The Ozaukee Washington Land Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving natural areas in Ozaukee and Washington Counties. It has protected over 4,100 acres including 15 owned properties and 35 easements. The Kratzsch Property is a 72.5 acre property along the Milwaukee River that contains farmland, wetlands, and woodlands. Residential development is encroaching and a threat to the property. Acquiring the property would preserve wildlife habitat and water quality by providing a buffer along the river.

1. Kratzsch Property
The Ozaukee Washington Land Trust is a
non‐profit conservation organization
dedicated to preserving and restoring
natural areas and wildlife habitat.
OWLT has protected over 4,100 acres in
Ozaukee and Washington Counties
including 15 owned properties and over
35 easements. Most of OWLT’s owned
properties are open to the public for
passive nature based recreation.
Ozaukee Washington
Land Trust
Mission:
To protect and preserve the natural areas, open spaces and
rural character of Ozaukee and Washington Counties.
141 N. Main Street, PO Box 917, West Bend, WI 53095
Phone: 262‐338‐1794 Website: www.owlt.org Protecting the Milwaukee River in Washington County

2. Introduction The primary and very real threat to
the natural values on this property is
The Kratzsch Property is located at the the increasing pressure for residential
western edge of the Village of Newburg, development. The 35 acre parcel to
approximately 5 miles east of West Bend the north of the property was
in Washington County. Located within the recently sold to a developer who is
Milwaukee River Watershed, a priority pursuing a zoning change to allow
project area for the Land Trust, the residential development. Also, the
property consists of 72.5 acres of land to the west contains several
farmland, wetlands and woodlands with homes constructed within the last 15
approximately 2500 feet of frontage along years. In addition, the Village of
the north bank of the Milwaukee River. Newburg is looking to expand
The surface features of the property are residential development to the west.
characteristic of glacially formed
landscapes, which include rolling
topography and kettle depressions. The Acquisition and subsequent restoration of this
property contains a variety of habitat types, including 10 acres of wetlands, 24 acres of forests property will increase the amount of protected habitat
and 38 acres of grass and hay fields. within this river corridor as well as facilitate wildlife
access to isolated wetland and woodland areas on the
Preserving this property will ensure the continued availability of high quality aquatic and adjacent uplands. The resulting mosaic of habitat
terrestrial wildlife habitat in this area and add to the protected buffer around the nearby types will enhance the availability of food and shelter
Riveredge Nature Center. Residential development in the surrounding areas is rapidly resources of the wetlands, river, and uplands. Plant
encroaching upon the Nature Center and the Milwaukee River. Preserving this area is and animal life will have access to longer stretches of
important for restoring and maintaining the habitat associated with the river as well as the undisturbed waterways that include the associated
entire watershed. Properties such as this also improve water quality by providing a storage floodplains and uplands. Preserving this property also
buffer for flood waters and by filtering the furthers the goal of creating a protected corridor that will directly improve the water quality of
water flowing into and through the river. the Milwaukee River through proper management of the wetlands and uplands adjacent to
the river.
Property Significance
The river, wetlands and uplands associated As a nature preserve, the site will provide low‐
with this property provide high quality wildlife impact recreational, scientific research and
habitat that deserves protection. Waterfowl educational opportunities for the general
use the river and marsh areas and songbirds public. Special efforts will also be made to
use the lowland shrubs, wooded uplands and provide unique wildlife viewing opportunities.
wetlands. In addition, this particular stretch Hiking, walking, picnicking, skiing, canoeing,
of the Milwaukee River provides critical swimming, nature study, bird watching, service
aquatic habitat that supports rare, learning, and environmental education and
endangered or threatened species, or species research are all activities that the Land Trust
of “special concern” in the state. plans to facilitate.