Beach Water Testing at Crossroads at Big Creek

On May 27 & 28, the Collins Learning Center at Crossroads at Big Creek will be closed to the public as researchers from the Environmental Research Innovation Center (ERIC) of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh transform the Upper Level into a research laboratory for the summer. In the Crossroads lab, they will again test water from Door County beaches. Again this year, ERIC has received a grant from Healthy Water Door County (a fund of the Door County Community Foundation) to conduct well testing this June.

While the ERIC folks are setting up, in collaboration with The Ridges Sanctuary, The Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin Wetlands Association and the Wisconsin DNR, Crossroads will present field trips as part of The Door County Festival of Nature. Though the missions of these partnering organizations overlap, each brings a particular strength and focus to the goals of preservation and environmental stewardship. For more information visit ridgessanctuary.org.

The Door County Master Gardeners will hold their annual Plant Sale on May 28, 9 am – noon, at the Peninsular Agricultural Research Station north of Sturgeon Bay on Highway 42. While this is not a Crossroads event, the profits from this sale will help fund the Master Gardener Lecture Series which will be offered next winter in the Lecture Hall of the Collins Learning Center.

While work on observation platforms probably will not be complete, public field trips of Big Creek Cove preserve will be offered on May 29 at 1 pm. Participants can park in the grassy area just off 20th Place. On May 31 at 3 pm join the naturalist in search of tiny woodland flowers that bloom in May. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. The hike is free and open to the public.

The Collins Learning Center at Crossroads, located at 2041 Michigan St., is open 2 – 4:30 pm daily and during scheduled events. For more information visit crossroadsatbigcreek.org.