This is the first in a two-part series about the Geneva Lake Conservancy and issues revolving around conservation in the area. See a future Regional News edition for more.

By Lisa Seiser
lisa@lakegenevanews.net

Geneva Lake Conservancy leaders are quick to admit they aren't extremely disappointed that the country's economic slowdown has forced a pause in area development.

It's not that they are against growth. The slow down has allowed the conservancy to work on its goals, mission statement and strategic plan for the future.

"With this lull in the market, it has given us that opportunity to focus on our mission and then utilize our resources in a direction to fulfill that mission," Conservancy Board Chairman Bob Klockars said.

"People can think and be proactive, rather than reactive to the development proposals," Conservancy Executive Director Joe McHugh said about the extra time the conservancy has had to focus on other aspects of the organization.

By updating its mission, goals and strategic plans, Klockars and McHugh agree it puts the conservancy in a solid position when the development slowdown ends.

"We will have an opportunity to have a seat at the table and not be the ones who are activists," Klockars said. "I think doing that is a little late. We want to be part of the process."

Klockars said early involvement gives the conservancy real credibility and the possibility of working with the developers, rather than what they perceive as against them.

"The governing bodies look at being involved and that's a start in a real positive way," he said. "If indeed the developer is the one that gets that message, to shape development conservation, or easements, it is a much better partnership than when we are adversarial."

McHugh said the updated Smart Growth Master Plans throughout the area also will be helpful in ensuring the conservancy is involved from the start in any large development talks.

Conservancy Board member Chuck Ebeling agreed about the importance of the Master Plans.

"The unique timing of all this visioning for the future is that it's current all at one time," Ebeling said. "What a great time to look at our geography around here and say, how do we keep this environmental character that we love so much intact going into the future."

McHugh said he thinks the development slowdown will last for awhile.

"The pause in development pressure is going to last longer than the lull in the economy," he said. "The economy is going to come back, jobs are going to come back, hopefully even this summer if we have a good one."

However, McHugh said he believes the "era of the multi-thousand unit subdivisions" are gone for awhile.

"You can't support them," he said. "I grew up on a farm outside Walworth. We had to drive to Janesville for a pair of sneakers. Granted, the area has grown, but it has not grown to the point where it justifies the amount of retail and residential that is here. There is a backlog and excess of capacity that we are going to have to grow into."

Ebeling agreed.

"Each of the communities are engineered to absorb a certain rate of growth within their infrastructure and when things get out of tilt, the infrastructure can't keep up with the rate of growth," he said. "That's when you get decisions rushed. Economic development can be a good thing, but the environmental character of the area is something we all have an investment in."

Ebeling said this is time for the conservancy to move forward as an organization and work with the communities rather than having to "put out fires."

"We want to maintain that environmental character regardless of the other changes," Ebeling said. "That is the trick and that's why there is a conservancy."

Part II

Conservancy survey says 'tipping point' approaching fast
by Lisa Seiser
May 20, 2010

This is the second in a two-part series about the Geneva Lake Conservancy and issues revolving around conservation in the area. A recent Regional News story discussed the impact of the economic slowdown on the conservancy.

The Geneva Lake Conservancy uses surveys to take the pulse of area residents regarding growth, development and conservation.

In less than five years, the nonprofit organization has conducted two surveys, the most recent this past winter focused on nearly a thousand supporters of the Geneva Lake Conservancy.

The consensus is not much different now than from the area survey in 2006.

According to the Geneva Lake Conservancy, nearly 70 percent of the respondents believe the area's environment will be irrevocably injured within 20 years by population growth, increasing housing, density and increased boating activity.

Fifty percent see that "tipping point" coming in a decade or less. However, more than half of the respondents believe the community is striving to reach a balance between sustainable conservation and economic development and growth.

Nearly 20 percent of those who received surveys returned them.

"We think the response, though perhaps tempered by winter weather, is statistically significant and reflects how those locally interested in conservation issues feel," Conservancy Executive Director Joe McHugh stated in a press release.

"The conservancy's stated mission is to protect the environmental character of the Geneva lakes
area, including the land and waters near Geneva Lake, Lake Como and Delavan Lake."

Conservancy Board member Chuck Ebeling called the survey extensive, probing the respondent's understanding of conservation issues and land protection and easements.

"Do they feel if enough is being done to protect the lake?" Ebeling asked. "We are looking for the nuggets of information so we can get to work."

The biggest priority for the conservancy, according to respondents, is to keep water clean as more should be done to protect the lake's water quality.

"The survey in 2006 was beyond the members of the conservancy," McHugh said. "It was clear people were concerned about the status of the environmental character. They felt that we were close to a tipping point within 10 to 15 years and they weren't in favor of rampant growth in Walworth County."

Conservancy Board President Bob Klockars said the survey was done to determine what a small group of people think about the issues.

"There's a demographic on the lake and off the lake," he said. "We know our market and that's why we're doing it. What the survey does is reaffirm what we know. But, it makes differentiations. It is the 20 percent that we don't know about that is where we are putting our resources and energy."

According to the most recent survey results, respondents believed the conservancy can do more to protect the area's natural resources and the priorities include protecting area farmland and open spaces.

Nearly 80 percent of those who responded said government does not do enough to protect the area's environmental character.

"We know the conservancy has a big job ahead of it, but we have a determined board and staff and we feel that the community is with us," McHugh stated. "That is very encouraging as we can only do our job with the community's active participation, ideas and support."

Further results of the survey have not been released and will be used internally by the conservancy.

Sidebar:
WORKING TO PRESERVE LAND
One of the Geneva Lake Conservancy's goals is to create easements and land protection agreements. During the past several years, the conservancy has had its share of successes. Currently, there are nearly 1,000 acres of protected land mostly around Geneva Lake.

"We are actively seeking landowners who have land with natural habitat worthy of protection and doing conservation easements," Conservancy Board member Chuck Ebeling said. "I call it a create your own state park program. Many people have such beautiful real estate and natural aspects of their lands and they are worried what will happen to it beyond their ownership. This is a way to protect it for the future."

Among the larger land easement areas are the Town of Linn Community Nature Park at corner of South Lake Shore Drive and Maple Ridge Road and the Charlie Moelter property located on Highway 50 in Lyons, a few miles east of the city.

"There is potential for thousands of acres of protected land in our area," Ebeling said. "That includes agriculture land as well. Conservation easements are one of the tools to create these green necklaces that can stretch from community to community and breed continuity of natural habitat that preserves what we had 100 or 200 years ago."

Source: Lake Geneva Regional News