Another 500 acres of old-growth forest will be protected in the Land O’Lakes area.
The Nature Conservancy says the land has been added to the Tenderfoot Forest Reserve.
With the new acquisition, the reserve encompasses about 1,500 acres.
The newly protected land, south of the Guido Rahr, Sr., section of the Tenderfoot Forest Reserve, was purchased from the Dunne family.
The family had sought permanent protection for the property they had owned for decades.
Transitioning the acreage into the Tenderfoot Forest Reserve both safeguards the forest and opens it for public use, including hiking, hunting, fishing and boating.
For local naturalist and author John Bates, who has led trips into Tenderfoot Forest Reserve for years, the significance of expanding protection of this old-growth forest is as personal as it is ecological.
“This is the closest we’ll get to an old-growth forest landscape in Wisconsin,” said Bates, who also is a trustee emeritus for The Nature Conservancy. “Some of these trees started growing before European settlement. They’re not fossils; they’re our living ancestors. When you walk beneath them, you’re walking through history.”
Old-growth forests in the Midwest typically exist only in scattered remnants, making intact, publicly accessible examples like this especially rare.
“Old-growth forests are more than just old trees; they’re entire systems that have developed over centuries,” said said Matt Dallman, Northwoods director for The Nature Conservancy. “They provide critical habitat, store significant amounts of carbon and offer a window into what resilient forests look like over the long term.”
Reaching that ancient forest requires effort — a feature that helps preserve its quiet, cathedral-like character and limits the introduction of invasive species.
Public access is available only by boat, beginning with a paddle from the Palmer Lake boat launch (8040 Palmer Lake Road, Land O’ Lakes, Wis.) and across its connecting waters to the Guido Rahr, Sr., area of the reserve.
There are no public roads to the site, and signage is limited. While some trails may connect to the existing Tenderfoot Forest Reserve trails, they are not yet clearly marked, so hikers should be prepared for a rustic experience.
Once inside the Tenderfoot Forest Reserve, visitors may see yellow birch that can exceed 3 feet in diameter and reach ages of 300 to 400 years.
Less than 1% of Wisconsin’s original old-growth forest remains.
For more information about the Tenderfoot Forest Reserve and other lands and waters protected by The Nature Conservancy, visit nature.org/wisconsin.
