Telemark Forest Preserve
Conserving Wisconsin’s natural legacy for everyone...forever.It’s Official!
The 218-acre Telemark Forest Preserve is Protected Forever
Thank you to our supporters for your role in making this land protection possible!
Your support of Landmark’s acquisition of this property helped us protect the land forever and make it available for low-impact public use. Preserving the land in its natural, forested state provides multiple benefits as our climate changes. It protects the Namekagon Watershed and also the St. Croix River, a national treasure. Together, the Namekagon and the St. Croix were among the first rivers to receive the National Wild and Scenic River designation.
Experience the Telemark Forest Preserve!
Learn more about the Telemark Forest Preserve including access directions, trails and maps.
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- Intact forest within the Telemark Forest Preserve protects groundwater resources that in turn preserves coldwater fish habitat.
- Large, contiguous blocks of forestland provide wildlife migration corridors.
- Residents and visitors will have access to backcountry hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, birdwatching and wildlife viewing, and potential hunting opportunities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What types of recreation will be supported on the Telemark Forest Preserve?
The property will be open to the public for recreation. This includes hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, trapping, hunting and wildlife viewing. Infrastructure will be minimal such as interpretive signage.
Will Landmark Conservancy own the Telemark Forest Preserve forever?
Landmark Conservancy has helped to purchase many properties over the years, and while we continue to own some of them, Landmark has at times conveyed a property to another owner for a variety of reasons including staff capacity and land management resources. Should Landmark Conservancy choose to convey the Telemark Forest Preserve to another entity in the future, it would need to be an eligible non-profit organization or a local unit of government capable of owning and managing land, and the entity would need to adhere to the protection of the conservation values.
How are Landmark Conservancy’s operations guided by national accreditation standards?
Landmark Conservancy follows the Land Trust Alliance’s Land Trust Standards and Practices which are the ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust and meet the accreditation requirements drawn from them.
Related to conservation easement and land purchase projects, we adhere to the Land Trust Standards and Practices, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Obtain review and approval for each project by our Board of Directors.
- Verify the land has conservation values worth of protection.
- Assess stewardship implications of each project and Landmark’s capacity to meet those obligations.
- Obtain a legal review of every land and conservation easement transaction.
- Investigate title for the property prior to closing to ensure any encumbrances will not significantly undermine the property’s important conservation values.
For conservation easement projects, we also:
- Estimate the long-term stewardship and enforcement expenses and track those costs as they are incurred.
- Monitor the property at least once per calendar year and document the findings.
- Investigate potential violations in a timely manner and promptly document all actions taken as well as involve legal counsel as appropriate.
For land purchase projects, we also:
- Obtain an independent, third-party appraisal by a qualified appraiser to support the purchase price.
- Develop a written land management for the property within 12 months after acquiring to identify the property’s conservation values; identify the overall management goals and objectives; specify the uses that are appropriate for the property in keeping with the property’s conservation values, any restrictions and donor and funder requirements; and provide public access opportunities as appropriate to the property, community goals and the land trust’s mission.
- Maintain the property in a manner that retains the land trusts public credibility, manages community expectations, and minimizes risk.
- Inspect the property for potential management problems and address them in an appropriate and timely manner.
Will Landmark Conservancy continue to pay taxes on this property?
This has not yet been determined. Landmark may continue to pay full property taxes in the near term; Landmark can also apply for property tax exemption since the property will be open to the public and provide benefits including recreation and protection of water and wildlife.
Will there be any timber harvest on the Telemark Preserve?
Management activities on our owned properties range from no active management to minor habitat enhancements, to doing habitat restoration, to implementing sustainable forest management. Regarding any future forest management on the Telemark Forest Preserve, we will work to engage the community and natural resource experts on best management practices, with a goal of achieving a healthy, diverse, older-aged, more climate-resilient forest. Initial assessment indicates that if no harvesting is done, we are likely see old-growth forest characteristics in approximately 60 years.
Landmark Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
