Speaker: Cheryl Contant

How can a group of dedicated and passionate individuals make a difference in protecting land and the lake it abuts? We will discuss the efforts of the Grindstone Lake Foundation in protecting a 57-acre parcel of land on the southwestern shore of Grindstone Lake in Sawyer County. This parcel was a former cranberry bog that went up for sale through an online auction site just three months after the legal formation of the Foundation. Through a series of unusual actions, the Foundation became the property owner of this parcel and now seeks to permanently protect it from agricultural or residential development. Further, we seek to create recreational, ecological, and educational benefits from the land through trails, prairie and wetland restoration, and natural history signage and demonstration projects. Learn about how we are managing the process of acquiring the land, raising money to obtain clear title, and envisioning a future where the lake is protected and the land is considered an asset to the community.