van der brohe arboretum - two rivers, wi
I was looking for Pileated Woodpecker sightings in the region via eBird, and there it was. A photo showing a recent sighting of one at Van der Brohe Arboretum in Two Rivers. One more quick Google search and I was at the Arboretum website reading up on its recent beginnings, current progress, and blossoming future. I knew I had to go. So, I contacted the Director, John Durbrow, and inquired if it would be okay to feature the Arboretum on The Park Next Door. He not only said yes, but invited me for a personal tour.
The first tour turned out to be drizzly, but a little rain does not phase a man who has undertaken the project of building a forest and bird sanctuary from a 65-acre abandoned golf course. Fairview/Emerald Hills Golf Club was a 9-hole semi-private golf club that opened for play in 1930, but for the last decade sat dormant, with an uncertain future. Enter a man in search of a forest near the Lake Michigan shore, and the seed for the arboretum was planted. It was established in 2018, and plans for the future began.
The first tour turned out to be drizzly, but a little rain does not phase a man who has undertaken the project of building a forest and bird sanctuary from a 65-acre abandoned golf course. Fairview/Emerald Hills Golf Club was a 9-hole semi-private golf club that opened for play in 1930, but for the last decade sat dormant, with an uncertain future. Enter a man in search of a forest near the Lake Michigan shore, and the seed for the arboretum was planted. It was established in 2018, and plans for the future began.
My second tour was on a perfect, breezy, sunny July afternoon. The sunflower fields were blooming, and the Franciscan style gardens were filled with color, and adorned by butterflies and bees of all sorts.
Purple Coneflower, Allium, Yarrow, Common Milkweed, and a multitude of other Midwest favorites offered much beauty. |
Trees will be grouped in groves of similar species and taxonomy to include:
1 ~ Red Oaks 2 ~ White Oaks 3 ~ Deciduous Conifers 4 ~ Maples 5 ~ Nuts 6 ~ Spruces, Firs, Pines 7 ~ Ornamental Overstory 8 ~ Hemlocks, Junipers, Cedars 9 ~ Fruiting Trees/Shrubs 10 ~ Birches, Aspen 11 ~ Prairie With No Trees 12 ~ Flowering Trees 13 ~ Mesic Forest Border |
Fast forward four years on, and the hard work being done by staff and volunteers is evident as you walk the crushed gravel trails. There are just under 5 miles of trails, traversing newly vibrant meadows, sunflower fields, maple groves, and hundreds of newly planted trees, shrubs, and gardens. The list of tree species is staggering. Part of the Arboretum mission is to maintain a living outdoor museum of trees for conservation, preservation, and the education, enjoyment and inspiration of the community. Considering the changes in climate, they are specifically including trees deemed to be disease resistant cultivars of those trees lost to our native forest, and the promotion of trees common to a more southern range. By doing so, they can investigate the expected evolutionary changes to the Coastal Mesic Forest in the face of invading diseases and climate change. The Arboretum will feature a greater number of tree species and cultivars than any known institution in this climate zone. Just this spring alone they planted 740 trees and shrubs, with plans to increase those numbers generously.
Photo by Mike Pintok
A forest does not grow overnight. What can take a lifetime to mature, will do well to have companions like fruit-bearing shrubs, wildflower meadows, and other insect and bird friendly native flowers and plants. The Arboretum will serve as a bird sanctuary to local birds, and migrating birds, as it resides on the Lake Michigan Migratory Flyway. With the progress already made, including the stunning sunflower fields now blooming, I predict that this fall migration season will be a busy one here. If you're a birder, be sure to add the Arboretum to your fall bird watching location list. Please be sure to record your sightings on eBird as well.
Looking further ahead, there are plans to add rotating art installations to the grounds, and a visitor and education center as well. All in due time. Donations for the project, sponsorship of installations, and volunteer efforts are all welcome. A permanent conservation easement plan was developed for the Arboretum through Glacial Lakes Conservancy.
The Arboretum may be a long-term work in progress, but don't miss what's already in place. It's a stunning, peaceful place to take in the beauty of nature and quiet your mind from a chaotic world.
Location: 3800 Lincoln Avenue, Two Rivers, WI (Manitowoc County)
Trails are open to the public daily: Dawn to Dusk
Trails are pedestrian only. Dogs are welcome, on-leash.
For more information, click here.
Looking further ahead, there are plans to add rotating art installations to the grounds, and a visitor and education center as well. All in due time. Donations for the project, sponsorship of installations, and volunteer efforts are all welcome. A permanent conservation easement plan was developed for the Arboretum through Glacial Lakes Conservancy.
The Arboretum may be a long-term work in progress, but don't miss what's already in place. It's a stunning, peaceful place to take in the beauty of nature and quiet your mind from a chaotic world.
Location: 3800 Lincoln Avenue, Two Rivers, WI (Manitowoc County)
Trails are open to the public daily: Dawn to Dusk
Trails are pedestrian only. Dogs are welcome, on-leash.
For more information, click here.
Photo by Mike Pintok
All photos, blog posts, and content are copyright (c) 2014-2023 Kimberly Mackowski, unless otherwise noted. |
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