Davidson, credits “a group affair” for turning his original vision into something that will benefit both the Bayfield community and visitors to the region.
           
“There are a lot of components, a lot of parts that went into it,” he said. “It wasn’t just me, but I did own the land.”

Brinton praised Davidson for being open to considering a public recreation area over a conservation sub-division.
           
“At the end of the meeting it was just sad. Bob was so disappointed; he was so sad because he wanted to do something meaningful with the land. (A sub-division) just wasn’t a good idea for that land. I just said to him, why don’t you talk to Landmark Conservancy. It’s a beautiful property and I know you want to do something good. This could both meet your goal of doing something meaningful and getting some return on your investment.”

Tom Gordon, chairman of the Town of Bayfield, and other Town Board members were supportive of the project as the region has been emphasizing outdoor recreation in its tourism efforts for some time and needs to make sure there are ample opportunities for it. “The Board does not oppose all development but just felt the property was better suited for public use, especially in the middle of apple country,” he said.
           
As he thought more about it, Davidson agreed.
           
“Kind of in the twilight of my life I thought it would be the right thing,” said Davidson, who is 86. “It’s such a beautiful piece of land. In the end, I’m really pleased with the whole thing.”
           
Erika Lang, Landmark Conservancy’s Conservation Manager in its Bayfield office, was encouraged by Bob’s actions. “Land protection is only achieved by working together as a community. Conservation of this land provides important protection for wildlife as well as the water quality of the Pikes Creek watershed and downstream Lake Superior. Keeping the property in its forested condition will provide multiple benefits including flood mitigation and increased resiliency of the landscape to changes in climate. Recreation is an important driver for this region, and Landmark is also excited about helping to improve visitors’ recreational experiences on the Bayfield Peninsula.”
           
Jason Bodine, Administrator of Bayfield County’s Forestry and Parks Department, said no firm plans have been made for the site but it is likely that trails for hiking, skiing and other non-motorized uses will be developed, along with a small parking area. The name of the site is yet to be determined, he said, though it may be along the lines of Fire Hill Forest Preserve. Yurts available for rent by campers have proven popular in other county parks and might be added at the Fire Tower property as well.
           
“There’s a lot of recreational potential,” he said. “The potential is almost endless. With that terrain and that contiguous block of forest…it’s a beautiful property. It’s really rugged, there’s not a whole lot of flat areas on that property.”
           
Bodine credited the collaborative efforts of the Town of Bayfield, Landmark Conservancy and others for helping advance the project but especially singled out Davidson for embracing the idea when his own initial plan was rejected.
           
“It takes people like Bob to have the vision and willingness to see this through, and the persistence of Landmark Conservancy,” he said.           
           
Does Davidson think the final product is something of a legacy?
           
​“Yes, I do,” he said. “I do. It just makes me feel very good that I was at this age financially able to pull this off. But that’s not the important thing. The important thing is that it’s preserved.”
​

​Landmark Conservancy has purchased nearly 600 acres adjacent to Copper Falls State Park. This acquisition will conserve ecologically unique lands and provide protections to one of the top ten state parks and its 200,000 annual visitors.
 
We look forward to working with area partners to develop public access for non-motorized recreation on this newly acquired land, including hiking, hunting, fishing, trapping, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and wildlife viewing. Last year the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released an extensive analysis on recreational needs in the state; over 80% of survey respondents indicated they felt more recreational opportunities were needed in the Great Northwest Region, with more trails and fishing opportunities ranking high among identified needs.
 
“Landmark was fortunate to have broad support from the community for protection of this property, including Ashland County, Town of Morse, Trout Unlimited’s state council and local Wild Rivers chapter, Northland College, trails and hunting clubs, and Cozy Valley residents,” said Erika Lang, Conservation Manager. The land trust secured state and federal funds to purchase the property, including grants from Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and the highly competitive U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest Program.
 
Conservation of the land provides important protection for wildlife as well as water quality, and further protects the natural resources of Copper Falls State Park. As Landmark develops new recreational experiences, they will work closely with the State Park to complement their visitor experiences and are eager to expand fishing opportunities. It is anticipated that these efforts may increase tourism and provide economic benefits for the region.

​Over the past year, Landmark Conservancy has explored how we can mitigate the effects of climate change in our region.  In doing so, we have confirmed that our role in boosting resilience to change is through permanent land protection. But what does that mean?  
 
For our purposes, we have considered resilience to appropriately mean “strengthening the ability of human and non-human systems to withstand and respond to changes in the Earth's climate”.  Landmark will be working with targeted landowners to consider land protections like conservation easements to protect the non-human systems within their land.  In addition, our work achieves greater when we work to connect the ecological flow from one resilient area to another.  This will provide opportunities for species movement and migration as climate and habitat changes take place in western and northwest Wisconsin. 
 
With this in mind, our conservation team has looked at our region through the lens of climate resiliency and flow models developed by The Nature Conservancy.  What areas, because of their geological and physical characteristics will continue to support ecological diversity under a rapidly changing climate?  Landmark will be focused on those places.
 
Where are these places?  Diversity in temperature, aspect, soils and geology drive the biodiversity engine.  Large and connected landscapes allow the movement and transition of species without needing intense management or restoration.  Permanent land protection will aid the ability and flexibility of species to adapt to changing and evolving habitat.  Resilience.   
 
We are excited to complete the mapping of our focus areas later this fall.  We are anxious to share our priorities with our supporters and partners, and to explore ways we can collaborate to most effectively boost our climate change resiliency as we move into the future.  These maps will allow us to analyze each parcel in our focus area.  We are excited to connect with these targeted landowners.
 
There are many positive ways to address climate change through conservation: restoration, adaptation, legislation, education.  Landmark Conservancy protects land.  In doing so, land protection with a focus on resilient and connected landscapes will help build a firm foundation for nature’s stage.
 
Posted by Jane Anklam, Conservation Manager