Kevin Brunner, a long-time Whitewater resident, recently was honored by the Geneva Lake Conservancy at its summer fundraiser for his six years as Chair of the organization during a time of unprecedented growth. During Brunner’s tenure, the organization received accreditation from the National Land Trust Alliance and protected an additional 1,500 acres in Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties. In 2020, the Conservancy was also named Land Trust of the Year, by Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s state land trust organization.

The GLC board and staff honored Brunner for his “good judgement, leadership skills, financial support, steadfastness and dedication to our conservation mission.” Brunner was instrumental in the purchase of Bromley Woods, an 83 acre oak forest and kettle pond, in LaGrange from the Bromley family who had owned the property since 1844. Today, the Conservancy owns Bromley Woods as a public nature preserve with more than three miles of hiking trails.

In addition, under Brunner’s tenure, the organization’s annual donations increased from $250,000 to more than $1 million and the Conservancy began working with the DNR Knowles Nelson staff and Ducks Unlimited to obtain grants for the purchase of land with high conservation value.

“I am grateful to our partners and the Conservancy’s board and staff for allowing us to open three new nature preserves in the last five years as well as to complete more than 10 conservation easements,” said Brunner. “We have a very talented board and staff and I am excited to see what can be accomplished in the years ahead.”

The mission of the Geneva Lake Conservancy is to protect and restore the land and lakes of Walworth County and beyond. It owns 13 properties with high conservation value and has completed 37 conservation easements, which protect more than 3,000 acres.

In addition to protecting land, the Conservancy also offers its Conservation@Home and Keep It Blue program to Walworth County residents. With Conservation@Home, a Conservancy staff member will meet at a landowner’s property and educate them on how to make the land more ecological healthy by planting native plants, improving wildlife habitat, managing storm water and removing invasive species. The Keep It Blue program asks residents to minimize the use of fertilizers and other chemicals to protect our lakes and waterways.

For more information on the Conservancy go to its Website at genevalakeconservancy.org.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Geneva Lake Conservancy.