Jefferson County Parks InitiativeJefferson County Parks Initiative

David Heyman and Brian WrightDavid Heyman and Brian Wright

Capstone StatementCapstone Statement

The Jefferson County Parks Department and the Wisconsin Department of Natural

Resources have identified Jefferson County as a critical area to establish more outdoor

recreational opportunities. We are proposing to enhance these two visions by selecting the most productive area within the county to establish a new a park area that would be

complimentary with the existing park system, preserve natural features, and establish a

diverse amount of recreational opportunities for the local and regional needs.

Factors:County is in the fastest growing area of the stateLand value directly affects the acquisition of new public landContains some the world’s beast examples of glacial drumlin areasContains some of the best agricultural soils in the state

The county needs to act now to acquire park and open space for recreation and preservation of natural resources.

Jefferson County Parks InitiativeJefferson County Parks Initiative

Goal: Select the most ideal location that could provide an array of recreational opportunities, preserve unique physical attributes of the Wisconsin landscape, and expand existing park system within a contiguous area.

Problem:To identify which park areas has diverse physical attributes and recreational opportunities that preserve to benefit to the public and the potential to expand into a an area 100 acres or greater in size.

The Importance of RecreationThe Importance of Recreation

Background:Background:

Opportunities to expand recreational facilities in this Opportunities to expand recreational facilities in this landscape are diminishing as residential development landscape are diminishing as residential development continues to expand into the rural countryside. Our study continues to expand into the rural countryside. Our study focused on areas that could be restored to provide a wide focused on areas that could be restored to provide a wide range of activities in order to meet the future needs. range of activities in order to meet the future needs.

Study Area:Study Area:

Jefferson County is located in south central Wisconsin Jefferson County is located in south central Wisconsin between Milwaukee and Madison metropolitan areas. The between Milwaukee and Madison metropolitan areas. The county is also 70 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois. These county is also 70 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois. These large urban areas greatly influence the population land use large urban areas greatly influence the population land use and recreational opportunities in Jefferson County.and recreational opportunities in Jefferson County.

County StatisticsCounty Statistics

Is .44% Recreation Land Enough?Is .44% Recreation Land Enough?  County has 16 TownshipsCounty has 16 Townships4 Villages4 Villages6 Cities6 Cities  Total county land area (acres):Total county land area (acres): 371,930 371,930     Surface WatersSurface Waters 16,83216,832 4.5%4.5%WoodlandsWoodlands 24,00924,009 6.5%6.5%Existing Recreational UsesExisting Recreational Uses 16711671 .44%.44%

  The most populous counties and urban areas surround JeffersonThe most populous counties and urban areas surround JeffersonCounty. Wisconsin Department of Administration 2003.County. Wisconsin Department of Administration 2003.

Wisconsin Land Legacy ReportWisconsin Land Legacy Report

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Land Legacy Initiative Report- Draft 2003

•228 areas were identified within 16 Ecological Landscapes.

•Jefferson County lies within the Southeast Glacial Plain and had five areas identified

Jefferson County Land Legacy AreasJefferson County Land Legacy Areas

Upper Rock RiverWaterloo Drumlins

Jefferson Marsh

Lake Koshkonong

A variety of terrain and land cover types, abundant lakes and streams can accommodate a broad range of water based recreation activities.

To determine the value of these areas, buffering and linking to existing public lands was a determining factor that would create considerable amount of recreational opportunities with the least disturbance to natural areas

County Park Site Feasibility StudyCounty Park Site Feasibility Study

These areas were selected by Jefferson County as potential park acquisition because they contained important natural features and were large areas of 40 acres in size.

These areas all contained water and forested land that has the potential to offer a variety of recreational opportunities.

Relative Scoring of AreasRelative Scoring of AreasRecreational Opportunities:Recreational Opportunities:

1. A variety of activities that could accommodate the recreational needs of 1. A variety of activities that could accommodate the recreational needs of the publicthe public

2. Water features suitable for fishing, swimming, paddling and boating2. Water features suitable for fishing, swimming, paddling and boating

3. Forested areas to provide hiking, bicycling and camping3. Forested areas to provide hiking, bicycling and camping

Accessibility to Residents:

1. Area’s proximity to urban areas

2. Area's accessibility to roads

3. Area’s ability to connect to existing public areas

Scenic Value:

1. Maximize the visible and desirable landscape within the park area

Road Road AccessibilityAccessibility

Two of the four strongest growth Two of the four strongest growth areas in Wisconsin are adjacent to areas in Wisconsin are adjacent to Jefferson County, Dane County to the Jefferson County, Dane County to the immediate west and Waukesha immediate west and Waukesha County to the immediate east County to the immediate east (Wisconsin Department of (Wisconsin Department of Administration Population trends in Administration Population trends in Wisconsin: 2000-2003)Wisconsin: 2000-2003)

Over half of the state’s population Over half of the state’s population lives within 50 miles of the areas lives within 50 miles of the areas bounded by Milwaukee, Madison, bounded by Milwaukee, Madison, Found du Lac and Janesville.Found du Lac and Janesville.

