Lake Elysian - Waseca County

Lake Elysian is a beautiful shallow lake and the largest lake, at 1,900 acres, in Waseca County. With more than 77,000 feet of shoreline, the lake might just be the perfect place to build a house or lake cabin. Yet one Waseca County landowner has made a different choice: to keep more than 3,000 feet of shoreline and 48 acres of adjacent agricultural fields and floodplain forest undeveloped, forever. This was accomplished by donating a permanent conservation easement to the non-profit Minnesota Land Trust.

From landowner Bryan Jewison’s perspective, it was a practical decision. Lake Elysian existed before his family bought land in the area and will exist long after he and other family members are gone. Jewison believes that keeping some of the shoreline undeveloped will help the wildlife as well as the water quality of Lake Elysian – and protecting the land is one thing he could do for future generations.

The conservation easement that the Jewison family completed will keep the shoreline, floodplain forest, grassland and agricultural field on the east side of County Road 3 undeveloped forever. The family and future owners can continue to plant and harvest the field but the shoreline on Lake Elysian will remain in its natural state ensuring habitat and protecting water quality.