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The Ridges Sanctuary

Introduction

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The Ridges Sanctuary is a 1,600-acre nature preserve and land trust in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin. It is listed as a National Natural Landmark, Important Bird Area and Wisconsin State Natural Area. It was founded in 1937 and was the first land trust in the state. The property includes a series of sand ridges and swales with associated boreal forest and bog vegetation.

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Sky, Car, Tire, Plant

Backstory and Context

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The sanctuary is also home to the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, which were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center at The Ridges Sanctuary opened in 2015.  This 7,400-square foot facility is LEED certified, and includes displays about the preserve's karst topography, wildflowers, plants, animals and the history of the site's founding. Although the sanctuary is home to wild orchids, it also operates an orchid restoration project to cultivate and introduce rare orchids into otherwise natural plant communities. Twenty-five native orchid species are currently kept at the Ridges.  A 1998 survey of wild, native orchids was carried out in response to continued theft of the sanctuary orchids.

Additional Information