Dan Burke on “Preserving Door County’s Scenic Beauty… One Acre at a Time.”

In December of 2009, the Door County Land Trust purchased 332 acres in the City of Sturgeon Bay along the shores of Lake Michigan on the south side of the Sturgeon Bay-Lake Michigan Shipping Canal. The preserve dedication was an opportunity to officially open the preserve and to thank the previous landowners, volunteers, foundations and granting agencies, and Door County Land Trust supporters whose vision, hard work and generosity made the creation of the nature preserve possible.

Public hiking trails, parking areas, informational kiosks and maps are all now located at the new Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve. The preserve is home to nearly 1,000 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline, forested wetlands, a series of ancient shorelines, and many rare plants and animals.

The Door County Land Trust is a local, non-profit organization supported by over 2,000 contributing members.  Its mission is to preserve, maintain and enhance lands that contribute significantly to the scenic beauty, open space and ecological integrity of Door County. Since its inception in 1986, the Land Trust has protected over 5,300 acres throughout Door County. Many of the lands owned by the Door County Land Trust are open to the public for hiking, hunting, birding, skiing and other low-impact recreational and educational activities.

To find out more about the work of the Door County Land Trust, for preserve maps and directions, for information on our hunting program and to make a contribution of support, please visit www.doorcountylandtrust.org.

Harold C. Wilson Three Springs Nature Preserve

The Door County Land Trust purchased 421 acres just east of Sister Bay in the fall of 2008 permanently protecting the largest undeveloped tract remaining in northern Door and completing the county’s largest conservation project in over 40 years.  The preserve dedication will honor and thank the landowners, volunteers and Door County Land Trust supporters whose vision, hard work and generosity made the creation of the nature preserve possible.

Lemonade, ice tea, wine and light refreshments will be served.  Following the dedication ceremony, short hikes will be offered for those interested.

The Harold C. Wilson Three Spring Nature Preserve is home to the headwaters of pristine North Bay and to a host of rare and endangered plants and animals.  It was also the site of one of Wisconsin’s first nature centers, the Three Springs Nature Center established by Harold Wilson of Ephraim in the 1950s.

The public is invited to attend.  Please R.S.V.P. by calling the Door County Land Trust at 920.746.1359 or by emailing krice@dcwis.com.  The dedication will be held rain or shine.  Comfortable clothes and good walking shoes are recommended. The Door County Land Trust’s new Harold C. Wilson Three Springs Nature Preserve is located at the end of Three Springs Road off of County Highway ZZ two miles east of Sister Bay.

The Door County Land Trust is a local, non-profit organization supported by over 2,000 contributing members.  Its mission is to preserve, maintain and enhance lands that contribute significantly to the scenic beauty, open space and ecological integrity of Door County.  Since its inception in 1986, the Land Trust has protected over 5,200 acres throughout Door County.  Many of the lands owned by the Door County Land Trust are open to the public for hiking, hunting, birding, skiing and other low-impact recreational and educational activities.

To find out more about the work of the Door County Land Trust, for preserve maps and directions, for information on our hunting program and to make a contribution of support, please visit www.doorcountylandtrust.org.

Roger Kuhns

Door County’s unique natural communities and features – including the Niagara Escarpment, the bedrock foundation of the Peninsula – are the focus of the eighth annual Door County Festival of Nature. The Festival begins with a special keynote presentation, open to the public, at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall on Thursday evening, May 27, at 7:30 pm Dr. Roger Kuhns will present a program on “The Niagara Escarpment: Its Natural History and Preservation.” The program is free for Festival of Nature participants, donations are requested for those not registered for the Festival.

Dr. Kuhns is a geologist, environmental scientist and “sustainologist.” He actively applies sustainable practices in his work and life, to reduce consumption of natural resources, conserve materials, and preserve nature through sustainability that incorporates environment, economics and community. During his presentation, Dr. Kuhns will delve into the geologic history of the Niagara Escarpment and the Niagara Dolomite that forms its foundation. He will visit past, present and currently changing ecosystems beginning some 600 million years ago. By discussing rocks, fossils, natural resources, water, pre-and post-settlement land uses, and historic records, we can better understand the fragile nature of this seemingly durable ledge of rock. The presentation includes examples of sustainable practices that can be applied toward Niagara Escarpment preservation.

