From 2005 – 2007, Landmark Conservancy (formerly Bayfield Regional Conservancy) assisted with the acquisition of five properties totaling approximately 1100 acres in the Mount Ashwabay area. These lands are now owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bayfield County, and the Ashwabay Outdoor Educational Foundation (AOEF). A trail system of over 40km provides year-round outdoor recreational opportunities and is maintained by AOEF staff and volunteers.
Below we share some newsletter articles from the archives, written by Ruth Oppedahl who was the Executive Director of Bayfield Regional Conservancy at the time these conservation projects were completed. She reflected,
“These multi-year acquisitions were a testament to the goodwill and hard work of all the partners. They ensured continued operation of Mt. Ashwabay Ski Hill and the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua which are important economic entities in the region. It also protected the significant ecological site of the Nourse Sugarbush, which before that was an Ojibwe Iskigamizigan (sugarbush).”
Landmark co-hosts an annual winter Candlelight Snowshoe and Nordic Ski event in partnership with Mt. Ashwabay on a portion of this trail system. Check out our events page to sign up.
We are thrilled that this land continues to provide a place for people to enjoy outdoor recreation, connect with nature, and build community!
Conservation Projects Around Mt. Ashwabay
1. 400 acres. Protected 8.1.2006
2. 70 acres. Protected 11.1.2005
3. 250 acres. Protected 12.29.2005
4. 160 acres. Protected 12.1.2007
5. 200 acres. Protected 12.1.2005
Read Newsletter Articles from the Archives:
“Nourse Sugarbush-Wisconsin’s Newest State Natural Area” Fall, 2005
“The Last Parcel on Mt. Ashwabay” Fall, 2007
