Elkhorn, WI -- The herons and blue-wing teal are not back yet, but plans are underway to re-establish nearly 1800 acres of prime wetland in southeast Wisconsin, an irresistible attraction for these water birds and other wildlife.

“The wetland will extend for more than five miles in the northwest part of Walworth County and will become the largest individual Wetland Reserve Program easement to date in Wisconsin,” according to Greg Igl, the District Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Elkhorn.

The wetland is being restored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service through its Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.  Currently the land is drained through an extensive network of ditches and drain tile.

The planned restoration work will most likely be phased in over a three year period with seeding and construction activities beginning next spring.

The land was previously owned by Curt and Libby Vander Veen of Elkhorn.  The Vander Veens applied and were selected for USDA’s Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).  Through this program, the Natural Resources Conservation Service restores the land to its original wetland condition and places an easement on the property to ensure the wetland is protected in perpetuity.

The Wisconsin Department. of Natural Resources has since bought the property from the Vander Veens.  It will become the centerpiece of the new state’s Turtle Valley Wildlife Area.  (Click here to see a graphic of the Turtle Valley project - this is a big file and may take a minute to load.)

According to Jim Jackley, DNR Wildlife Biologist, “The Turtle Valley Wildlife Area will offer outdoor recreational opportunities such as hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing in the part of the state with the most people and demand, but with the least amount of public recreational land.”

Since the early 1900’s, the land was farmed with extensive artificial drainage.  The soil, primarily Houghton Muck soil, is difficult to farm, with frequent ponding and high risk of early frost.

Because it has high amounts of organic matter, muck soil is very fertile, but it dries to a powdery fluff that suffers from severe erosion by wind.  Over time the soil subsides, shrinking down drastically from its former depth.  It is not prime farmland, and its best use, with the least maintenance, is as wildlife land.

Restoration will involve filling in drainage ditches, disabling tile, as well as seeding.  Not all drainage ditches will be able to be plugged, according the Caroline Clarin, the NRCS engineer overseeing the project.  Therefore some wetland restoration enhancements will be completed by reshaping potholes and swales or contructing low head embankments.

“As soon as the drainage system is shut down, this wetland will quickly return to duty,” says Alice Klink, Wetland Biologist for the project.  The three primary functions of wetlands are to provide wildlife habitat, filter sediment and pollutants from water, and store floodwaters.

This area also has unique wildlife value, because historically, several endangered species were known to exist there.  The project spans the watershed divide at the headwaters of two streams -- Turtle Creek, flowing to the Rock River, and Sugar Creek, flowing to the Fox River.

Of the 1,865 acres, nearly 1600 acres will actually be wetland with the remaining upland and buffer areas to be seeded to native prairie species.  Wetlands will vary from saturated conditions with a diverse plant community such as rushes and sedges to areas with semi-permanent and permanent open water areas.  Upland and non-restorable areas will be restored to native grasses and prairie flowers to provide habitat and nesting cover for wildlife.

“A wetland and wildlife area of this magnitude and in this part of the state, which is urbanizing so rapidly, is a blessing for the future,” says Igl.  “Future generations will be grateful for the cleaner water, open space, wildlife habitat that this wetland will secure.”

  

For more information, contact Greg Igl at 262-723-3216 x 3 or Renae Anderson at 608-276-8732 x 227