Board of Directors
Chuck Ebeling
President
Charles Colman
Vice Chairman
Thomas Ramsey
Secretary
Thomas Kabler
Treasurer

Advisory Board
Bonnie Deutsch
Harold Friestad
Marie Kropp
Thomas Santefort
Edward Weed
David Weinberg

Deck the Halls at the Holly Ball

By: Katie Sullivan

The air is crisp, filled with the fresh scent of evergreens and snow.
Sparkling lights and cheerful laughter fill the air.
It can only mean one thing - the Holly Ball is near!

The Holly Ball will be held at the Big Foot Country Club on Saturday, December 3, 2005. This year, we've added a few extra, and exciting touches. Of course, the live and silent auctions are still a feature, though, to keep the evening as fun as possible, we've scaled back the silent auction to only include a few choice items such as specially themed trees. This year, you truly will be able to deck your halls at the Holly Ball! Expect to be dazzled by our fantastic selection of loud auction items!

A sampling of our reduced silent auction includes:

• Tickets for 4 to the Chicago Symphony - center box seats
  
• Packers Holiday Special Ticket Package - 2 tickets at Lambeau Field, 8th row, near 40 yard line behind Packers Bench, for both Christmas and New Years games. Bears on Dec. 25th and Seahawks on Jan. 1st.
  
• A Gelderman Hooked Rug
  
• A variety of Artwork
  
• A collection of period Geneva Lake maps
  

With all these marvelous items, the proceeds of which go to benefit the Conservancy, who could stay away? To sum up the particulars, the Holly Ball is on Saturday, December 3, 2005 at Big Foot Country Club. The evening begins with cocktails at 6:00 PM and ends with dancing to the Park Avenue Band. In the middle, a deserving member of the community - Mr. William O. Petersen - will be honored with our Conservation Stewardship Award and auctions will be conducted. Fun and merriment will abound throughout as we celebrate this joyous season.
And don't worry if you can't join us, you will still have a chance to win our raffle items! Two items, a sheared black reversible mink "stroller" coat, and a pair of Citizen Eco-Drive his & hers watches are available this year. For details, please see the form below.
So, call the Conservancy early (262) 275-5700 to reserve your table! Tickets are $150 per person, 50% of which is tax-deductible.

The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization supported by private contributions and community volunteers.

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Grandma's House, Part 2

By: Katie Sullivan

As promised, the picture of the completed and installed grandma's house is here. The news from the Ferro home is that the children spent a lovely summer enjoying their new petite home. We also have an exciting update from Arnie Oswald and his industrious crew of Badger High School shop students. The class is in the process of building a second cottage-style playhouse. This house, which has been made available to the Conservancy at cost, will be a part of the loud auction at the December 3rd Holly Ball. Don't miss your chance to bid on this charming house, which will be completed by the end of the school year, just in time for summer!

PS: Congrats to the French Family, who won Grandma's House at the Holly Ball!

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Conservation/Preservation Analysis:

Yerkes Observatory and Grounds

The Geneva Lake Conservancy has reviewed the two written and graphic proposals for development of the Yerkes Observatory and grounds as submitted to the University of Chicago. The Conservancy is a certified land trust and a member of the Land Trust Alliance, a national land trust organization as well as Gathering Waters, a state land trust organization, and the Wisconsin Association of Lakes. These remarks were prepared by James V. Celano III, Executive Director of the Geneva Lake Conservancy on 10/31/2005.

1. Aurora/Yerkes 21 submission

A. Conservation review:
Limited redevelopment activity

With only eleven sites proposed, nine of which would occur at the extreme northeast corner of the site, outside of the existing woodland area, the impact to the entire site is minimal.

Two of the eleven sites are proposed for the lakefront. Comments made in public indicate that these two sites would be considered last for development with significant restrictions placed upon them including: restricting development to the most northerly portions of the site away from the lakeshore, limiting woodland disturbing activity and allowing for no more than one single family structure to be built on each of the two lots. All of this would be evidenced by and contained within a Conservation Easement to be placed upon this site.
The likelihood of a large "buffer strip" (+300 feet set-back from the lake shore) provides excellent opportunity for natural water filtration and erosion control prior to surface waters entering Geneva Lake. No additional development activity appears on the plans in our possession.
B. Preservation review

The observatory and all related facilities appear to remain in tact. The proposal indicates multiple educational organizations will be directly involved in newly established programs wherein regular classroom activities will be conducted within and around the observatory.
The surrounding grounds, in particular the historic Olmstead landscape design, will remain entirely untouched. The ellipse, lawns and existing and rare old growth trees will remain as they are currently. No significant alterations of any kind appear to be part of the plan.

