The roots of La Crosse’s conservation movement trace back to 1909 when the community rallied to protect Grandad Bluff from industrial exploitation. Spearheaded by the forward-thinking Ellen Hixon, this grassroots campaign not only saved the iconic bluff but also laid the groundwork for future conservation efforts. Their success led to the establishment of Grandad Bluff and Hixon Forest as protected parklands by 1912.
In the following decades, bluffland preservation advanced through a series of dedicated individual efforts. Nonprofits and private landowners made valuable contributions to conservation. In 1996, a group of these advocates banded together to form Mississippi Valley Conservancy and within their first 3 years, the Conservancy helped protect almost 800 acres from development.
Hixon’s early conservation efforts continue to inspire La Crosse’s bluffland protection. From 2002 to 2009, the City of La Crosse partnered with Mississippi Valley Conservancy, providing annual funds to acquire properties within an eight-mile stretch of Mississippi River bluffs that overlook the city. That funding was leveraged to total over $280,000 in grants from Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. To date, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has supported Mississippi Valley Conservancy in protecting over 1,200 acres of La Crosse Blufflands, adding to the city-owned Hixon Forest and Grandad Bluff areas.
The Conservancy’s vision of creating continuous wildlife corridors in the La Crosse Blufflands is being realized through a network of individual land acquisitions. Over the years, generous donors have gifted land parcels that serve as crucial links between larger protected areas. One recent addition, the Kaplan Tract, was entrusted to the Conservancy by Frances Kaplan in honor of her late husband Bob’s love for nature. While the property itself is recognized for its ecological importance, the partnership highlights how personal legacies can leave a lasting impact on regional conservation efforts.
The La Crosse Blufflands offers year-round opportunities for public engagement with nature. The Conservancy organizes regular guided hikes through the area, providing interpretive experiences for visitors. Additionally, they host educational outings for school and college groups, combining hands-on environmental learning with practical conservation work.
Backed by generations of collaborative conservation, Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s efforts have preserved La Crosse’s iconic landscape for future generations and have shown how a shared vision can shape a community. Individual projects, from small donated parcels to larger tracts purchased in collaboration with the city, work together to build a connected natural corridor and show how many small efforts can build upon one another to create a lasting natural legacy.
Featured image by Mississippi Valley Conservancy
