a) Cedar Sauk Woodlands  Located in the Town of Saukville in Ozaukee County,the Cedar Sauk Woodlands are a series of large forest tracts extending south from Riveredge Nature Center to the Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area. The forest is a mix of lowland hardwoods and conifers, although small glacial ridges in the wetland support upland forest communities. Several kettle lakes, largely undeveloped, dot the area, providing prime habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. The Woodlands support a number of uncommon plant communities and species.

b) Holy Hill  The Holy Hill region of the Town of Erin in Washington County harbors great biodiversity and scenic features. Over 200 species of animals and plants thrive in floodplain forests, bog and seepage lakes, upland forests and sedge meadows. The heart of the region is the Holy Hill Woods a 300-acre upland woods of sugar maple, red and white oak, basswood and hickory. In the midst of the forested hills of the Kettle Moraine is Holy Hill monastery, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of Wisconsin's most recognizable and spectacular sight. Protection of scenic views to and from the monastery is critical to maintaining the beauty of the region. The OWLT holds a conservation easement on 40 acres of land adjacent to Holy Hill.

c) Huiras Lake  Although conifer swamps and bogs are abundant in the northern part of the state, they were never common in southern Wisconsin. In fact, undisturbed examples of these wetlands are now extremely rare because most have been destroyed or degraded over the past 150 years. Rare exceptions to this are found in the Huiras Lake project area in the Town of Fredonia, Ozaukee County. Four recognized natural area sites, totaling more than 700 acres and containing rich hardwood and conifer swamps, are found in the region. The OWLT owns a 103-acre tract in the project area adjacent to the Huiras Lake. Wetland and forest restoration is an important component of the preservation effort at this site.

d) Milwaukee River   For more than 40 miles, the Milwaukee River winds its way through the fabric of Ozaukee and Washington Counties. More than 55% of the land area in the two-county region drains into the Milwaukee River and its tributaries. The OWLT defines the Milwaukee River project area as a corridor 0.5 to 1.0 miles on either side of the river. Protecting natural and open lands in the corridor will not only provide habitat and water quality protection, but also offer potential opportunities for public access to the river. The OWLT owns two parcels along the river in Washington County with more than two miles of shoreline.

e) Shady Lane Woods  Unlike the other project areas, the Shady Land Woods in the Town of Trenton, Washington County, is not a "recognized" natural area nor is it a large area comprised of many landowners. Rather, the 300-acre site has been identified by SEWRPC as one of only six locations in all of southeastern Wisconsin for the reestablishment of forest interior habitat. Presently, about 150 acres of the site is a high quality upland forest of sugar maple, American beech, basswood and red oak. Expanding the woodland will provide needed habitat for forest interior bird species such as the scarlet tanager, prothonotary warbler, red-eyed vireo and cerulean warbler.