Nearly 1,250 acres of forest in Vilas County will remain largely undisturbed under a conservation easement valued at almost $1 million, a move intended to prevent the land from being divided for development.
For Michael A. Uihlein, a Cedarburg resident in his 90s, the deal is also personal: after more than 70 years of family ownership, it fulfills what he said was a promise to his parents to preserve the property's character, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.
Here's what to know
The protected land consists of two parcels near Forest Lake and Emil Lake. As Wisconsin Public Radio reported, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' policymaking board approved the purchase of a conservation easement from the Michael A. Uihlein Exemption Trust, establishing the Border Lakes Legacy Forest Conservation Easement.
Money for the purchase came from two sources: about $600,000 through the federal Forest Legacy Program and more than $305,000 left from Wisconsin's expired Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. The family trust will still own the land, and it will stay on local tax rolls.
The property will continue as sustainably managed forestland through the state's Managed Forest Law program, while remaining open for hunting, trapping, hiking, fishing and cross-country skiing.
Joe Hovel, director of the nonprofit Northwoods Alliance, called the project "such an excellent fit to protect two square miles of incredible forest land with all the public benefits that this project has in an area that's so threatened with development and fragmentation."
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More background
The easement is designed to keep the area as a single connected forest block in a part of the region facing pressure from both subdivision and commercial development.
Ron Gropp, the DNR's Forest Legacy Program coordinator, said large private landowners have been participating less in the Managed Forest Law program.
"They're divesting of their ownership interests," Gropp said.
Wisconsin Public Radio, citing the agency's figures, reported that Wisconsin's forest products industry generates roughly $25 billion each year and supports about 57,000 jobs.
The property contains wetlands, meadows, red and white pine, aspen and northern hardwoods. The Emil Lake parcel includes nearly three miles of bike and pedestrian trails that connect to the nationally designated Aginokak Trail, and the land lies within watersheds that flow to both Lake Superior and the Wisconsin River.
What's being done?
Instead of selling the property for development, the Uihlein family trust is using an easement to impose long-term limits on future uses, so the land stays forested, productive, and open to the public.
Wisconsin Public Radio reported that Hovel worked with Uihlein, the agency, the town of Land O'Lakes and Vilas County to build support for the agreement, while federal funding helped Wisconsin secure the grant in 2024.
Dan Balog, town board chairman in Land O'Lakes, said, "The land being set aside such as that, it's very picturesque and it's quiet."
The easement prohibits motorized access, including recreational vehicles, a restriction meant to help keep the area less disturbed.
Uihlein described the goal for the Northwoods this way: "I hope we can possibly work to stop the further fragmentation and compartmentalization of our Northwoods."
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