Wisconsin Hoesly family trades flood-prone farmland for permanent river-front conservation
After a decade of battling rising floods and a 2016 tax rule that raised property levies, the Hoesly family agreed to place almost 2,000 floodplain acres in permanent protection.
The Hoesly farm, spanning nearly 2,000 acres of floodplain near Wauzeka, Wisconsin, faced mounting losses as heavy rains turned fields into waterlogged fields each spring. A 2016 amendment to Wisconsin’s agricultural tax exemptions increased property taxes on land that could not be reliably cropped, tightening the family’s finances. Confronted with the choice of costly flood defenses or a new direction, the Hoeslys partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Trust, local land trusts and federal grant programs.
Through a mix of easements and donations, the acreage will be permanently shielded, with drainage ditches and levees removed to let the rivers reclaim their historic floodplain. Restoration crews will plant native trees, re-establish wetlands and seed grasses to support pollinators and game species, while the area will be opened for hunting, fishing and hiking. The project aims to provide a natural buffer that eases flood peaks downstream and improves water quality, offering a model for private-public collaboration on climate-driven land-use challenges.
Why it matters
The deal shows how flood-prone farmland can be turned into public habitat that reduces flood risk and supports wildlife.
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