Land Trust Adds New Property to Kellner Fen Natural Area 

Door County Land Trust has recently added another protected property to its project area at Kellner Fen Natural Area in Sturgeon Bay. The 12-acre parcel protects a perennial unnamed stream—whose protection contributes to local water quality—as well as wetlands and forest. The new property is in keeping with the Land Trust’s 20-year focus of enlarging the preservation…

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Land Trust Adds Newly Protected Property Within Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp 

The value of property is often summed up in the words “location, location, location”.  That saying holds true for the ecological value of the location of Door County Land Trust’s recent land purchase within Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp Natural Area. The land is prized for its proximity to a migratory bird route and its coastal wetlands. “Gibraltar-Ephraim…

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Camp Cuesta: Protecting Land, Preserving Tradition

Local Girl Scout Troop Co-leaders Sarah Martin and Anna Knapp call Camp Cuesta, a Girl Scout camp in Baileys Harbor, their “happy place,” a place to take in the calm and wonder of nature. This feeling is deeply rooted in the Door County community, through decades of Girl Scouting and an appreciation of the ecological…

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New Property Protects Nature and Memories at Three Springs

Image of forest at edge of Ingid Lawrenz's property which is recently purchased by Door County Land Trust.

Many times when land transfers from private ownership to the Door County Land Trust more than the land itself is exchanged. For Ingrid Nelson Lawrenz, the Sister Bay property she recently sold to the Land Trust holds memories of a lifetime spent indulging in the joys of the wild places just outside her girlhood home. …

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Shoreline Property Becomes Land Trust Conservation Easement 

The Schmitz conservation easement. Kay McKinley photo Shoreline property on the bay of Green Bay owned by Michael Schmitz, of Ellison Bay, was recently protected by a conservation easement with Door County Land Trust. The agreement ensures that the four-acre property, which includes 589 feet of rocky shoreline, will remain undeveloped forever. The easement’s size…

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Oak Bluff Natural Area: Land Protection by the Bay 

  Door County Land Trust’s portfolio of protected properties includes a variety of ecologically sensitive lands protected for the plant and animal inhabitants. The latest land protection project, completed on December 6, 2023, is a perfect example of why some lands are best protected for wildlife.  When it comes to the Land Trust’s recent creation…

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Hibbard Creek: Extending an Important Wildlife Corridor

Hibbard Creek. Photo by Julie Schartner   The recent purchase of 77 acres near the Hibbard Creek Natural Area aligns with the Land Trust’s goal to extend protection in wildlife corridors that provide for movement across the landscape. These corridors are crucial for the survival of animal species as they provide new home territories for…

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Southern Door Ecological Gem to Become 15th Land Trust Preserve

An exceptionally scenic and ecologically significant 75 acres in the Town of Clay Banks has recently been added to Door County Land Trust’s roster of protected properties. The former dairy farm features a half-mile of Bear Creek that flows into Lake Michigan that supports coldwater fish. Within its eye-catching landscape of open fields, wetlands, native…

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Kellner Fen Natural Area Addition Expands Land Protection

Sandhill Crane

Sand Hill Cranes are one of many species that will be protected on the new acreage. The success of Door County Land Trust’s (DCLT) most recent land purchase is the direct result of the generosity of the Fischer family. The new addition of 63 acres extends the protection of water quality and wildlife surrounding the…

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Now Streaming: Water Protection

Three springs

Below the still surface of Door County’s landscape, under and through the bedrock, water moves rapidly—a mixture of rainwater, snow melt, and dissolved particles collected from life above. In many areas, both nutrients and pollutants find their way quickly into the county’s waterways—as well as Lake Michigan and Green Bay—at a rate that can overwhelm…

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New Preserve to Deliver Drama

Bear Creek Nature Preserve

It’s hard for the Door County Land Trust Land Team to temper their excitement when describing the property slated for the Land Trust’s fifteenth nature preserve. “It’s spectacular,” said Land Program Director Jesse Koyen. “Over a half mile of Bear Creek and its surrounding forested banks make up the heart of the property. There are…

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Donated Land Extends Legacy Nature Preserve at Clay Banks

NP1

A generous land donation by the Bogdanowicz family that includes 150 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline was recently accepted by the Door County Land Trust (DCLT). Located in the Town of Clay Banks, this land is directly to the south of the Land Trust’s Legacy Nature Preserve at Clay Banks. The donation extends the preserve’s boundary, which…

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Door County Land Trust Office Moves to New Location

Door County Epicenter

  The Door County Land Trust will be moving its office to a more expansive space at the newly developed Door County Epicenter at 217 N. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, the former home of Baylake Bank and Nicolet Bank, in June.  The organization’s need to increase staffing over the years to address important land protection…

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Announcing Pebble Beach

Save-PB-Screenweb

 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…

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Conservationists of the Year – Chambers Island Nature Preserve Executive Committee

Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts is excited to honor as part of the Land Conservation Leadership Awards Chambers Island Nature Preserve Executive Committee as Conservationists of the Year Conservationist of the Year – Chambers Island Nature Preserve Executive Committee is made up of a team of four women who own property on Door County’s…

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9 Acres Donated at Chambers Island Nature Preserve

Door County Land Trust is pleased to announce the donation of 9 acres of land at the Chambers Island Nature Preserve. The donation of land, made by Pete and Fawn Rogers, long-time summer visitors on the island, is the fifth conservation project to be completed on Chambers Island during 2018. The donated land connects other…

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Chambers Island Nature Preserve Expands with 50 Newly Protected Acres!

We are pleased to announce that Thursday, December 13, the Door County Land Trust completed two more land acquisitions on Chambers Island!  These two additional projects are the third and fourth of five planned land protection projects on the island this December! The two properties, one a 10-acre hardwood and hemlock forest and the other…

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Volunteer Appreciation Party

Volunteer appreciation party

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…

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Meet The Staff!

Cinnamon-Rossman

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…

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Restoring Balance to an Interconnected Ecosystem

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve ridge and swale wetland.  Photo by Jason Wilke, restoration and invasive species removal contractor   399 acres at the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve and 50 acres at Heins Creek Nature Preserve are being restored, thanks to funding from the North American Wetland Conservation Act Grant. The project,…

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Door County Land Trust Protects 37 Acres Near Rowleys Bay

Bruce and Joan Pikas at their new conservation easement near Rowleys Bay

Door County Land Trust Protects 37 Acres near Rowleys Bay In late August, landowners Bruce and Joan Pikas donated a 37-acre conservation easement on their boreal forest tract to the Door County Land Trust. The conservation easement adds to existing protected land in the area which includes several other conservation easements, The Nature Conservancy’s Mink…

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120 Acres of Coastal Wetland Property Protected!

Door County Land Trust Protects Wetlands at the Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp State Natural Area   Sturgeon Bay, WI  July 15, 2017 – The Door County Land Trust (DCLT) is pleased to announce it has protected 120 acres of coastal wetland property in the Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp State Natural Area. The property was acquired from landowner John Wehling,…

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Volunteer at Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve!

Join the fun at our next Door Stewardship Alliance work day  at Door County Land Trust’s Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve on Tuesday, July 11th. The work will consist of clearing vegetation encroaching into the trail corridor as well as replacing parking area posts. We will meet at the preserve parking area located at 5519…

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Birds of Washington Island

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,…

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Committed Conservationists Gather at Land Trust Alliance 2014 Rally

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.…

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