MethodsMethods

ConceptualizationConceptualization

Where are the most productive areas Where are the most productive areas in Jefferson County for creating in Jefferson County for creating parkland?parkland?

• Areas with high recreation potentialAreas with high recreation potential• Areas with high connectivity potentialAreas with high connectivity potential• Areas with high landscape potentialAreas with high landscape potential

Site SelectionSite Selection

12 sites selected throughout 12 sites selected throughout Jefferson CountyJefferson County• 4 sites included in Wisconsin DNR’s Land 4 sites included in Wisconsin DNR’s Land

Legacy Initiative ReportLegacy Initiative Report• 8 sites selected by Jefferson County Park 8 sites selected by Jefferson County Park

Site Feasibility StudySite Feasibility Study 1000 acre buffer used to sample 1000 acre buffer used to sample

regionregion

1 : 200,000

Recreation PotentialRecreation Potential

Water RecreationWater Recreation• Area of open water and length of Area of open water and length of

shorelineshoreline

Forest RecreationForest Recreation• Area of forests greater than 10 Area of forests greater than 10

contiguous acrescontiguous acres

1 : 200,000

Connectivity PotentialConnectivity Potential

Areas that fit into existing park Areas that fit into existing park structurestructure• Higher score given from 0-3 miles from Higher score given from 0-3 miles from

an existing state or county parklandan existing state or county parkland Areas that are accessible to populousAreas that are accessible to populous

• Higher score given from 0-3 miles from Higher score given from 0-3 miles from city or villagecity or village

• Higher score given based on road Higher score given based on road hierarchyhierarchy

Interstate –> U.S. Highway –> State RoadInterstate –> U.S. Highway –> State Road

1 : 200,000

Landscape PotentialLandscape Potential

Area of desirable Area of desirable landscape (forest / water)landscape (forest / water)• 9 evenly viewpoints evenly 9 evenly viewpoints evenly

spaced around site to spaced around site to determine visible areadetermine visible area

• Non-desirable landscape Non-desirable landscape eliminated from total eliminated from total visible areavisible area

1 : 200,000

ResultsResults

1 : 200,000

1 : 200,000

1 : 200,000

1 : 200,000

NAME RECREATION ACCESS LANDSCAPE TOTALWEIGTED TOTAL

Waterloo Drumlins 7.05% 71.43% 15.76% 46.29% 47.95%

Upper Rock River 21.27% 28.57% 4.90% 26.89% 31.61%

Jefferson Marsh 1.16% 28.57% 3.09% 16.12% 16.89%

Bark / Scuppernong Rivers 46.20% 28.57% 16.14% 44.66% 52.99%

Pipersville Drumlins 35.23% 14.29% 3.81% 26.20% 33.50%

Hope Lake 25.18% 57.14% 6.81% 43.79% 50.01%

Red Cedar Lake 86.08% 42.86% 6.84% 66.70% 85.16%

Holzhueter Farm 9.15% 85.71% 20.84% 56.84% 58.70%

Lake Koshkonong 71.69% 14.29% 89.85% 86.37% 89.14%

Cushman Pond 100.00% 14.29% 10.33% 61.21% 81.12%

Oakland Highlands 60.71% 42.86% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

North Shore Drumlins 10.83% 100.00% 13.40% 61.03% 64.78%

WEIGHTED SCORE = RECREATION + (0.75 * ACCESS) + (0.5 * LANDSCAPE)

Selected SitesSelected Sites Oakland Highlands - A large wooded area on the Oakland Highlands - A large wooded area on the

moraine with spectacular views, oak hickory moraine with spectacular views, oak hickory woods, remnant prairie, and a blue heron rookerywoods, remnant prairie, and a blue heron rookery

Lake Koshkonong – The largest lake in Jefferson Lake Koshkonong – The largest lake in Jefferson Co. Many Native American sites and mounds are Co. Many Native American sites and mounds are found surrounding the lake as well as extensive found surrounding the lake as well as extensive wetlandswetlands

Red Cedar Lake – One of the most pristine lakes Red Cedar Lake – One of the most pristine lakes in SE Wisconsin with several rare plant in SE Wisconsin with several rare plant communitiescommunities

Cushman Pond – Drumlins meet a millpond on the Cushman Pond – Drumlins meet a millpond on the Bark River. This site has spectacular views, Bark River. This site has spectacular views, several pioneer sites and conoeingseveral pioneer sites and conoeing

Prime Agricultural LandPrime Agricultural Land Waterloo Drumlin Potential Site

Only .2 acres of Prime agricultural farmland would be removed from production1 2

43

ImprovementsImprovements

Use defined park boundaries instead of arbitrary buffer areasUse defined park boundaries instead of arbitrary buffer areas

Take into account conservation value of parklandsTake into account conservation value of parklands

Wildlife habitat protectionWildlife habitat protection

Groundwater rechargeGroundwater recharge

Preserve unique biomesPreserve unique biomes

Use land value to propose an acquisition scheduleUse land value to propose an acquisition schedule

Geological featuresGeological features