Crossroads and the Heritage Village at Big Creek are honored to host the Sustainable Living Fair on June 5th and 6th. This year’s Friday Night Kickoff the will focus on the Niagara Escarpment, recounting the stories, recommendations, and insights from the recent 2015 Sources of Knowledge Forum, titled “The Great Arc: Life on the (L)Edge”. The goal of that forum, which was held in Tobermory, Ontario in May, was to build bridges to other communities which, like the Bruce Peninsula, lie on the rim of the Michigan Basin. We are one of those communities.
Geologists define an “escarpment” as a long cliff, but according to Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership Director Jim Kettler, “The Niagara Escarpment , often referred to as the “Great Arc,” is a prominent geologic feature that extends visibly from western New York State, through southern Ontario, Manitoulin Island and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, before descending southward through the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin and our Eastern Highlands just past the Horicon Marsh basin.”
In the early days of planning for this year’s Sustainable Living Fair, representatives from the collaborating groups gathered to select the keynote speaker for the Friday Night Kickoff Event. They were looking for a “Rock Star “— a geologist who knew a great deal about The Escarpment. Organizers came up with a dream list of qualified speakers. Incredibly, all five ‘Rock Stars”: Eric W. Fowle,-Executive Director, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission / Founding Co-Chair, Niagara Escarpment Resource Network ,Dr. Roger Kuhns -Geologist/Ecologist, Dr. Joannne Kluessendorf–Director, Weis Earth Science Museum.Bob Bultman,-,Geologist, Caver, and Nature Restorationist, and Paul Regnier, -Owner & lead Naturalist for Door County Nature and Travel LLC and Door County Tours LLC agreed to participate!
According to Kettler, “Our speakers will bring their perspectives coming on the heels of the conference. Each is affiliated with the Niagara Escarpment Resource Network or NERN – a coalition of several dozen public and private nonprofit organizations dedicated to preserving, protecting, and educating the public about recreational and environmental restoration opportunities on the Niagara Escarpment. ” The Door County Climate Change Coalition will host a reception to follow the program.
This is such a relevant topic for Door County because the Niagara Escarpment shaped our history, greatly influences our present, and how we deal with “living on the (L)Edge” will determine our future.
How could a cliff shape our history? A quick glance at a map reveals that the towns and villages of Door County are located where there are gaps in the Escarpment…. places with harbors and bays where boats could put in. And that in turn, determined our shipping heritage and in the days when tourists arrived by boat, set the patterns for tourism still evident today.
Our weather is greatly influenced by the escarpment, and rock and soil depth determine the crops we grow and the wetlands we celebrate.
But while the geologic features provide opportunities, they also pose challenges. We are Crossroads are eager to hear what our “Rock Stars” have to share.
Already, Crossroads is involved with some of the challenges of living on the (L)Edge. For the past eight years, we have hosted researchers from the Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Using state -of- the- art equipment, the microbiologists from UW-Osh analyze water samples from 24 beaches, posting swimming areas whenever bacterial counts are high. This year researchers from ERIC will also be involved with a community wide well monitoring program sponsored by Healthy Water Door County.
Healthy Water Door County is a new fund of the Door County Community Foundation, Inc. It was launched because Door County’s unique geology makes our water vulnerable. The thin soil layer combined with the vertical and horizontal fracturing common in our bedrock, makes protecting water their priority.
The mission of Healthy Water Door County is: to protect our community’s human, environmental and economic health by guarding against threats to our water. HWDC accomplishes this goal by investing in initiatives that research water quality issues, educating policy makers and the community, and mitigating the threats to our water.”
In response to recent concerns about water pollution, Healthy Water Door County has engaged ERIC to coordinate a local well testing project. According to Dr. Greg Kleinheinz of ERIC “Healthy drinking water is fundamental to a healthy life and the ability of an individual to fully enjoy their potential. Water can look ‘clean’ but possess unknown hazards and only through proper testing and review can we be aware of these hazards. While the vast majority of drinking water in Wisconsin is of very high quality, there are cases where monitoring would have prevented illness. Only by understanding the processes and quality of the water beneath our feet can we better protect this resource and the people that use it by proper management“
With funding from Healthy Water, well test kits will be distributed throughout the county free of charge to the first 440 Door County residents who request one. Crossroads will be a distribution point during the Sustainable Living Fair. On Friday June 5th from 4:00-7:00 pm, and on Saturday June 6, 9:00-12:00, homeowners attending the Sustainability Fair will be able to ask questions about the program, discuss well water issues, and pick up sampling kits. The well water tests include; bacteria, nitrate, and arsenic. This data will be confidential and only reported back to the homeowners.
