Water Spirits Preserve
Water Spirits is the English
translation for the word "Waktcexi" in the language of the Winnebago tribe.
After the tribe ceded their lands to the government, the area now
preserved eventually became two dairy farms. The northern portions
were owned and operated by the Nehm family and the southern by the Kletti family.
A project undertaken collectively by the Big Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District, Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provided for the eventual purchase and restoration of both farms.
Today, over 100 acres of native landscape and habitat are enjoyed by many. A series of trails are mowed for hiking and are also available for back-country skiing. A wedge of Big Cedar Lake is visible from the top of the preserve’s western slopes and a storm water retention pond catches non-point pollution before it reaches the lake’s shoreline. Native grasses, shrubs and trees were planted in 1990 as part of the comprehensive restoration project.
By Mary Jo Joyce
Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, Inc.