Crossroads at Big Creek

is a preserve for

experiential

lifelong learning

focused on

science, history, and

the environment.

Board of Directors

John Collins

George Evenson

Fran Everson

Robert Gray, Secretary

Greg Meissner

Richard Hauser, Treasurer

Gretchen Schmelzer

Jane Stevenson

Dick Weidman, President

Dean Volenberg, Vice President

Dwight Zeller

StaffCoggin HeeringaDirector, Naturalist

James MakiBuilding and Grounds

2041 Michigan St.Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

920-746-5895www.CrossroadsAtBigCreek.org

Crossroads at Big Creek, Inc. - Scientific, Historical & Environmental Learning Preserve Vol. 9 Issue 3 - Winter 2011

Message from the President

By definition the word “forward” denotes a movementor progression to what liesahead. It also is the WisconsinState Motto, which is now beingdebated among its citizens. But at Crossroads we prefer todefine forward as our dedica-tion to constantly striving toprovide a positive learning ex-perience to all who enter ourfacilities. Certainly during the challenging economic environment in whichwe find ourselves at this time, it would be easy to rest on our past laurels, butlife is too dynamic to become mired in the present without looking toward thefuture.This is why we are progressively seeking out new projects to enhance our facilities and subject matter to explore in our evolving educational programs.As the upcoming Christmas Season and fast approaching New Year find allof us shopping for that special gift or making a New Year’s resolution that wehope will make 2012 a better year than the one we are leaving behind, I wouldask you to include Crossroads in your gift giving. As we move forward on projects like our Council Ring/Hidden Classroomand Maintenance Building, your support through volunteer hours or financial

donations will enable us tomaintain the excitement andenthusiasm of “The CrossroadsExperience.”Enjoy this special time of theyear with family and loved onesand join all of us at Crossroadsas we look Forward to anotheryear of learning.

Dick Weidman, President of Crossroads

Board of Directors

Forward…

Jan Olson and Dick Weidman at the dedication of Founders Plaque

Environmentin 2011

Citizen researchers ofall ages helped with

sucker migration project sponsored by UW-Madison.

As a part of Family GardeningClasses, families raised vegetablesin the Collins Center greenhouse.

A grant from Green Fund of theDoor County Community Foundation helped with Crossroads research and work in buckthorn remediation.

As a part of our water quality education efforts,Crossroads dedicated the

Escarpment Exhibit in May.

Five new fish were added to the Great Lakes Exhibit.

Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh tested water samples from

Door County beaches in Crossroads lab.

off-site in neigh-bors’ garages orelse, is just sittingoutside in theweeds.To increasesafety, to haveroom to store andactually use ourmaintenanceequipment, and tore-purpose the basement room for education andrecreational programs, the Board of Directors hastaken the initiative to build a maintenance buildingeast of the solar array just off Michigan Street. The building will be two stories, 40 x 60 feet.

One bay will have ample storage for vehicles,equipment, chemicals, and tools. A smaller heatedbay will house the shop. The attic room will pro-vide much-needed storage. A buff-colored boardand batten exterior and dogwood-red metal roofwill match the learning center.We are determined to build a utilitarian, yet eco-logical, building to meet our growing needs. Ourneeds are becoming urgent. We need this buildingin order to maintain our trails, repair our buildings,and manage our land. We estimate that the build-ing will cost between $55,000 and $65,000. Pleaseconsider a year-end gift to help us make this build-ing a reality.

Projects for2012

The utility room in the basement of the CollinsLearning Center seemed cavernous a decade ago.But ten years ago, everything was new and underwarranty. At that time, the Door County HistoricalSociety had moved only two buildings to The Histor-ical Village, the Leif Everson Observatory was theonly building at our Astronomy Campus, and thepreserve had a single trail through its 85 acres.We have grown. Now eleven buildings, six miles ofgroomed trails, and more than 127 acres of land allare maintained from this room, which serves as ashop, a garage, and a storage area for power and

garden tools, paints and herbicides. It is also used tohouse our ski/snowshoe program and as a wheel-chair entrance. Children and power tools are not a good mix. Andwe’d love to eliminate the noise, exhaust and dust.The snowmobile, snowblower, golf cart and lawntractor take up most of the floor space, so the re-mainder of our maintenance equipment is stored

Maintenance Building

Outside storage

Storage for shop & power tools. Ski/snowshoe program & storage now located in the basement.

