Landmark Works with Partners to Protect the Chippewa River State Trail
The Chippewa River State Trail is popular among the biking community.
Landmark Conservancy has purchased 100 acres from Xcel Energy to safeguard a 6.5-mile section of the Chippewa River State Trail in Dunn and Pepin Counties. The 30-mile trail is well-loved in the biking community, extending from the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers in downtown Eau Claire, and traveling south along the Chippewa River through a wide variety of habitat including river bottoms, prairies, sandstone bluffs, and wetlands. The trail joins the Red Cedar State Trail in the Dunnville Wildlife Area and ends at the town of Durand.
According to Sarah Schwartz, Siting and Land Rights Manager for Xcel Energy, the land is part of a former rail corridor that runs from Trevino, through the city of Durand, and along the former Tyrone property in Dunn County.
This historic railroad trestle over the Chippewa River is just beyond the northern end of this stretch of trail. Click images to enlarge.
The property “has been under lease by Pepin County since 1999 for the recreational trail,” Schwartz said, and the utility has determined “that these lands are not needed for Company operations,” so the Board of Directors approved the sale.
View from the trestle overlook.
The trail crosses scenic creeks that are tributaries to the Chippewa River.
Xcel Energy was willing to sell the property below appraised value, and Landmark secured grant funding from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the full purchase amount. Knowles-Nelson has been a core funding resource for conservation and outdoor recreation projects since 1989. The program recently expired due to lack of agreement among legislators on terms for its reauthorization.
Scattered oaks and native prairie plants thrive in restored natural areas along the trail.
“We have relied on Knowles-Nelson funds for numerous conservation land purchases, support for recreational infrastructure like rebuilding the lower stairway at the Devil’s Punchbowl, and now protection of this trail,” said Executive Director Rick Remington.
“There is broad public support for this funding, with polls showing that 9 out of 10 Wisconsin residents support the Stewardship Program,” said Remington. Unfortunately, our legislators failed to reach agreement in June on how to fund the program going forward, which has significant impacts for both habitat protection and recreation experiences for people in our state.
Swamp milkweed along the trail.
Landmark staff time for this project was supported in part by grants from Explore Menomonie and the Menomonie Rotary. Landmark will convey the land to the respective counties later this fall. To learn more about the Chippewa River State Trail, visit: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/chipriver.
To learn more about efforts to restore funding for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, visit https://knowlesnelson.org/.
