Daughter’s Land Donation Fulfils Egg Harbor Couple’s Dream to Conserve Escarpment Forever

 

Door County, WI—The late Susan and Donald Gauger of the Town of Egg Harbor had their final wishes honored by their daughter, Elizabeth Gauger, with the completion of a land donation to the Door County Land Trust. Last December, Elizabeth transferred ownership of 4.2 acres to the Land Trust that she inherited from her parents. This property lies at the base of the blufflands escarpment below Bluff Ledge Rd, where Donald and Susan bought the original six acres and built a home in the 90s. The view of the forest and blufflands was a cherished sight for the last decades of their lives, and the donation fulfils a long-held dream.

“I always saw Door County as ‘home’ and the woods as my church,” said Elizabeth, describing her connection to the area. She has fond memories of early visits to her family’s original Carlsville property nearby, where water had to be hauled in buckets to a rustic trailer. The family had been coming to the area since the 70s and fell in love with the natural surroundings.

Donald is remembered for his compassion towards wildlife, including a story Elizabeth recounted about a time her father bought a net at the hardware store just to save a fish from a drainage ditch. “Everyone cheered when the fish was set free!” said Elizabeth. Donald loved the sunsets viewed from their patio overlooking the bluff and enjoyed seeing bald eagles soar above the trees.

Elizabeth described her mother Susan as a “hellion who was tough as nails.” She loved adventures and once took Elizabeth on a memorable trip to Borneo where they got lost in the jungle, attacked by fire ants and land leeches, and wound up partying with locals. In her final years, Susan enjoyed feeding birds and squirrels from her home on the escarpment and fiercely protected the surrounding forest, refusing to allow any single tree to be cut in favor of the view.

The Gaugers became familiar with Door County Land Trust when the nearby Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve was protected in 1996. Before its protection, the land was slated to become the county’s most dense subdivision at the time. The organization’s ability to preserve land for ecological benefit left an impression on the Gaugers, inspiring their declaration to donate the undeveloped portion of their property for conservation.

Elizabeth worked with a tax attorney to understand the advantages of the land donation and, as a recent addition to the Land Trust’s Land Policy Committee, wishes to help improve the process for future land donors interested in making a charitable gift of land to the Land Trust.

The donated property contains significant Niagara Escarpment bluff, habitat for rare species, a small wetland area, native forest, and habitat for birds and other wildlife. A trail that may have been used by early settlers of Door County before the construction of Bay Shore Rd—known locally as the Pioneer Trail—traverses the property. Once an interconnected path running north to south along the base of the escarpment, this trail has been divided as segments of land were bought and sold over the years.

With the donation now complete, the Gauger’s cherished escarpment view and forest will be stewarded for the benefit of wildlife, water resources, and forest health.

“Leaving a legacy in my parents’ name is the greatest feeling,” said Elizabeth. “Their spirit will always be there, looking over that property.”

About the Door County Land Trust

Protecting Door County’s Exceptional Lands and Waters…Forever. Door County Land Trust protects the wild places, scenic beauty, and ecological integrity that make the peninsula and islands so special. 15 featured nature preserves are open for hiking, and other low-impact, non-motorized recreational activities–all at no charge to the public. Trail maps and more information may be found at www.doorcountylandtrust.org.