2. Mirbeau, L.L.C. submission

A. Conservation review:
Extensive redevelopment activity

With one hundred housing units proposed, a 100 room hotel, related meeting space(s), food service facilities, "spa" and nearby structural parking facility including grade level parking lots each with a total estimated capacity for 325 vehicles, multiple "gardens", seven or more man-made ponds, in excess of 7,500 lineal feet of "canals," four bridges, a commercial boat dock and a "Performing Arts Theater," this proposal has a dramatic, substantial and long-term impact on the entire site, nearby neighborhoods and Geneva Lake.

Material provided in the proposal indicates 74% of the site is "Open Space." Upon further examination of the plans, included in the "Open Space" calculations are driveways and parking lots. Using the same figures, the number which more accurately reflects a generally accepted definition of open space is at most 43% of the overall property. The open space is reduced again if one excludes the man-made water features.

According to the plan, development of the "Inn & Spa" will occur within 115 feet of the shoreline. This distance is troubling due to the limited ability of the remaining woodlands to absorb, filter and slow storm water run-off from the proposed parking areas, lawns and extensive rooftops. Chemicals, fertilizers, road salts and heavy metals associated with the operation of the "Inn & Spa" will be deposited directly into the lake waters.
A significant area of woods and hillside above Constance Boulevard will have to be clear cut and excavated to prepare for the parking structure as depicted in the proposal. Constance Boulevard will have to be reconstructed and widened in this area to provide for necessary turning lanes into and out of the parking and spa facilities both north and south of the boulevard. The road work will likely entail widening the surface further, re-engineering of storm water runoff from this surface and the permanent removal of additional woods along the length of this new construction. Separate sidewalks and or bike paths should be considered, in order to safely separate the regular student foot traffic traveling through this area on their way to and from the Aurora "East Campus" located further east of this site.

The proposal also indicates an attempt to protect a remainder portion of land in an irregular shape along the lakefront and western portions of the "Inn & Spa" parcel. No discussions regarding limitations, restrictions and use of this piece in accordance with a possible conservation easement have been conducted as of this writing.

The introduction of man-made water features, currently non-existent on the site, is also problematic. The eventual overflow caused by a storm event is likely to flow directly into the lake as well. These "ponds" will carry with them numerous contaminants including algae, harmful bacteria, pesticides, etc. All of this nutrient rich material will add to the promotion of aquatic plant growth invasive and otherwise within the lake. This plant growth will lead to water quality degradation and the loss of fish habitat and stock.

Mention is also made of a "Performing Arts Theater" and associated grass parking. Traffic will presumably be through the grounds and then onto the grass covered areas. Heavy foot traffic from crowds and auto traffic across grassy areas adds to soil compaction and the loss of aeration in the soil. Root structures rely heavily on water and nutrients within these pockets of air. Damage to this area, in turn, leads to stress on the few remaining trees and ultimately their demise.

There are over 240 rare and irreplaceable trees on this site, including several state record trees. Many of these trees and much of the existing woods located toward the northerly portions of the property fall within the areas being presented as home-sites and man-made waterways. The loss of these rare trees and old growth woodlands will have a significant impact on the natural habitat for many plant, animal and bird species in the path of this development.

B. Preservation review:

The proposal does not directly state an intended use for the observatory other than that "Aurora University be strongly considered… for the day to day operational and programming needs of the Observatory." Presumably, students, guest and faculty using the facility will also have to interact with the private residences close at hand. The proposal calls for several homes to be built within approximately 400 feet of the observatory.
Significant portions of the original and historic Olmstead landscape plan have been eliminated and redesigned with only the ellipse itself remaining relatively the same. Eleven or more existing structures will apparently be removed from the grounds along with at least two of the existing golf course holes.

Preservation efforts appear to be limited to the observatory structure, the immediately surrounding lawns, 6 additional outlying structures and 3.8 acres of an irregularly shaped remainder portion of land around the "Inn & Spa."

3. Conclusion

Given the wide degree of separation between the two proposals, the variation in conservation efforts are remarkable.

The Aurora / Yerkes 21 proposal clearly approaches the overall project as a basic continuation of the existing campus quality atmosphere. The impact from the eleven proposed home-sites has been minimized not only through number but through location as well. Most notable is the limiting of activity upon the lakefront parcel to the northern-most portions. Coupled with the restrictions of no more than two lakeshore home-sites and a protective Conservation Easement on the remaining woods, evidences a commitment to the preservation of the natural setting and local ecology.

