Year of Discovery

Year of Discovery!

Citizen Monitoring Projects Across Door County

Wisconsin’s history with citizen science began with a single Wisconsin birdwatcher who participated in the Christmas Bird Count in 1900. The Wisconsin Citizen-Based Monitoring Network was born in 2004 to house the growing number of projects in the state. In celebration of their 15th anniversary, we invite you to become part of a citizen science project.

Bat Roost Monitoring

A single little brown bat can consume up to 1,000 mosquito sized insects in one hour! Three Springs Nature Preserve is home to a large colony of little brown bats—and it’s no wonder! Wetlands at the nature preserve provide a plentiful diet for bat mothers and their young. The Wisconsin Bat Program is key to understanding the effects of White Nose Syndrome which has had a devastating impact on Wisconsin bat populations.

Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey

A healthy frog and toad population is a sign of healthy wetlands, so declines in frog population can be an early indicator when something has gone wrong. Frog counts at Ephraim Preserve at Anderson Pond and Three Springs Nature Preserve are included with other statewide data. The study began in 1984—making this one of the longest running amphibian monitoring projects in North America.

Sucker Migration Monitoring

Is climate change affecting the migration of spawning fish? Shedd Aquarium researcher Karen Murchie is coordinating efforts at sites around Lake Michigan to help answer the question. Heins Creek Nature Preserve is among three Door County sites in the study.

Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II

Chambers Island Nature Preserve, Three Springs Nature Preserve, Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve, Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve, and the Legacy Nature Preserve at Clay Banks are four Door County sites to be included in this four-year, statewide study of nesting and breeding birds. Using a combination of observation data and point counts, the collected data track important regional trends.

Pitcher’s Dune Thistle Monitoring and Research

Chicago Botanic Garden tracks the federally threatened plant at a number of sites around the Great Lakes and has shown the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve is home to the healthiest population of the thistle at any of the sites they study. Researchers track the population, bloom time, and native pollinators at the site. The data tells the story of how this plant provides a critical food source for pollinators at a time when no other plants on the dunes are blooming. Without the thistles, dune pollinators are in jeopardy too.