Kurtz Donation Marks 100^th Milestone for the Northwoods Land Trust

Jan Kurtz made a generous donation of a conservation easement to the Northwoods Land Trust (NWLT) on July 24, 2025, protecting 22 acres of land and over 1,200 feet of natural shoreline on Julia Lake in the Town of Hiles, Forest County.

Jan’s motivation to preserve the property is to ensure that it stays as her family has known it for approximately 75 years. Jan grew up spending summertime at the rustic family cabin, playing in the surrounding woods, picking berries, and swimming in Julia Lake and Furbush Creek.

What makes Jan’s donation particularly special is that it is the 100^th conservation easement donation to the Northwoods Land Trust. This milestone is being celebrated by NWLT’s board of directors- a group of 16 passionate and skilled individuals who are advancing the mission to conserve land and natural resources to benefit present and future generations in seven counties in northern Wisconsin.

The Northwoods Land Trust was formed in 2001 when landowners and lake associations expressed the need for services to permanently conserve shorelands, woodlands, and wetlands. Land trusts are uniquely positioned to do just that. Shoreland protection remains among NWLT’s highest priorities today, with over 85 miles of waterfront protected that will remain natural and undeveloped.

One reason the northwoods region has such high-quality lakes and rivers is because of the amount of public and private conservation land that safeguards these resources. “Conserved shorelands offer the highest level of protection to the long-term health and quality of our waters, and for the wildlife that depend on them,” says Bob Martini, NWLT board president.

Ensuring healthy waters and forests for the future also plays a critical role in the economics of the region. “Tourism and recreation bring in millions of dollars of annual revenue to our communities, and those visitors come here to experience our clean lakes and healthy forests. Not every shoreline needs to be developed. Over time, the northwoods is at risk of looking like southern Wisconsin if proactive measures aren’t taken now. One such action is private landowners protecting their property through a conservation easement. The land remains intact and privately owned and managed. It remains on the property tax rolls -a win-win for communities and the environment,” noted Bob.

A conservation easement is a legal tool and a private property right. It allows a landowner to preserve their land in cooperation with a qualified organization, like the Northwoods Land Trust. Nearly 40 land trusts across the state and 1,700 nationwide are collectively working to keep private lands natural for future generations. Most conservation easements allow for the management of forestland for timber production, further supporting the long-term economic health of regions that depend on forest products to sustain their economy, like Forest County.

Jan’s conservation easement borders the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, making it even more critical of a connection that keeps forest and wildlife habitat intact. “I just could not see this land being subdivided and having houses all along Lake Julia’s shoreline. I’ve had a long-time passion to preserve the esker and wetlands of this parcel. My parents previously considered arrangements to conserve it before I became the owner in 2009. After their passing, it took me two years to accomplish our family’s conservation plans for these lands,” Jan explained.

“It’s my right and honor to protect the earth I’ve been privileged to inhabit. I am a caretaker of this land.  I don’t believe in dominion over land; I believe in stewardship of the land,” ended Jan.