Climate Change Coalition of Door County Awarded $120,150 Grant for Boreal & Temperate Mesic Forest Climate Survivability Project
Written by: Jess Reinke, CCCDC Communications Manager
Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership (LNRP) Partner Group Climate Change Coalition of Door County (CCCDC) is thrilled to announce they have received a $120,150 grant from the Daybreak Fund to support the Boreal & Temperate Mesic Forest Climate Survivability Project. This three-year initiative is in partnership with The Ridges Sanctuary and LNRP will study the adaptability of tree species in various habitats to ensure the long-term success of reforestation efforts in order to increase climate mitigation, climate resilience, carbon sequestration, water protection, and biodiversity. This project will be guided and informed by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Forest Ecology, and will work in tandem with the Door County Big Plant and its conservation-leader partners.
The grant is part of the Daybreak Fund’s 2024 initiative, which has awarded nearly $1.6 million to nonprofit organizations and community groups addressing climate change, water quality, and environmental justice along the western shores of Lake Michigan. Now in its second year, the Daybreak Fund prioritizes projects that integrate social equity, Indigenous ecological knowledge, and community-driven solutions to create climate-resilient communities.
Protecting Door County’s Forests for Future Generations
Located at the southernmost edge of boreal forest habitats, Door County’s unique geography and geology make it especially vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures threaten to shift the balance of tree species from boreal varieties like spruce, fir, and paper birch to more temperate species such as oak and maple.
CCCDC’s Boreal & Temperate Mesic Forest Climate Survivability Project aims to address these challenges. The project will establish five test plots – two in northern / boreal ecosystems and three in more southern / temperate ecosystems – and plant 3,400 trees in half acre experimental plots. The experimental tree-planting plots, along with their respective control plots will monitor tree growth, soil conditions, climate variables, mammal and other species will be observed. This research will identify which tree species and genetically unique varieties can thrive under changing climate conditions, and which can best help forest health and reforestation efforts for the next decade. In order to accelerate regional learning and ecosystem growth, the project team will continuously communicate data and best practices to the public, Door County Big Plant partners, and regional conservation partners.
“We are pumped about this project. We’ve been working together on the Big Plant to connect to more and more people to grow more and more trees. Yet we want to add some science and measurable effectiveness to the tree-planting. The data we collect, on trees and other flora and fauna, will guide our collective tree planting efforts to maximize carbon sequestration, climate resilience, water protection, and biodiversity health, not just in Door County, but across coastal Wisconsin,” said Jeff Lutsey, CCCDC Executive Director.
Building on the Success of the Big Plant
This project builds on CCCDC’s ongoing climate mission and the success of the county-wide Big Plant, launched in 2021. Conservation leaders - Crossroads at Big Creek, Door County Land Trust, Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, The Ridges Sanctuary, and Climate Change Coalition – along with over 50 other organizations, have planted 46,000 trees across Door County to date. The new grant with additional trees, data collection, and data sharing, will ensure these efforts continue to evolve, improve, and grow.
About the Daybreak Fund
The Daybreak Fund is a collaboration of 11 philanthropic partners dedicated to addressing climate change, improving water quality, and promoting environmental justice along the western shores of Lake Michigan. By supporting nature-based solutions, the Fund is helping to create climate-resilient communities while protecting natural resources. Learn more at www.daybreak.fund
About CCCDC
The Climate Change Coalition of Door County leads collective climate action, education, and outreach to build a more sustainable and resilient future. CCCDC is a Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership Partner Group. Learn more at climatechangedoorcounty.com