dcltadmin, Author at Door County Land Trust

Enjoy this scientific, fun, and free coloring page download! Simply submit your email & you’ll see an image to click and download.

On Mother’s Day, enjoy this scientific, fun, and free coloring page download! Simply submit your email & you’ll see an image to click and download.

Read our 2020 Spring Landings News Splash!

Enjoy this scientific, fun, and free coloring page download! Simply submit your email & you’ll see an image to click and download.

Wanted to share some photos of my walk at Erskine Woods! – Amy Watts Dwyer

In celebration of the 50th Earth Day, enjoy these scientific, fun, and free downloads for you! Simply enter your email to download the Door County coloring pages and phenology calendar for April & May.

Daily Nature Join us in celebrating the rhythm of the days and seasons by sharing photos, observations, and reflections from nature. Just as spring pushes forward, so too does our community-focused conservation work. We invite you to reach out to us and stay connected. Share your thoughts and pictures below. After review, we’ll post them…

For years, when our children were little, Pebble Beach was a port of call when we sailed our little family sailboat around Little Sister Bay. We would look forward to having a picnic on the beach. I remember wearing old tennis shoes to walk over the rocks from the sailboat. There was always peace and…

I’ve always been intrigued by Heins Creek. From the babbling waters to the rippled sandy bottom and crystal clear waters, it is just beautiful. And it’s teeming with life! Birds flit in and out of the waters on the edge of the stream. If you stand still enough, you’ll see fish of all sizes moving…

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The Aleda (Ah-lee-da) was my great grandfather, J.O. Lindem’s boat. I think that he built it. The original homestead down near the beach was – I think – J.O.’s brother’s home and blacksmith shop – but I’m not sure about that. The ownership around that time is a little murky and the dates were “off”…

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Our family has spent summers on the point on the SW side of Little Sister Bay since 1915 when my grandfather bought our property from a fisherman’s widow. The fisherman was named John Larson (buried in Little Sister cemetery). John’s fish house is still along the shore and can be seen in the attached aerial…

Dear Door County Land Trust Community, In response to Governor Evers’ Order for Statewide School Closure, beginning March 18, 2020, Door County Land Trust’s office is closed with an anticipated reopening on May 26, 2020. During this period our staff is performing field work and teleworking via email. If you need to reach myself or…

Door County, WI – Door County Land Trust is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of 30 acres of undeveloped land as part of the Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp Natural Area. This property, which lies approximately 600 feet from the water of Green Bay, contains a portion of Hidden Springs Creek. The majority of the property…

Moonlit winter nights bring out a host of different sights and sounds that you won’t want to miss. Experience the magic and serenity of nature at night and listen for the sounds of nocturnal animals. Register now for one of our upcoming winter moonlight walks and join us for an unforgettable experience! Free • Open…

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Sturgeon Bay, WI – Door County Land Trust is pleased to announce Big and Little Susie Islands have been donated into permanent conservation with the Door County Land Trust. The islands were owned by brothers Paul and Arni Richter and were passed on to family. The Richter family owned the Washington Island Ferry Line, with…

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Sturgeon Bay, WI – Door County Land Trust is pleased to announce the permanent protection of significant high-quality forests on Chambers Island. Two parcels totaling 60 acres are now protected, and a third parcel of about 20 acres will be protected before the year’s end. The forest lands consist of a mix of sugar maple,…

Read our 2019-2020 Winter Landings News Splash!

Door County Land Trust preserves accommodate a wide variety of public uses including hiking, canoeing, cross country skiing, scientific research and hunting. In order to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all visitors to our preserves, we ask hikers to review hunting safety guidelines and be aware during the season. Hunting season is not…

The Village of Sister Bay, with assistance from the Door County Land Trust, completed the purchase of an iconic 17-acre gem along Little Sister Bay, expanding the former 40-feet of public beach with an additional 600 feet of shoreline. To celebrate the completion of the purchase of the property, Door County Land Trust and the…

