Celebrate the Protection of Pebble Beach at Little Sister Bay

The Village of Sister Bay, with assistance from the Door County Land Trust, completed the purchase of an iconic 17-acre gem along Little Sister Bay, expanding the former 40-feet of public beach with an additional 600 feet of shoreline. To celebrate the completion of the purchase of the property, Door County Land Trust and the Village of Sister Bay will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, October 18 at 2:30 p.m., rain or shine. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the public is invited to explore the ridge trail on a self-guided walking tour. Parking and seating for the event will be located at Fred and Fuzzy’s Waterfront Bar and Grill, though the restaurant is closed for the season.

The conservation value of the shoreline and land lies in its contiguous cedar forest, its alkaline limestone shoreline, and its 13 post-glacial ridges that are geologically rare and offer coastal water filtration to Little Sister Bay. By partnering to protect the property, Door County Land Trust and the Village of Sister Bay developed a plan that ultimately allows for public recreation and continued conservation of the land and shoreline in its natural state.

Door County Land Trust executive director Tom Clay said, “At the core of our work to protect Door County are the community partnerships that naturally develop. The effort to protect Pebble Beach relied on the Village’s ability to offer a public park, the community’s financial support, and the Door County Land Trust’s conservation experience. Our conservation efforts are stronger when our community works together.”

Speakers at the event include Village President Dave Lienau, Secretary of the Department of Administration Joel Brennan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Management Specialist Elizabeth Mountz, Wisconsin Assembly representative Joel Kitchens, and Door County Land Trust development director Cinnamon Rossman.

The effort to protect Pebble Beach will be highlighted as a successful community conservation effort, jointly led by the Village of Sister Bay and the Door County Land Trust. Hundreds of community supporters contributed financial support to protect the property. Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Administration Wisconsin Coastal Management Program provided a $1 million grant funded by NOAA’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program.

The Village of Sister Bay continues to raise funds in partnership with Door County Land Trust and intends to apply for a reimbursement grant from the Wisconsin Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program to offset the remaining costs of the conservation project. To learn more about the project or to make a contribution of support, please visit www.DoorCountyLandTrust.org/PebbleBeach.