State Natural Areas and the Evolution of Land Conservation in Twentieth-Century Wisconsin

Land conservation approaches underwent rapid evolution in twentieth-century Wisconsin. Turn-of-the-century reforestation (following the widespread logging of the previous century) gave way to initiatives focused on recreation. However, over a twenty-year span starting in the 1930s, conservation increasingly prioritized protecting diverse landscapes and ecosystems as examples of Wisconsin’s natural heritage, culminating in the formation of the State Board for the Preservation of Scientific Areas in 1951. Thereafter, land preservation became place-based; community members engaged with the state government to preserve natural areas in their corner of the state. Later named the State Natural Areas program, this initiative now protects nearly 700 natural areas, an example of making vernacular wilderness accessible to individuals across Wisconsin.