Itching to get your hands dirty and really connect with the land? Discover the rewarding feel of restoration work in the field! Join the upcoming work party and help with invasive species removal, trail maintenance, and overall land stewardship. The day will include exploring Oak Road Nature Preserve through the lens of land stewardship and…

Door County Land Trust and Village of Sister Bay Announce Partnership to Protect Pebble Beach Sister Bay, WI – The Door County Land Trust and the Village of Sister Bay are pleased to announce a partnership to protect 600 feet of shoreline and 17 acres of land as a publicly accessible recreation and natural…

Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp Natural Area is a large coastal wetland corridor in Ephraim that is the focus of a multi-year land protection effort by Door County Land Trust. In May 2019 key headwater wetlands, springs, and stream corridors of two creeks flowing into Eagle Harbor and Green Bay were protected with two purchases totaling 120 acres.…

The Door County Land Trust is pleased to announce that 35 acres of forested uplands have been acquired as an addition to the Door County Land Trust’s 600-acre Chambers Island Nature Preserve. With the October protection of two islands within Lake Mackaysee, this acquisition is the second of five new land deals to be completed on…

Read our 2018 Winter Landings News Splash!

Watch the Chicago Botanic Garden Researchers Speak about Pitcher’s Dune Thistle at the Door County Land Trust 2018 Annual Gathering –

Land conservation doesn’t occur naturally: it takes community action! That’s why Door County Land Trust is proud to introduce the Protect What You Love new member campaign, which launches on #GivingTuesday (November 27) and ends on January 31. Since its inception in 1986, Door County Land Trust has worked to preserve, maintain and enhance lands…

Chambers Island, WI: The Door County Land Trust is thrilled to announce that the two small islands in Lake Mackaysee are now officially part of the Door County Land Trust’s 600-acre Chambers Island Nature Preserve. The Town of Gibraltar aided the process by purchasing the islands from the Wisconsin Commission of Public Lands, and then…

Looking to stay active this fall? We’ve got the solution! Join us for a work day at our beautiful Heins Creek Nature Preserve. First-time volunteers are welcome! The Door County Land Trust is hosting a Door Stewardship Alliance work day at Heins Creek Nature Preserve on Tuesday, October 30th from 9:00am to 12:00pm. We will…

Watch Chicago Botanic Garden Researchers Speak about Pitcher’s Dune Thistle at the Door County Land Trust 2018 Annual Gathering:

To show our appreciation of your volunteer support the Door County Land Trust invites you to the Volunteer Appreciation Party Donald & Carol Kress Pavilion 7845 Church St, Egg Harbor Tuesday, October 9, 2018 4:00 – 6:00 pm All volunteers, preserve stewards, hike leaders, hosts, co-hosts, event leaders, and committee members are invited to celebrate…

Tuesday, September 25 9:00am – 12:00 pm 6391 Oak Road Join the Door County Land Trust for a morning of work at Oak Road Nature Preserve. We will be enhancing restoration efforts by continuing the control of non-native honeysuckle and autumn olive. Please meet at the Oak Road Nature Preserve parking area located at 6391…

*RSVP Required* Tuesday, September 11 10:30am – 1:30pm (depending on ferry schedule and timing) 600 Lobdell Point Road, Washington Island We are continuing our efforts to better establish the new trail at Detroit Harbor Nature Preserve. Please meet at 600 Lobdell Point Road at 10:30am on Tuesday, September 11. We need help clearing vegetation from…

Door County Land Trust will hold a joint effort to research the ecology of Chambers Island over a four day period August 5-8. This project, called the Chambers Island BioBlitz, will be led by staff, researchers and volunteers from Door County Land Trust, Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center, UW-Green Bay and the Chambers Island Nature Preserve…

All Aboard! Chambers Island Nature Preserve Boat Tour

Wednesday, June 27 8:00 am – 1:00 pm Fish Creek Scenic Boat Tours 4150 Maple St, Fish Creek Join us for an exciting voyage to explore the Door County Land Trust’s 600-acre Chambers Island Nature Preserve. The preserve’s towering hemlocks, pines, red oaks and maples provide habitat to 171 birds. Participants will have three options for exploring…

Donate lightly used items, art or wine to the annual Rutabaga Sea Kayak Symposium Auction! This auctions raises more than $6,000 per year for the Door County Land Trust mission. Email Cinnamon Rossman to learn more.

