Conservation easement recorded on 72 acres of forest and wetland habitat
Seth Bichler has always felt a connection to his family’s land in Barron County. From watching the peaceful dragonflies on Canvasback Lake to seeing the power of beavers creating new waterways, Seth and his family knew this land needed to be protected.
“My mom agreed with me that it should stay protected and not developed. With the property being home to an abundance of wildlife and bordering approximately 700 acres of Barron County Forest, it’s just a very special place,” Seth reflected.
The 72-acre property is indeed a very special place for conservation. The landscape contains hardwood forest, wetland habitat, and 15-acres of the property’s namesake, Canvasback Lake. Further restoration efforts on the property have led to an even greater abundance of wildlife than Seth’s family could have imagined. “I worked in environmental restoration before I went to law school and restoring this property taught me that sometimes the most important thing you can do is get out of the way,” said Seth.
He continued, “The property was historically a strawberry farm and then a pasture, so removing the tons of barbed wire fencing was hard work, but it’s hilly, rocky, wetland and it’s meant to be wild.”
Beaver impoundment on south side of Canvasback Lake
Canvasback Lake in Summer
This property borders approximately 700-acres of the Barron County Forest of which the Ice Age Trail runs through.
In the years following restoration of the property, the landscape has flourished with biodiversity. Trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, and loons return to nest on the property each year. Located within the North Fork of the Clam River and Upper St. Croix watersheds. Canvasback Lake is a location to target for waterfowl conservation. The conservation easement was made possible with funding from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), in partnership with Ducks Unlimited. Over 40 years of targeted wetland protection and restoration has led to a significant increase in waterfowl and waterbirds, where most other bird groups have declined.
It was a pleasure working with Seth to help him fulfill his family’s conservation goals for the property. The conservation easement will ensure that Canvasback Lake and the surrounding habitat will remain in its natural state and continue to support biodiversity for generations to come.
Seth Bichler
“The great thing about living in northern Wisconsin is that there is so much natural beauty for everyone to enjoy. And you might feel like you can’t save the world or country, but anyone can make an impact on conservation,” Seth expressed. “You can save yourself by saving the land and that’s what I’ve attempted to do.”
Thank you so much Seth. I love your outlook. Anyone can make an impact on conservation, you can save yourself by saving the land. So true. It looks like a beautiful, wonderful piece of property. So nice it is protected for future generations.
I love stories like this! (This one, and so many others!) They give me hope!