The Fitz: A Journey of Restoration & Stewardship
Just a short drive from Eau Claire, Mary E. Fitz Memorial Park – fondly referred to by staff as “The Fitz” – welcomes visitors with its open landscape and large oaks. This 80-acre preserve holds a story of transformation that began in 2010 when Landmark became the trustee of the Mary E. Fitz Memorial Revocable Trust. What was once hay fields, two homes, and a pine plantation has become the focus of long-term restoration to support a prairie, forest, and riparian area along West Creek, a tributary to the Chippewa River.
Landmark is committed to honoring Mary Fitz’s wishes of conservation paired with community access. We steward the preserve—managing habitats, maintaining trails, and fostering community engagement – with valued partners, volunteers, and contractors. Activities are sustained through a dedicated fund established by the previous landowner, ensuring long-term care and protection of the property. The Fitz offers visitors an opportunity to connect with nature through low-impact activities like birdwatching, hiking, photography, and snowshoeing. Explore the timeline to see how years of dedicated efforts have shaped and transformed this landscape!
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KEY DATES
2010:
Landmark becomes trustee and begins visioning with local partners.
2015:
Input is gathered from neighbors and local officials.
2016:
Two homes are removed to reduce cost and liability and restore a more natural setting.
2017:
The Chippewa Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever partners with Landmark to advance restoration efforts. USDA Farm Bill Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds prairie restoration efforts, and the pine plantation is harvested to begin habitat conversion.
2018:
Site preparation continues: removing stumps, growing soybeans in the hay fields, preparing the seedbed for planting, and ongoing management of invasive species begins.
2019:
A diverse native prairie is planted featuring a mix of grasses and wildflowers.
2022 & 2023:
Two consecutive spring prescribed burns promote fire-adapted prairie species.
2025:
Landmark partners with Beaver Creek Reserve to install eastern bluebird nest boxes. A volunteer monitors them and submits observations to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which helps scientists study the breeding biology of birds.
2026:
After a three-year break, another prairie burn is conducted. Bluebird monitoring continues. Site preparation is underway to restore prairie at the former homesite.
The transformation over the past sixteen years is a testament to what long-term stewardship, partnerships, and sustainable funding can achieve. Protecting land is an ongoing commitment, and the story at The Fitz is still being written. As we look ahead, we remain dedicated to stewarding this land as a lasting gift to the community and invite others to discover the value of the natural world it protects!
LEARN MORE AT: landmarkwi.org/mary-e-fitz-memorial-park