Friday, June 22 9:30 am – 11:30 am Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve 5519 Reynolds Road, Carlsville Join the neighborhood effort to remove invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle! These wicked weeds are a real ‘thorn’ in our side. Here’s why: They shade out native plants like trillium and Lady’s slipper orchids. Their berries cause nutrient deficiencies…

Spring 2018 Landings, Journal of the Door County Land Trust

This is a milestone year for international, state and local natural resources conservation. In 2018, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the International Migratory Bird Treaty Act and we mark the 50th year of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources. And here in Door County, we are poised to implement our most aggressive land management work…

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the International Migratory Bird Treaty Act. To recognize that landmark legislation, National Geographic, BirdLife International and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology declared 2018 as the “Year of the Bird.” As we carry out the mission of Door County Land Trust we are reminded of a…

We invite you to celebrate Door County’s beautiful open spaces! In our 2018 schedule of outings and events, you’ll find many ways to connect with the land and the people who make Door County such a special place to live and visit. From forest mindfulness immersion to discovering the aquatic wonders seen only under…

I’ve decided to stop asking myself if the snow will end. Instead, I am embracing this mid-April snowstorm. In fact, based on the Bay Shore Blufflands restoration project, I should be celebrating this cold spring for giving us more time to treat the invasive buckthorn. But, as you’ll soon read, spring will come and our upcoming hikes provide…

Cinnamon Rossman stepped into the role of Development Director at the beginning of 2018. For the past five years she has managed the Land Trust’s communications and events, and her new responsibilities now include working more closely with members and donors to build community support for the Land Trust’s mission. Cinnamon grew up near Mud Lake…

We are pleased to announce the completion of the first round of invasive shrub removal in the Bay Shore Blufflands Buckthorn Blast! The project is a community conservation effort designed to enhance the nature preserve and encourage the neighborhood and greater community to participate in the effort. Jason Wilke, of Nature Care Ecological Consulting and…

For the 171 species of birds migrating annually on the 2,000 mile journey along the Mississippi flyway, Chambers Island is a haven, a rest stop, and a much needed place to refuel. The Door County Land Trust Chambers Island Nature Preserve has grown to 600 acres and our 2018 plan continues efforts to acquire several…

The Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp Natural Area is comprised of cedar forest and ephemeral wetlands—two components contributing to Door County’s most unique environments. In 2017, the Land Trust completed a 120-acre purchase in the heart of the swamp. Landowners in the neighborhood are helping the Land Trust acquire several more key parcels within the natural area, which…

When the opportunity to protect the Grand View Scenic Overlook arose, the community stepped forward to complete the seemingly impossible task of raising the funds for such prime real-estate. Within the protected view, lay two small ponds and surrounding lands in need of special care. Recently, the Door County Land Trust implemented two initial landscape…

Door County Land Trust and Bay Shore Property Owners Association continue to battle invasive plants with a new multi-year community conservation project to eradicate non-native common and glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.) and exotic honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) at the Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve. The project, known as the Bay Shore Blufflands Buckthorn Blast, began last…

Thanks to the many thoughtful Legacy Circle donors who have included the Land Trust in their will or bequest, the Stewardship Endowment Fund will be carefully put to use beginning this year. The Board of Directors and the Endowment Trustees have calculated a sustainable draw from the fund which will be applied toward the Land…

Tuesday, March 27th, 2018 10:00 am -12:00 pm Solitude Natural Area 6759 Logerquist Road We are continuing our efforts to control pesky Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) at Solitude Natural Area. Scots Pine is a non-native pine tree that grows more aggressively than other species, crowding out other trees and preventing desirable native species from growing.…

Did you know that memberships provide more than 40% of the funds necessary for land acquisitions? You can find out more in the 2017 issue of Landings Journal of the Door County Land Trust. To commemorate our 30th anniversary, Landings looks back at 30 years of protecting the peninsula’s exceptional lands and waters and includes…

