It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, and folks around County Door are celebrating this weekend! At Crossroads at Big Creek, we’ve tailored our programs to align with St. Patrick’s Day and the seasonal phenomenon known as the “spring green-up.”

Our Science Saturday family program on March 15 (starting at 2:00 pm) will feature an outdoor excursion (weather permitting) titled “In Search of Green.” On March 17, our Monday 1:30 adult program is a lecture called “Nature and St. Patrick.” On Tuesday, March 18, the 3:30 Environmental Exploration after-school program will be a “Seep Seek,” during which participants will search for locations where groundwater seeps into Big Creek by, as you might have guessed, looking for early signs of green along the banks.

“Green-up” refers to the period when plants break dormancy and resume growth. Scientific studies indicate that this typically occurs in early to mid-April in our region, although an early warm spell in March can accelerate the process.

Thanks to the moderating effect of Lake Michigan, our narrow peninsula may experience green-up earlier than the surrounding region. Even within our three Crossroads preserves, we observe localized microclimates, meaning that in sheltered, sunny areas, we may spot green around St. Patrick’s Day—or just as likely, we could experience a late-winter blizzard.

Green is associated with luck, renewal, and prosperity, and in Ireland, it is the color used to honor St. Patrick, the country’s patron saint. According to folklore, wearing green on March 17 makes you invisible to leprechauns—so they won’t pinch you!

However, that’s just one of the many myths surrounding St. Patrick.

One of the most well-known legends claims that the good saint drove the snakes from Ireland. While he didn’t, the fact remains that Ireland has no native snake species. It’s because of the glaciers!

During the last Ice Age, Ireland, like Door County, was covered by massive glacial ice for thousands of years. However, when the glaciers began to retreat approximately 10,000 years ago, Door County remained connected to the mainland, allowing snakes to gradually repopulate the area.

In contrast, as Europe’s ice sheets melted, rising sea levels isolated Ireland from the rest of the continent. This geographic separation prevented snakes from recolonizing the island, and to this day, no native snake species exist there.

For the same reason (rising sea levels, not St. Patrick), Ireland has only one native species of frog and one native species of toad. The lecture will also cover shamrocks and other related topics.

The Junior Nature Club meets every Wednesday at 3:00 PM. Designed for children aged 3 to 5 and their accompanying adults, the program can accommodate siblings, and most sessions will take place outdoors as weather permits. This week, the group will be “Looking for Logs.”

– 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 inspiring stewardship of the environment through education, research, and outdoor experiences. We welcome your support. 

---

Upcoming Activities

Wednesday, March 12

1:30 – 2:30 pm Wandering Wednesday – Naturalist-Led Hike

Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking. About an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to our donors.

3-4 pm Junior Nature Club

Junior Nature Club is a free, six-week series aimed at connecting pre-school aged children (ages three and up) and their families to the natural world around them. Through the use of storytelling, games, activities, and play in nature, the Junior Nature Club promotes physical well-being, social engagement and curiosity about nature in both children and their parents or guardians. Click here for more information. This week’s topic is Seasons.

---

Saturday, March 15

2-4 pm Science Saturday – In Search of Green

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, particpants will venture into the forest in search of the first signs of spring. (Indoor programs will be offered in the lab if the weather does not cooperate.) Geared for elementary students, 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!

---

Monday, March 17

1:30 pm Lecture: Nature and St. Patrick

Did St. Patrick drive the frog and  snakes from Ireland? What is a shamrock really? This lecture will discuss the legend and the science of this Irish/ American holidays. About an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

---

Tuesday, March 18

3:30 p.m. Environmental Exploration – Seep Seek

Students will search for the place where water bubbles right out of the ground and flows into Big Creek. (Dress for the weather.) Geared for elementary students, learners of all ages are welcome to attend. 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.

6:30 p.m. Door County Beekeeper Club: Preparing for Bees

The Door County Beekeepers Club encourages community members to attend this program to learn how to “prepare for bees.” Free – registration not required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center.