Survey to study economic impact of Geneva Lake

(Published August 2, 2006, 11:02 a.m.)

A study commissioned by the Geneva Lakes Conservancy aims to find out what the economic impact of Geneva Lake is on the region.

Along with UW-Whitewater Associate Professor Russ Kashian, the Geneva Lake Conservancy recently mailed a survey to 1,800 randomly selected homeowners who own properties in and around the Geneva Lake watershed.

"The purpose of this survey is to estimate what economic impact the lake has on the local and regional economies," Jim Celano, executive director of the Geneva Lake Conservancy was quoted a saying in a news release.

Kashian added, "It will also assist in determining the positive and negative effects that pressures from continued urban sprawl might have on the value of the lake."

The watershed includes portions of the city of Lake Geneva, the villages of Fontana, Williams Bay and Walworth and the towns of Linn and Walworth. The survey, commissioned by a grant from the Geneva Lake Conservancy, asks a variety of questions regarding public policy matters, including the use of the lake, participation in the local economy, feelings about development pressures on the lake and the expansion of municipalities into undeveloped rural and agricultural areas.

The Geneva Lake Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that is supported by the contributions from people who believe that protecting the nature and history of Walworth county is important. The mission of the Geneva Lake Conservancy is to promote responsible stewardship of the region's land and water resources.

For more information, contact Russ Kashian at (414) 588-1260 and Jim Celano at (262) 275-5700.