By Lee Bergquist of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jun. 23, 2009

New Richmond — The Natural Resources Board has approved acquisitions
totaling nearly $9 million, ranging from the final spending for one of
the largest land deals in Wisconsin history to protecting property
along the northern reaches of the Milwaukee River.

At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the board agreed on paying the Nature
Conservancy $3.5 million for a conservation easement on 7,316 acres in
Florence, Forest and Marinette counties. Of this, $2.3 million is
expected to come from federal sources.

The land is part of 69,000 acres that were protected when
International Paper sold its entire forest holdings in Wisconsin in
2006 for nearly $84 million.

Using state stewardship funds, the Department of Natural Resources
purchased less than 6,000 acres outright. The Nature Conservancy
purchased easements for some of the holdings on a temporary basis
until the state could pay it.

Other transactions included 1,103 acres for almost $2.1 million from a
private landowner to add to the holdings of the Northern Highland
State Forest and nearly $1.1 million for 86 acres in the LuLu Lake
Natural Area in Walworth County.

There also were two land purchases for the north branch of the
Milwaukee River Wildlife and Farm Heritage Area. In Ozaukee County,
the Department of Natural Resources spent $222,000 on an easement for
120 acres from Mary Luedtke in the Town of Fredonia and $460,000 for a
land purchase and land rights on 165 acres near Silver Creek in
Sheboygan County from Kenneth and Margie Strack.