Among the most unusual gifts—gifts that likely to outlast most buildings and programs—were given by donors who sought to preserve the essential character of the campus landscape, especially the green spaces that set UW-Madison apart from most of its peers.
Such donors have preserved and extended the lands, the views, and the natural environments that have meant so much to UW students, staff, faculty, and Madison residents. Such donors have contributed gifts of land or provided funds to acquire and protect important campus landscapes. Their gifts have quite literally made possible the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.
Three major gifts have brought key portions of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve to the University. Without them, the Lakeshore Nature Preserve would not be what it is today. They are: