Special Events
In addition to field trips, the Festival of Nature hosts a variety of social, immersive experiences. Keep scrolling to learn more about this years events.
Festival Keynote Dinner
Friday, May 22, 4:30 PM
Thank You to our Table SPonsors:
Location: About Thyme Farm, 8425 County F, Baileys Harbor
Fee: $40 per person
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Schedule
Reception & Beverage Service: 4:30 pm
Dinner: 5:00 pm
Enjoy a delectable family style dinner prepared by Thyme Restaurant & Catering with dessert prepared by Fika Bakery!
Welcome and General Announcements: 6:15 pm
Keynote Presentation: 6:30 pm
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Limit: 185
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Register by May 8, 2025 to reserve your spot.
Please indicate any dietary restrictions you have when prompted during the registration process.
Keynote Presentation
THE TEMPERATE-BOREAL ECOTONE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
Join us for a keynote presentation by forest ecologist Lee Frelich as he explores the different types of boreal refugia and their fate in the warming climate. Door County lies within the ecotone — a boundary between two distinct ecological communities — where boreal forests (spruce, fir, birch and aspen) transition into temperate forests (maple, beech, oak and hemlock). At regional scales, the boreal-temperate ecotone runs in an east-west direction with boreal forests in
Boreal Forest photo by UW-Madison Aquatic Sciences Center
colder climates at higher latitudes. However, ecotone structure varies a lot with longitude; in some places it is very sharp (ca 20 miles) and in others (e.g. most of the Great Lakes region) more diffuse, with a mosaic of temperate and boreal forests over hundreds of miles of latitude, with many small ecotones embedded within the regional ecotone.
Many factors influence whether a given acre is occupied by boreal or temperate tree species, and how long the boreal species will hold on in a warming climate. Boreal forests in Door County are refugial, having persisted through past climatic warming that allowed expansion of temperate forests. The strength of a boreal refugium depends on factors such as continental versus maritime climates, landforms that influence temperature on north- or south-facing slopes, and cold-air pooling at night. Landform also influences the disturbance regime, which in turn can accelerate or slow forest type transitions.
The ecotone in Door County and the surrounding region is a landscape mosaic where boreal refugia will blink out for various reasons at varied times as the climate warms. In this presentation we will explore the different types of boreal refugia and their fate in a warming climate.
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Lee Frelich
Lee Frelich is Director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology. He received a Ph.D. in Forest Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986. Frelich has authored 240 publications with 375 coauthors from 27 countries, including major works for Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. He is listed among the top 1% of all scientists in the world in the Ecology and Environment category by the Web of Science Essential Indicators. His research has been featured in the news media over 600 times, including such venues as The New York Times, Newsweek and Washington Post. Research interests include large-scale fire and wind, earthworm invasion, and climate change in temperate and boreal forests.
Art Exhibit and
Artist Reception
opening Thursday, may 21
Artist reception, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Convergence: Understanding Nature through Observation
photographs by Jacob Loyacano
This exhibition features the photography of nature and wildlife photographer Jacob Loyacano. His photography brings together science, curiosity, and personal outdoor experiences. With a background in biology, he approaches nature as something to learn from as well as appreciate. Each photograph comes from being present in the field—watching, waiting, and paying attention—where observation turns into understanding.
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Jacob has spent time working in very different environments, from the deserts and mountains of the Americas to coral reefs in Australia and the wetlands and forests of Door County. While these places look different on the surface, they are connected by shared patterns of survival, change, and balance. Photography allows him to show those connections and place local landscapes within a larger natural context.
Photo by Jacob Loyacano
Jacob Loyacano
Artist, Jacob Loyacano
Jacob Loyacano is a nature and wildlife photographer with a background in biology, originally from Jupiter, Florida. His passion for the natural world began early and was nurtured through his education at the Jupiter Environmental Research and Field Studies Academy. He later earned a degree in Biology from Florida State University, where he worked as an undergraduate researcher studying snake venoms and assisted in the collection of venom from rattlesnake species across the southern United States.
In 2016, Jacob moved to Australia to immerse himself in its extraordinary native fauna. While in Australia he worked on the Ningaloo Reef with a whale shark tour operator, where he helped create meaningful encounters that connected visitors with many of the incredible species on the Ningaloo Reef. These experiences highlighted the power of convergence—when shared moments in nature foster deeper understanding and meaningful connection. His ongoing pursuit of wildlife and wild places has taken him to Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, South America, and beyond, often drawn to dramatic landscapes and the challenge of finding rare and elusive species.
Jacob relocated to Door County in 2020 for what was intended to be a single summer and has called it home ever since. In 2025, he discovered The Ridges Sanctuary and the remarkable diversity of plant life found throughout the Door Peninsula. That summer marked a shift in focus toward documenting the region’s unique and often overlooked floral species.
Driven by a belief that education is essential to conservation, Jacob shares his photography as a tool for learning and inspiration. Each image is paired with interpretive information to help viewers better understand the species and ecosystems depicted. Above all, he hopes to inspire others to explore the natural world for themselves—proving that meaningful encounters with nature are possible anywhere, from distant continents to one’s own backyard.