Ellison Bay Landowner Helps Wildlife Thrive with Conservation Easement

Door County, WI – “Sometimes she knocks on my window, so I put a cob of corn outside for her,” said Carolyn Hitzeman, the landowner behind a recent conservation easement donation to the Door County Land Trust, referring to a lone turkey that occasionally visits her property. “There are many groups of turkeys that come, and I don’t feed them, but this one has been alone for a few years, so I feel sorry for her,” she explained. Hitzeman has owned her 20-acre property in Ellison Bay since 1985 and always knew she would never divide it, as has happened with so many parcels of land in the area. Protecting habitat for wildlife is one of the reasons Hitzeman chose to preserve her property with a conservation easement. The property’s wetland, forest, and meadow habitats attract a variety of wildlife, including sandhill cranes, bluebirds, coyotes, red and gray squirrels, deer, raccoons—and even a wolf, which was spotted twice about a decade ago. Hitzeman’s easement protects a wildlife corridor that continues through the Mink River estuary – protected by the Nature Conservancy – to Garrett Bay.

Maintaining a Meadow

Hitzeman has worked hard to maintain a large meadow on the property, pulling hundreds of fast-growing pine seedlings by hand each season to preserve open and scenic space for wildlife viewing. Seven bluebird boxes are placed throughout the meadow, providing safe nesting sites for bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds like swallows and chickadees. The boxes are designed to deter more aggressive birds and predators, giving these species a better chance to raise their young. Hitzeman enjoys the many baby birds that start their life in her meadow.

Nature Calls

Every single Sunday growing up, Hitzeman’s father would take her and her siblings hiking. This family tradition led to her own, when she and her husband would bring their five kids from Illinois to Peninsula State Park to tent camp regularly. After years of this, the Hitzemans decided to do something “totally crazy” and move to Door County. She is glad her children grew up here, where they learned to cross-country ski, kayak, and gain a greater appreciation for nature.

Hitzeman’s understanding of the area’s ecological value deepened when she befriended Jim Zimmerman, a UW–Madison ecologist who led the first comprehensive inventory of vegetation and ecosystems in Door County. Through dedicated work, Zimmerman mapped the region’s environmental corridors and advocated for their protection. He would no doubt be pleased to know that his friend Carolyn has helped carry that vision forward.

A Growing Movement

With this conservation easement, Hitzeman joins a growing number of landowners partnering with the Door County Land Trust to protect the region’s natural beauty, wildlife habitat, and ecological integrity. Her dedication reflects a shared commitment to preserving the landscapes that make Door County so special. Conservation easement agreements donated to the Land Trust have helped dozens of Door County property owners protect thousands of acres of land throughout the county. The types of properties protected include farms, forested properties and those that contain wetlands, streams or lakeshore. As development pressures continue to increase, and as more landowners realize they have the ability to permanently protect the lands they love, conservation easements allow landowners to achieve their conservation vision. Conservation easements are legal agreements between the property owner and the Land Trust, and restrict the type and amount of future development and activities permitted on a property in order to protect the land’s scenic and conservation values. Conservation easements like Carolyn’s are not open to the public, as they remain in private ownership.

About the Door County Land Trust

Protecting Door County’s Exceptional Lands and Waters…Forever. Door County Land Trust protects the wild places, scenic beauty, and ecological integrity that make the peninsula and islands so special. 15 featured nature preserves are open for hiking, and other low-impact, non-motorized recreational activities–all at no charge to the public. Trail maps and more information may be found at www.doorcountylandtrust.org.