The Door County Land Trust added another 20 acres of wetlands to its portfolio this month, this time in the Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area on Washington Island. Thanks to the generosity of Mike Davis and Susan Buchanan, the acquisition brings the amount of protected land in the Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area to nearly 500 acres, 132 of which are protected by the Door County Land Trust.
According to the Door County Land Trust, the property contains an ephemeral pond that is hydrologically connected to the Big Marsh, helping protect water quality and habitat for migratory birds, fish, rare plants and the federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly.
A portion of the conservation costs for the property is being funded by grants from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration program and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act in partnership with Ducks Unlimited.
The Door County Land Trust is actively trying to raise $915,000 this year to support this land protection effort, along with 12 other projects across the peninsula. One of the organization’s major sources of funding, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, expired last June with no signs of renewal.
Photo by Brian Forest
