With over 40 years of landscape design and land management experience, and 35 in educational programming and professional development, owners Dan Sullivan and Anne Gravel Sullivan bring a network of resources to visitors at Drift’s Edge in an ecologically diverse setting. Straddling the driftless and glaciated divide in Northern Green County, the property includes a unique combination of micro-habitats that range from cool, fern-lined bluffs to prairie and oak savannah.
Anne Gravel Sullivan, PhD
Executive Director
Anne is a lifelong educator and conservation advocate who brings over 25 years of experience designing professional development for healthcare and other teams across the U.S. With a background in communication, media, and anthropology, she specializes in the art and science of making complex ideas accessible and engaging. Anne produces podcasts, videos, and online courses on topics ranging from cognitive well-being and organizational learning to the use of Artificial Intelligence in health systems. Her work spans classroom, clinic, and trail, often blending ethnography, history, and creative writing into dynamic learning experiences.
She currently serves as Vice President of the Friends of the Badger and Sugar River State Trails and has served on several not-for-profit boards. Anne finds purpose at the intersection of human and environmental health through connecting people to land, history, and one another, whether developing educational programming, leading restoration tours, or exploring the Driftless Area’s unique landscapes.
Dan N. Sullivan
President
Since engineering his first pond at the age of six on his mom’s backyard in his hometown of Waterloo, Wisconsin, Dan has been learning from and leaving his mark on the land. An astute observer of hydrology, wildlife, and climate — and their interactions with local environments — Dan’s dedicated stewardship of Southern Wisconsin’s natural resources is surpassed only by his creative approach to land management.
Owner of his own landscape design and contracting business, Dan has acquired a well-earned reputation for his ecologically sound practices and advice to a loyal customer base over the 40-plus years he has been in the business.
The Groundwork for Greenspace
The restoration of Drift’s Edge began in 1986 when Dan Sullivan purchased 48 acres of sandy-soil property, once part of an ancient shoreline. At the time, a farmer had converted 40 acres of its wetlands into cropland. Recognizing its ecological as well as recreational potential, Dan restored the wetlands to their natural condition over nearly four decades. With its 1-acre pond, coldwater trout creek, and unglaciated shoreline, the property presented an opportunity not just for fishing and camping but for highlighting the value and impact of ecological restoration practices. Now, 35 years later, the wetlands have returned to a pristine state and matured into a vibrant local habitat for sandhill cranes, green herons, American woodcock, and a multitude of songbirds. Dozens of migratory bird species seek refuge seasonally in this rich habitat–and dozens of other species linger, making their permanent home here along Northern Green County’s driftless divide.
In 2002, Dan and Anne expanded the property by acquiring 45 acres of adjacent woodland remnant in which they planted new oak, birch, and cedar to ensure the dominance of native woodland species. Over time, Dan has cultivated and maintained over 3 miles of walking and cross-country ski trails. During 2023–2024, Anne and Dan added six acres of adjacent farmland to the property which is now being restored for a combination of organic production, permaculture, and prairie.
Among Drift’s Edge’s striking features is the Ross Crossing Creek which flows through the property, providing essential habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting diverse plant communities, and serving as a resource for recreation and cultural history. Protected as an Exceptional Resource Water (ERW under NR 102), the creek is a tributary of the Sugar River and hosts endangered species including the redfin shiner and cold water trout.
In a unique historical twist, Anne and Dan discovered that a settler named David Sullivan owned part of this land and neighboring property in Exeter during the 1850s, though no family connection to Dan has been found.
Dan’s longevity in land management, along with Anne’s in education and healthcare, contribute to their approach to caring for and sharing the unique environment that makes up Drift’s Edge and their message of how essential a healthy ecosystem is to human health and well-being.
Marble
Barketing Director & Resident Good Boy!
Marble has lived most of his life running the trails, prairie, and farmland at Drift’s Edge Conservancy. He serves as the property’s guardian, protecting its owners and visitors from squirrels, groundhogs, and rabbits (his stuffed bunny excluded).
Anne, Dan, and Marble are avid hikers and amateur musicians who love visiting the effigy mound sites in Wisconsin and along the Mississippi River