On Friday and Saturday, May 28 and 29, a variety of field trips will take Festival participants to some of the most beautiful and unique natural areas in Door County, including several sites on the Niagara Escarpment. Over 50 field trips are offered this year, including The Ridges Sanctuary, Toft Point, Washington Island, Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Preserve, Mink River Conservancy, and many other natural areas. Also included on the schedule are birdwatching hikes and canoeing trips on the Ahnapee River and Logan Creek.

There are still openings in many Festival trips. Registration for available field trips will take place at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall on Thursday, May 27, between 5 and 7:30 pm; Friday, May 28, from 8 am – 1:30 pm and 4 – 7 pm; and Saturday, May 24, from 8 – 9 am.

The Festival of Nature will conclude with an old-fashioned Barn Dance and Social, held at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall. All dances are taught by the caller, and the figures build on each other from one dance to the next, so no previous dance experience is needed. Music is provided by Sugar on the Floor Barn Dance Orchestra. The dance begins at 7 pm and is open to the public. No admission is charged, but donations will be accepted at the door.

The Door County Festival of Nature is sponsored by The Ridges Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, Door County Land Trust, Crossroads at Big Creek, The Clearing, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with support from Door Properties Owners Inc., Birdies of Door County, Baileys Harbor Yacht Club Resort and Baylake Bank. For more information on the Festival of Nature, please call 920.839.2802, or visit http://RidgesSanctuary.org/festival.aspx.

Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve

The property is located at the base of the Niagara Escarpment approximately 10 miles north of Sturgeon Bay just inland of the shores of Green Bay. It is surrounded on the north, east and west by lands already protected by the Land Trust and hosts a large colony of the state threatened Ram’s head Lady’s-slipper orchid.

“We’re very excited about the acquisition of this property,” states Terrie Cooper, land program director for the Door County Land Trust. “Although it’s a small tract, it connects land that is already preserved and creates a corridor of specialized habitat. The Land Trust’s Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve is home to one of the largest colonies of Ram’s head Lady-slippers in the state of Wisconsin and this acquisition expands that territory. Open lands in this area also help filter the water that runs off the escarpment into our ground water and the bay.”

The Door County Land Trust was able to purchase and protect this latest addition to the Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve with the help of Land Trust supporters and a grant from Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund.

The Land Trust’s work at the Bay Shore Blufflands began modestly in 1995 when the discovery of Ram’s-head Lady’s-slipper orchids inspired the purchase of a two-acre tract. What began as a small purchase has now grown into one of the most impressive nature preserves in northeast Wisconsin and encompasses nearly 500 acres. In 2002, the state of Wisconsin designated the Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve a State Natural Area. State Natural Areas are lands recognized for their high ecological value that support native biological communities.

The Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve offers panoramic views of Green Bay and is open to the public for hiking, cross-country skiing, birding, hunting and other recreational uses. Marked trails, kiosks and parking areas are maintained by the Door County Land Trust. The Blufflands is one of three Door County Land Trust preserves in the area that encompass high quality habitat along the Niagara Escarpment bluffs. The Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve and the Woods at Monument Point Preserve are located just a few miles north of the Bay Shore Blufflands.

Dan Burke, executive director of the Door County Land Trust explains, “We are continually finding out more about the unique ecological attributes of the Niagara Escarpment. The Escarpment is a micro-climate. The steep bluffs keep it cold, shady and damp. In addition to being home to many rare wildflowers and plant species, it is also home to a species of land snail that’s survived here since the last ice age. 2010 has been named the “Year of the Escarpment,” and the Land Trust is pleased to contribute to the celebration by protecting another part of this special place.”

The Door County Land Trust is a local, non-profit organization supported by over 2,000 donors. Since its inception in 1986, it has permanently protected over 5,000 acres throughout Door County. To find out more about the work of the Door County Land Trust and for maps and directions to its nature preserves or to make a contribution, visit www.doorcountylandtrust.org.

From the Door Peninsula to the Nebraska Plains:  Passages that Honor our Sense of Place is sponsored by the Door County Land Trust and take place at the Land Trust’s northern office, 10547 Koessl Lane, Sister Bay from 7 – 8:30 pm. Participating writers include Norb Blei, Fran Burton, Terrie Cooper, Estella Lauter, Ralph Murre, Nancy Rafal, Sue Peterson and Karen Yancey.

