Dane County Land Purchase Will Expand Sugar River Wildlife Area

by Dayanara Flores, age 17

The Dane County Board of Supervisors recently approved the purchase of 80 acres of land. The recent acquisition is in the Town of Verona and was purchased to expand the Sugar River Wildlife Area.

Dane County made its biggest land purchase in 2024, as they bought 625 acres of land on the Duerst farm for 12.1 million dollars. The new property lies in between the Duerst farm and the Madison Metropolitan School District Forest, which covers 300 acres. By connecting these two properties, the newly purchased land will now be a part of a 1,000-acre expanse of public land. The cost of adding this property is $3.6 million.

One purpose of the Sugar River Wildlife Area is restoring and protecting native wildlife. The new property will allow continued and increased prairie restoration efforts to improve local water quality and reduce runoff.

The funding for the purchase will be provided by the Dane County Conservation Fund. A future partnership with the Madison Metropolitan School District would allow opportunities for public education in natural spaces.

“It is important to preserve natural spaces ensuring they remain accessible and thriving for future generations of Dane County residents,” said Supervisor Chad Kemp, representing District 32, during a Dane County Board of Supervisors meeting.

The Sugar River Wildlife Area offers the public opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, and hunting, along with many other types of outdoor recreation.

[Sources: Wisconsin State Journal; Dane County Parks]