Why We Need a Maintenance Building:

• Maintain our maintenance equipment(so we can maintain the preserve,the trails and the buildings)

• Increase the safety of Collins Center

• Reduce noise, exhaust and dust

• Re-Purpose the basement for education and recreational programs.

Council Ring and Outdoor Classroomsvolunteers cleared low hanging branches for eyesafety, but uneven terrain excludes some learners.

To make the site safe for all and accessible for thosewith mobility issues, shrubs and weeds, particularlypoison ivy, must be removed and the site must berough-graded. Dolomite seats and fire ring boulderswill be installed. Gravel will be added to paths andaround the fire ring. Perimeter plantings of wildflow-ers will prevent the return of invasives. An aluminumcover for the fire pit will serve as a teaching platformand prevent unauthorized fires.

A gift to this project will bring us closer to makingmemories – memories of campfires and marshmal-lows, nature presentations, songs and storytelling.You can help make these memories by making a designated donation – and our friends will matchyour gift.

Hidden Classroom

Council Ring plans

Crossroads is also raising money to create a CouncilRing and Hidden Classroom overlooking Big Creek. Aplanning grant from the Door County CommunityFoundation underwrote the design for this project,and a grant from the Raibrook Foundation providedthe seed money. We are thrilled to announce ananonymous couple is willing to match donations upto $5,000.

The area will be used by school groups, youthgroups and for Crossroads programs like campfiretalks, sing alongs, and picnics. We anticipate it willbecome a destination for families as well. The areawill be fully accessible and will require little, if any,maintenance for decades to come.

We have an ideal setting. A small ridge forms acrescent-shaped clearing surrounded by spire-likespruce. This area had been overgrown by invasivespecies. Last winter, volunteers began clearing thesite, only to find that the opening is strewn with rockpiles. Presumably, the farmers and orchardists usedthis area as a rock dump after clearing the rest of the entire property.

Between this opening and Big Creek, a naturalroom, created by a dense grove of cedars, has beencalled our “Hidden Classroom” for years. Childrenadore this magical place where glacial erratics makenatural seating for reading, journaling and picnics.The cedars form a blind which allows wildlife observation of the adjacent wetlands. Last winter,

History

“Celebrating Solar Systems” wasthe theme of Astronomy Day 2011,and it was a celebration indeed, as

the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society initiated their updatedPlanet Walk between the Astronomy Campus and the CollinsLearning Center. A grant from the Wisconsin Space Grant Con-sortium enabled Crossroads to offer teacher training that week-end. Participating teachers then guided families throughhands-on activities.

Members of the astronomical society willhold Viewing Nights on the Saturday nearestthe new moon each month. The community isinvited to experience these exciting events.

Antique Appraisal EventComing Back By Popular Demand

Join us on Tuesday, December 27, at 1:00

when the Door County Historical Society invites the community to return to

a simpler time with in a “Door County Pioneer Christmas.” Bring the whole family to this free holiday event.

On November 19, the Historical Societyheld its first Antique Appraisal Event. Itwas so successful, they’ve scheduled an-other for April 1. Antique writer MarkMoran (yes, the one you’ve seen on thePBS television program “Antiques RoadShow”) will be back. Appraisals will be$15, while a ticket to watch the show is$3. Proceeds will be used to paint thepeak of the Vignes School.

Night Sky Viewing at The Leif EversonObservatory

January 21February 18March 24April 21May 19

June 5 - Transit of Venus(dates subject to change)

Science

photos by Dave Udell

Giving in Year Twenty

Yes! I (we) want to be a part of Crossroads at Big Creek.

$1 - 49Eileen Andera Heidi BaderJeanne BarnardCarol BartoszekDorlores BullisPatrick BlizelRandy and Jane BumgardnerJohn and Katherine CampbellCheryl ChoronzyRose CoismanPete amd Carol ClikemanGeorge and Margaret CollierElaine CreganJulie DoucetteCatherine EckersSue and Mike EliasonFran and Arliss EvensonMarianne EwigFeldman FamilyRosemary FreischmidtTravis GrootersGary and Barbara HenkelmannNicole HerbstDeborah JeanquartThomas and Darlene KolpTammy KrollKatie MalvetzJoyce MillerGretchen MonteeBetty OstramMathew PropsomAnna QualeBelind RichardLeona RylanderJohn RosenthalGordon Saron