The Door County Land Trust announced today that in its 30th year, we have now surpassed 8,000 Door County acres protected from development through the addition of 106 acres to the Chambers Island Nature Preserve. We are pleased that with this most recent acquisition we surpassed two milestones—8,000 acres protected in perpetuity and at 593…

Town of Gibraltar voters – We need your vote to purchase the islands in Lake Mackaysee on Chambers Island! Wednesday, August 2, 6 pm, Town of Gibraltar Special Agenda The two islands in Mackaysee Lake on Chambers Island owned by the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands are being sold. The islands can be…

106 Acres Added to Chambers Island Nature Preserve The Door County Land Trust announces today that it has now surpassed 8,000 acres protected from development through the addition of 106 acres to the Chambers Island Nature Preserve. Door County Land Trust Executive Director Tom Clay says, “We are pleased that with this most recent acquisition…

Land is my… What do you do outside? Where do you go when you need a break? Make a quick video that shares what land means to you and enter it in the Land Trust Alliance “Land Is My…” video contest for a chance to win cash prizes—and WE could win $10,000 too! Visit www.landismy.org for details…

The Door County land Trust (DCLT) is proud to announce first, the acquisition of 113 additional acres for the Chambers Island Nature Preserve and second, a $150,000 grant from the David V Uihlein Sr. Foundation of Milwaukee toward acquisition of additional land for the preserve.

Get a glimpse of one of the Door County Land Trust‘s hidden gems, the Harold C. Wilson Three Springs Preserve, and learn more about the significance of this property here >>

Washington Island birder and volunteer photographer Melody Walsh shares these photos, fresh from the Island! Washington Island is known for its charm and relaxed pace of life, but did you know the island is also home to a wide variety of birds? Spring is a great time to see the feathers residents of the island,…

The Door County Board of Realtors recently held a reception at Björklunden to honor retirees with more than ten years of service in the community. Ten realtors were recognized for their collective years of service. A tribute donation to the Door County Land Trust was made for each honoree. We thank the Door County Board…

Gathering Waters Annual Photo Competition Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts has collected more than 350 photos from across the state, many from Door County! Your vote makes the difference for the People’s Choice Award. Vote for your favorite photos here >>

In pre-settlement times, Door County was covered shore to shore in dense forests. Our native plant communities and wildlife habitat depend on quality contiguous forests. Last week, at Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve, students from Sturgeon Bay High School worked alongside staff and volunteers to plant more than 2,500 trees, including white pine, white cedar, chokecherry,…

The season of visitors has begun on the Door Peninsula. Our travel-weary friends came from South and Central America, Gulf of Mexico environs and Southern United States locales. Many arrived under the cover of darkness, riding the southerly currents of low pressure weather systems. And upon their arrival, they feed, rest and commence their…

Mapping and inventorying invasive species not only tells us what is present, but allows us to be strategic and prioritize our efforts going forward. Volunteers worked to inventory and map invasive species at Oak Road Nature Preserve in 2016 so treatments could begin this spring, in June of 2017. Now, volunteers are following these maps…

Imagine a bird whose perfect winter home is dense cedar forest, near abundant fresh water… The Bohemian Waxwing is just such a bird, and Washington Island is that perfect winter home. In the coming months, Door County’s shorelines, islands and wild places will offer a resting spot or home to hundreds of species of migrating…

The Door County Land Trust relies on volunteers to gather vital pieces of information in the field. Projects include spring bird counts, identifying invasive plants and more. The information gathered through these projects helps to show the value of land protection and restoration efforts. To volunteer for citizen monitoring projects, please contact [email protected]

If you have ever considered hosting or helping at a Dining for Open Spaces event, we need your help this year! Members like you are at the heart of the Dining series . Proceeds from the member-hosted events in the Dining for Open Spaces series have raised more than $330,000 to date. What does hosting…

