By Anita Weier
Northside News

About 31 acres in the Cherokee Marsh Wildlife Area will be restored to natural wetlands and Prairie in an effort to reduce agricultural runoff into waterways.

Dane County is working with the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the US Department of Agriculture to develop Wisconsin’s first Agricultural Wetland Mitigation Bank.

The county’s Cherokee Marsh Wildlife Area is a 124-acre site west of DeForest and next to the Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area owned by the DNR. The wetlands will be part of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) wetland mitigation banking program to help agricultural producers maintain compliance with USDA programs.

The DNR received an $812,000 grant from NRCS to expand mitigation banking efforts in Dane and Milwaukee counties. The partners are currently seeking consultants to help in the design and construction of the local project. Construction is expected to start this fall.

“Wetlands play a vital role in our community’s effort to combat the impacts of climate change,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “Heavy rainstorms can lead to flooding and cause runoff into nearby lakes and streams. Preserving and restoring wetlands helps keep the water where it lands.” The project also will give farmers a tool to keep their operations successful while helping the environment, Parisi added.

Wetland mitigation banking restores wildlife areas to offset impacts of similar area ecosystems often caused by agriculture and industry. Producers will be able to buy credits from the wetland mitigation bank to compensate for the impacts of lost wetlands on their properties. That will allow them to maintain conservation compliance and eligibility for USDA programs.