Departments » Departments G - L » Land Information » Planning & Development

Niagara Escarpment

Font Size: + -
Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option
Print

In 2018, discussions regarding the importance of protecting the Niagara Escarpment occurred with vigor amongst Fond du Lac County and community leaders based on an up-swelling of continued citizen concerns. The Niagara Escarpment in Fond du Lac County is well documented as a globally unique geologic and ecologic corridor comprised of varied and diverse resources, some which may lie at some distance from the Escarpment’s cliff face brow or base.

As such, Fond du Lac County envisions the creation of a Niagara Escarpment Greenway in the future. Essentially, a well-connected - yet often interrupted - functionally protected greenspace corridor along its portion of the Niagara Escarpment geologic formation.

The County fostered several meetings with concerned citizens and town leaders from across the corridor and in 2019 elected to budget a small amount of funds to contract with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to prepare a study which would provide an objective view of the Escarpment’s resources and their relationship to land ownership patterns across the Study Area. The Study Area focuses on the 36-mile long cliff-face corridor and includes the ten communities of: Towns of Calumet, Taycheedah, Fond du Lac, Empire, Eden, Byron and Oakfield; the Villages of Eden and Oakfield, and; the City of Fond du Lac.

Importance of the Niagara Escarpment

The Niagara Escarpment in Wisconsin (including Fond du Lac County) is well documented as a globally unique geologic and ecologic feature. The environmental reasons for protecting the Niagara Escarpment are many and include but are not limited to:

  • Globally unique geology and geologic sites and features;

  • Unique ecology (rare habitats, threatened and endangered plants and animals); and

  • Groundwater protection due to the karst environment.

Culturally, the Niagara Escarpment corridor has numerous archeologic and historic sites as the landscape was well revered and utilized by native populations and early settlers. Protection of these sites and the broader cultural landscape can assist with:

  • Ensuring that important viewsheds, vistas and the overall “sense of place” of the Niagara Escarpment Greenway is preserved for future generations;

  • Reinforcing and protecting a large piece of Fond du Lac County’s overall identity and attractiveness as a County; and

  • Increasing public ownership and public access (primarily bike and pedestrian) to non-sensitive areas along this corridor so as to heighten citizens’ and visitors’ appreciation for the Niagara Escarpment.

Indirectly, protection of the Niagara Escarpment Corridor can have other beneficial side-effects. Studies across the country have documented the value of nature’s “services” as compared to the hard costs of infrastructure, as well as the increase in property values for lands adjacent to protected areas. Other broad impacts of preservation must also be considered. Such as:

  • Positive Health Impacts – Aside from drinking water protection, the Niagara Escarpment Greenway could provide for more healthy living opportunities (access to nature, hiking, biking, etc.);

  • Talent Retention & Attraction – A major issue for the County, new workers need to be retained or attracted to fill the jobs of existing business and industry. Providing for, and promoting, a natural amenity such as the Niagara Escarpment Greenway could be ‘the hook’ to attracting youthful talent to the region and ensuring a strong local economy; and

  • Geotourism Opportunities – Different than regular tourism, geotourism better connects the landscape and recreational activities with like-minded businesses and travelers that support conservation, further diversifying and bolstering the local economy. This includes ever-growing opportunities in the agri-tourism sector.