LAND O’ LAKES – A 191 acre land purchase in Vilas County joins two separate blocks of public forest. The Northwoods Alliance and Partners in Forestry bought the parcel last month to create an unbroken stretch of woods covering over 1,200 acres.

This purchase represents more than a simple land deal. It demonstrates how small, strategic buys protect a community’s character and its economy.

Stopping the Fragmentation of Highway 45

The new land borders County Road E to the north and U.S. Highway 45 to the west. This location is critical. In many Northwoods towns, developers buy highway frontage first to build small house lots. A single row of homes along the road creates a wall. This wall blocks the public from reaching thousands of forest acres sitting behind the private lots.

This purchase keeps the gates open. By owning the frontage, the public maintains a direct path into the woods. The property shares a one mile border with the State of Wisconsin forest. It also shares a half mile border with the Vilas County Forest. This link sustains the threatened spruce grouse and the black backed woodpecker. Both birds require the damp, mossy cover of lowland conifers. Without this 191-acre link, these populations could eventually become isolated in small, disconnected patches of woods.

The Economic Balance: Taxes and Timber

The Working Forest: Keeping Land on the Tax Rolls

This project utilizes a "Working Forest" model. Unlike a state park, the land remains in private hands. This ensures the owners continue to pay local property taxes. These funds support Land O' Lakes roads, fire departments, and schools.

In Land O’ Lakes, where public land already limits the tax base, keeping 191 acres in private hands prevents the tax burden from shifting onto residential homeowners. Partners in Forestry Cooperative manages the trees under the Managed Forest Law (MFL) program. Local crews harvest timber and the public gains permanent access for hunting, fishing, and hiking on foot. (Note that motor vehicles and ATVs may not enter this private tract.)

What to Watch for in 2026

As this new section of the Upper Wisconsin River Legacy Forest opens, monitor these milestones:

• The Stewardship Vote: This project utilized funds from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. This state fund serves as the primary tool for buying connector parcels. It faces renewal in June 2026. Watch how your local representatives talk about this fund. Their vote dictates whether the next strategic purchase in your town succeeds or fails.