Master Plan
Summary
In May of 2023, The Ridges Sanctuary Board of Directors unanimously approved the adoption of a 20-year, award nominated, master plan highlighting the sustainable growth of The Ridges. Approval of this plan followed an extensive one-year development phase that focused on the voices of our community and the strength of our leadership to establish a comprehensive and robust Master Plan.
Key elements of the Master Plan
A Campus Approach to The Ridges Sanctuary Facilities:
Community Campus
Reconfiguration of the Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center to create a larger community space and relocate administration.
Research Campus
Research Stations to house both institutional research and citizen science through adaptive reuse of the Ridges Inn, and a consolidated administrative building to gather staff in a collaborative space.
Education Campus
Learning facilities to serve expanded educational programming, with an indoor/outdoor classroom for year-round education at the North Campus and the Family Discovery Station creating facilities to promote safe and functional use of the Family Discovery Trail.
Enhancement of Core Trails and Outlying Properties:
Boardwalk replacement and wayfinding upgrades for rustic trails in the Heart of the Ridges
New visitor contact station at Logan Creek to allow for educational programming.
Trailhead improvement and trail modifications at Appel’s Bluff.
Sustainable Organization Management:
Land Management Plan
Climate Resiliency Plan
Business and Operations Plan
Market Analysis and Communications Plan
Strategic Action Plan
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did The Ridges develop a 20-year master plan?
In 85 years, The Ridges has established many plans for growth but has never developed a comprehensive master plan. This master plan sets a vision for the next 20-years. Demand for Ridges programming is higher than ever and our potential to engage in meaningful research and citizen science comes at a critical time. The master plan provides a blueprint for the future and assures the organization continues to deliver on its mission. One of the key outcomes of the master plan will be a plan for incorporating Ridges Inn & Suites into the operations to expand upon our current potential.
Ridges Inn & Suites became available at a fundamental point in our history. Acquiring Ridges Inn & Suites was a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire invaluable property that protects the Sanctuary and allows us to significantly expand our mission of education, research, and land preservation. Central to that is protecting Hidden Brook, which bisects the property and is critical habitat for the endangered Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly and repurposing the buildings to accommodate the growth of our organization.
What are we working on now?
We are working diligently with a Master Plan Implementation Committee to determine the next steps for implementation of this important vision. Together with the committee, our staff and board of directors, we have established a phased approach to implementing important projects in the next 5 years that will have a lasting impact for the future. We have outlined activities for a “pre-campaign” phase, as well as Phases 1a, 1b and 2 that will be the focus of a major fundraising initiative. Additionally, we are working collectively to implement tasks in the master plan that are effectively supporting sustainable management of our organization.
What are our next steps in implementation of the master plan?
While we continue to refine our phasing approach, we are working with appropriate contractors, engineers, and architects to take our facility plan to the next phase. While we have a spectacular conceptual design, we now enter into a validation phase that will narrow in on costs and dive deeper into the feasibility of each facility. Our Master Plan Implementation committee is leading the charge and working closely with staff and our community to ensure our next steps are thoughtful and impactful.
Will there be a capital campaign?
Yes! But not quite yet. Our master plan provides a really incredible framework for what is to come, but we still have some work to do to know exactly what we need to fundraise for. The master plan we developed reflects 20 years of growth, and a fundraising initiative will not cover all 20 years’ worth of projects. Once we have a solid outline of what our near-term goals will be we will enter into a feasibility study with our community of members, donors, and key interest groups. Your support in the development of these initiatives is imperative! If you are interested in discussing these projects or fundraising initiatives, we want to hear from you. Please reach out to our Executive Director, Katie Krouse by phone at 920-839-2802 x 101 or by email at katie@ridgessanctuary.org to discuss.
