With Big Creek and The Cove Estuary both ecologically and symbolically at the heart of Crossroads at Big Creek, and with a water research lab located in the Collins Learning Center, it should come as little surprise that “Water” was selected as this week’s theme for our Summer at Crossroads Series.

Each Monday we start with a Tale. On Monday, June 22 at 2:00 PM, Door County Librarian Beth Lokken will read the storybook Creekfinding: A True Story by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. This tale is set in the Driftless Region of Iowa, but it seems, somehow, so familiar.

It starts by asking: How does a creek get lost? Especially “a creek that burbled out of the ground.”

Well, according to the storybook, “the creek did not lose itself. A farmer used a bulldozer to stuff the creek with dirt so he would have more space to grow corn. No water—no water bugs, no frogs, no birds…”

And that is why the tale felt so familiar. Back when our first 60 acres were purchased to create a school forest, Big Creek wasn’t big and definitely was not teeming with wildlife. It was essentially a muddy, ruler-straight ditch running through a Norway spruce plantation.

Neighbors tell us that during the Depression era, CCC crews straightened Big Creek as part of an “agricultural improvement” project. Their new channel was essentially a ditch, which they stabilized by planting reed canary grass.

Many folks remember that at one time the land was planted in apple orchards and also was a Christmas tree farm. Then, the former wetland was used as a plantation for non-native evergreens.

At the time of purchase, Crossroads was a weedy orchard with dead or nearly dead trees and a stand of non-native evergreens. Re-meandering Big Creek was the first restoration effort at Crossroads.

In 1995, using grant money from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Sturgeon Bay Education Foundation had the ditch filled. Before the work was done, however, a team of surveyors came in and, using old maps and obvious topography, determined the original creek bed, which they marked with pink flags.

And we waited for snowmelt.

The water knew where it needed to go. It was as if the creek was using those pink flags as trail markers. Now, the main channel and surrounding wetlands really do teem with wildlife.

The storybook has a happy ending, and so did Crossroads.

This week, folks will enjoy the Trail Tales Storybook Walk starting at the West Trailhead. But we also encourage folks to take time to visit our North Bridge and experience the ongoing recovery of the Big Creek Wetlands.

On Tuesday at 1:00 PM, during Journeys with Joan, join naturalist Joan Wilkie for free family-oriented activities exploring nature. Wisconsin has an amazing gift—our freshwater Great Lakes. This journey will explore how glacial ice transformed our landscapes.

Our weekly Wandering Wednesday, a gentle naturalist-led hike, will certainly visit various water features.

We are really excited about the Talk on Thursday at 2:00 PM. Amanda Surfus of Door County Soil & Water will present “Water in a Karst System.” In this talk, Amanda will explore how karst landscapes—formed from fractured dolostone—shape the way water moves through Door County. The presentation will combine science, stories from the field, and examples specific to Door County’s landscape.

The week’s activities end early this Friday—at 5:00 AM! Volunteers are invited to join Crossroads’ bioinventory efforts to document bird species at our Ida Bay Preserve as part of our restoration work. Participants should dress for the weather and have the Merlin Bird ID app downloaded on their phones. We will meet in the parking lot at 1195 Canal Road. Participants will then be staged throughout the preserve, recording birds they see and birds they “hear” using their phones. Reservations are not required.

We care about water, and this week we would love to share these water-themed programs with the community. If you can’t attend, know that all trails (and bridges) at Crossroads and the Ida Bay Preserve are open all day, every day, free of charge.

Saturday, June 20
10:00 AM – FLAG DAY HIKE (DELAYED)
With all that is going on at Crossroads and across the country on Flag Day Weekend, we have delayed our long-time traditional Flag Day Wildflower Hike until Saturday. Blue Flag iris should still be blooming for this gentle guided hike. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Monday, June 22
2:00 PM – TALE: Creekfinding: A True Story by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Join Door County Librarian Beth Lokken as she reads the weekly tale, Creekfinding: A True Story, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Claudia McGehee. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, June 23
1:00 PM – Journeys with Joan: Great Lakes Glaciers
Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Join our naturalist, Joan Wilkie, for free family-oriented activities exploring nature. Wisconsin has an amazing gift—our Great Lakes! We’ll explore how glacial ice transformed our landscapes. Suitable for all ages. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Wednesday, June 24
1:30 PM – Wandering Wednesday: Naturalist-Led Hike
Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking. About an hour. Well-behaved dogs allowed on leash. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration is not required. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Thursday, June 25
2:00 PM – Talk: Water in a Karst System
Join Amanda Surfus of Door County Soil & Water to explore the fascinating geology of the Door Peninsula. In this informative program, Amanda will explain how karst landscapes—formed from fractured dolostone—shape the way water moves through the landscape.

Karst systems are known for their thin soils, sinkholes, disappearing streams, and rapid underground water flow. These unique features make our region beautiful, but they also create special challenges and responsibilities when it comes to water quality, groundwater protection, and land stewardship. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Friday, June 26
5:00 AM – Bird Survey Hike
Join Crossroads’ bioinventory efforts to document bird species at our Ida Bay Preserve as part of our restoration work. We will be performing three-point counts throughout the summer following Breeding Bird Atlas protocols. Participants should dress for the weather and have the Merlin Bird ID app downloaded on their phones. We will meet in the parking lot at 1195 Canal Road. Participants will then be staged throughout the preserve, recording birds they see and birds they “hear.”