Photography by Jen Schildgen / BlueVerve Studio
Kishwauketoe
Nature Conservancy
One of Southern Wisconsin’s most distinctive conservation treasures, Kishwauketoe: A Nature Conservancy for the Children of Tomorrow invites visitors into a living landscape designed to inspire connection, curiosity, and care for the natural world. More than four miles of thoughtfully designed trails weave through the property, drawing people closer to the many plant and wildlife communities that call Kishwauketoe home.
Along the way, observe a rich tapestry of plant species, wander beside gently rolling creeks and tranquil ponds, and marvel at lush vegetation with wonderfully evocative names—Wild Geranium, Angelica, Tall Meadow Rue, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and May Apple. Each trail reveals something unexpected as it carries you through diverse areas of sedges, native grasses, and mature hardwood trees.
Effess - Kathleen Dooley
Kishwauketoe is a haven for wildlife and nature lovers alike. Birders may spot more than 110+ varieties of birds, including the impressive turkey vulture, while keen observers may also encounter deer, coyote, fox, raccoon, and opossum. The conservancy protects an extraordinary range of ecosystems, including wetlands, prairie, oak woods, kettle, meadow, deciduous forest, an arboretum, and two creeks, all within a single, carefully preserved landscape.
A boardwalk and observation tower enhance viewing opportunities, while a pavilion offers shelter and a welcoming space for gatherings and activities. Whether you come to explore, observe, learn, or simply breathe more deeply, Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy offers a place to slow down and rediscover the beauty of the natural world.
Come explore today—and uncover the unexpected.
Photography by Jen Schildgen / BlueVerve Studio
Photography by Jen Schildgen / BlueVerve Studio
Our Mission
The Mission of Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy is to preserve the property for the benefit of the community and the environment. The goals of Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy are to preserve, restore or establish native ecological communities typical of the region, to ensure public access and to promote recreation, education and research opportunities, with an emphasis on our natural ecological environment, including the importance of dark sky quality as part of the natural environment.
We must protect our forests for our children, grandchildren, and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who cannot speak for themselves, such as the birds, animals, fish, and trees.
The Village of Williams Bay purchased the 231 acre property in 1990 and, at that time, we vowed that we would not come back to the taxpayers for support. We would seek donations for all work that would be done to restore this beautiful natural area on Geneva Lake. Over the past 36 years, we have lived up to that promise.
Today, Kishwauketoe is not just a simple nature conservancy, but instead Kishwauketoe represents a community. In fact, over the past 36 years Kishwauketoe represents what is possible when a community comes together.
Over the years, some of our accomplishments include:
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Planting hundreds of trees to bring back the natural forest
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Restoring sixty-five acres of meadow land
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Cleaning a natural wetland that directly feeds into Geneva Lake, creating a spawning area for lake trout
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Clearing and maintaining over 4 miles of trails, for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross county skiing
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Construction of a viewing tower
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Installing several sections of boardwalk
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Clearing invasive weed species in order to allow the growth of native flowers
…Most importantly, providing enjoyment for not only residents of Williams Bay, Geneva Lake, and Walworth County, but helping assure the waters of Geneva Lake remain clean, clear, and beautiful for all future generations.
Photography by Jen Schildgen / BlueVerve Studio
ArbNet Level 1 Accreditation
Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy has been awarded Level 1 Accreditation by ArbNet. ArbNet is an international, collaborative community of arboreta that provides resources, sets professional standards, and fosters partnerships to advance the planting and conservation of trees.
This recognition of professional standards and capabilities is an important milestone for our organization, and represents the advancement of goals specific to tree-focused public gardens. Accreditation acknowledges Kishwauketoe's commitment to and fulfillment of professional criteria.
Member Old-Growth Forest Network
The Old-Growth Forest Network is the only national network in the U.S. of protected, old-growth, native forests where people of all generations can experience biodiversity and the beauty of nature.
The Community Forest designation is a subset of the Network Forest program in which OGFN recognizes forests that are closely tied to the fabric of communities and serve as important ambassadors to larger, wilder forests.
