buy 80 acres from a limited partnership reprsenting the Allison farming family.

The property sits south of the Verona-based software company Epic Systems and includes a mix of woods and tillable land that’s been used to farm alfalfa.

Eventually, Dane County aims to restore the area’s woodlands and uplands, a resolution explains. And since the latest purchase borders the 300-acre Madison Metropolitan School District Forest, officials hope it will allow for expanded educational opportunities.

“The purchase of this land will establish a wildlife corridor while protecting public recreation opportunities,” Chad Kemp, a county supervisor representing the Verona area to the west of Madison, said in a statement. “It is important to preserve natural spaces ensuring they remain accessible and thriving for future generations of Dane County residents.”

Dane County’s Parks Department oversees several units of the Sugar River Wildlife Area, which includes trails and space for hunting and fishing. In recent years, Dane County has been buying land to expand the wildlife area by close to 800 acres.

Those acquisitions included the largest land purchase in Dane County history after the board agreed in 2023 to spend $12 million to buy 625 acres from the Duerst family farm.

The county’s newest add-on is sandwiched between the former Duerst family property and the Madison school district’s forest, with the school forest to the west and the Duersts’ property to the east.

The expanded areas of the Sugar River wildlife preserve could be open to the public in late 2025, said Laura Hicklin, who directs Dane County’s Land & Water Resources Department.

A portion of the former Duerst property is expected to continue as farmland, while the county works to restore the rest of the recently-acquired property to natural prairie.

“Part of our department’s mission is to show how agriculture and protected lands can coexist and to use some of our public lands as demonstration areas for agricultural best management practices,” Hicklin said.

The sheer size of the expanded Sugar River Wildlife Area is part of what will make the property special, Hicklin said. Larger swathes of land make it easier for wild animals to thrive.

Hicklin said many humans prefer it that way, too.

“Within like, a 10- to 20-minute drive, you can suddenly be in this wildlife area and feel like you’re truly out in nature,” she said.

Hicklin said the expanded preserve won’t include amenities, like basketball courts or campgrounds that require heavier development. Instead, it’s intended for activities like foraging, hiking and hunting.

The preserve’s expansion ties into the county’s overall goal of protecting some land from development, said Supervisor Michael Engelberger.

“Keep it natural,” he said. “Keep the water fresh for fishing opportunities and wildlife preservation.”

Unlike paved services, natural areas tend to absorb more water runoff. That’s why land conservation is one way to reduce flooding throughout Metro Madison, Hicklin said.

“Even if you’re not someone who enjoys visiting these properties, they actually still improve the quality of life for everyone in Dane County,” Hicklin said.