This is the week we ring out the old year and ring in the new. We jokingly call this our “Annual Ring.”  So, it has become a tradition at Crossroads at Big Creek that on the first Science Saturday of the year, the topic of our family program is “Tree Rings.” 

The so-called “annual ring” of a tree trunk is a layer of small wood cells. In our region, seasons alternate between warm and cold. In spring, when moisture and sunlight are plentiful, light-colored rings of wood cells form. In dry, cool late summer and fall, the thinner dark ring of wood cells forms. The dark rings are a record of the number of autumns the tree has survived. Curiously, fish scales also have annual rings.

Annual rings on fish and trees are much alike. Trunks and fish scales are round. Both increase in circumference each year. Come to think of it, this time of year, some humans increase in circumference with all that holiday food. But in nature, the opposite is true. While we humans tend to put on girth in winter, plants and cold-blooded animals grow very little, if at all, this time of year.

When water is warm the fish eat and grow. During the summer months, fish increase in length and correspondingly enlarge their scales.  But because they are cold blooded, fish get very sluggish when the temperature drops. A dark ring, or annuli, develops during the period of minimal growth. 

By studying the distance between annual rings, whether in tree trunks or of fish scales, scientists can get a good idea of how well life is going for the tree or the fish.  

If nature centers had annual rings, researchers examining ours would determine that Crossroads has thrived this year. We completed our three-year restoration project at our Big Creek Preserve. We then developed a land management plan for our Ida Bay Preserve and were awarded a grant for that project which is now underway.

This year we formalized our environmental restoration education efforts with our “Restoration for Landowners” initiative aimed at connecting landowners with the tools and resources available in Door County. 

We installed a small children’s learning/play area in the entry level of the Learning (near our Great Lakes display) so youngsters can develop a love for nature through hands-on activities.  And we have significantly expanded our daytime offering for adult learners. 

The 15th annual Trail Run and Trails & Ales events were friend-raisers as well as being successful fundraisers. And our Halloween Pumpkin Carving, Trails &Treats, and Luminary-lit Hikes exceeded our expectations.

Finally, we have expanded educational opportunities for young people and their families. Now in addition to Science Saturdays, we schedule a  Tuesday after-school program called “Environmental Exploration,” and on vacation days, we offer “School’s Out Expeditions.”

One of those School’s Out programs will be Friday, January 3 from 1:30-3:00. For “Kitchen Chemistry” the lab will be set up with simple (safe, but potentially messy) experiments for young scientists and their families. 

Science Saturday will start at 2:00 on January 4 and will explore tree rings. And on Tuesday, January 7, our Environmental Exploration hike will visit Big Creek to “Seek for Seeps”.  

One of our daytime adult programs is our Current (Environmental) Events group which gathers the first Monday of the month to discuss journal articles. In keeping with the tree/ water theme, we will discuss the connections between deciduous trees and the hydrologic cycle. Interested folks can pick up copies of the articles at the Reception Desk of the Collins Learning Center, whether they intend to participate in the discussion group.

And speaking of fish – Healthy Water Door County will sponsor the 2025 “Fish Tales Documentary and Lecture Series.” We will announce in the programs the near future they promise to be extraordinary!

All in all, this trip around the Sun has been bright, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, 2025 promises to be even brighter.o learn if weather conditions are adequate for scheduled events, for Ski-For-Free and for trail use.

– by Coggin Heeringa, Interpretive Naturalist

For more information, please check out our Crossroads calendar or stop by the Collins Learning Center and pick up a printed calendar. Our trails are open all day every day, free of charge, thanks to donors like you!

Crossroads at Big Creek Learning Center and Nature Preserve is located at 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Crossroads is a 501(c)3 organization committed to offering education, conducting research and land restoration, and providing outdoor experiences to inspire environmental stewardship in learners of all ages and from all backgrounds. We welcome your support. 

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Upcoming Activities

Tuesday, December 31 and Wednesday, January 1

The trails remain open all day, every day of the year, free of charge, but on December 31 and January 1, the Collins Learning Center will be closed for the holiday. Happy New Year!

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Thursday, January 2

1:30 – 3:00 pm Start Your Year List Hike

For birders and folks that just like hiking, this outing will be an opportunity to search for birds in the Big Creek Preserve. No experience necessary, loaner binoculars available, and open to all ages.

Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

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Friday, January 3

1:30 – 3:00 pm Family Day in the Lab

Kids, parents and grandparents… this is your chance to do simple (potentially messy) science activities in the lab at the Collins Learning Center.  Some edible activities so let us know if your child has dietary restrictions. Drop in any time. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

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Saturday, January 4

2:00 pm Science Saturday – Ring in the New Year

“Tree Rings” will be the topic for the first Science Saturday of the new year. This weekly family program is intended for elementary students, but learners of all ages are welcome. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

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Monday, January 6

1:30 p.m. Current Ecological Events Club

Love reading? Join our ecological article club, where we deep dive into current ecological articles for lively discussions, new friendships, and deepening our understanding of the natural world! This adult discussion group will meet each month to review articles about current ecological issues. Drop ins always welcome! Stop by the Collins Learning Center anytime prior to the meeting to receive free copies of the articles for the next meeting.

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Tuesday, January 7

3:30 p.m. Environmental Exploration – In Search of Seeps

Even in the winter, groundwater seeps out of the bedrock  into  Big Creek. Weather permitting, this will be a hike, but we have indoor models and demonstrations if the weather is harsh. This program is geared for elementary students but learners of all ages are welcome. Meet in the lab at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you.