Fred Koerschner, 2019

*Ancient hemlocks along the Preserve’s North End Trails*

In 1987, a group of forward-thinking pioneers were alarmed by how quickly natural lands on Madeline Island were being developed. They rallied support and formed the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve to:

Acquire, hold, preserve, and protect in their natural state, lands, woods, and forests on Madeline Island in the town of LaPointe, Ashland County, Wisconsin so that they and the wildlife and plants therein and thereon are saved from damage or destruction.
Promote an awareness and appreciation of the beauty and benefits to be derived from the preservation in their natural state of portions of Madeline Island, including, through the development of trails on or access to the land held by the Preserve.
Receive property through gift or bequest if the foregoing stated purposes will be attained and advanced thereby.
Engage in only those activities of an educational or charitable nature which meet the requirements of a not-for-profit organization.

Thirty-two years later the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve holds true to the original purpose set forth by our founders. It is our passion to protect and preserve the natural areas on Madeline Island for the enjoyment of everyone. It is what we’re all about.

As we continue our mission together, I’d like to review some of our recent accomplishments and plans moving forward:

Trails on Wilderness Preserve Land In the past year we have focused our attention on the north-end trails. With member financial and volunteer support, we ensured that the trails were mowed, and brush and deadfall were cleared. We widened trails so they could be enjoyed more fully by those who love to hike, ski, and snowshoe; we also added additional signage on trails to enhance those experiences.

Land Acquisition Through generous donations and targeted acquisitions, the Preserve has added four additional land parcels to our holdings since 2016. All of these parcels are interior land adjacent to parcels already owned by the Preserve. They allow us to protect an additional 163 acres of Island nature.

Invasive Species Management In 2018, the Preserve hired a local firm skilled in invasive management to survey targeted sections of the Island and assess the current infestation level of invasive buckthorn, honeysuckle, and barberry. Armed with this data, in 2019 we will begin the first phase of an invasive treatment plan on selected Island zones to address the current growth of invasive plants and to reduce the spread of invasives to other areas of the Island.

Education Our very popular educational series continues this year and will be bigger than ever! In 2018, we sponsored five educational lectures and three guided hikes. In 2019, we will sponsor nine lectures and four hikes. More details are available elsewhere on this website. Mark your calendar!

MANY THANKS for your ongoing support of the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve!

ADVANCING OUR PURPOSE

…is only possible because of the generous support of our members. We ask for your continued support to further the work described here:

Visit the Preserve’s areas on the Island and appreciate their beauty. MIWP lands and hiking trails are open to everyone.

Donate If you are not yet a member, please join the MIWP. If you have already donated this year, consider an additional gift. Also please consider estate and land gifts. Because the Preserve is a not-for-profit organization, all member donations are 100% tax deductible.

Volunteer your ideas and energy. MIWP is a 100% volunteer organization. We welcome and need volunteer time and your opinions and ideas to support the work we do.

Please visit the other areas of our website for more details.

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