SPRING GREEN, Wis. (WKOW) — An iconic piece of land along the Lower Wisconsin River has been secured for conservation with a $2.9 million purchase by the Driftless Area Land Conservancy.

The 245-acre property known as Wintergreen is set to offer new opportunities for wildlife preservation and community engagement. The Wintergreen property features nearly a mile of undeveloped riverfront and is home to a diverse array of wildlife and habitats.

Emily Filippak, executive director of the Driftless Area Land Conservancy, emphasized the conservation value of the land.

“So really it’s the conservation values. We wanted to keep the land and the community also wanted this property to stay undeveloped and to be managed for wildlife and biodiversity,” said Filippak.

The land includes wetlands, floodplain forest, and habitats for white-tailed deer, eagles, various wetland species, migrating birds, and three endangered species of bats.

Filippak shared that their initial focus will be on understanding the property before starting projects.

“We will spend next year learning about the property. We want to rehabilitate the trail system, open it up to the public so folks can come in and hike,” said Filippak.

The purchase also includes a 1,500-square-foot building that was previously a ski resort and occasionally served as a wedding venue and Friday fish fry hall.

Filippak outlined potential plans for the building.

“One, we can see this being some kind of a welcome center, cultural center. Two, we want to move our offices here, because why not? We own the building. Let’s put our offices here. We’re in the heart of our area that we work to protect. And three, some kind of profit generating private enterprise,” said Filippak.

Filippak mentioned that they expect to need an additional $3 million for renovations and upgrades, including habitat restoration, a parking lot and trails.

The organization hopes to reopen the gates to the public this spring.