The Dornacker Conservation Easement

On September 17, 2025, the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation (CLCF) reached an exciting milestone with the protection of the 67-acre Dornacker Property Conservation Easement.

Owned and farmed by Dornacker Prairie Acres in the Town of West Bend, this land is now safeguarded as part of CLCF’s vision to preserve sustainable working farms. CLCF has been proud to work alongside the Dornacker Family for many years, and the organization is thrilled to continue this partnership.

Dornacker Prairie Acres has farmed CLCF’s Rudorf Farm (located west of HWY 144 and north of Division Road) as well as CLCF’s Hembel-Lidington property (located northwest of the Ice Age Trail Parking Lot to the north of HWY NN) for many years and continues to work with CLCF to ensure that the soil and water resources on these properties are protected.

The property’s rolling topography slopes toward Big Cedar Lake, making it a particularly important piece of the Cedar Lakes landscape. Surrounded by other conserved lands, including the Big Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District’s Water Spirits Preserve, the Rudorf Farm, and Mantoan 6, this easement strengthens the continuity of protected open space and helps preserve the area’s rural character.

Dornacker Prairie Acres purchased the property earlier this year after renting it since the 1970s. The family has been farming in the area since 1863, milking dairy cows and farming row crops to provide feed for the herd.

Before the Dornackers began farming the land, it was primarily used for cattle grazing. Today, the fields are in a rotation of corn, wheat, oats, peas, alfalfa, and soybeans, while the forested windbreaks between fields provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The family has also been a leader in sustainable farming practices, installing grass waterways to reduce erosion and protect water quality in Big Cedar Lake and its watershed. With support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Dornackers have created a soil health management plan as part of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

Allen Dornacker has had success implementing conservation practices on the newly protected property. This year, he had replaced a rock wall with cover crops. When the big rain happened this past August, where he would usually expect cubic feet of gouging in the soil, he found flattened plants instead. By planting vegetation between his crops, the soil was able to absorb more rainwater than it would have if the area had been left bare. In turn, this water and the nutrients in the soil are now available for his crops rather than down slope in Big Cedar Lake.

Beyond its agricultural importance, the Dornacker Property also contributes to the beauty of the community. Its views, visible from Cedarview Drive and Division Road, showcase the rural charm of the Cedar Lakes region while continuing to serve as a productive farm.

For this transaction, CLCF partnered with the NRCS and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) as part of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The RCPP program helps local farmers keep farmland in production through the purchase of a conservation easement by a qualified entity like CLCF. As part of this program, CLCF aims to permanently protect prime farmland in its mission area. With a conservation easement, landowners retain ownership and the right to farm the land while preserving the natural resources on the site.

By protecting the Dornacker Property, CLCF and the Dornacker family are ensuring that its farmland, wildlife habitat, and open space will be preserved for generations to come.