“The natural landscapes of Door County figure prominently in our local literature,” explains Karen Yancey, member of the Door County Land Trust board of directors and co-editor along with Norb Blei, of The Nature of Door:  Door County Writers and Artists on Preservation of Place .  “This is a chance for us to explore together how our love and respect for the land around us informs our art and to read from a number of Cather novels.  She had a strong sense of place and was a master at connecting people to natural landscapes.”

Refreshments will be served and signed copies of works by local authors will be available for sale.  For more information, please call the Door County Land Trust, 920.746.1359.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.  The Big Read Door County is produced by Peninsula Players Theatre in partnership with Door County Library and in collaboration with Door County Land Trust and dozens of other community organizations, with the support of the Door County Community Foundation and the Door County Memorial Hospital Foundation.

The Door County Land Trust announced today that it has raised 90% of the dollars needed from private donors to purchase and permanently preserve what is known locally as the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Property. The Land Trust now seeks donations from the greater community to raise the final funds needed to purchase 332 acres and 740 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline along the south side of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal.

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal

“This property is truly a remarkable place.  It’s a favorite of the Door County community and a lot of excitement has been generated over its possible purchase and protection,” states Dan Burke, executive director of the Land Trust.  “The Land Trust has been working on acquiring the grants and private funds needed for this purchase for over six years.  It’s been a long time in the works and we’ve thrilled to report that we’re almost there.”

The Land Trust entered into an Offer to Purchase with the Sturgeon Bay Utilities, owners of the property, on June 19, 2009.  The offer included two critical contingencies.  One contingency required the Sturgeon Bay City Council to approve the sale which it did on August 4, 2009.  The second contingency requires the Land Trust to secure all necessary funding.

Total project costs for the property are just under $2 million–$1,992,000.  The Land Trust has applied for and expects to receive approximately $1,686,000 in grants from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Knowles Nelson State Stewardship Fund.  The balance of $306,000 is needed from private donors.

“This was an ambitious project, but we’re pleased to report that 90% of the dollars needed from private donors have been secured and we are now asking others in the community who care about the future of this special place to help us raise the final $29,000 by the December 15 closing date,” states Laurel Hauser, development director for the Land Trust.

The effort to purchase this land has been greatly aided by leadership gifts received from American Transmission Company, the Carla and Ellsworth Peterson Foundation, the John C. Bock Foundation and an anonymous Sturgeon Bay area foundation.  “We are also thankful for the generous support we have already received from many individual donors and Door County Land Trust members along with the Door County Community Foundation.  The effort to preserve this remarkable project is truly a community-wide effort,” explains Hauser.

If the Land Trust is successful in its efforts to purchase the land, the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve will be established. This premier nature preserve will be open to the public for low-impact recreational and educational uses such as swimming, hiking, wildlife viewing, school field trips, and research.  The Land Trust intends to improve and maintain walking trails, erect educational kiosks and increase efforts to fight the invasive plant species now on the property.

“The Ship Canal property is a well-loved community asset.  We want it to stay that way.  Our overall goal,” states Dan Burke, “is to improve the ecological health of the property for wildlife and plants, enhance the experience for visitors, and make sure this treasure is around for generations to come.”

Protection of the Ship Canal property has long been in doubt as a variety of development proposals have been suggested over the years. Recent proposals have included a coal-fueled power plant, aquatic industrial park, all terrain vehicle park and mixed use residential development.

Citizen groups, neighbors, and admirers of the property have worked for years to keep the land in its natural state.  Educator and local naturalist, Mike Madden, describes the property as “one of Door County’s ecological gems.  The pristine beach and dunes, ridge and swale formations of ancient shorelines, towering hemlocks and the awe-inspiring views of Lake Michigan and the canal make this one of our most beloved natural areas.  In addition to its beauty, it provides habitat for many rare and endangered plants and animals including osprey, bald eagles, pitcher’s dune thistle and migrating warblers.  This is an important place for us to protect and we’re grateful that the Land Trust is here to do it.”

