Area conservancy closing in on 20,000 acres protected in 20 years

Mississippi Valley Conservancy just saved another 247 acres in Jackson County.

A La Crosse-based land conservancy is on a bit of a roll at the end of this year.

The Mississippi Valley Conservancy just collected another 247 acres under a conservation agreement with a Jackson County couple.

The countour strip farm of Werner Haas near Taylor, Wis., will be permanently protected from development under the agreement.

The last few weeks of this year has seen the MVC add about a 1,000 acres to conservation agreements that the organization has in place.

The group now has well over 18,000 acres of land in the area that has been protected from development and counting.

“We do have a little bit of a short-term goal,” admitted director Carol Abrahamzon. “Next year, 2017, is our 20th anniversary, and our goal is to hit 20,000 acres protected in our 20th anniversary year.”

Overall, however, the conservancy’s goal isn’t numeric. It’s more simple than that.

“We don’t have a goal as in, ‘Do we hit this magic nubmer and we’re done?'” Abrahamzon said. “We don’t. Our goal really is to help landowners make their dreams come true.”

Under the conservation arrangements, the MVC prevents development permanently through an endowment.