by DALC Staff | Jul 7, 2025 | Conservation Easements, Legacy Society
Patrick Michaels may not have grown up in the Driftless Area, but he’s weaving a legacy into its landscape that will endure for generations. It all started when Patrick met his great-uncle Gary Zimmer. Inspired by Gary’s innovative agricultural practices, Patrick decided to leave the bustling city of Los Angeles and move to the serene Hoyer Farm more than a decade ago. This summer, Patrick is set to finalize the purchase of Hoyer Farm and expand the land easement that his uncle Gary initiated with the Driftless Area Land Conservancy—one of its pioneering easements. “Gary had the vision to protect this land forever,” Patrick says, “and now, I want to open it up so everyone can enjoy its beauty.” Located near the scenic Taliesen, and soon to be one of the most popular sections of the Driftless Trail, Patrick envisions the farm not just as a path to traverse, but a place to truly connect with nature and soak in breathtaking views. “It’s more than just a trail,” Patrick explains. “It’s about experiencing this special place, spending time here, and sharing one of my favorite spots with everyone.” We are incredibly grateful for Patrick’s dedication and dream to share his stunning piece of the Driftless Area. The future Twin Crix will become a haven for hiking, social gatherings, educational experiences, and an array of pick-your-own fruits. Bring on the blueberry season!
by DALC Staff | Jun 23, 2025 | Staff Updates
This farm boy from southeast Wisconsin grew up surrounded by the gently rolling hills of the Kettle Moraine landscape. That viewshed, along with the ubiquitous rounded fieldstones and smooth, “polished” gravel, is unmistakable evidence of the tremendous power of the glaciers that shaped that land. To me, this was the Wisconsin countryside.
But life moves on. As a young man studying at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, my trusty Honda 305 Scrambler and I ventured west of campus into a new, enthralling landscape of high bluffs, deep coulees, and striking road cuts featuring sharply angular limestone. This biosphere – untouched by glaciers – enchanted me. Now, our home nestled in the Driftless continues to be a decades-long blessing, made even sweeter by my unexpected second career with Driftless Area Land Conservancy.
After almost nine years, it is now time for me to hang up my DALC cap. It’s truly been a privilege to contribute my small part as a team member of folks I’ve always described as smarter and more talented than me. (Somehow, they have kept me around nevertheless!) Through this work, I’ve met hundreds of hard-working conservation-minded folks and have worked directly with many of you. I’m deeply appreciative of your thoughtful and dedicated efforts to protect this special place.
Conservation work, of course, is driven by the need to protect and enhance our environment for generations to come. Some of my most rewarding work has been in connecting with that upcoming generation in all five Iowa County high schools. The energy and enthusiasm of these young folks is an inspiration and a reassurance that we can indeed be successful in building a bright future. I’m grateful that DALC will continue engaging with students; and I’ll be tagging along as a volunteer.
We often state that the Driftless Area is a unique treasure. Need evidence? Just take a walk anywhere in the driftless landscape and open your eyes. Almost for certain, you will find a sight that comforts the soul. With your help, the Driftless Area Land Conservancy will continue building a legacy of environmental stewardship that will help sustain this treasure for generations to come.
Thank you. We are so grateful to have you as a partner in this important work. Carry on!
Written by Chuck Tennessen, Climate & Energy Coordinator
by DALC Staff | May 22, 2025 | Staff Updates
Is there any month that changes our Midwest landscapes as dramatically as May? When I look at photos I took just four weeks ago, the trees were still bare and the understory plants were just tiny sprouts. Today, leaves are rustling in the wind, the grass is knee-high, flowers bloom everywhere, and the whole world is green and lush. It feels almost miraculous. But of course this incredible blossoming, these tremendous changes, are a result of months of sap flowing, roots spreading, buds forming – careful preparation for a sudden explosion of growth.
Hm, what does that remind me of?
