Dane County Board Receives National Sierra Club Environmental Achievement Award
September 10, 2026
CountyBoardPress@danecounty.gov, (608) 228-9053
County Board
Recognition honors county’s purchase and return of 165 acres of culturally significant land to the Ho-Chunk Nation
DANE COUNTY, Wis. — On Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, the Dane County Board of Supervisors was presented with the National Sierra Club Environmental Achievement Award in recognition of its work to approve the purchase of 165 acres of environmentally and culturally significant land in the Town of Dunn and return it to the Ho-Chunk Nation.
The National Sierra Club Environmental Achievement Award honors those in public service for a particular action of singular importance to the environment or environmental justice. The recognition follows the board's May 14, 2026, vote to approve the $6.41 million purchase of wetland, oak woodlands, and undeveloped property in the Lower Mud Lake Natural Resource Area, made possible through the Dane County Conservation Fund Grant Program.
The land holds deep cultural significance to the Ho-Chunk Nation, containing rare archaeological burial mounds and historic village sites that reflect generations of Ho-Chunk history. It is also environmentally significant, supporting wildlife including sandhill cranes, pelicans, and restored purple martin populations, and playing a critical role in protecting water quality across the Yahara watershed. A permanent conservation easement prohibits future development, ensures public use, and protects the area's ecological and archaeological sites for generations to come.
“The Wisconsin Chapter of the Sierra Club gratefully recognizes the leadership of Dane County in achieving this notable land conservation effort and restoration of culturally significant tribal lands to the Ho-Chunk People,” said Don Ferber, Chair of the Executive Committee for the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter. “It sets an example for others to follow in honoring the past and providing for future access and education for all to explore and enjoy.”
“The county board is grateful to receive the National Sierra Club Environmental Achievement Award,” said County Board Chair Patrick Miles. “We accept this on behalf of the tremendous efforts of the Land and Water Resources staff and our partners who made the conservation of the land possible. We are proud to protect the wetland, habitat, and historical cultural artifacts for generations to come. We are especially proud to provide some measure of justice in returning ancestral land to the Ho-Chunk people.”
The board also recognized the instrumental role of the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department, whose staff worked to make the purchase possible and bring this effort to fruition. The board shares this award with the department in acknowledgment of their dedication and expertise, without which this achievement would not have been possible.
The Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter also acknowledged landowners, the Stuart Herro and Mary Stuart Herro Family Trust, Groundswell Conservancy, Bill Quackenbush of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and all others who contributed to the effort.
###
About the Dane County Board of Supervisors: The Dane County Board of Supervisors is the legislative and policymaking body of Dane County government. Composed of 37 supervisors elected to represent each county district, the county board’s mission is to effectively represent the people of Dane County, providing services that secure the blessings of freedom, ensure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare, and perfect the forms of government. Learn more about the county board at https://board.danecounty.gov/.