Glacial Heritage Area (GHA)

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is embarking on an exciting evaluation of a proposed project known as the "Glacial Heritage Area." The Glacial Heritage Area (GHA) project, centered primarily in western Jefferson County, proposes to establish a coordinated network — in a "strings and pearls" layout — of conservation lands and recreation trails and facilities.

The project seeks to help meet the growing demand for a wide range of outdoor, nature-based, land and water recreation activities. By using a "strings and pearls" approach, the project aims to increase the diversity of recreation opportunities, which could include hiking, biking, wildlife watching, camping, horse riding, hunting, fishing, and other activities. Where possible, the Department also hopes to integrate this network directly with nearby cities and villages (and their local park systems) to help encourage residents and visitors to use and enjoy the outdoors. Equally important, the project also seeks to protect and restore native grassland, savanna, woodland, and wetland habitats, and help improve water quality in lakes, wetlands, and rivers. In addition, the project seeks to incorporate the area's significant cultural and historical elements.

A secondary goal of the project is to collaborate with the farming community so that the proposed network complements their efforts to maintain working farms and the open, agricultural landscape. Similarly, the proposed GHA seeks to incorporate future local growth planning into the identification of "strings and pearls" to ensure that the network does not interfere with, nor is adversely affected by, future growth in the area.

Some of the properties that have already been protected in the area include Aztalan State Park, eleven large State Wildlife Areas, twelve State Natural Areas, the Glacial Drumlin and Glacial River trails, numerous County Parks, and several areas owned by private conservation groups. Together, they provide an excellent foundation from which to weave together a network.

In addition to evaluating the feasibility of establishing some new "pearls" at high quality sites and connecting corridors ("strings"), the Department will also be updating the management plans for the eleven State Wildlife Areas that occur in the study area. The existing management plans for these properties were written back in the 1970's and 1980's and are in need of revision.