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Protecting land, water, and wildlife is a benefit to all who live in and visit Wisconsin’s Driftless Area. Every generation and community in our area will be more resilient with the clean water, fresh foods, education, recreation, and way of life that undeveloped natural spaces and farmlands provide. Sign up to receive Conservancy News and stay informed about land protection, environmental education, and outdoor recreation programs offered by Mississippi Valley Conservancy.

Rock outcropping on Peterson property

Birds of a Feather Protecting Land Together in Vernon County

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Wooded hillside at Limery Road

Anonymous Donor Rescues Habitat for Migrating Songbirds

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PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WI – Through the abundant wildlife, spectacular scenic vista, and rich history, Crawford County has inspired generations of residents and visitors alike. Yet over time, that history…
David Van Dyke showing the prairie strips he's developed on his cropland.

Doctoring the Land with "Farm Kid" Wisdom

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VERNON COUNTY, WI – A new land conservation agreement between Dave and Betty Van Dyke and Mississippi Valley Conservancy has conserved 114 acres of beautiful ridgetop farmland and forest habitat…
View of Boscobel Bluffs nature preserve

Off the beaten path: Boscobel Bluffs scenic hike

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In 1853, as the story goes, an editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel, travelling with a team of railroad executives, admired an oak forest along the Wisconsin River and, trying out…
Black locust logs

Conservation in the Time of COVID-19

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View of Barlow prairie in Monroe County

Tree Farmers Share Their Land Legacy With New Owners

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MONROE COUNTY, WI – An unusual three-way partnership is set to conserve important habitat in Monroe County. Two families, along with Mississippi Valley Conservancy, have been negotiating an agreement to…
View at Trempealeau Lakes trailhead

Trempealeau Lakes Hike

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I delayed writing about the Trempealeau Lakes Trail for several months. I first hiked the three-fourths-mile trail in the late spring. The trail, located between Lake Road and the railroad…
Removing goldfish from pond

The cost of releasing pets and plants into nature

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While collecting water samples near the pond behind Stoney Creek Hotel, DNR Water Quality Specialist Jeremy King saw a bright orange fish and knew right away that it was a…
Photo of floodplain forest at Black River Bottoms

Bequest of Land Protects Wildlife Habitat Along Upper Mississippi Flyway for Migrating Birds

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LA CROSSE, WI-November 18, 2020 – A pristine tract of Black River bottomland in La Crosse has been acquired by Mississippi Valley Conservancy through the bequest of Phyllis and Dean…
Land Legacy Award

Land Legacy Award Presented to Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

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LA CROSSE, WI – October 23, 2020 – Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s alliance for land trusts, presented the 2020 Land Conservation Leadership Land Legacy Award to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual…
MJV monarch habitat survey

Monarch Habitat Research Includes Prairies in La Crosse Blufflands

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Data from a recent survey of reconstructed prairie habitat in La Crosse collected to help the declining population of monarch butterflies.
Prairie strips at Van Dyke farm

Vernon County Farmer Protects Soil With Prairie Strips

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Prairie strips provide diversity and erosion control for greater resilience to a wide variety of climatic events.
view from Tenwinkel/Donlin property

Successive Landowners Renew Commitment to Conservation

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Passing the torch in land protection means enduring conservation value.
view from a ridge at Tunnelville Cliffs nature preserve – a state natural area

"Catching Up" at Tunnelville Cliffs

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Hiking at Tunnelville Cliffs southeast of Westby, Wisconsin, began with an email from Tom, a hiking buddy I have known for many years. He wrote, “It's been too long. We…
Ellen Brooks and Dave Hackett

Crawford County Landowners Protect Wildlife and Water in a Growing Corridor of Native Habitat

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GAYS MILLS, WI—Ellen Brooks and Dave Hackett have lived a sheltered life for some 40 years – sheltered by the woods and east-facing hill that rises from the homesite on…