Tax-deductible contributions toward the preservation of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal property and the establishment of the nature preserve may be sent to the Door County Land Trust, P.O. Box 65, Sturgeon Bay, WI  54235.  Donations may also be made on-line at the Land Trust’s web-site, www.doorcountylandtrust.org .  All donors will be thanked in the Door County Advocate and listed on the nature preserve kiosk to be erected at the preserve’s public parking area.  If the purchase is successful, the Land Trust plans to formally dedicate the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve next summer.

The Door County Land Trust is a local, 501(c)3 non-profit organization supported by 2,500 individuals and families.  The mission of the Land Trust is to protect, preserve and maintain lands that contribute significantly to the scenic beauty, open space, and ecological integrity of Door County.  The Land Trust has protected 4,800 acres throughout Door County and maintains many nature preserves which are open to the public.

Hikers exploring the Mud Lake/North Bay watershed

The Door County Land Trust’s 11^th Annual Membership Gathering began with hikes through the fields and forests of the Millers’ property located on East Meadow Road.  Hikers learned about the unique ecological features of this area which is part of the Mud Lake/North Bay watershed and how the Millers worked with the Door County Land Trust to permanently protect their land through a conservation easement agreement.  Dinner was served under a large white, open-air tent with vistas of the cedar-lined fields.

Land Trust Board president, Dave Callsen, greeted the guests and introduced executive director, Dan Burke, who reported on the many successes of the past year.  Topping the list was the establishment of two new public nature preserves, the 421-acre preserve at Three Springs just two miles east of Sister Bay and the Legacy Preserve along 3100 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline in Southern Door County.  Additional causes for celebration include expanded nature preserves on Washington and Detroit Islands, large-scale restoration projects at several other Land Trust nature preserves, and the launching of a newly-designed web-site.  Burke also announced, to enthusiastic applause, the recent decision by the Sturgeon Bay City Council to approve the sale of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal property to the Door County Land Trust provided the Trust is able to secure grant funding and raise the necessary private donations.

Burke noted that by year’s end, the Land Trust expects to reach and surpass 5,000 protected acres throughout Door County:  “Our ability to preserve land for ourselves and for future generations has grown in proportion to our membership support.  We thank all of you for caring about the future of Door County’s open spaces.”

The Land Trust presented the Ruth Neuman Landowner Appreciation Award of 2009 to Susan and Nancy Kreuter, two sisters whose bargain sale of 90 acres along Lake Michigan near Clay Banks led to the establishment of the Legacy Nature Preserve in late 2008.  The award is named after Ruth Neuman, who in 1986 became the first person in Door County to protect their property with the Door County Land Trust.

Door County Land Trust Executive Director, Dan Burke, and Development Director, Laurel Hauser, present Carl Scholz with the 2009 Distinguished Service Award.

The Land Trust also presented a Distinguished Service Award.  The Distinguished Service Award is given each year to someone whose service and dedication has made the Land Trust what it is today and who exemplifies the Land Trust ideal in the community.  This year’s award was presented to Mr. Carl Scholz, long-time board member and respected local environmentalist.

Naomi Carlson, chair of the Annual Membership Gathering, thanked the scores of volunteers who worked together to make the event a success.  Land Trust staff ended the evening with audience participation in a rousing game of “What D’You Know about the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Property,” a knock-off of the popular “Whad’Ya Know” radio quiz show.  Honorary host, Ms. Sandy Dune Thistle, offered entertaining and educational commentary regarding the Ship Canal property and awarded prizes to the winning contestants.

The Door County Land Trust is a local, non-profit organization working to preserve Door County’s open spaces, scenic beauty and ecological integrity.  The Door County Land Trust is supported by over 2,000 annual dues-paying members.  To become a Land Trust member or to get directions to Land Trust nature preserves open to the public, please visit our web-site, www.doorcountylandtrust.org.

Sturgeon Bay Shipping Canal

The efforts to establish a 332-acre nature preserve along the shores of Lake Michigan and the Sturgeon Bay Shipping Canal received a boost Tuesday night when the Sturgeon Bay City Council gave the owners of the property, the Sturgeon Bay Utilities, the go ahead to enter into an Offer to Purchase with the Door County Land Trust.  The Land Trust, a non-profit land conservation organization, has been working to create a public nature preserve at this Sturgeon Bay lakeside location for nearly seven years.

