Big News for the Mukwonago River and Our Community
The Friends of the Mukwonago River has officially merged with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy (WCLC)!
This next chapter brings together two organizations that have long shared a commitment to protecting the ecosystems, waterways, and wildlife that make this region so special. The Friends of the Mukwonago River have been dedicated stewards of the river and its surrounding watershed, and we are honored to have WCLC carry that legacy forward.
What this means:
In simple terms, this merger means that WCLC has officially welcomed and absorbed the Friends of the Mukwonago River into their organization. Moving forward, our mission, projects, and passion for the Mukwonago River will live on through their work. By combining our efforts, we are strengthening our ability to protect critical habitats, expand restoration work, and connect more people to the natural spaces they care about. This also means greater capacity – more hands, more resources, and a broader reach. Together, we can take on larger projects, deepen our impact in the watershed, and ensure that the Mukwonago River continues to thrive for generations to come.
We’re incredibly grateful for the last 26 years, and we’re excited about what we can accomplish together moving forward.
We hope to be announcing several exciting opportunities and gatherings soon, including:
- A celebration event this fall
- A social event with a documentary viewing
- An educational program highlighting the wildlife that call the Mukwonago River home
- A guided walk and talk at Davis Nature Preserve, showcasing WCLC’s work along the Mukwonago River
Please read the letter below from our Board President, Ezra Meyer.
January 2026
Dear friends, donors, supporters, and organizational partners of the Friends of the Mukwonago River,
The Board of Directors (made up of Pam Meyer, Eric Howden, David Swanson, and me, Ezra Meyer) appreciates your support for our work, going back over 26 years to Nancy Gloe’s and my creation of the Friends in 1999. None of the amazing things we have accomplished would have been possible without all of you: volunteers, financial supporters, fellow advocates on behalf of the river and her watershed, landowners, local decision-makers, and partners in environmental conservation.
We have achieved so much in twenty-six years!
- advocating for a less environmentally harmful design for Mukwonago’s Highway 83 bypass
- advocating for better stormwater management and reduced water quality impacts on the river from numerous subdivision development projects throughout the watershed
- engaging local governments, lake groups, and watershed residents on the complex issues of groundwater pumping through new high-capacity wells for surrounding communities
- posting highly visible public signage informing people of threatened fish species in the river and of turtle migration corridors that cross area roads
- facilitating environmental educational collaborations between youth camps and school teachers in the watershed
- saving the beautiful Rainbow Springs property from excessive development more than once and helping ensure its permanent protection for the public in the State Forest system
- putting on educational events like hikes and paddles and presentations
- securing grant money to help several dozen property owners steward their land (75 acres!) and to help lake districts plan for watershed water quality monitoring and improvements
- …and much more.
It’s an incredible legacy. Why am I bringing up legacy? Well, here’s the lead-in to our big news:
The Board has spent a lot of time and done a lot of soul-searching over this last year to decide some fundamental questions about the future of the Friends of the Mukwonago River. The truth is the pandemic took a toll on our organization, and without staff, we, the volunteer Board of four busy people, have not been able to work on behalf of the watershed as we hoped these last few years. We came into this year knowing something major would have to change. We met with past Board members, allies, and close partners in the watershed, aiming to identify a viable path forward for the Friends’ mission. We are convinced (and everyone we met with agrees) that our mission remains necessary, critical to the long-term health of this special river and its watershed. And this moment of reevaluating everything has certainly surfaced a deep sense of pride over the Friends’ (and its partners’) 25 years of positive impacts on the watershed.
This Fall, after months of discussion, the Board decided to merge the Friends with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, effective the beginning of the year (January 1, 2026).
The Waukesha County Land Conservancy (WCLC – online at waukeshalandconservancy.org/), founded in 1992, is committed to continuing with our watershed-focused mission…
“to protect the Mukwonago River and its associated watershed ecosystems by way of education, advocacy, and promotion of sound land use throughout the watershed”
…by incorporating it in with their mission, which is:
“to protect and care for environmentally significant land and water in Waukesha County for future generations.”
Conservancy staff have been filling in for the Friends in many ways in recent years, holding turtle, bat, and other educational forums in the watershed and focused on the Mukwonago River. And, they have continued with watershed land purchases and stewardship of those properties that they own here.
Here’s Neal O’Reilly, Board President of the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, in his own words:
“Merging the Friends of the Mukwonago River’s mission and brand in with ours at Waukesha County Land Conservancy was an easy and natural choice for our staff and Board. The Mukwonago River watershed is such an important resource in the county and region. And our mission to protect the lands we own for perpetuity means Friends of the Mukwonago River supporters can count on WCLC to steward the Friends mission for a long time to come. We are so excited!”
We too are excited about this new development for the Friends and our mission. We and Waukesha County Land Conservancy will host a joint event later this year to honor the past and celebrate the merger and our shared future. You are invited! To receive details on the party in your email inbox along with ongoing updates on WCLC’s work in the Mukwonago River watershed and around the county, please sign up to receive their email newsletter. You can sign up below.
As we join with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, we hope you’ll continue the journey with us, speaking up for the river and the lands it winds through when it needs a voice. We hope our Friends will support Waukesha County Land Conservancy going forward to help keep that essential spirit of our Mukwonago River watershed-focused mission alive. To donate to WCLC, follow this link (https://waukeshalandconservancy.org/#giving) or send a check care of Friends of the Mukwonago River to Waukesha Land Conservancy at P.O. Box 2572 Brookfield, WI 53008.
Thank you again for all of your amazing support in every form over the years. None of what the Friends of the Mukwonago River have accomplished would be possible without you. The river’s story is far from over, and we’re so grateful to have written this past chapter together with all of you.
Here’s to starting in on an impactful new chapter for our shared mission to protect the Mukwonago River watershed and its interconnected land and waters! We’re excited to see the next chapter unfold as this community continues to write it together, collaboratively. We look forward to seeing you out on the water and doing whatever you can to protect this special place. And we’ll see you at the party later this year!
Sincerely,
Ezra Meyer
Ezra Meyer, President and Co-founder, Friends of the Mukwonago River
Founded in 1992, the Waukesha County Land Conservancy (WCLC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) land trust committed to preserving and stewarding ecosystems throughout the county, including prairies, oak savannas, woodlands, and wetlands. To date, WCLC has successfully preserved over 3,500 acres across 43 preserves and 20 conservation easements.
The Waukesha County Land Conservancy’s mission is to protect and care for environmentally significant land and water in Waukesha County for future generations.
As we enter this new chapter, we invite you to stay connected and follow the current as it carries this important work forward. By subscribing to the Waukesha County Land Conservancy’s e-newsletter, you’ll receive updates, opportunities to get involved, and stories from our ongoing efforts along the Mukwonago River and throughout the watershed it flows through.
We also encourage you to register to stay informed about an upcoming celebration event, “Where Water Meets.” This gathering will bring our community together to mark this merger and honor the shared path ahead. Event details will be announced soon.
Here’s to a rippling impact along the Mukwonago River, its watershed, and the lands and waters that connect us all.
From all of us at Friends of the Mukwonago River, thank you for standing with us for 26 years, from the headwaters to the confluence. Because of your care and commitment, this amazing river has had a voice in local decision-making and a community willing to protect it.
As we join together with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, we invite you to keep flowing alongside us. This river’s story continues, and we are grateful to keep protecting the waters and lands we share, together.