Current Information
Ways to protect land
along the river

Opportunities we support

Annual Earth Day
Celebration & Benefit
Annual National Trails Day
Events & Information

Southbranch Creek  Land Purchase

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

RRF recently purchased a 2.24 acre parcel in Brown Deer with funds from the WDNR Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund.  This second property for RRF is adjacent to the Southbranch Creek of the Milwaukee River where state-threatened fish may be found.  Natural Resource Technology in Pewaukee donated environmental surveying services for the acquisition, and legal guidance from Cook & Franke saved RRF thousands of dollars in legal fees.

With funding assistance from the Village of Brown Deer, the Coastal Management Program and our many partners including:  We Energies, WDNR,Wis DOT, Milwaukee County, Mead & Hunt, Badger Meter and others, the creek and the unique 2.24 acre wooded lot at the junction of Teutonia and Green Bay Avenue will be restored. In addition, Milwaukee County Parks will be extending the off-street Oak Leaf Trail through this property in 2008-09.

United Water and the Earn & Learn Program

Over the last two years, RRF has partnered to bring Washington High School interns and young workers with the City Earn & Learn program into river valley to teach them about ecological restoration. Students were mentored by RRF staff and United Water employees giving them exposure to environmental careers at their early age.

Land Aquisition

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OVERVIEW MAP OF OUTLINED PROJECTS

On May 10, 2002, RRF acquired its first property, a nearly 5-acre parcel along the west bank of the Milwaukee River. This parcel, an abandoned railroad right-of-way, connects to the south end of Gordon Park and continues to Wright Street. The WDNR awarded the Foundation with a Knowles Nelson Stewardship grant in the amount of $200,000 to cost share in this acquisition. Acquiring and preserving this property for public access and trails will help protect the river valley and create links between existing green space and County parks from Locust Street to North Avenue. Additional properties, identified in a land protection plan, will be sought to continue the greenway along the river to the Ozaukee County line.

Trails and Connections: The Beerline Trail Loop

Milwaukee County Parks Department was awarded $320,000 from DOT federal highway funds toward a $400,000 conversion of the Beerline right-of-way to a bike trail. The River Revitalization Foundation raised the 20% matching funds as the local sponsor, or $80,000. Milwaukee County will work with RRF and local property owners to build this trail linking Gordon Park and Riverwest to Commerce Street, connecting under the North Avenue bridge. This trail will help preserve the invaluable natural area along the Milwaukee River north of North Avenue while providing links to the adjacent neighborhoods, to the newly developing residential area south of North Avenue, and to downtown.

Other enhancements near the area will include:

Additional trails and links are being proposed by the Foundation in collaboration with the Urban Ecology Center, the City of Milwaukee Department of City Development, the Milwaukee County Parks Department, and the National Park Service Rivers and Trails program.