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Happening
at the Crossroads
December 1,
2008
by Coggin
Heeringa
DCMH Provides Support for Wintertime Crossroads Activities
Winter
has arrived at Crossroads at Big Creek, but our trails are as busy as
ever. In fact, during hunting season, we noticed an increase in the
number of humans, dogs and deer! enjoying our trails.
Hiking and
(soon) skiing are fantastic means of getting exercise. We at Crossroads
promote hiking, biking and skiing on our trails as a way to get in
touch with nature.
Our friends at Door County Memorial
Hospital/Ministry Health Care are well aware of the research linking
exercise with decreases in body fat, increased metabolic processes,
improved movement of joints and muscles, and increased strength and
endurance. Exercise, especially in nature, has been shown to decrease
anxiety, stress and depression.
DCMH has been partnering for
some time with many organizations throughout the area for wellness and
fitness activities and opportunities. It fits with their mission of
improving the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
This
week Ministry Health Care awarded Crossroads $1000 to be used in trail
maintenance. With these funds, Crossroads will be able to keep
the trails level and mowed in the summer and groomed in the winter.
As
soon as “useful snow” covers our trails, Jim Maki (our grounds guy and
expert snow manager) begins conditioning the trails. Several miles
of trails are rolled for hiking and dog walking. This means that
even when snow is deep and heavy, school children, hikers and dogs need
not trudge through deep drifts to enjoy our winter wonderland.
Once
snow is adequate to create a base, designated ski trails (clearly
marked) will be maintained for Nordic skiing with both classic and
skate lanes. Yellowstone grooming equipment is used to ensure that the
trail conditions at the Crossroads are generally superior, even at
times when snow conditions elsewhere are marginal or icy.
Crossroads
is grateful for the financial help to underwrite fuel and equipment
costs so we can offer our trails to the community free of charge. In
turn, we ask hikers and walkers to refrain from walking on designated
ski trails. Now let’s start dreaming of a white December and let the
ski season begin.
One of the thrills of outdoor exercise is the
opportunity to observe wildlife. The Door County Invasive
Species Team will focus on the wildlife during their December
meeting and holiday social at 2:00 on Monday, December 8. The public is
invited to hear presentation on the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan by
WDNR Ecologist Joe Henry.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan
(WAP) was approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2005 and is
administered by the Wisconsin DNR. The plan is a new program that funds
conservation practices that proactively address declining wildlife
species in an effort to prevent additional species from being placed on
endangered species lists.
Wisconsin receives State Wildlife
Grant money every two years from the USF&WS to implement our
Wildlife Action Plan. The grant money is available to agencies,
conservation partners and private landowners to implement projects that
address priorities in the WAP.
Our Saturday Family Program
December 6 at 1:00 also will focus on wildlife.
Participants will hike to the “Christmas Tree Forest” to observe signs
of squirrels, mice, deer and birds that depend on conifers as their
winter habitat.
On Sunday, December 7, at 2:00, Crossroads
will present several historical videos which document life in
Door County during World War II.
Crossroads at Big Creek is a
donor supported educational facility in Sturgeon Bay. The Collins
Learning Center and Wisconsin Wildlife Exhibit located at 2041 Michigan
Street (County TT) are open daily 2:00-5:00. Trails are free and open
to the public. Walkers are asked to use hiking trails.
Saturday, December 6,
Family Program: Hike to the Christmas Tree Forest
Participants
will hike to the various conifer forests at Crossroads to
observe signs of squirrels, mice, deer and birds that depend on
conifers as their winter habitat. Dress for the weather. About an hour
Meet at the Collins Learning Center.
Sunday, December 7, 2 pm
History Videos
...documenting
Door County during WWII will be presented in the Lecture Hall of the
Collins Learning Center. Free and open to the public.
Monday December 8, 2 pm
DCIST Lecture: The Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan
DNR
Regional Ecologist Joe Henry will give an overview of efforts to
conserve and protect plant and animal Species of Concern in
Wisconsin. Joe will discuss the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan
and how landowners can apply for a State Wildlife Grant to improve
habitat for fragile plant and animal species. Free and open to the
public. Holiday social to follow the presentation.
Many of
the Past News articles may be retrieved from this directory,
indexed and named in the following manner: 080101-news.htm
where
the first two numbers are the year, the second two the month and the
last two the date.
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