From Danish Island to Door County: Generations of Forest Protection
In the 70s, Carl “Buzz” Madsen’s father planted thousands of trees on the family property in Sister Bay, now protected forever by a conservation easement
A forest planted by a Danish forest manager in the 1800s is shaping a Door County family’s conservation legacy today. Last October, Carl J. “Buzz” and Stephany Madsen protected 38 acres of partially forested land bordering the Village of Sister Bay through a conservation easement with Door County Land Trust. Their decision was inspired by a family commitment to land stewardship passed down for generations. This agreement permanently protects an important part of the Upper Door County watershed, forest habitat, and rural character in an area that has seen many changes and development in recent years.
A Tradition of Stewardship
“It feels wonderful to preserve this land as my parents intended,” said Buzz, who described his mother and father—the original purchasers—as “avid conservationists.” When the family acquired the land in the 70s, the area was undeveloped, primarily surrounded by 40-acre parcels.
Buzz and Sue stand next to the sign placed by DCLT which designates their land as a conservation easement
Buzz’s father planted over 5,000 trees on the property, growing a forest of white pine, oaks, and walnut trees. He also carved a nature trail and enrolled the land in Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law program, which encourages sustainable forestry on private woodland. Buzz and Stephany continue to steward the property, maintaining the nature trail and managing invasive species.
Ancestral Influences from Denmark to Door County
Buzz believes his father was deeply moved by a family tradition of forest management, a legacy that began on Bornholm—a Danish island—in 1809. Here, Buzz’s distant uncle Hans Rømer spearheaded the effort to reforest the overgrazed and timbered island, creating one of Denmark’s largest forests, Almindingen (meaning “public pasture”). Today, it supports rich biodiversity and is described as “Disneyland for nature lovers.”
Buzz’s parents visited this forest several times, where his father was taken with the idea of replicating on a small scale what his ancestor had done. Buzz wonders if his father felt especially at home here in Door County due to similarities shared with the island where his family is from.
The forest preserve Almindingen contains dramatic geological features like this example of bedrock jutting from the earth, due to its location along the Fennoscandian Border Zone
An Island 4,200 Miles Away—Yet Familiar
Like Door County, the island of Bornholm has unique geological features. It lies right on the Fennoscandian Border Zone where a fault between granite bedrock and younger sandstone layers are exposed, making it possible to straddle 1.2 billion years. The forest of Almindingen contains interesting rock features that are not dissimilar in appearance to Door County’s rocky escarpment.
A Conservation Easement for Land Protection
Over the years, as the Village of Sister Bay expanded, the Madsen family’s property faced municipal pressure. Annexation proposals for a park, highway bypass, and major sewer lines were passionately opposed by Buzz’s parents. A year after completing the conservation easement with the Land Trust, Buzz says he takes comfort in walking the land in its protected state, certain his parents would have been pleased.
The Land Trust partners with families like the Madsens to protect Door County’s exceptional lands and waters forever. This conservation easement safeguards water resources and wildlife habitat while preserving the rural character that makes Door County special. For information about conservation easements and protecting your own land, contact Door County Land Trust or visit Protect Your Land – Door County Land Trust.