When I joined DALC in October 2021, it felt like we were just emerging from a difficult winter – the global upheaval from the pandemic. Although challenges continued, from the ongoing threat of Covid-19 to unprecedented political turmoil, DALC carried on with deliberate yet exciting growth: building our team, creating a new strategic plan, opening Driftless Trail segments, increasing our fundraising capacity – all thanks to the unwavering support of our community.
And now, in 2025, this steady flow of work has exploded into a geyser! We have the chance to purchase Wintergreen, an amazing natural resource and community asset. There are tremendously exciting conservation easements in the pipeline to protect vital landscapes. We’re building amazing new segments of the Driftless Trail and our volunteer program is growing by leaps and bounds. Despite the uncertainty of federal funding, we are successfully securing unprecedented grant opportunities to hugely expand land protection and stewardship in our region. Our team continues to grow (welcome Katie!) and our capacity expands every day to introduce more people to the wonder of the Driftless.
This is truly springtime for DALC: a season of thrilling growth and abundance – and a season of change. It’s bittersweet for me to share that this is my final Notes from the Field. When I moved away from the Driftless and back to my hometown in the St. Croix Valley about a year ago, I was grateful for the opportunity to remain with this amazing organization in a remote position. Now, though, it’s time for me to fully focus my energies in my home region. Katie will be taking over my communication duties, and is already doing an amazing job!
Working at a land trust was my lifelong dream when I joined DALC, and being part of such a passionate, ambitious, vibrant organization has been profound. I’ve grown so much during my time here. Everything I’ve learned about stewardship, communications, fundraising, and, most importantly, saving land, I’m already putting to good use in the St. Croix Valley!
I miss the bluffs and trout streams and oak savannas of the Driftless. I will miss the talent, dedication, and warmth of the wonderful team at DALC. But I will always be a part of this community, supporting the vital work of conservation, cheering on our staff and board, and doing what I can for the land that connects us all. Some part of me will always remain in the Driftless; in some part of me it will always be springtime.
Thanks for everything!
Written by Emilee Martell, Communications Specialist
by DALC Staff | Apr 22, 2025 | Connect with Nature, Driftless Trail, Preserves
Shinrin-yoku, the practice translated as Forest Bathing, is an activity that invites us to slow down and really connect with nature, the experience that connects us all. It became popular in Japan in the 1980’s during the technology boom. With people working in buildings and cities, the Japanese noticed that people were not healthy and becoming sicker. They started creating places in nature and paid for workers to go out and reconnect with nature. There is plenty of research now that shows that being in nature helps regulate our mind and body connection, boosting our immune systems, and is an integral part of lifestyle medicine.
“Humans instinctively know that when we’re in nature, and we can slow down enough to use our sensory systems, we feel healthier and happier,” Martha says.
Forest bathing is not hiking but the intentional act of slowing down in nature. It starts with the breath, closing your eyes, listening to the sounds around you, acknowledging those who have been on the land before you, and honoring the wildlife, plants, and organisms that call the forest home.
It invites you to notice the smaller natural details like the fungus calling a decaying log home and other parts of the natural world often passed over without a second thought. Walking through the forest like a camera and taking “snapshots” with your eyes to refocus your sight. Continuing, one could consider opening to a possible “treasure” just for you:. Being present and allowing what that word “treasure” means to you on your journey through the forest.
“For me, as I age and move into Elder work, it’s nature and the interwoven experience of being in the awesomeness of this relationship. What is our relationship with the natural world? How can we be kinder, more generous, and have a creative connection? How can we translate that into human connection as well as care for the Land?” Martha shares. “It’s sort of like breathing or eating. The need to return to the chemistry and energy of the forest and the trees. We miss so much when we are hiking and talking. Forest bathing invites us to be present and momentarily step away from the busyness of our lives. It allows us to open our hearts and minds which is truly healing.”
As DALC celebrates Earth Month and the incredible work our community is doing to protect the land, we invite you to explore some of these practices and enjoy an intentional connection at any of our nature preserves or Driftless Trail segments.
