Growing a Greener Door County

2024 Big Plant community planting dates announced

Spring fever for the Climate Change Coalition of Door County (CCC) comes with a hankering to get thousands of additional trees into the peninsula’s earth. 

They are not the only ones. The fourth annual Door County Big Plant is underway, a collaborative effort among the CCC and the Door County Land Trust, Crossroads at Big Creek, The Nature Conservancy and The Ridges Sanctuary. In addition, these conservation and nonprofit agencies announced that 160 businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals have purchased 10,400 trees to distribute, donate, share, and plant in the county this spring.

All are invited to join in through free and public community plantings at five sites over two weeks. Together, volunteers will plant over 4,000 new native trees, including native oaks, birches, cedars, American plums, tamaracks, firs, pines, and spruces. All tree-planting volunteers will receive a free, 2-year-old conifer to plant at their homes or business.

For more details and to learn how to participate and sign up, go to climatechangedoorcounty.com/door-county-big-plant.

Following are the community planting sites and dates:

• Friday, April 19 – Appels Bluff at The Ridges Sanctuary, hosted by The Ridges Sanctuary, with two time slots: 10 am – 12 pm, and 2-4 pm. Park at 2307 Sun Plaza in Baileys Harbor, and a parking attendant will direct traffic from this location.
• Sunday, April 21 – Crossroads at Big Creek, hosted by Crossroads at Big Creek, 1-4 pm, 2041 Michigan St. in Sturgeon Bay.
• Tuesday, April 23 – Oak Road Nature Preserve, hosted by the Door County Land Trust, with two time slots: 10 am – 12 pm, and 12:30-3 pm, at 6391 Oak Road in Egg Harbor.
• Friday, April 26 – Shivering Sands, hosted by The Nature Conservancy 9 am – 3 pm, at 4053 E. Whitefish Bay Road (County Road T) in Sevastopol.
• Sunday, April 28 – Mink River Preserve, hosted by The Nature Conservancy, 9 am – 3 pm, at 12163 Badger Road in Ellison Bay.

This is the Big Plant’s fourth year. 

“In the last three years, the Big Plant has planted 34,000 new trees in the ground, underscoring the collective resolve to make a tangible impact on our environment,” said Jeff Lutsey, Coalition executive director. “Together, we are nurturing the growth of a greener Door County.”