One of the largest conservation purchases of land in Door County in nearly nearly 50 years was recently completed by the Door County Land Trust. The acquisition of 483 acres of undeveloped land, south of Whitefish Dunes State Park, in the Town of Sevastopol, is the largest conservation project in Door County since the expansion of Newport State Park in 1967. The parcel is part of the Shivering Sands State Natural Area & adjoins land already protected by the Nature Conservancy. Land Trust executive director Dan Burke says the acquisition was made possible because of the support of the DNR, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, the Town of Sevastopol, many sporting organizations & the Glidden Drive Association. The Land Trust’s recent purchase includes portions of two wild lakes, Schwartz & Arbter, hundreds of acres of forest & numerous springs, seeps & creeks. The Shivering Sands State Natural Area is considered a biologically rich jewel, housing 19 natural landscape communities including dunes, kettles, swales, old & present shorelines, small lakes, streams, ponds, fens, bogs & forests. The Door County Land Trust plans to transfer ownership of the preserved land to the DNR for long term management.