The Mirbeau, L.L.C. proposal is based upon commercial and residential site exploitation. The massing of the "Inn & Spa" along the lakefront alone will forever alter the entire environmental experience for the westerly end of Geneva Lake. The minimal vegetation remaining along the shore will be unable to provide any meaningful visual buffer as promised in the unrealistic artist's sketches. The proximity to the lake in conjunction with the scale of the structures comprising the hotel and its amenities profoundly eliminates the possibility of concealment as suggested.

The sheer volume of earthwork to prepare for the necessary infrastructure required to support the large number of residences would be an enormous undertaking. Tens of thousands of cubic yards of earth will have to be removed from the site to prepare for the "canals and ponds," not including basements, parking structures and the hotel. The disturbance from this massive invasion of equipment and trucks will have a long-term damaging effect on the roads, the underground utilities and traffic within and around Williams Bay. In addition, excavation within such close proximity to the few remaining trees will permanently damage root structures and lead to dead and dying trees for years to come.

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For more info on Yerkes, click here

LTA Rally Attendees Behold Geneva Lake's Splendor
By: Lynn Ketterhagen

	The National Rally of the Land Trust Alliance was held October 14-17 in Madison, WI. The close location enabled the Conservancy's participation in this annual event. Executive Director, Jim Celano and I, as well as five members of the Board of Directors attended the Rally along with over 1,600 people from other Land Trusts around the United States. The Conservancy was also chosen to sponsor one of the many field trips available for Rally attendees. We came up with the Geneva Lake Voyage, which included a tour of Geneva Lake and a visit to two of our conservation easements. The first stop was the Town of Linn Community Nature Park. Here the participants were welcomed by Town of Linn Chairman, David Bollweg, Geneva Lake Conservancy President, Chuck Ebeling and Jim Celano, who talked about the history of the park and led a brief tour of the 160 acres of protected agricultural land.
Historic Silos at the Town of Linn Community Nature Park. For More Photos, Click Here
Next, the group boarded the Geneva Lake Cruise Line Steam Yacht Louise for a tour of historic Geneva Lake. Thankfully, the weather cooperated beautifully, and the fall colors were just spectacular. On the way back to Lake Geneva, the participants were dropped off at the Driehaus Estate for a luncheon and tour of the grounds. State Senator, Neal Kedzie, State Representative, Thomas Lothian, and County Board Supervisor, David Weber were also gathered at the estate for the event. Neal Kedzie spoke to the group about conservation issues in the State of Wisconsin and commended the Conservancy for its efforts in preserving the natural resources in the area. Inside, Conservancy Board Member, Grace Eckland shared much of the history of the estate with the group while they dined on an elegant lunch provided by Mr. Driehaus. After lunch, the group toured the 28 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens surrounding the estate. While the group returned by boat to the Riviera, Jim Celano spoke about the Conservancy's concerns about the fate of Yerkes Observatory. Everyone seemed very pleased with the tour of our stunning lake and the magnificent land that surrounds it. On the bus ride back to Madison, I was fortunate enough to listen to comments from many of the participants. I heard nothing but good things about the trip, including how jealous other Rally attendees would be when they found out what they had missed! This fieldtrip was a great opportunity for those of us at the Conservancy to show other conservationists from around the country what we are doing to protect our beautiful and cherished Geneva Lake.

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Conservancy Helps Preserve Historic Estate
By: Lynn Ketterhagen

	Recently, the Conservancy added another conservation easement to their list of protected properties. On September 26th, William O. Petersen, owner of the historic Black Point Estate, placed a conservation easement on his property co-held by the Geneva Lake Conservancy, Inc. and the Black Point Historic Preserve, Inc. Mr. Petersen then transferred ownership of the estate over to the State of Wisconsin. The State of Wisconsin and the Black Point Historic Preserve, Inc. will work together to renovate the estate, preparing it for the public tours which are anticipated to begin in May 2007.
The historic Black Point Estate
The Black Point Estate was built in 1888 by William Petersen's great-grandfather, Conrad Seipp, and contains one of the Midwest's largest and intact mid-nineteenth century collections of furniture and antiques. In 1994, the Estate was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was approximately nine years ago that William Petersen and his late wife Jane decided to preserve the property. According to State Senator Neil Kedzie, the project has survived five budgets and three governors to get to this point. The donation will ensure the historic value of the property is preserved for generations to come. William and Jane's hope was to share the house with the community, to show them a bit of what life was like over 100 years ago. With the State of Wisconsin's help, that dream will now be a reality. The Conservancy co-holds a conservation easement on approximately 2 acres, with 620 feet of Geneva Lake frontage, on the property, while the Black Point Historic Preserve will oversee maintenance of the buildings and grounds on the rest of the 5.25 acres of the land. Together, our two organizations will help preserve this magnificent historic estate in perpetuity.

