The Niagara Escarpment’s distinct geology – a 1,000+ mile-long exposed cliff face –influences the landscape surrounding it, thereby creating its own microcosm of natural splendor and ecological wonder. The new Geotourism Program will promote events and experiences related to the natural and cultural features along the escarpment corridor, allowing visitors and area residents alike to develop their own sense of place at a variety of destinations along the seven-county corridor. The program aims to boost local and regional economies by working in partnership with responsible businesses and organizations that promote community, culture, and the environment. Some examples of recent efforts and successes are described below:

Nelson Family Grant to Boost WI Ledge Geotourism Program!

The Niagara Escarpment Resource Network (NERN) and LNRP are excited to announce a recent award of $50,000 from the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region’s David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund to help initiate our long-awaited dream of establishing a formal geotourism program along the 200+ mile-long Niagara Escarpment corridor in Wisconsin. The announcement was made in late June by Foundation President and CEO Curt Detjen who noted that the funding will assist NERN in launching and sustaining the WI LEDGE Geotourism Program as a dedicated source of travel, natural area, recreation, and cultural information about the Niagara Escarpment.

The grant will enable NERN to professionally engage with our resident geotourism expert Susan Kennedy in a more strategic and committed manner to build and deliver elements of the program. Through collaboration with local, county, and regional tourism-related entities, as well as various resource-related partner, NERN aims to further develop its WI LEDGE identification and interpretive signage program; promote existing and develop new escarpment-related events; and complete our interactive on-line ESRI StoryMap which displays details on over one hundred natural and cultural heritage sites to visit along the Niagara Escarpment. The StoryMap will also provide opportunities for the promotion of sustainable tourism businesses along the corridor.

National Geographic Traveler defines geotourism as, “tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive geographical character of a place—its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.” The WI LEDGE Geotourism Program aims to build on those principles and NERN deeply appreciates the generous gift from the Nelson Family Fund to get us started on this path. You’ll most certainly be hearing more about the program and its positive impacts in the months to come.

AVA Monument Sign at Way-Morr County Park is Completed

The idea of having a dedicated monument sign which recognizes and celebrates the nationally designated Wisconsin Ledge American Viticultural Area (AVA) was envisioned in 2012 after the petition was finalized and sparked a renewed interest in late 2019, just prior to the on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support and approval of the Brown County Board of Supervisors in late 2020, Trout Springs Winery and NERN’s plan to erect the monument near the center of the nearly 2.5-million-acre AVA was off and running. An on-line funding campaign along with contributions from 19 of the AVA’s 24 bonded wineries allowed for construction of to begin in the spring of 2021.

As of this writing, work finished on the Wisconsin Ledge AVA Monument on July 2nd. The masonry and carpentry were completed by IEI Contractors in DePere, and the sign panel structure has been crafted to accept the final AVA map and Niagara Escarpment information panel on the reverse side.

There will be a formal unveiling and dedication ceremony for the AVA Monument on Saturday, August 21, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at Way-Morr County Park. Invitations will be sent out shortly to all benefactors and in-kind donators along with all wineries that have made donations to the project. The public is encouraged to attend and celebrate with us!

NERN offers its sincerest thanks to all who have been involved with this project. There is no doubt this monument will stand as a symbol for the unique landscape of the Niagara Escarpment and will be viewed by thousands in the decades to come.

The Niagara Escarpment’s rich and diverse landscape offers us many reasons to celebrate our connectedness to its environs. Our WI-Ledge Event Program offers up regular opportunities to learn about the Niagara Escarpment through one of our, or a partner organization’s, events. Take the time to enrich yourself and enjoy the bounty of our Niagara Escarpment!

9th Annual Wisconsin Ledge American Viticultural Area Celebration:

Sat., Aug. 21, 2021, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Wisconsin Ledge American Viticultural Area (AVA) was designated in 2012 and includes nearly 2.5 million acres, 11 counties, and 24 bonded wineries all within the footprint of what this petition was based upon; the Niagara Escarpment. Over 500 acres of cold-hearty wine grapes have been planted within the AVA and expansion continues as locals and travelers alike enjoy the AVA’s high-quality grapes and award-winning wines. This recognition of a specific grape-growing region in N.E. Wisconsin establishes a destination for worldwide travelers to visit in our region and puts Northeast Wisconsin on the map of great grape-growing regions in the world.

Come join us on Saturday, August 21st, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Trout Springs Winery to celebrate at the 9th Annual Wisconsin Ledge AVA Celebration. For the first time, we’ll have a special guest winery participate! Duck Creek Vineyard & Winery of Denmark will also be serving some of their own wines made from the AVA’s distinct cold-hearty grapes.

• Wine Tastings (for purchase)

• Food, Beer, & Water

• Free Winery & Trout Hatchery Tours

• Plein Air Painting w/ Water’s Edge Artists

• Clay on Steele fine pottery demos/sale

…. and more!

Prairie Fest-Naturally You to be held in Fond du Lac on August 7, 2021

Celebrate nature with yoga, prairie tours, short pop-up environmental presentations, and a butterfly release at this year’s Prairie Fest on Saturday, August 7th from 9:00 AM - Noon at the beautiful Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum, UW-Oshkosh -Fond du Lac Campus, 400 University Drive, Fond du Lac. Prairie Fest is a FREE family-oriented environmental education event with activities for all ages. Look here for more details and a schedule of the activities and pop-up presentations. NERN’s own Bob Bultman will soon be added to the program to contribute his knowledge of The Ledge and its ecological wonders.

The Niagara Escarpment is in the news all around us and we’d like to share bits of info that we think might be handy or of interest.

If you have something newsworthy to share, send it to eric@lnrp.org for consideration. Happy reading!

New Door County Niagara Escarpment Videos Feature NERN Members

Destination Door County prepared and released a number of short new videos this Spring about various features and topics related to the Niagara Escarpment. Two of our NERN members graciously took the time to assist by providing some of their knowledge and perspective. See the videos here:

Door County Unearthed - Niagara Falls & The Tree of Life (Bob Bultman)

Lesser Known Door County – The Niagara Escarpment (Eric Fowle)

Dedicated to the sharing of inspirational pictures of Wisconsin’s beloved Ledge, this section showcases our fans’ favorite aspects of the Niagara Escarpment. This photo was taken by NERN member Andrew Holman of Milwaukee and features Peninsula State Park’s Eagle Bluff and Eagle Cave from a kayaker’s vantage point. This well-known and prominent 200+ foot high section of the Ledge contains a large sea cave, created during the Nipissing Great Lakes period – about 7,500 years ago - when water levels were raised by melting glaciers. The constant pounding of waves and freeze/thaw cycles created this unique feature. If you have an interesting photo of The Ledge that you’d like to share, please send it to eric@lnrp.org for inclusion in a future issue.