Wild Wings

Adapted from "Perpetual Care for Wild Wings," which appeared in the Winter 2001 issue of Water Line

Although its official address is 18th Avenue in the Town of West Bend, the property known as Wild Wings looks nothing like a typical suburban landscape. Purchased in 1973 by John and Jean Schumann, the acreage originally was home to dozens of sheep and a farmhouse and cozy retreat built by the William C. Schroeder family who planted thousands of evergreens on the rolling countryside. After the Schumanns bought the land, they planted even more trees and bought more land until their entire holding reached 134 acres completely surrounding the spring-fed Quass Lake. The lake, which is named after an early farming family, is one of the smallest lakes in Washington County as recorded by the Department of Natural Resources. After nearly three decades of devoted care of their property, the Schumanns consulted with their children and decided to preserve the land in its natural state rather than turn it over to a developer. Since they had long been active members of the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, it made sense to work with the foundation to realize the Schumanns' plans. The family consulted with Foundation President Geoff Maclay, who helped them draw up a conservation easement for the property. The Schumanns gifted the easement to the Foundation to ensure that Wild Wings will live up to its name and remain free of future development in perpetuity.

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