Escape to nature

Nature preserves have always been precious resources for the people of Ozaukee and Washington counties and the surrounding area, but their beauty and peace are an even more valuable gift during the coronavirus pandemic.

Even as the measures needed to stem the pandemic have closed most places accessible to the public, the 30 nature preserves established and maintained by the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust (OWLT) are open, welcoming people to enjoy the outdoors while maintaining social distancing.

“That’s why we invested in these properties the last 30 years, so they’d be there for us,” said Tom Stolp, OWLT’s executive director. “As long as you practice social distancing, it’s paramount for physical and mental health to get outside and keep moving.”

Stolp said that in recent weeks more people than usual are visiting the preserves, something that, in line with the land trust’s mission to preserve nature for public enjoyment, is “just what we like to see.”

Stolp provided descriptions of the highlights of the OWLT’s preserves.

Forest Beach Migratory Preserve

The 116-acre parcel with two miles of trails in the Town of Belgium “probably has the most unique history of any of our preserves,” Stolp said.

The property was Squires Country Club until the OWLT bought it a decade ago.

Stolp said some people expect to see some resemblance to a golf course and, despite already standing in the preserve, will call to ask where it is.

Native plants were put in the sand traps and water hazards, and wetlands were expanded to improve conditions and create a patchwork of habitats for migrating birds.

The trails are wide with gradual sloping to make for relatively easy hiking, Stolp said.

The preserve also has observation decks that offer scenic views of Lake Michigan.

It has a large parking lot to enable easy social distancing, Stolp said.

Sauk Creek Nature Preserve

Located in the City of Port Washington on Moore Road, Sauk Creek is the OWLT’s oldest preserve.

Thirty years ago, Ozaukee County was losing its natural areas. The 27-acre preserve was created with “an eye toward people having a place to relax and get in touch with nature,” Stolp said.

Despite the preserve’s age, it is still getting new amenities, including new trails, Stolp said. The eastern portion of the property was farm fields but is now covered by a second-growth forest.

Visitors can take a bridge over Sauk Creek, and trails connect to local neighborhoods.

Bratt Woods

The 17-acre parcel in the Town of Grafton is a “beautiful stretch along Ozaukee County’s other freshwater coast, the Milwaukee River,” Stolp said.

Bikers traveling can enjoy the preserve from the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, which runs beside it.

The property is unique in that the wooded area includes American beech trees that are habitat for woodpeckers. Mature oak and maple trees also decorate the land.

OWLT staff members are removing invasive species in hopes that the property will revert back to its original mature beech and maple forest character.

Huiras Lake State Natural Area

The Town of Fredonia property doesn’t look like Ozaukee County’s back yard. Conifers and hardwoods provide scenic views more familiar in northern Wisconsin.

The preserve’s 113  acres include long trails, a dock and a boardwalk to Huiras Lake. It is part of the 435-acre Huiras Lake Woods and Bog Natural Area.

Spirit Lake

The 155-acre parcel in Mequon has a large parking lot to easily practice social distancing, Stolp said.

A pond in the center of the preserve was protected thanks to a handful of organizations.

“It’s a great place for a spiritual walk along the pond and to restore the past spiritual nature of it,” Stolp said.

Donges Bay Gorge

Originally slated for develop, the 23-acre tract along the Lake Michigan shoreline was saved by the OWLT a decade ago.

Part of the Kurth family estate, it features a bridge that runs from one side of the gorge to the shore.

The property’s pool house has been converted into a pavilion that allows for good views and a place for families to eat packed lunches. It also includes designs by famous landscape architect Jens Jensen, who was hired by the Kurth family. Jensen is known for designing many parks in the early 1900s in Chicago, including Ravinia.

Lion’s Den Gorge

Lion’s Den was acquired by OWLT and Ozaukee County in 2002 and is part of Ozaukee County’s park system.

The 73-acre property includes dramatic lake overlooks from its bluffs, boardwalks over wetlands, picnic tables and a stairway to Lake Michigan.

The OWLT is trying to add a space near the northern edge of Lion’s Den on the southern tip of the 130-acre Cedar Gorge clay bluffs. Several lakeside parcels separate the two areas.

There’s no public access area connecting the two parcels, but if the OWLT preserves the nearby Cedar Gorge area as is hoped, Stolp said there is talk of a bike and pedestrian trail.

“We have more families coming to these areas. We think we can make wise investments to protect these areas,” Stolp said.

The preserves, he said, “provide relief to people for whatever they’re going through in their personal lives or to make special memories.”

For more information on the OWLT and its preserves, visit owlt.org.