By Steve Hill

The commitment to conservation and outdoor recreation by true Wisconsinites never fails to disappoint, as I was reminded during a business trip to Madison last week.

With a lunchtime meeting set up, I had planned a post-meal walk at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum before heading back to Point. A quick look at the map, however, showed me there was something much closer to the restaurant in Monona – in fact, three somethings in one.

The Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona’s Woodland Park, and the Edna Taylor Conservation Park, which are three contiguous outdoor offerings on two properties just a stone’s throw from my lunch spot, ended up being such a nice surprise that it’s going to take two columns and a return visit to report on them properly.

First, a quick aside of sorts, and then I’ll get to the fun stuff. Attentive readers will note that I opened by mentioning commitment by “true Wisconsinites.”

That disqualifies much of our state’s current political leadership, which looks like a bunch of opportunistic carpetbaggers and pigs at the lobbying trough, perfectly willing to give away our natural and recreational heritage for the profit of those who already have more than a fair share of riches.

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