Door County Festival of Nature Boasts Nearly 50 Field Trips

Registration is underway for the ninth annual Door County Festival of Nature held May 26 – 28. The three-day program of guided field trips and presentations will highlight the incredible natural beauty and diversity of Door County.

The Festival of Nature is a cooperative effort of six local conservation organizations – The Ridges Sanctuary, Door County Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, The Clearing Folk School, and Crossroads at Big Creek – and nearly 50 trips are scheduled.

The program includes early morning bird watching trips, wildflower hikes, geology tours, canoe and kayak outings, and photography workshops at sites including The Ridges Sanctuary, Toft Point, the Mink River Conservancy, Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Preserve, and many other natural areas. Some of these are privately owned properties which are not usually open to the public. Several trips are suitable for families. All trips are led by professional staff of local and state conservation organizations, as well as trained volunteers.

The Festival of Nature will begin with a screening of Green Fire, a documentary film on the life and environmental legacy of conservationist Aldo Leopold. Green Fire shares highlights from his extraordinary career, explaining how he shaped conservation and the modern environmental movement. Leopold’s vision of a community that cares about both people and land remains relevant today, and continues to inspire projects nationwide that connect people and land. This program, which is open to the public, will be on Thursday, May 26, 7 pm at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall.

Other special activities include a bat monitoring program on Friday evening, May 27. The festival concludes with an old-fashioned Barn Dance on Saturday, May 28 at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall. The dance is open to the public, and will begin at 7 pm.

Financial support for The Festival of Nature is provided by Door Property Owners, Inc., Bridenhagen Landscaping, Door Landscape and Nursery, Fish Creek Kite Co., and Novel Ideas.

Due to the delicate nature of festival sites, attendance on field trips is limited, and preregistration for field trips is required. Online registration is available at RidgesSanctuary.org/FestivalOfNature.aspx. To receive a registration brochure by mail or email, please call The Ridges Sanctuary at 920.839.2802.