Land Trust Receives Grant to Train Community Members

The Door County Land Trust received a grant from the Door County Community Foundation in the amount of $1,500 to be used to coordinate a cadre of community volunteers in the effort to care for the many special properties the Land Trust oversees.

Door County Land Trust volunteers engaged in land stewardship activities at the Oak Road Nature Preserve, Carlsville. Photo by Bobbie Webster.

The Door County Land Trust owns and manages more than 30 public nature preserves throughout Door County, encompassing more than 3,000 acres, well more than three times the land mass of the County Park system. “Overseeing and properly caring for a public preserve system of this magnitude requires extensive organizational capacity,” explains Dan Burke, Land Trust executive director. “Volunteers play a key role in our ability to be good stewards of these lands.”

The grant from the Door County Community Foundation helps the Land Trust recruit and train volunteers to perform the following activities: establish new public hiking trails, maintain more than 20 miles of existing trails, erect educational signage, monitor and document observations from out on the land, and identify and eradicate invasive plant species that threaten the ecological integrity of Land Trust properties.

Regularly scheduled work parties are organized by stewardship coordinator Bobbie Webster. According to Webster, “Working out on the land is a great way to learn about the unique landscapes of Door County, meet new people and get some exercise. We encourage anyone interested to give it a try.” Interested parties may contact [email protected].