Conservation. Care. Connection.
Experience More, Experience Driftless.
Tucked in Wisconsin’s untouched southwest corner, the Driftless Area is nature’s masterpiece. In a place where glaciers never tread, a landscape of rugged wild beauty and charm remains. With dramatic bluffs, spring-fed streams, and rare ecosystems, this land isn’t just scenic, it’s sacred.
This land boasts high biodiversity, sustains clean water, anchors our cultural heritage, and stands tall as a resilient climate champion. But this gift is not guaranteed. Without action now, we risk losing the very landscapes that bring our communities together.
For over 25 years, Driftless Area Land Conservancy has lovingly protected, preserved, and celebrated the Driftless so its wonders endure for generations to come. We believe connecting people to nature, and each other, is a gift worth passing on.
Properties Protected
Years of Land Protection & Outreach
Acres Protected
Driftless Area Land Conservancy’s purpose is to maintain and enhance the health, diversity, and beauty of Southwest Wisconsin’s natural and agricultural landscape through permanent land protection and restoration, and to improve people’s lives by connecting them to the land and each other.
Conservation
Land Protection
At Driftless Area Land Conservancy, we protect the land that defines this region–healthy habitats, clean water, working farms, and open spaces. Through voluntary conservation easements, we partner with landowners to permanently safeguard these places from development. Each easement is a lasting commitment to conservation. Opportunities to protect land are time-sensitive, and thoughtful action today helps ensure the Driftless remains vibrant and resilient for generations to come.
CARE
Nature Preserves
Step into the Driftless and explore places we care for together. From quiet pollinator-filled prairies and spring-fed wetlands to bluff-top forests and river-side cliffs, each preserve offers space to walk, reflect, and reconnect with nature, history, and what matters most. Visit sites regularly to see how our ecologival restoration projects are progessing, and to experience best practices in managing land for biodiversity and long-term resilience.
connection
Driftless Trail
The Driftless Trail invites you to a landscape shaped by nature, where every turn offers a moment of wonder and stillness. This is living history. Each view tells a story of a land that endures, offering space to reflect, connect, and explore. The Trail is here for you, and for those who will follow in your footsteps.
community
Join Us in the Field
Make a difference with your hands and your heart. Join us for public events, guided hikes, and volunteer workdays that welcome everyone. Help us care for restored habitats, connect with others who share your love of the land, and experience what stewardship looks like in action.
Volunteer with DALC!
Join us for monthly workdays to steward our beautiful nature preserves and trail systems.
New volunteers are always welcome – no experience necessary!
Latest News
No Houses Here – this Land is for the Birds!
The meadowlark lifts from the grass as we tread across its territory on our walk toward the ominous sign proclaiming “5 Acre Lots for Sale.” Perched on high open ground with distant views of Blue Mound and just a short commute from Madison, this site must have seemed...
Celebrating a Legacy of Stewardship: Honoring the Cates Family
Presented by Richard (Dick) Cates, August 12th, 2025 On August 12th, 2025, Driftless Area Land Conservancy welcomed all to the Legacy Society Picnic. During this gathering, Gathering Waters had the honor to present the Land Legacy Award to Richard (Dick) Cates and his...
Weaving a Legacy – Patrick Michaels
Patrick Michaels may not have grown up in the Driftless Area, but he's weaving a legacy into its landscape that will endure for generations. It all started when Patrick met his great-uncle Gary Zimmer. Inspired by Gary's innovative agricultural practices, Patrick...