You don’t need to go with a guide to experience the benefits of forest bathing, however, if you are interested in connecting with Martha you can learn more at marthayork12@gmail.com.
Martha York, DALC supporter, trained in the lineage of Shinrin-yoku, a form of Japanese Forest Therapy.
by DALC Staff | Apr 10, 2025 | Conservation Easements, Land Protection, Legacy Society
Ellyn Satter was DALC’s first-ever Legacy Society member, kicking off a special group of supporters who include DALC in their will or estate plans. We are deeply honored by every individual who chooses to entrust DALC with their legacy. Your trust is not just a responsibility but a privilege we cherish wholeheartedly. Every story, every dream, and every legacy that passes through our hands is treated with the utmost care and respect. For Ellyn, the decision to join the Legacy Society arose from a lifetime of love for the land.
Ellyn grew up on a farm in South Dakota and credits her family’s care of the land as the beginning of her strong land ethic. “I always loved being outside. Walking in the pasture, riding my bike, helping with farming, driving tractors was fun; pulling cockleburrs was not so fun.”
“My dad was a holistic farmer before holistic farmers were fashionable,” Ellyn says. “Before we had pesticides and fertilizers, farmers rotated their crops regularly and grew grain for the livestock. It was an extremely diverse setup. My mom raised about 100 chickens and had an egg business. She would take the eggs to town on Saturday nights and trade them for groceries. They were before their time.”
But as Ellyn shares, her parents’ story was one of loss of community. With the introduction of the combine and haybaler, harvesting methods changed from collaborative events to working alone. “Threshing and haystacking were always community affairs, with Mom making big dinners for a dozen or more workers. Dad stopped enjoying farming when he could no longer get together with his neighbors and brothers and friends to do the work. Mom lost community as well. The church closed and the Ladies Aid stopped meeting. But the biggest loss was when her party telephone line was replaced with a private line. We had about 28 people on the party line and everybody would ‘rubber’ or listen in. It was a way to find out everybody’s news.
If there were a community emergency or news, the operator would put out a general call that everyone knew they needed to pick up. Mom really missed the party line. She was a pretty shy person and never replaced the party line as a way to stay connected with others.”
Life would take Ellyn to Madison, WI, for an internship and graduate school, and was the place she started her family. There, Ellyn began building her own community – with the people around her, and with the natural world.
“When the kids were little, we used to go camping all the time. It was the glory days in the state parks. Back in the day, there were lots of programs and rangers. We could go on bird walks, geology walks, tree walks, and flower walks. There were lots of public programs with various topics in the evenings. I started enjoying being able to put names to what I was seeing,” Ellyn shares. “I really credit the state parks for giving me a direction for learning and growing with respect to the natural world. From there on I was able to find other opportunities to feed my interest.”
In the late 1970’s, Ellyn and her husband purchased their farm north of Barneveld. “It was exciting to get out on the land and learn what was there. We put the woods into Managed Forest Law and didn’t have cows, and it was wonderful to see what wildflowers came back. I got interested in native gardening in town, and now have a couple of pocket prairies as well as some understory gardens.”
Now at 83, Ellyn still visits natural areas as often as possible. It’s her favorite form of recreation. “There’s nothing like getting out in nature and seeing the wildflowers—it’s like seeing an old friend. I feel energized and rejuvenated by nature. When you can recognize plants and plant communities, you enjoy them so much more. You learn enough to speak a language, to at least ask the questions to learn even more.”
We are so grateful for Ellyn’s love of the Driftless Area and her trust in DALC to do our part by helping to care for it. This impactful commitment ensures that DALC can continue protecting land, restoring habitat, and connecting people with the Driftless long into the future.
by DALC Staff | Mar 27, 2025 | 25th Anniversary
Once upon a time, in the picturesque Driftless Area, a vision was born—a vision to protect and preserve the unique landscapes and ecosystems of this treasured region. It all began in the year 2000, when a group of dedicated individuals gathered at Jordahl Farm in Richland County. Their discussions planted the seeds for what would become the Driftless Area Land Conservancy (DALC).
