In 1937, a group of ten concerned individuals formed a non-profit corporation called The Ridges Sanctuary, Inc. Their goal was to preserve and protect the wildflowers and plants located on a 30 acre piece of land near the town of Baileys Harbor. From this modest start, the Sanctuary has grown to encompass over 1600 acres of forests, wetlands, and the unique wildlife and plants that call these areas home. The mission of our founding members continues today:
To protect the Sanctuary and inspire stewardship of natural areas through programs of education, outreach and research.

The organization's Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws can be downloaded here.

As a non-profit corporation, The Ridges Sanctuary is supported by its members. Operating funds are provided through donations, program fees, membership dues, bequests, occasional grants, and interest from an endowment of over $1,000,000.
The Ridges is managed by its staff, an active Board of Directors, and many volunteers. Volunteers assist the Sanctuary in a variety of ways, including trail and bridge maintenance, Nature Store staffing, research, and conducting special events. Ridges volunteers contributed over 7,670 hours (valued at $149,000) to the Sanctuary in 2008!