The Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust purchased the 60-acres of land off Meachem Road. The money to buy the plot came from a pot companies pay into when they plan on wetlands construction, with Foxconn being one company that has made contributions to this. The plot will be open to hikers from Burlington once the restoration is completed. When areas change hands, poster printing can be used to advise the public about the new owners.
A member of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stated that 90% of the wetlands in the state have been altered or destroyed. The DNR’s program is aiming to offset the effects of lost wetlands by working on plots of land that are available to buy. The hope is that concerting this plot of agricultural land into its natural state as wetlands will slow down the rates of erosion and flooding in the area.
When speaking on the Morning Show, Joshua Brown from the DNR said:
“The difference between corn or soybeans or other cash crops and native plants is really the root structure. Because corn or soybeans don’t go that deep, the root structure of native plants allows for a lot of absorption and groundwater infiltration.”
The work scheduled for the plot off Meachem Road involves the removal or plugging of drain tiles, putting down shrub seedlings, and seeding the ground with native plants. The landscape will take a number of years to mature.