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Moving Ahead - 2006 Around the Corner
By: Chuck Ebeling, President

This has been an active year for lake area conservation issues - Yerkes, Geneva Ridge, Black Point, Big Foot Farms, and on and on. Thanks to the support of our membership, we've reached out to community leaders, developers, land planners and others as never before. Our new Executive Director, Jim Celano, is closing out his first year and has gained a wealth of conservation knowledge, and is reaching out to share it with the community.

Several of our Board members and staff participated in the recent national conference of the Land Trust Alliance, held this year in Madison, and bought back many new ideas and fresh inspiration. A group of conservation leaders from throughout the U.S. recently toured and learned from conservation projects here at Geneva Lake, as covered on the front page of the Lake Geneva Regional News.
News media from throughout our area have been reporting a constant stream of news on new development activity planned throughout Southern Walworth County. Our rural farmland is more threatened than ever by conversion to poorly planned suburban housing tracts. And the Conservancy is reaching out in every way possible to help convert bad development into better development.
But the struggle to maintain community character and protect threatened natural resources needs added momentum heading into 2006, and with your help, we are prepared to charge ahead.

• We will continue reaching out to communicate to our communities what they can do to shape development in constructive ways, and we'll be listening more actively to your views and input on development issues.
  
• We will be sharing ideas with community leaders interested in crafting a vision for a green infrastructure of natural, interconnected resources that can serve as the foundation for future development across political borders.
  
• We will continue to strengthen and expand the Conservancy's network of privately protected lands throughout our area.

Your help and support will be needed, appreciated and well-used by the Conservancy as we go forward in 2006, and we thank you in advance for being part of the team.

Gifts of Stock
By: Tom Ramsey

A gift of appreciated stock generally offers significant tax savings: you avoid paying any capital gains tax on the increase in value of the stock, and you receive an income tax deduction for the full fair-market value of the stock at the time of the gift.

Your broker can transfer stock to the Geneva Lake Conservancy electronically. Simply call the Conservancy for securities transfer instructions that either you or we can then give to your broker. The securities will then be transferred to the Geneva Lake Conservancy's account.
Please call the Conservancy at 262-275-5700 for more information on making a gift of securities to our 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Runoff is a major problem for our water resources. In most urban areas, rain falls on roofs, roads and parking lots, impervious surfaces where the water cannot soak in. Most areas are designed to siphon this water into storm drains, brining with it leaves, grass, soil, oils and fertilizer, which can end up in our lakes and streams. Too much of this debris and the pollutants they carry negatively impacts our waterways and as a result, native wildlife and even ourselves.

An overabundance of soil and fertilizer in our rivers and lakes smothers insect and fish eggs with a blanket of sediment. This sediment is a rich source of nutrients and these nutrients enable nuisance weeds to flourish. Once the weeds die, bacteria, feeding on the dead matter, use up the oxygen in the water, which results in a rather smelly problem: dead fish.

The solution? Rain Gardens. Rain gardens are a slightly depressed plot full of native plants where rainwater can soak into the ground, replenishing groundwater and protecting our surface water. Not only are they beautiful - they attract birds and butterflies, making our cities, towns and neighborhoods more attractive places to live, all the while building urban and rural ecological health - rain gardens protect and restore natural hydrology. What's more, they're not just a spring and summer feature. In the fall and winter, seed heads from the garden are a much-needed food source for winter songbirds.

Rain gardens are, quite simply, a sunken garden, four to six inches deep with a flat bottom. To be most beneficial, they should be about 1/3 of the size of what is draining into it, for example a roof, yard or driveway. Hardy native species that thrive in our ecosystem, such as native wildflowers and prairie grasses, whose roots are usually twice as deep in the ground as the plant is tall, are the best choices. These plants absorb much more water than hard surface choices such as turf grasses, whose roots are only as deep as the grass is long.

Maintenance for a rain garden is similar to that of a perennial garden, and because the native plants do not require chemical treatments and extra water to look uniform, yards are easier to maintain