By Jan Axelson
Friends of Cherokee Marsh

The Northside is fortunate to be home to Cherokee Marsh, Dane County’s largest wetland. Bordering the upper Yahara River and Token Creek, the marsh supplies clean water to the Yahara River and its lakes, provides food and shelter for creatures large and small and offers many opportunities for exploring and enjoying the natural world.

Thanks to public support and the efforts of government and nonprofits, large expanses of the marsh and its surrounding uplands have been protected for public benefit. Two newly protected properties provide valuable connections between existing parcels of publicly owned land.

Groundswell Conservancy (formerly Natural Heritage Land Trust) has acquired a 95-acre wetland parcel that connects Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land in the Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area with recently acquired county land to the west. The land lies just south of Highway 19 and west of I-39. The southern boundary includes 2,750 feet of shoreline along the upper Yahara River.

Groundswell will partner with the county, the Department of Natural Resources and the Friends of Cherokee Marsh to restore the wetland and manage habitat. The seller, the Wisconsin Laborers Apprenticeship & Training Fund, will continue to own adjacent land to the north.

The acquisition cost of $214,640 was provided by funds from Dane County, the Department of Natural Resources’ Knowles Nelson Stewardship Grant Program, a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant, and funds from Groundswell Conservancy. The Friends of Cherokee Marsh contributed funding for the required land survey.

In another area, a combined donation, purchase and conservation easement will protect a property on a plateau just north of Cherokee Marsh and south of Bong Road.

The landowner has donated half the value of an 11-acre parcel purchased by Groundswell Conservancy with Dane County providing some matching funds. For many years, the land has been leased to local farmers for subsistence and market growing. Groundswell will continue the leases with Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens helping to manage the leases and facilities. Nhia Vang and Andy Phia Yang, two farmers who sell their produce at the Northside Farmers Market, are pleased to know their plots will continue to be available.

The remaining 90 acres of the farm is protected by a conservation easement. Pat and Courtney Meier’s Whiteside Ranch, also a vendor at the Northside Farmers Market, will continue raising Angus Hereford cattle on the land. The purchase and easement together will allow for a future trail linking the Westport Drumlin Preserve north of Bong Road with county-owned land east of River Road.

A version of this article appeared in the newsletter of the Friends of Cherokee Marsh.