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In collaboration with the Climate Change Coalition of Door County and the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, The Ridges Sanctuary is conducting a Boreal Climate Survivability Project, a research initiative that aims to accelerate the success of reforestation in Door County, Wisconsin – an effort with global ecosystem resiliency implications. As climate predictability changes, analyzing survivability patterns in newly planted trees will provide important insight into how restored forested ecosystems change over time. This project addresses the need to initiate, execute, collect data and share findings on community tree planting projects and resilient restoration strategies. It also seeks to answer fundamental questions relating to Door County’s ecosystem health:  

• What changes will occur in Door County, WI forests as climate change occurs?  

• Which tree species will best tolerate climate change, and which will not?  

• Will Door County, WI lower boreal forest’s boundary move north due to the effect of climate change?  

• What will be the larger environmental impact?  

• As conservation leaders and concerned community members, how should we respond? 

The project takes advantage of the ecology and environmental research culture in Door County. Five half-acre test plats have been planted on land owned and conserved by The Ridges Sanctuary, each with a respective control group. These sites (two boreal, two temperate mesic dry upland, and one temperate mesic wet lowlant) were chosen to represent different forested ecosystems found in the Door Peninsula. Over the course of three weeks, volunteers planted, mulched, and watered an impressive 2,232 two-year-old trees in the experimental plots.

Tree Planting on Appels Bluff, video by Jeff Lutsey

Plot 1, on our Appels Bluff property, serves as an example of a disturbed boreal forest site. It sits on the edge of old Lake Michigan shorelines and has disturbed, rocky topsoil caused by human disturbance. This site will provide insight into what kind of benefits or challenges reforestation has in disturbed sites in the southern boreal forest range. As one of the boreal forest reforestation plots, a variety of native trees of Wisconsin were planted, including a selection of native tree species that are more common in southern Wisconsin counties. Our goal is to study which species are tolerant of climate change impacts in existing boreal forests, and what impacts this will have on ecosystems over time.  

Plot 2, on our Family Discovery Trail property, serves as an example of a partially forested meadow boreal reforestation site. The Family Discovery Trail is designed to help children and families connect more deeply with nature and features interactive discovery stations that encourage children to play, explore, imagine, ask questions, and seek knowledge about the environment around them. As one of our boreal reforestation plots, we planted a variety of native trees of Wisconsin, including a selection of native tree species more common in southern Wisconsin counties. Our goal is to study which species tolerate ecological shifts as climate change impacts our existing boreal forests, and what impacts this will have on our ecosystem.  

Plot 3, located at our Logan Creek property, is a fallow field, now a thriving meadow, providing important habitat for many bird species, such as the eastern blue bird,  ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, black-throated green warbler, eastern wood-pewee, great crested flycatcher, rose-breasted grosbeak, and hermit thrush. As one of our Temperate-Mesic reforestation plots, we planted a selection of temperate-tolerant species native to Wisconsin. Our goal is to study how some more southernly Wisconsin native species tolerate a more northern climate as changes occur.  

Plot 4, located at our Logans Creek property, is located in an upland forest, along a geological ledge. In this site, we have observed a decline in our native Beech and Ash trees due to impacts of invasive species like the Emerald Ash Bore, or Beech Bark Disease. As one of our Temperate-Mesic reforestation plots, we planted a selection of temperate-tolerant species native to Wisconsin. Our goal is to study how some more southernly Wisconsin native species tolerate more northern habitat as climate changes occur, as well as hopefully provide a new overstory for a beloved section of our Logans Creek property. 

Plot 5, located at our Logan Creek property, is in a lowland forest, along Clark Lake. In this site, we anticipate a decline in our native Hemlock trees due to impacts of invasive species like the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. As one of our Temperate-Mesic reforestation plots, we planted a selection of temperate-tolerant species native to Wisconsin. Our goal is to study how some more southernly Wisconsin native species tolerate more northern habitat as climate changes occur, as well as hopefully provide a new overstory for a beloved section of our Logans Creek property.

Total Tree Species List: 

• Red Pine 
• White Pine 
• White Spruce 
• Sugar Maple 
• Red Oak 
• Bur Oak 
• Swamp White Oak 
• Black Cherry 
• Hemlock 
• Shagbark Hickory 
• American Elm 
• Yellow Birch 
• Basswood 
• American Elm 
• White Cedar 
• Balsam Poplar 
• Hemlock

The Boreal Climate Survivability Project represents more than just a local reforestation effort—it’s a model for global ecological resilience in the face of climate change. By studying how young trees adapt to shifting environmental conditions, we not only restore landscapes at The Ridges, but also contribute valuable data to the broader scientific and conservation communities. We invite you to learn more through Jeff Lutsey’s article in our Spring 2025 Sanctuary Newsletter and join us in exploring how thoughtful, science-driven restoration can shape a more sustainable future for Door County and beyond.