“The Door County Land Trust is obviously very pleased with the City Council’s decision tonight. Now our full attention can turn to raising the $2 million that will be needed to make this nature preserve a reality,” comments Dan Burke, Executive Director of the Door County Land Trust.

The Door County Land Trust has submitted applications and hopes to receive nearly $1.7 million in grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund of Wisconsin. If this level of grant funding is awarded, the Land Trust will need to raise $300,000 in private donations to match the grants and to fully fund the project.

Under the terms of the purchase agreement between the Door County Land Trust and the Sturgeon Bay Utilities, the Land Trust has until mid-fall to secure the needed funding. If the funds are not secured by this time, the Land Trust has the option to forego the purchase. “While we recognize that these are tough economic times, we are confident the dollars can be raised,” explains Burke.  “Many people have been waiting a very long time to finally have the opportunity to save this remarkable place. It’s a gem that deserves to be enjoyed by generations to come.”

This Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal property is bounded on the east by hundreds of feet of sandy, picturesque Lake Michigan shoreline and on the north by thousands of feet along the south side of the Sturgeon Bay shipping canal.  The property supports a diversity of habitat types that can rarely be found on a single tract of land and supports many rare and unique plants and animals including bald eagles, osprey and dune’s thistle.

If this public nature preserve comes to fruition, the property will be permanently protected and open to the public for nature-based outdoor recreational opportunities including hiking, fishing, hunting (in accordance to City Ordinance), swimming, scientific research and as an educational resource for school children and adults alike.

“It is the intention of the Door County Land Trust to reach out and partner with others to manage this preserve and to increase and improve the opportunities the public has to experience and learn from this special place,” states Burke.

The Door County Land Trust is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1986 with a mission to preserve, protect and maintain lands that contribute significantly to the scenic beauty, open space and ecological integrity of Door County. To date, the Land Trust oversees the protection of 4,800 acres throughout Door County.  To find out more about the work of the Land Trust and to contribute to the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve project, please visit www.doorcountylandtrust.org.

CLAYBANKS, WI – Today, Governor Jim Doyle is announcing the award of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund grants totaling almost $2 million for use in the Door County Land Trust’s purchase of two properties in Door County including the county’s largest conservation acquisition in more than forty years and another that preserves over a half-mile of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline in southern Door.

One grant involves the Door County Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy’s announcement today of the conservation of 421 acres in Door County. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) collaborated on the acquisition of the property. This purchase by the Door County Land Trust marks the largest single conservation acquisition in Door County in more than four decades

The property, located two miles east of Sister Bay, will be named the Harold C. Wilson Three Springs Nature Preserve. The late Wilson was a prominent Door County businessman and renowned naturalist whose family owned the property for several decades beginning in 1940. Three Springs Creek flows through the preserve before emptying into Lake Michigan’s North Bay, which is located along the eastern shore of Door Peninsula. The preserve lies in a region of Wisconsin that has the state’s highest diversity and density of rare species and natural communities. The offshore waters of North Bay also serve as a major spawning ground for Lake Michigan’s whitefish population. The preserve contains springs and headwaters that are critical to the health of North Bay. The land also includes breeding habitat for the federally-endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly.

“This is our biggest conservation purchase to date and protects what had been the largest remaining undeveloped property that had not yet been conserved in northern Door County” says Dan Burke, Executive Director of the Door County Land Trust. “A project of this magnitude could not have been accomplished working alone. We thank the state and federal agencies, The Nature Conservancy and all our donors for working collaboratively to preserve this special place. We also owe a big thanks to the current owners of the property, George and Jean Reynolds, for being great stewards of this place for the past 40 years and for providing us with the opportunity to establish this new preserve.”

Mike Grimm, who directs The Nature Conservancy’s work on Door Peninsula, says the land was long considered a top priority for conservation. “This is a keystone property,” Grimm explains. “It has a critical influence on the quality of water in both Three Springs Creek and North Bay. It is also strategically located within a beautiful and ecologically exceptional landscape in the western Lake Michigan region.”

The preserve is located within a 13,000-acre natural corridor that includes Toft’s Point State Natural Area, The Ridges Sanctuary, Mud Lake State Wildlife Area, Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest and Wetlands State Natural Area, Marshall’s Point State Natural Area, Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach State Natural Area and North Bay State Natural Area.