Gretchan SchmelzerReta SchmidtJeanne SchopfEd Schriner-SchmittMarguerite and Dennis SkahenKay StackScott SteebsDebra and Dan SwansonJames TellstromRob and Cathy Vuksanovic

Jon and Cynthia WargoRandy WatermolenEugene and Wilma WaterstreetElizabeth and James WilliamsonShirley and Halliman WisboroughJolene WilsonClifford WindCarmen YouraTroy and Connie Zak

$5,000 - 10,000Marian Hislop

$2,500 - $4,999Anonymous

$1,000 - $2,499Anonymous Tom and Peggy HauserDon and Coggin Heeringa

$500 - $999Dorene Dempster and Mark Herrell

$250 - 499Joseph and Lori CedzoHATCOZion United Methodist ChurchLeroy and Marilyn Liebe

$100 - 249Dave and LaVonne CallsenLee and Inge BaconDoor Landscape & NurseryDoor County Environmental CouncilDoor Property Owners Robert and Rebecca HooverHerb Klein and Cal BonniverTom and Lucy KileCamilla NielsenTom and Barbara TierneyWild Ones of Door CountyNorm and Mabel WatkinsSteve and Joan Wilkie

Gifts from September 1 - November 30, 2011(2011 totals will be listed in the Spring newsletter)

Memorials & TributesIn Memory of Reinie Krause Harry Porter

In Memory of Mary and William BaudhuinJim, Linda, and Jessica Adams Thad and Cathy Ash The Ladies of Bank Mutual Autumn Barlament Baudhuin Incorporated Sr. Mary Bauduin Meghan Blum Nancy Olsen Blum Anastasia Cihlar Steve and Tami Delarwelle

In Memory of Howard Kihn Eric and Dee Paulsen

Mark and Tina Jennerjohn Chris and Connie Larsen Marcus Lumaye Eric and Dee Paulsen Megan and Kevin Rottinghause Amy Schommer Dustin Stephany Jerome and Pamela Wierzba Anne Ziegelbauer

Two maple trees have been planted in the median of theCrossroads parking lot in memory of the Baudhuins

❏ $250 Wetland Club❏ $500 Big Creek Club

❏ $1,000 Hillcrest Club❏ $5,000 Preservation Club

❏ $50 Prairie Club❏ $100 Forest Club

Name __________________________________________________________________________________ ____

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone _________________________________ E-mail ______________________________________________

❏ Yes, you may list my name for donor recognition❏ Please do not list my name❏ Please do not send fund-raising materials in the future.

(if you would like to receive notes on upcoming events)

Enclosed is a check to help meet the program and operations expenses at Crossroads.

Please make checks payable to:Crossroads at Big Creek, Inc.

PO Box 608, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235Crossroads at Big Creek is a private 501(c)(3) organization.

❏ I would also like to donate $ ___________ to: ❏ Maintenance Building Fund ❏ Council Ring Fund

Crossroads at Big Creek is a preserve for experiential lifelong learning focused onscience, history, and the environment.

Box 608, 2041 Michigan StreetSturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Crossroads - Winterl 2011; Volume 9, Issue 3

Crossroads at Big Creek, Inc. does not discriminate in any programs oractivities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status

Aldo Leopold Day, celebrated the first Saturday ofMarch, has always been a time of inspiration as DoorCounty environmentalists gather at Crossroads to celebratethe legacy of this Wisconsin environmentalist. In 2012, we will celebrate the life work and influence of one ofLeopold’s students – Fran Hamerstrom.

Last month, the Door County Environmental Council presented Crossroads with a stunning James Ingwersenpastel portrait of Fran Hamerstrom. This amazing gift inspired us to learn more about Leopold’s only femalegraduate student and one of the first women to earn a degree in wildlife management. Working with her husbandin a career that spanned more than 70 years, she studiedbirds of prey and created a preserve for prairie chickenswhich saved these birds from elimination from Wisconsin.Not only did she contribute to more than 150 scientific papers, but also wrote a dozen popular books about birdsand nature. Perhaps her greatest contribution was to instillthousands of students in an environmental ethic.

Mark your calendars for March 3, 2012, when, on AldoLeopold Day, Crossroads at Big Creek will pay tribute toWisconsin environmentalist Fran Hamerstrom with a series of programs.

Year of theSolar System

Aldo Leopold Day Saturday, March 3rd