A Year of Gratitude and Thanks

A Year of Gratitude and Thanks 

As the year comes to a close at The Ridges Sanctuary, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful—and honestly, in awe of how much we accomplished together. It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming the new year with big hopes and plenty of unknowns, and now here we are, looking back on a year filled with growth, connection, and inspiring moments. 

None of this happened by accident. Every step forward this year was made possible by the people who believe in our work and show up for it in so many ways. Before diving into a few highlights, I just want to say thank you—for your support, your enthusiasm, and for being such an important part of our community. 

We began 2025, dreaming about all that was to come. Our board and staff worked tirelessly to finalize PreDesign (conceptual plans) of projects advanced from our 20-year Master Plan approved in 2023. Our board, staff and key stakeholders worked diligently to develop plans for Education and Research that not only support our needs but also look towards growth.  

Investing in What We Need Now 

Alongside this planning work, we launched a project called Phase Zero, focused on critical infrastructure investments that support our immediate educational and volunteer needs. As I write this, construction is well underway to renovate the Kaye and Marshall Cabins into year-round facilities, along with renovations to the nearby restroom facility to better support year-round programming. This coming spring, we are excited to complete one final Phase Zero project: the construction of a new volunteer workshop to support the incredible—and growing—work of our Wednesday Crew to keep the Sanctuary beautiful and safe. These projects were so generously funded by the Door County Community Investment Fund, The Raibrook Fund, private donors, and the Ridges Sanctuary Master Plan Implementation Fund. 

With your enthusiastic support, we also took advantage of an exciting opportunity to install solar panels on the Nature Center, lessening our environmental impact and improving operational sustainability.

Expanding Access, Research and Preservation

While much of my own time this year was dedicated to infrastructure and long-term planning, the rest of our team focused on strengthening programming, expanding research efforts, and preserving the Sanctuary. Together, in 2025, we: 

• Embedded Free Fridays into our summer experience, providing free, engaging learning opportunities every Friday in June, July, and August—and we’re thrilled to continue this tradition each summer moving forward. 

• Launched the Boreal and Temperate Climate Survivability Project in partnership with the Climate Change Coalition of Door County, the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, and the Daybreak Fund—recording nearly 1,000 volunteer hours across an incredible group of dedicated volunteers. 

• Continued our commitment to education through  Dragonfly Nature Preschool, a free public preschool program in collaboration with the Gibraltar Public School District, and expanded Ridges Forest School to serve 18 students for the 2025–2026 school year. 

• Replaced more than 365 feet of aging boardwalk at the Logan Creek Preserve with the help of our amazing Logan Creek Crew—while our incredible Wednesday Crew replaced nearly 385 feet of boardwalk along rustic trails in Baileys Harbor. 

We also welcomed five new staff members to our growing team, whose talents and passion have strengthened our work: 

Truly, the list goes on and on—this is just a snapshot of what we’ve accomplished together this year. 

As we look ahead to the coming year, I’m filled with gratitude for this community and excitement for what’s next. Everything we’ve accomplished—and everything still to come—is rooted in the shared belief that this place matters.  

Thank you for being part of the work, the vision, and the heart that make the Sanctuary what it is. I can’t wait to see what we continue to build together. 

With gratitude,