Endowed Funds

25 years ago, we committed to “Protect Forever” the very special bluffs, prairies, forests, rivers, and farmland of the Driftless Area. To help ensure fulfillment of this promise, we have embarked on a $3 million endowment campaign. To date, we have raised more than $2 million. 

Inspired by the conservation legacy of Winona’s John Latsch, Nick & Yonok Zeller established this endowment fund to provide a ready and available resource for the purchase of land. 

This fund is available to help landowners with thestewardship donation, which covers some of the expenses involved in creating and maintaining a conservation easement and can be cost-prohibitive for some landowners. 

This fund supports a summer intern field crew that learns and uses best practices in habitat restoration on the lands we protect for public education and recreation, while developing their careers in conservation.

Inspired by the life and legacy of his late wife Barb, Bud Hammes established this fund to support the habitat restoration and trail projects on lands owned by the Conservancy for public recreation, education, scenic beauty, and community well-being. 

This fund is dedicated to the planning and restoration activities to achieve conservation goals for the Plum Creek Conservation Area that include healthy habitats, water quality protection, and resilience to climate change.