At the Sustainable Living Fair on Saturday, June 6 from 10:00-4:00, visitors will enjoy family activities, life demonstrations, local food and refreshments, local artists, vendors, exhibitors and music (though not rock music) all cooperating with the goal of “Stewardship Today for a Better Tomorrow.”
Crossroads will, of course, have a booth where people can sign up for the Crossroads Trail Run ( June 20), Door County’s first and only “green trail run”. But our stewardship project this year is to add another solar array to the roof of our Maintenance Building. Participants from the NWTC Renewable Energy Program have installed the frames for this project, and during the Fair, representatives from Lake Michigan Wind & Sun and volunteers will install the solar panels and gladly answer questions about renewable energy.
The Door County Historical Society will demonstrate the sustainable practice of “recycle/reuse” with a Rummage Sale in the Vignes School, with overflow tables spread onto the Heritage Village grounds. The Village Blacksmiths will demonstrate their skills and the Hand Tool Museum crew will provide log-splitting and chinking demonstrations in the morning, knitters will showcase handmade items.
Films and video programs will be screened in the lecture hall, and science activities and exhibits offered throughout the Center, and The Village and Learning Center grounds will be filled with fun, informative exhibits. Crossroads’ partnering organization, the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society, will be on hand with telescopes equipped special sun-viewing filters if skies are clear, and information about Dark Skies and light pollution whether or not the weather cooperates. The Sustainablity Fair will go on, rain or shine and admission is free.
Crossroads is a donor-supported preserve focused on science, history and the environment. The Collins Learning Center, located at 2041 Michigan in Sturgeon Bay is open daily, 1:30-3:30 and during scheduled activities.
Friday, June 5 June 5
9-4:00 Door County Historical Society Rumage Sale
The Vignes School is overflowing with items to be recycled and reused. Funds raised will help support programs of the DCHS.
4:00-7:00 Well Testing Kit Pick Up
The first 440 Door County residents may pick up free well testing kits supplied through a grant from Healthy Water Door County. Representative from the
Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will be on hand to answer questions and explain well monitoring procedures.
6:30-9:00 Lecture: The Great Arc: Like on the (L)Edge”-The Niagara Escarpment
Geologists define an” escarpment” as “a long cliff” but “The Niagara Escarpment is often referred to as the “Great Arc,” a prominent geologic feature that extends visibly from western New York State, through southern Ontario, Manitoulin Island and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, before descending southward through the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin and our Eastern Highlands just past the Horicon Marsh basin.” Speakers : Eric W. Fowle,-Executive Director, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission / Founding Co-Chair, Niagara Escarpment Resource Network ,Dr. Roger Kuhns -Geologist/Ecologist, Dr. Joannne Kluessendorf–Director, Weis Earth Science Museum.Bob Bultman,-,Geologist, Caver, and Nature Restorationist, and Paul Regnier, -Owner & lead Naturalist for Door County Nature and Travel LLC and Door County Tours LLC . will discuss preserving, protecting, and educating the public about recreational and environmental restoration opportunities on the Niagara Escarpment. ” The Door County Climate Change Coalition will host a reception to follow the program.
Saturday, June 6,
9:00-2:00 Door County Historical Society Rumage Sale
The Vignes School is overflowing with items to be recycled and reused. Funds raised will help support programs of the DCHS.
9:00 -12:00 Well Testing Kit Pick Up
The first 440 Door County residents who request one may pick up free well testing kits supplied through a grant from Healthy Water Door County. Representative from the Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will be on hand to answer questions and explain well monitoring procedures.
10:00-4:00 2015 Sustainable Living Fair
With the goal of promoting Stewardship Today for a Better Tomorrow, the Fair will feature family activities, life demonstrations. local food and refreshments local artists, exhibitors, and music. Admission is free of charge. The Collins Learning Center and Heritage Village at Big Creek.
