A Refuge for Wildlife Along the Apple River Continues to Flourish
The conserved property includes over 4,000 feet of Apple River shoreline.
Elaine Sandin’s journey to protect her family’s land in Amery, Wisconsin began as she watched houses spring up along the riverside, transforming a once-tranquil natural landscape. Growing up along the Apple River, Elaine had a great fondness for wildlife and understood the importance of safeguarding both the property’s beauty and ecological value.
After a determined search for several years, Elaine and her father Ray found their conservation partner in Landmark Conservancy (then West Wisconsin Land Trust), which embraced the opportunity to protect the Sandin property’s 100 acres. After Ray’s passing, Elaine added 40 acres to the conservation easement, ensuring 140 acres of land will remain undisturbed for generations to come.
Elaine’s commitment is rooted in her deep love for nature. A lifelong advocate for environmental education, she enthusiastically shared her passion with young people. “As a first-grade teacher for 43 and a half years I taught my students to enjoy and protect nature and the environment,” she said. “Science was my favorite thing,” she continued, “so the kids got a big dose of the animal lore I learned growing up on my land. And I belonged to many conservation organizations, so I had a lot of information to share. They soaked it all up; first graders are really open for everything.”
Elaine Sandin and her father first protected their land in 2003. After her father’s passing, Elaine worked with the land trust to add acreage to the conservation easement in 2010.
The conservation easement on her property permanently limits certain types of development and land use to protect the property’s conservation values. For Elaine’s property, this means the conservation easement preserves its natural, scenic, and open-space qualities. The property contains a variety of habitats, including wetlands, grasslands, mixed hardwood forests, and over 4,000 feet of shoreline along the Apple River. These diverse ecosystems support an array of wildlife, from deer and turkeys to otters, beavers, and bald eagles. The land also provides a critical buffer to protect the river’s water quality, ensuring it remains a resource for both wildlife and the surrounding community.
“The Sandin conservation easement is a project we would do over again today,” said Conservation Manager Andrew Norman. “The riparian habitat along the Apple River provides important refuge for a wide variety of species year-round.”
The shoreline shows signs of beaver activity.
A small creek meanders through the woods.
Elaine’s conservation partnership with Landmark aligns with her desire to maintain this land as a haven for animals. Her property serves as a corridor for wildlife, providing food, shelter, and safe passage. Whether it’s spotting muskrats by the dock or witnessing the annual migrations of birds, the Sandin property is alive with the rhythms of nature.
Elaine reflected, “My sister and I spent much time fishing and rowing on the Apple River. One favorite place was a sandbar where we could catch sunfish. The nicest time to be on the river was just before dark when the water was as still as a mirror.” She added, “Such a wonderful time to think back on and I happily continue to revel in the beauty the 140 acres offers.”