Thursday, April 27, 2017 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve 6749 County G, South of Egg Harbor Join us for an afternoon of tree planting to celebrate Earth Week! We are continuing our efforts to plant native seedlings at our Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve. Please meet just north of the preserve parking…

Tuesday, April 18, 2017 9:00 am to 12:00 pm 23 North 5th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay Are you looking for fun, fresh air and the opportunity to dig in to some wildness right here in the middle of the city? Join us to help “spruce” up the native woodland landscape at the Door County Land Trust’s…

This key grant will help restore Door County Ramsar wetlands through removal of invasive species. Read more… This key grant will help restore Door County Ramsar wetlands through removal of invasive species. Read more… This key grant will help restore Door County Ramsar wetlands through removal of invasive species. Read more… This key grant will help restore Door…

Looking to volunteer this month? Contact us to find out more about these upcoming opportunities: Birders can volunteer to participate in the bird count, taking place during the month of June, at the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve Help with the Annual Gathering during the event on August 14, or with planning over the summer …

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been providing funding to the state, local governments, land trusts, and other non-profits to protect land for more than 25 years. This fund has been vital to protecting Door County’s exceptional lands and waters. Wisconsin’s latest budget proposal maintains funding for this program, but community support is needed to ensure…

Even though Washington Island is just a hop, skip and jump from the arctic circle, hike leaders took a weekend expedition in late January. Armed with skis and snowshoes, they embarked on a journey to the farthest reaches of the wetland areas that can only be visited when frozen. Check out pictures of their trip…

This past weekend marked the 17th winter gathering for Land Trust members and friends. While the name of the event and the location has changed, the strong sense of community and a love of the land remain strong. Many thanks are due to those who attended and supported this fundraiser, but also to the many…

Thank you for your support of the Door County Land Trust. As we look ahead to 2017, there are many places yet to protect and many nature preserves that need our ongoing care. If you haven’t already, please consider renewing your membership or making a special end-of-year gift now. We invite you to take a moment to…

The Fall 2016 Issue is Available Online! 2016 has been a banner year with 663 acres protected, a new conservation easement at Lawrence University’s Bjorklunden center in Baileys Harbor and the Land Trust’s award of accreditation. View the stunning photos and stories about the places that you have helped to protect this year. Read Landings…

Rare Beer Silent Auction to Benefit the Door County Land Trust Calling all Beer Lovers! Our friends at Bier Zot are hosting a Rare-Bottle Silent Auction this Friday, December 16 to benefit the Door County Land Trust. There will be over a dozen rare bottles including: Deschutes 2015 Abyss, Black Butte XXV, MKE’s Grand Madam…

Baileys Harbor, WI An agreement between Lawrence University and the Door County Land Trust (DCLT) will preserve more than 300 acres of Bjorklunden, the college’s 441-acre estate south of Baileys Harbor, from future development. Representatives from Lawrence and the DCLT signed a conservation easement agreement Thursday, Nov. 17 in the Björklunden lodge that will preserve and…

Sturgeon Bay, WI November 14, 2016 – While “looking for a campground” as a young family, Ann and John Bladholm discovered a 40-acre woodland nestled along Claybanks Creek in Southern Door County. There, John and Ann would spend many years vacationing and in retirement, loving the land and exposing their children and countless guests to…

While “looking for a campground” Ann and John Bladholm discovered a 40-acre woodland nestled along Claybanks Creek in Southern Door County. There, John and Ann would spend many years, loving the land and exposing their children and countless guests to the wonders of nature. In an effort to protect the land’s precious natural state…

“How do we secure local, healthy and sustainable food? Land is the answer. How do we ensure clean and abundant water supplies? Land is the answer. How do we foster healthy child development, physical vitality and learning? Land is the answer. How do we stem a national health crisis and provide opportunities for people to…

Three Land Purchases Ensure Protection of Water and Wetlands By Julie Schartner, Land Project Manager Once believed to be extinct and now found in only four states, the Hine’s emerald dragonfly is among the most endangered dragonflies in the United States. The largest population is found here— in Door County, Wisconsin. Through land purchases at…

