‘Stars align’ to net county $499K for Clay Bluffs

Ozaukee County has been awarded two grants in recent days totaling nearly $500,000 to fund development of the second phase of the Clay Bluffs Cedar Gorge Nature Preserve on Port Washington’s south side overlooking Lake Michigan.

The confluence of the two grants — one federal and one state — “is like when all the stars align,” county Planning and Parks Director Andrew Struck told the county Natural Resources Committee this month.

That committee recommended acceptance of the grants. That recommendation was affirmed by the county Finance Committee on Friday. Acceptance of the funds must still be approved by the County Board.

The state grant, totaling $249,999, is from the state Department of Natural Resources Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Local Assistance program.

The second grant, totaling $250,000, is from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Sustain Our Great Lakes program.

Both grants will be used to restore habitat and improve public access. Each grant cancels out the matching funds requirement of the other, Struck said.

Ozaukee County and the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust acquired the 134-acre preserve in fall 2022 with the support of several federal and state grants and contributions from local partners and private donors.

The nature preserve is so far undeveloped, although work has already begun to plant native trees and a ground cover on land that has traditionally been farmed.

Habitat restoration is one of the goals  of the preserve’s master plan and a requirement of several of the grants used to acquire the property, Struck said in a memo.

In September, county officials applied for an additional $3 million in grants to complete development of the preserve, which will include a stairway from the bluff to the lakeshore at the preserve’s northern end.

The two most recent grants will be used to fund the second phase of the development spanning its central section.

Plans call for opening the preserve and a system of trails to the public one-third at a time, beginning next year. The southern third of the preserve will include a parking lot and pavilion.

Combined with Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve to the south and a recently acquired 96-acre parcel donated by the Ansay family west of Highway C, the three nature preserves could become a “regional draw” for hikers, bird watchers and other nature lovers, officials say.

Lion’s Den Gorge is already the most visited park in the Ozaukee County park system, drawing more than 30,000 visitors a month in the summer from as far away as Chicago and Madison, officials say.

Similar to restrictions at Clay Bluffs and Lion’s Den, only passive recreational uses would be allowed in the as-yet-unnamed Ansay preserve such as hiking, birding, fishing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife viewing and nature study.

At the request of the Ansay family, limited deer bow hunting would be allowed in the Ansay preserve, with permits likely issued on a lottery basis, Struck said.

Gun deer permits are issued at Lion’s Den.

Allowing hunting at Clay Bluffs is not being contemplated, Struck said.

The Ansay land donation also included a $100,000 cash donation from the Ansay family to help “kick start implementation” of the park.