1,800 Acres Targeted For Wetland Restoration Near Whitewater

WHITEWATER, WI — Over 1,800 acres of farmland in Jefferson County will be the subject of wetlands restoration before being combined with an existing state natural area, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Tuesday.

The recently acquired land will be used to nearly double the size of Prince's Point Wildlife Area around 3 miles north of Whitewater, according to a news release from the DNR. The new property is currently managed as a muck farm, but it will be closed to the public as soon as this year to complete several wetland restoration projects, the DNR said.

Plans also include new infrastructure, signage and parking for people to access the property as early as 2025, the DNR said. Located about halfway between Madison and Milwaukee, the majority of Wisconsin residents are within an hour's drive of the property, the DNR said.

"Once open to the public, this new wildlife area will provide excellent waterfowl hunting, paddling and bird-watching opportunities," the DNR said.

The restoration, which comes in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, will also help to restore the hydrology of the property and allow habitat managers to manipulate water levels in four separate impoundments, the news release said.

"This acquisition is not only beneficial for wildlife, but it also provides access to additional public land and recreational opportunities to millions of people," the DNR wrote. "With the Scuppernong River, Spring Creek and Steel Brook bisecting the property, multiple boat and canoe launches and miles of walkable gravel-topped berms, there will be endless opportunities for people to enjoy the property following the restoration."

You can find more information about the expansion project and natural area at Princes Point Wildlife Area's webpage.