Establishing Roots (2000-2005)
In 2001, DALC was officially established, with a passionate team of volunteers led by Tim Freeman as President. Over the next few years, the organization began to take shape. By 2003, DALC hired its first staff member, Doug Cieslak, as Executive Director and completed its first conservation easements in Richland and Iowa Counties, marking the start of its impactful conservation journey. In 2005, DALC partnered with The Prairie Enthusiasts and the DNR, utilizing NRCS funds to protect farmland—a groundbreaking step that set the tone for future collaborations.
Building Momentum (2006-2010)
The next chapter of DALC’s story was defined by resilience and growth. Despite the economic challenges of the 2008 Great Recession, DALC persevered, safeguarding vital lands. By 2010, the organization achieved a significant milestone, protecting its largest contiguous parcel, the Schuelke Conservation Easement. This effort was part of a broader initiative to connect properties within the Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area, further cementing DALC’s commitment to landscape-level conservation.
Expanding Conservation Efforts (2011-2015)
As the story unfolded, DALC’s reach expanded. In 2011, under the leadership of its new Executive Director, Dave Clutter, DALC protected six contiguous conservation easements, collectively known as Dry Dog Ranch. The following year brought more firsts: DALC acquired the Erickson Conservation Area, its first owned preserve, and extended its efforts into Green and Lafayette Counties. By 2015, DALC completed the Lowery Creek Watershed Plan, underscoring its focus on community centered, ecosystem-level preservation and watershed health.
Recognition and Resilience (2016-2020)
DALC’s growing reputation for excellence was solidified between 2016 and 2020. During this period, DALC relocated its offices, launched the Bloomfield Prairie Partnership, and publicly opposed the Cardinal Hickory Creek Transmission Line. In 2017, DALC earned the prestigious Land Trust Alliance accreditation and was named Land Trust of the Year. This recognition coincided with the formation of the Driftless Trail Advisory Team, a testament to DALC’s commitment to creating accessible natural spaces. By 2020, even amidst the challenges of the pandemic, DALC expanded its portfolio with the Wild Oaks Preserve, its first in Dane County, and established Iowa County CLEA-N, responding to the community’s desire to work on locally sourced and locally used clean energy.
Advancing Conservation Leadership (2021-2025)
The most recent chapter of DALC’s story is one of innovation and leadership. In 2021, DALC facilitated its first land protection assist with the Ringelstetter Wetlands, which were later donated to the DNR. In 2023, the organization secured “Grasslands of Special Significance” NRCS funding for the Williams Farm, a groundbreaking achievement for Wisconsin. By 2024, DALC hired its first Development Director, ensuring a strong foundation for future growth. Now, in 2025, DALC celebrates 25 years of conservation success, reflecting on its journey while looking ahead to an even brighter future.
The Impact of 25 Years
DALC’s work over the past quarter-century is nothing short of remarkable. The organization has protected over 9,700 acres through conservation easements and established flagship preserves like Erickson, Morrison, Wild Oaks, and Big Rock. Its collaborations with partners such as the The Prairie Enthusiasts, and local governments have amplified its impact. Accredited by the Land Trust Alliance and honored as Land Trust of the Year, DALC stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration for conservation efforts across the region.
A Legacy of Preservation
The story of the Driftless Area Land Conservancy is a tale of dedication, vision, and impact. From humble beginnings at the Jordahl Farm to becoming a trusted leader in conservation, DALC’s legacy is one of protecting the lands and waters that define the Driftless Area. As the organization celebrates its 25th anniversary, it continues to inspire communities, safeguard vital habitats, and ensure that the natural beauty of the Driftless Area endures for generations to come….because of you.