We at the Door County Land Trust are excited to tell you of our recent 10-acre addition at the Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve. The acquisition protects a key parcel, extending the contiguous forest cover needed to sustain this unique and fragile ecosystem along the Niagara Escarpment. We encourage you to take a hike and enjoy…

Sturgeon Bay, WI August 18, 2016 – The Door County Land Trust announced today it has achieved accreditation – a mark of distinction in land conservation. The nationally-recognized Land Trust Accreditation Commission awards accreditation to land trusts that meet standards for excellence, uphold the public trust and ensure that their conservation efforts are permanent. Cathy…

On Sunday, August 14, 300 members, volunteers and friends gathered to celebrate 30 years of protecting Door County’s exceptional land and waters. The Annual Gathering was held at the first property ever protected by the Door County Land Trust, a property protected by Conservation Easement agreement by Ruth Neuman in 1986, which is now cared…

The Door County Land Trust is pleased to announce Tom Clay as its new Executive Director. He will officially join the Land Trust in mid-September. Tom will replace Dan Burke, who left the Land Trust last February. Tom, 55, comes to the Door County Land Trust after ten years as the Executive Director of the Illinois…

For a small, four-square-mile island, Chambers Island’s list of nesting and migratory birds includes a remarkable number of species deemed as rare, endangered, special concern or of greatest conservation need. For the birds, Chambers Island provides a safe resting stop on their migration or a summer nesting site to raise their young. Earlier this…

Join the Door County Land Trust for a morning of work at Three Springs Nature Preserve to control non-native scotch pine. Scotch pine is a coniferous tree in the pine family (Pinaceae) that strives in old fields and open forested areas like at Three Springs. We have worked here in the past to control scotch…

In April 2016, the Door County Land Trust’s volunteer group, the “Stew Crew,” planted more than 1000 native tree and shrub species after controlling non-native honeysuckle at Lautenbach Woods. The Stew Crew continued their efforts at Three Springs and planted 800 native tree and shrub species after controlling non-native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The tree…

by John Hermann Land Trust preserves are magnetic in the way they pull at me. At Heins Creek, the morning light through the pines always appears new and different than it does in any other place. Similar feelings arise as I walk in the dappled afternoon light at the Bay Shore Blufflands’ escarpment, through the…

Volunteers are vital to our mission of protecting Door County’s exceptional lands and waters forever. Volunteers help by infusing energy and new ideas, taking the lead on exciting projects and events, and serving a key role in engaging with our community. Hosting or Helping at a Dining for Open Spaces Event Mailing Parties Office Work, Filing or Data…

Strawberry Creek, Wisconsin’s most important Chinook salmon stream attracts thousands of spawning salmon each fall. While relatively small in size, Strawberry Creek plays a vital role for the Lake Michigan fisheries. The creek is home to the first stocking and egg collection site for Chinook salmon in Wisconsin and continues to be Wisconsin’s primary source…

When you think of the people in Door County who have fostered a love of nature through teaching and sharing their passion for the outdoors, two names always rise to the top. Roy and Charlotte Lukes were recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gathering Waters Conservancy’s 12th Annual Land Conservation Leadership Awards celebration.…

It’s time get outside and enjoy the fall colors! According to the Wisconsin Fall Color Report on travelwisconsin.com, Door County is at 50% now, with peak color anticipated in mid-October. These five preserves are some of our favorite places to enjoy autumn’s splendor! 1. Richter Community Forest Nature Preserve, Washington Island 2. White Cliff Nature…

Every year, over 1800 land trusts gather from around the country and world to share their inspirational work, to learn from each other, and to improve the work we do for our communities. The Door County Land Trust participated in the Land Trust Alliance 2014 Rally by sending staff members Cinnamon Rossman and Julie Schartner.…

Preserve Steward Tom Mabbott spear-headed the project to install nesting boxes at three Door County Land Trust Preserves. The nesting boxes will give a safe nesting area to these birds that need open fields to hunt prey. Kestrel populations have dwindled over the past few decades due to the use of pesticides which make shells…