A Pond Preserved

One hundred forty eight years had passed since Aslag Anderson purchased his 110-acre tract of land from Ephraim founder Andreas Anderson in 1858. In all of those years, amidst so much change on the Door Peninsula, the property has remained largely undisturbed in Anderson family hands.

This spring, that impressive run came to an end, but unlike many endings, this one was happy.

On Saturday, May 27, the Door County Land Trust (DCLT) dedicated the Ephraim Preserve at Anderson Pond, a 27-acre parcel of land just outside the Village of Ephraim to the east of Moravia Road.

Though the spring-fed Anderson Pond is the preserve’s centerpiece, it also features a diverse blend of wildlife habitat, including forest, a meadow, and portions of the Niagara Escarpment.

In comments made to the gathering of approximately 50 people at the preserve, DCLT Executive Director Dan Burke called it “one of the most fulfilling projects we’ve done to date.” He said the timing for the dedication was fitting, landing almost exactly 20 years after the DCLT was incorporated June 6, 1986.

“These purchases are complicated and require a lot of patience and cooperation,” he said. “This day would not have been possible without the passion, commitment and vision of the people involved. We were fortunate to work with a family that was all class.”

That doesn’t mean the decision to sell was easy for the three Anderson siblings from whom DCLT bought the property. Each was in attendance for the dedication and said brief but heartfelt words.

“We would ask ourselves, ‘Did we do the right thing? Do we really want to let this out of the family?’” said Lonnie Viste, one of the Anderson siblings. “But it is a place to be shared. Now, in 62 years when I’m gone, my grandchildren will be able to walk through here with their grandkids.”

“There will be no Anderson Family Condominiums here,” she said to laughter and nods of appreciation.

DCLT, a non-profit organization claiming nearly 1,500 members, purchased the parcel this spring after 14 months of negotiations for its appraised value of $382,000. The money was raised through contributions from donors, fundraisers, and a matching grant obtained through the Knowles-Nelson State Stewardship Fund which covered 50 percent of the cost. The Stewardship Fund provides grants to organizations to purchase properties of ecological significance, as ratified by the State Board of Endangered Resources.

The DCLT’s mission statement is “to protect, preserve, and maintain lands that contribute significantly to the scenic beauty, open space, and ecological integrity of Door County.” According to the group’s annual report to their membership, it currently owns and manages 1,397 acres and has permanently protected an additional 2,152 acres through Land Trust Conservation Easement Agreements.

Superlatives flowed throughout the morning as speakers struggled to sum up the significance of the occasion. Bob Davis, described by Burke as the driving force behind the project, said he reached into his grandchildren’s vocabulary to find the only word he felt was appropriate: “Awesome.”

In recognition of Davis’ efforts and inspiration, Burke said the system of trails at the preserve will be named the Bob and Nancy Davis Trail System.

Though the land is now officially preserved for the public to hike, gather and explore, the stories told at the dedication made it apparent it has been “unofficially” shared for decades. Davis recalled asking Viste if he could wander around the property when he felt like it. Viste said she had no problem with that, and Davis said he soon found he was not the only one, as he would often come across others strolling around the secluded pond.

“We never posted it,” Andy Anderson said. “But you had to live here to know about it. The pond would freeze over in the winter and we’d have an ice rink that people would use.”

Anderson said the family has faced pressure over the years to break up the property by people who wanted to buy land. Sometimes this resulted in turning down requests from good friends, but in the end, they always decided it wasn’t worth it.

“How many places are there like this?” he asked rhetorically. “There are so many different ecosystems in such a small space here. You’ve got the pond, open space, escarpment, hemlock, the beach rock and more.”

After the ceremony, a couple who stumbled upon the dedication while out for a morning stroll commented on the special character of the secluded pond.

“Imagine what a developer would pay for this,” said the husband, who wished to remain anonymous for even voicing the idea.

Fortunately, now we’ll never have to find out.