Nature Notes

The Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly: A Federally Endangered Resident of The Ridges Could Become Wisconsin’s State Insect by Tony Kiszonas, Director of Research, and Victoria Holderer, Applied Research Ecologist One of […]

As the days grow longer and the sun feels a little warmer, it’s tempting to believe spring has finally arrived—until winter reminds us otherwise. Even so, the snow is melting quickly, the ground is beginning to thaw, and daytime temperatures are staying above freezing. Signs of the season are already here: water flowing beneath Hidden Brook, frogs calling on warm afternoons, and sandhill cranes returning overhead. Spring is on its way—winter just insists on one last dramatic goodbye.

The forest teaches us many things; we just need to know where to look and how to listen. The winter season brings the lesson of life and allows us to see movement of animals in a way that no other season can. While most animals are elusive and not always seen while hiking, the ground cover of snow allows us to understand activities of active, resident animals in our area through deer beds, middens, scat, and tracks.

Now that the snow is flying, so too are Snowy Owls. This highly mobile species breeds and winters further north than any other owl. Most people encounter them only when the birds have dispersed far south of their arctic breeding range. Indeed, the causes and patterns of their movements are not understood with certainty, though decades of banding, telemetry, and satellite tracking efforts, in conjunction with environmental data, are shedding new light.

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on a year of growth, connection, and inspiring moments at The Ridges. None of it would have been possible without the support of our incredible community. Before we share some highlights, we want to say thank you—for being part of our journey and making this year so memorable.

We all have a process and routine for how to go about the transition from fall to the winter season. Animals and plants also go through a process - it just looks a little different. Learn about seasonal preparations we see in some of the animals and plants that we find here at The Ridges, and maybe in your own backyard too!  

Learning through stewardship and storytelling, our summer interns explored nurse logs, plant connections, and the human stories that bring The Ridges to life.

Is The Ridges Haunted? It’s a question we hear often—especially in the fall. While The Ridges Sanctuary isn’t officially known for ghost stories, decades of strange experiences and whispered tales suggest there may be more to the story. From unexplained footsteps in the Kaye Cabin to ghostly laughter in the historic Upper Range Light, some believe the past is still very much present here. Curious? Read on and decide for yourself.

The Swale Tale: How an unusual Door County landscape is helping researchers learn how Great Lake water levels affect groundwater and forests in coastal areas. Because of the incredible diversity […]