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Hunner PreserveCounty: Kewaunee County
Lot Size: 40 acres Established: 12/29/2020 
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Property Story
Mark and Sally Hunner owned and lovingly managed these 40 acres with their children and grandchildren for over 32 years. At the end of 2020, a turbulent year for so many, the Hunners and their family made a choice to donate the property to Glacial Lakes Conservancy in order to continue their legacy of conservation. In honor of them, we have named this property Hunner Preserve, and this will be a place for visitors to hike, fish, birdwatch, and relax for many years to come. With the Ice Age trail being accessed across the street from Hunner Preserve, this is a great spot to take a break while hiking through the area.
Hunner Preserve contains approximately 1450 feet of Tisch Mills Creek, a tributary to the East Twin River. This section of Tisch Mills Creek is classified as a class II brown trout waters because of improved flow, habitat and cooler water temperatures. Electroshocking survey done in 2009 found nine species of fish including at least three classes of brook trout including young of year and 2 year classes of rainbow trout including young of year. Surrounding the creek are native swamp conifer and hardwoods forest with springs flowing into the creek and white pine/red pine/white cedar plantations. Wondering through the property, you will be able to see some beautiful American Beech, White Oak (200 years old), Red Maple (150 years old), White and Yellow Birch, White Cedar, Giant Hemlock and White Pine. While visiting, be sure to bring your binoculars to view the various species of woodpeckers, warblers, hawks and owls along with the many other birds, amphibians, and mammals that live, breed, eat, visit here.
Personal Perspective
by Communications Intern Marian Cramer
Hunner woods feels like entering a fairytale. There is no other way to describe it. Between the bubbling creek, twisty brown paths, and patches of leafy green ferns, this preserve will make you feel as though you’re entering another world.
The best part of the trail is the boardwalk. A twisting rail of light wooden boards that leads you through the forest, and directly over the creek. The rickety bridge will remind you of childhoods spent outdoors building stick forts and pretending to be an adventurer.
Even better, if you sit in the middle of the bridge, you can dangle your feet over the water and listen to the musical splashing as it spills over pebbles and stones. You can let the light breeze waft up from below, inhale the scent of cool mud and moss and river water and sun. You can watch how the creek ripples and spins around obstacles.
You might think about how persistent the water is, flowing on and on. You might notice the trees leaning over, roots exposed by the bank. You might think how persistent they are, perpetually half falling, but still standing strong. You might notice butterflies and fat bumblebees humming their way from flower to flower, dutifully pollinating despite everything in the outside world.
This is what Hunner woods is all about. It is an oasis of life and persistence, separate from the toils of the outside world. When you visit Hunner woods you will forget about traffic jams and sad news stories.
You will forget that you need to mow your lawn and fold your laundry. Instead, you will walk across a carpet of oak leaves, inhale the scent of pine needles, and for a moment, everything in your body will relax. This is the gift that Hunner woods can give to you (if you let it).
Hunner Preserve contains approximately 1450 feet of Tisch Mills Creek, a tributary to the East Twin River. This section of Tisch Mills Creek is classified as a class II brown trout waters because of improved flow, habitat and cooler water temperatures. Electroshocking survey done in 2009 found nine species of fish including at least three classes of brook trout including young of year and 2 year classes of rainbow trout including young of year. Surrounding the creek are native swamp conifer and hardwoods forest with springs flowing into the creek and white pine/red pine/white cedar plantations. Wondering through the property, you will be able to see some beautiful American Beech, White Oak (200 years old), Red Maple (150 years old), White and Yellow Birch, White Cedar, Giant Hemlock and White Pine. While visiting, be sure to bring your binoculars to view the various species of woodpeckers, warblers, hawks and owls along with the many other birds, amphibians, and mammals that live, breed, eat, visit here.
Personal Perspective
by Communications Intern Marian Cramer
Hunner woods feels like entering a fairytale. There is no other way to describe it. Between the bubbling creek, twisty brown paths, and patches of leafy green ferns, this preserve will make you feel as though you’re entering another world.
The best part of the trail is the boardwalk. A twisting rail of light wooden boards that leads you through the forest, and directly over the creek. The rickety bridge will remind you of childhoods spent outdoors building stick forts and pretending to be an adventurer.
Even better, if you sit in the middle of the bridge, you can dangle your feet over the water and listen to the musical splashing as it spills over pebbles and stones. You can let the light breeze waft up from below, inhale the scent of cool mud and moss and river water and sun. You can watch how the creek ripples and spins around obstacles.
You might think about how persistent the water is, flowing on and on. You might notice the trees leaning over, roots exposed by the bank. You might think how persistent they are, perpetually half falling, but still standing strong. You might notice butterflies and fat bumblebees humming their way from flower to flower, dutifully pollinating despite everything in the outside world.
This is what Hunner woods is all about. It is an oasis of life and persistence, separate from the toils of the outside world. When you visit Hunner woods you will forget about traffic jams and sad news stories.
You will forget that you need to mow your lawn and fold your laundry. Instead, you will walk across a carpet of oak leaves, inhale the scent of pine needles, and for a moment, everything in your body will relax. This is the gift that Hunner woods can give to you (if you let it).
View Our 2024 Hunner Preserve Water Quality Report Card Here:
| hunner_2024.pdf |
