Description
Why You Should Visit
The Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve encompasses oak savanna and woodlands, wetlands and former agricultural land near Eagle, Wisconsin.
It is where sandhill cranes raucously call from the wetlands in spring, where turkey vultures silently circle over the edge of the oak woods, where a red fox pounces on unsuspecting prey hidden beneath the snow.
A major portion of the headwaters of the Mukwonago River, the most pristine small river system in southeast Wisconsin, rises from springs on the property. The river is home to 59 species of fish, including five that are threatened or endangered, and 14 species of mussels.
Why TNC Selected This Site
In 2006, Newell and Ann Meyer donated 374 acres of land to The Nature Conservancy through their estate. The Meyers’ dream was to create a nature sanctuary, an oasis of quiet beauty amidst the hustle and bustle of southeast Wisconsin.
Lifelong Milwaukee residents, the Meyers bought the first 80 acres in 1976 as a summer retreat. In Eagle, they were artists—Newell a sculptor and Ann a painter—and spent time at the property pursuing their art and enjoying wildlife. Theirs is the largest gift of land and assets ever made in Wisconsin for conservation.
The preserve is adjacent to the southern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and is located about three miles northwest of the Conservancy’s Lulu Lake and Crooked Creek preserves.
The Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve is located within the Mukwonago River Watershed project area. The Conservancy has an office and staff in the East Troy area, and we are working cooperatively with many different public and private partners to accomplish the following:
- Protect the water quality of and natural areas within the Mukwonago River Watershed.
- Manage our preserves to maintain rare natural communities and provide habitat for fish, mussels, amphibians and reptiles.
- Work with individuals and organizations concerned with the health of the watershed to help balance watershed protection with human needs and economic health.