Eye-catching native plants including showy lady’s slippers can be found on the property along with a diverse forest made up of white cedar, tamarack, balsam fir and black ash. Three Springs Creek supports smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brown trout, Chinook salmon and northern pike. The land also provides crucial stopover and breeding habitat for neotropical migratory birds.

The preserve is rich not only for its natural resources but also for its contributions to local and state history. The property was acquired in 1940 by Harold C. Wilson, whose family owned the popular Wilson’s Ice Cream Parlor in Ephraim. One of Wilson’s passions was the natural world and he was particularly interested in migratory birds. He banded more than 60,000 birds and he was considered to be one of the country’s leading experts on herring gulls. In 1947, Wilson also opened the family-friendly Three Springs Nature Center on the property to educate visitors about the wildlife and ecology of Door County. In 1950, C.D. “Buzz” Besadny, who would later lead the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and help establish the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, worked as a summer intern at the nature center. Wilson ceased operating the nature center in the early 1950’s.

“The Door County Land Trust is honored to follow in the footsteps of Harold Wilson by once again making this property available for all the public to enjoy and appreciate,” explains Terrie Cooper, Door County Land Trust’s Land Program Director. “We expect to add signage and trails to the preserve in 2009 and to prepare the preserve for recreational opportunities including hiking, birding and hunting.”

The property was purchased with a mix of state, federal and private funds: $746,000 from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund; $471,750 from a USFWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grant; $42,250 from the Door County Land Trust; and $90,000 from The Nature Conservancy. The Door County Land Trust is also raising an additional $140,160 needed to cover acquisition costs and necessary land stewardship activities.

“We are thrilled to be able to support our local partners in on-the-ground conservation through this National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant,” says Louise Clemency, Field Supervisor of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wisconsin Ecological Services Office in New Franken, Wis. “Not only will this new preserve protect critical habitat for the endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly, it will help prevent other rare species from becoming endangered by maintaining the coastal wetlands where they live.”

Governor Doyle is also announcing today a second Stewardship Grant of $1,215,000 to be used in the Door County Land Trust’s impending purchase of 90 acres in the southern Door County township of Claybanks. This undeveloped property, located six miles south of the City of Sturgeon Bay, contains nearly 3,000 feet of pristine Lake Michigan shore frontage.

Bluffs on the property rise above the waters of Lake Michigan and provide panoramic views of the Door Peninsula. The property hosts a diverse mix of natural community types including lakeshore, cedar forest, open fields and bluff all of which provide ideal habitat for many species of shore birds, waterfowl, and plants.

Funding for this acquisition was also made possible by a generous donation from the owners of the property in the form a “bargain sale.” The state-approved appraisal of the property was determined to be $2,430,000. The landowners agreed to sell the property to the Door County Land Trust for half this value.

“We are thrilled that the owners of this special place are providing us with the opportunity to purchase and protect this one-of-a-kind parcel,” states Dan Burke, executive director of the Door County Land Trust. “Due in part to their generosity and the State Stewardship Grant, the spectacular scenery and wild shoreline here will be enjoyed and appreciated by the public and will remain forever a place of beauty and solitude.”

Upon assuming ownership, the Door County Land Trust will develop a detailed land management plan for this property that will consider land restoration goals as well as public recreational opportunities such as hiking, birding and hunting.

Since its creation in 1989, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund has helped land trusts, local units of government, and the State protect about 500,000 acres in Wisconsin for outdoor recreation and natural habitat. Governor Doyle’s 2007-2009 Wisconsin State Budget reauthorized the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund at $86 million per year beginning in 2011 through 2020.

The Door County Land Trust is a not-for-profit conservation organization supported by over 2,000 members and is celebrating its 22nd year of preserving lands that contribute significantly to Door County’s rural, scenic and ecological integrity. Since 1986, the Land Trust has permanently protected nearly 5,000 acres throughout Door County. If you are interested in becoming a member or finding out more about the Door County Land Trust visit its web site or contact the office at 920.746.1359.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. In Wisconsin, the Conservancy has helped conserve more than 140,000 acres – including 5,200 acres on the Door Peninsula – since 1960. The Conservancy has more than 21,000 members in Wisconsin and offices in Madison, Baraboo, East Troy, Minocqua and Sturgeon Bay. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.