Two miles of Mississippi River bluffland near Lansing protected by conservation agreement

submitted by Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation

A voluntary land preservation agreement has permanently protected 150 acres of bluffland along a two-mile stretch of the Mississippi River.
The agreement, made between Raleigh and JoEllyn Buckmaster and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), protects the most sensitive natural areas of the Buckmasters' property. These areas include native prairie, scenic woodland and other distinct natural environments. The protected land, located just south of Lansing, is one of the longest, single-ownership, protected bluffs along the Mississippi River between the Quad Cities and the Twin Cities.
The agreement, also known as a conservation easement, ensures the land will be protected from activities like mining, logging or construction that may diminish the land's natural resource value. The Buckmasters retain private ownership of the land, while INHF - a non-profit organization that works to preserve Iowa's natural land, water and wildlife - is permanently responsible for ensuring the Buckmasters and future owners follow the terms of the agreement.
"I am a believer in personal property rights, but this easement protects things we were protecting anyway," Raleigh Buckmaster said. "We protected the most sensitive areas to make them immune from the consequences of short-term decision making."
Capoli (CAP-oh-lie) Bluff, noted for its unique appearance since European explorers first arrived in Iowa, lies upon the land that the Buckmasters have protected under the agreement. The site also contains archeological evidence from Native Americans who once inhabited the area.
"The Foundation has protected many beautiful and diverse sites in the Mississippi River blufflands, and this one ranks among the crown jewels," said INHF Blufflands Coordinator Darrel Mills. "The terms of each land protection agreement are as varied as each land owner, and the Buckmasters chose unusually stringent language to protect the land they love."
The prominent bluff, restored prairie savanna and scenic woodlands will remain in their natural state for public viewing from the waters of the adjacent Mississippi River. However, the site is privately owned and not open for public use.
The site also provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including timber rattlesnakes, falcons, eagles and many species of migratory birds. According to Mills, the land protection agreement is especially significant because the land serves as a buffer for the adjoining, federally owned Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
For more than 25 years, the Buckmasters have worked to restore many of the unique natural areas on their land, including the prairies, woodlands and oak savanna that are now protected under the agreement. The restoration efforts have involved extensive brush, tree and invasive species removal, as well as prescribed burning. The Buckmasters continue restoration work on other areas of their property.
The Wisconsin-based company Applied Ecological Services (AES) provided a master plan to provide direction for the restoration work. The Buckmasters hired AES to develop the plan, which helped identify the most significant portions of their property to restore. Implementing the plan has required the use of labor from family, friends, neighbors and INHF.
The Buckmasters' land agreement is one of at least a dozen similar land agreements entered into by the INHF along the Mississippi River bluffs of northern Iowa. INHF also works with landowners who want to sell or donate their land for public conservation areas. Throughout the state of Iowa, the INHF has protected over 80,000 acres of Iowa's wild places.
"We hope other local landowners would consider how this program might benefit their own situation," Mills said.
For more information, visit www.inhf.org or call 515-288-1846.