DNR, WisDOT Partner To Add 420 Acres Of Restored Habitat To Turtle Valley Wildlife Area

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced the restoration of Jacobson Wetland Mitigation Bank, 420 acres of wetland habitat in the town of Richmond. The site has been added to Turtle Valley Wildlife Area for public use.

Each year, WisDOT constructs hundreds of highway and bridge projects across the state. These projects strive to provide a safe and efficient transportation system, while also minimizing the impact to the surrounding environment. The DNR collaborates with WisDOT and multiple conservation partners to protect, enhance or restore valuable wetland habitats.

WisDOT and the DNR have the nation’s only interagency cooperative agreement for reviewing environmental impacts on WisDOT facilitated projects. This agreement ensures environmentally focused impact analyses, alternatives consideration and timely decisions. The agreement requires responsible efforts to mitigate wetland losses needed to maintain our state’s transportation infrastructure. WisDOT has over 250 wetland restoration sites totaling close to 8,000 acres across watersheds in Wisconsin to support and offset transportation impacts to wetlands.

WisDOT fully restored Jacobson Wetland Mitigation Bank and transferred ownership of the property to the DNR in July. The site was originally drained for agricultural purposes and is now restored to wet meadow and shallow marsh.

“The goal of our program is to identify lands that have the ability to be restored to wetland status and provide an ecological lift to the watershed,” said Tim McElmeel, WisDOT environmental services supervisor. “WisDOT is happy to transfer the land to the DNR, who will be great long-term stewards of the land."

“The Southeastern Wildlife Management team is excited to add this completed WisDOT mitigation site to Turtle Valley Wildlife Area," said Nathan Holoubek, DNR wildlife biologist for Walworth County.

This site is open to the public and can be enjoyed for hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing. Learn more about Turtle Valley Wildlife Area.