Dane County makes largest land conservation purchase Ever

VERONA, Wisc. (WMDX) – Dane County is set to purchase around 625 acres of land surrounding the Sugar River in Verona, the largest conservation purchase in the history of the county. 

The property, currently owned by the Duerst family, will cost just over $12 million. A resolution to purchase the property will be introduced this Thursday, and is expected to be approved in the coming weeks.

County Executive Joe Parisi said that the land, which is currently mostly cropland, will be restored to woodland, prairie, savannah, and wetlands. The land currently holds around 90 acres of woods.

Parisi said that the purchase will not only make the area more accessible for recreation, but will help reduce runoff, provide groundwater protection, improve water quality, and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.

Topf Wells, Vice President of the Southern Wisconsin unit of Trout Unlimited, said that the new land will benefit everyone in Madison, regardless of racial or economic background.

The purchase will connect two nearby properties along the Sugar River – the Rhiner Unit and the Davidson Unit. In total, the purchase will create an around 840 acre block of continuous county-owned land.

That land is regularly used for water-based recreation, including for fishing, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, hunting, and snowshoeing. A 2.5 mile snowmobile trail currently runs through the property, and will remain in place after the purchase.