Conservation for the Community

Landowners who have cared for this property for many decades wished to see the property conserved and offered to lower the sale price—if the property would remain natural. The Land Trust office buzzed with hushed fervor, energized by the dream of protecting this geologic gem. But, funding the purchase of the project remained a major obstacle. Land Trust staff reached out to conservation partners and grant funders to see what funding might be available.

In a lucky break, a conservation partner helped the project move forward. The Land Trust’s contact at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources passed on a tip about a grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that would provide $1M—if the property were owned and managed by a local unit of government. The Land Trust pitched the idea to the Village of Sister Bay who began considering the project, and the dream of protecting the property inched closer to reality.

To respond to the community, Door County Land Trust and the Village of Sister Bay created a plan for a partnership to create public access to the shoreline and to protect Pebble Beach from development. With a NOAA grant of $1M tentatively secured and a reduced sale price, the Village of Sister Bay and the Door County Land Trust entered into an agreement to protect the property as a publicly accessible natural area.