Land Donations Booming In Wisconsin

Landowners in southeastern Wisconsin are donating land for open space atanimpressive pace, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. About1,118acres of pristine natural areas and lakeshores have been donated throughland or conservation easements that restrict development in a six-countyarea. Local officials say the total value of the land could exceedseveralmillion dollars. An executive with a land trust center says the fasterpaceof development in the three top counties is part of the explanation forthedonations. "We see awareness of conservation growing wherever urbansprawlis increasing or where there is a lot of development pressure at populartourist destinations, such as Door County," said Vicki Elkin, executivedirector of Gathering Waters.