With your support, The Ridges has purchased the Sandpiper property in Baileys Harbor! This will eventually be the sight of the new The Ridges Sanctuary Interpretive Center. Thank you helping further the vision of the founders in 1937.
The Door County Festival of Nature is your opportunity to learn more about wildflowers, geology, birds and insects through field trips and hands-on programs. Our field trip leaders will guide you through some of the most pristine and unique natural areas in the county, some of which are not typically open to the public. Conservation organizations in Door County will share ways in which they are working to preserve our rich natural heritage for the future.
And, along the way, you’ll have an opportunity to share your love of the natural world with other conservation-minded participants from all over the Midwest.
Highlights of the 2012 Festival
Photography workshops
Early morning birdwatching trips to local hotspots for waterfowl, warblers and more
Full-day field trips to different areas of the peninsula
Half-day field trips on geology, wildflowers and other topics
Hands-on workshops
An old-fashioned Barn Dance and Social to wrap up the weekend’s activities
Online Registration
Online registration will be available in early spring. Call The Ridges at 920-839-2802 for information on how to register.
Mail-In Registration
Mail-in registrations will also be accepted starting in early spring. Mail-in registration deadline is May 11, 2012.
Walk-In Registration
Register at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall on May 17, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.; May 18, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. or 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.; or May 19, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Please note that many field trips fill very quickly, and walk-in registrants may have a limited number of field trips from which to choose. Pre-registration, either online or by mail, is strongly suggested.
Festival Sponsors
Many thanks to the following for their financial support of the 2011 Door County Festival of Nature:
The Festival of Nature is brought to you by the cooperative efforts of The Ridges Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, The Door County Land Trust, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Crossroads at Big Creek, and The Clearing Folk School.
Ingliss Falls – photo courtesy of Katherine Willson
HOSTS: Ridges Naturalist Karen Newbern Geologist Dr. Roger Kuhns Naturalist and tour planner Paul Regnier
This trip is open only to Ridges’ members. Membership information is available by clicking here.
Cost:$1999 per person based on double occupancy. Single – Add $450 Includes:
coach transportation to and from Sturgeon Bay, WI
7 nights lodging, most meals
tour guides
park fees
and more…
LIMITED SPACE! RESERVE NOW! $450 deposit with registration, full payment due by April 1, 2012. Please make checks payable to Door County Nature & Travel LLC and mail with registration form to Paul Regnier, PO Box 136, Baileys Harbor WI 54202.
The Grotto - Bruce Peninsula National Park. Photo courtesy of Katherine Willson.
Early Registration discount!
Register by February 15, with your deposit of $450, and you’ll receive a $50 per person discount on tour fees.
This tour is planned and organized by Paul Regnier, owner and lead Naturalist for Door County Nature and Travel LLC. For more information about Bruce Peninsula Tour contact Karen Newbern at The Ridges Sanctuary office, 920-839-2802, or email Paul Regnier at doorcountypaul@gmail.com
A more comprehensive blooming list, with 100 species of The Ridges, can be downloaded here.
Related Plant Links
University of Wisconsin Herbarium – the website features a searchable database of Wisconsin plants and lichens, including photos, habitat descriptions, distribution maps and more.
Orchids of Wisconsin – a somewhat technical site, with detailed descriptions and photos of all Wisconsin orchid species.
The photos shown above are just a few of the wildflowers and other plants found in the Sanctuary. They are arranged chronologically so that you can view an entire blooming season, from early spring through late fall.
The Ridges Sanctuary is internationally recognized for the incredible diversity of plant life found here. Nearly 500 vascular plants find their home in this rich complex of boreal forest and wetlands. Some, like the delicate Twinflower, are typically found much further north, but can survive here because of the cooling effects of Lake Michigan. Others, like the insect-eating Pitcher Plant and Sundew, prefer the acidic waters of the swales. Twelve endangered or threatened plant species are protected within the Sanctuary.
Among all the plants found here, perhaps none are better known and sought after than the orchids. Over 25 native orchids bloom in The Ridges Sanctuary. These range in size from the tiny Heartleaf Twayblade to the tall, elegant Showy Lady’s-slipper. In order to protect these rare beauties from damage or theft, exact locations of most orchid species are usually not disclosed except to qualified researchers.
Exploring Wildflowers, Birds & Conservation
