central sand hills - wisconsin dnrin the central sand hills wisconsin land legacy report legacy...

Key characteristics:»Rollingtopographyand

sandysoilsofglacialorigin»Pine-oakandoakforests»Oaksavanna»Numerouswetlands,

someveryraretypes»Coldwatersprings,streams,

andglaciallakes

Size:» 2,170squaremiles» 1,387,900acres

(3.9%ofWisconsin)

Population:» 141,000

(2.7%ofWisconsin’spopulation)

Notable species:»Karnerbluebutterfly»Brookandbrowntrout»Mottledsculpin»ChorusandWoodfrogs»Sandhillcranes»Fassett’slocoweed»Virginiameadow-beauty»Long-beakedbaldrush

Natural communities:(See Appendix B for descriptions)»Bogrelict»Calcareousfen»CentralSandspine-oakforest»Coastalplainmarsh»Dryprairie»Emergentaquatic»Northernwetforest»Shrubcarr»Southernsedgemeadow»Wet-mesicprairie

CentralSandHillsecological landscape

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Headwaters of the Mecan River

MadisonMilwaukee

Green Bay

Oshkosh

Appleton

Fond du Lac Sheboygan

Stevens Point

Manitowoc

SAUK

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174 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report

LegacyPlacesAP ArlingtonPrairieBA BadgerArmyAmmunitionPlantBO BarabooRiverCM Comstock-GermaniaMarshesGL GrandRiverMarsh andLakePuckawayHE Hartman&EmmonsCreeksLM LewistonMarshLV LittlePloverRiverMWMiddleWisconsinRiverMP MontelloAreaCoastal PlainMarshesNN NeenahCreekOX OxfordSavannaPV PloverRiverPB PortagetoBuffalo LakeCorridorSC SandCountry TroutStreamsWMWhiteRiverMarsh andUplands

Attributes and CharacteristicsThisecologicallandscapeislocatedattheeasternedgeoftheoldGlacialLakeWisconsinandcontainsaseriesofglacialmorainesthatwerelaterpartiallycoveredbyglacialoutwash.Pre-settlementvegetationconsistedofoakforest,oaksavanna,andavarietyofprairietypesintheuplands.Fens,wetprairies,andrarecoastalplainmarshesoccurredinthelowlands.Soilsthroughoutthelandscapehaveasignificantsandcomponent.Amixtureoffarmland,woodlots,andavarietyofwetlandsnowcharacterizesthearea.Agricul-tureissuccessfulinthesandyareaswiththeuseofcenterpivotirrigationbutthereisaconsiderableamountoflessproductiveandidleagriculturalland.

Numeroussmallkettlelakesareassociatedwiththepittedglacialoutwash.Severallargerlakesoccuralongtheeasternsideofthelandscape

andincludethestate’sdeepestnaturallake(GreenLakeat236feet)andoneoftheshallowestlargelakesinWisconsin(Puckawayatover5,000acresandonly5feetdeep).BothPuckawayandGreenLakeareveryproductivefishinglakesandbetweenthemcontainnearlyallspeciesofgamefishandpanfishfoundinWisconsin.Inaddition,aseriesofveryhighqualitycoldwaterstreamsoriginatefromthemorainesandgenerallyflowsoutheasterly.

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Observatory Hill in Marquette County

Other96%

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(private land, roads,schools, cemetaries,military lands, etc.)

Agriculture34%

Urban1%

Open Water 4%

Wetland9%

ForestedWetland

5%

Forest28%

Grassland19%

Shrubland0%

ForestedWetland

17%Forest27%

Shrubland0%

Grassland20%

Agriculture8%

Urban0%

Open Wetland28%

Figure 106: Land cover of the Central Sand Hills Figure 107: Public conservation and other land ownership in the Central Sand Hills

Figure 108: Land cover of public conservation lands in the Central Sand Hills

Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 175

Conservation Needs and OpportunitiesGiventhesandy,nutrient-poor,andacidcharacteristicsofsoilsthatarepredominantthroughoutboththeCentralSandHillsandtheCentralSandPlains,theforestsherediffersignificantlyfromthoseinsurroundingland-scapes.Thedominantspeciesarewhiteandredpine,white,red,andblackoaks,andonmoremesicsites,redmaple.Theunderstoryistypicallynotverydiverseandconsistsprimarilyofhuckleberry,blueberry,brackenfern,andPennsylvaniasedge.Althoughasignificantamountofthisnaturalcommunitytype,referredtoastheCentralSandspine-oakforest,isprotectedintheCentralSandPlainsecologicallandscape,verylittleisprotectedinthislandscape.

Thelakesofthisareaharborawidediversityofaquaticlifeandprovidesomeofthebestandmostpopularinlandlakefishinginthestate.Thelakesalsoprovideimportantnesting,feeding,andrestinghabitatforresidentandmigratorybirds,inparticularwaterfowl,shorebirds,andmanybirdsthatpreyonfish(eagles,osprey,cormorants,andothers).Maintainingandimprovingwaterquality,byexpandingexistingeffortstoreducepollutantsenteringtheselakes,wouldhelpsustainthebioticrichnessoftheselakesandtherecreationtheysupport.Inadditiontothelakes,manyhigh

qualitycoldwaterstreamsandspringsoriginatefromglacialdepositsandsupportimportantaquaticinvertebrateandcoldwaterfishpopulations.ThesestreamsharborsomeofWisconsin’sbesttroutfishingandarerenownedfortheirHexageniahatches.Protectionofthestreamsandtheirgroundwatersourceswouldhelpinsurethattheseimportantcoldwatersystemsaremaintained.

Alsoofnoteinthislandscapeisthepresenceofcoastalplainmarshes,ararenaturalcommunitytype.ThesewetlandsarefoundinandaroundtheextinctGlacialLakeWisconsinandsupportmanyrarespeciesthataredisjunctfromtheirprimaryAtlanticcoastalplainranges,occurringfromMas-sachusettstoGeorgia.Therearealsosignificantopportunitiestoprotectandmanagetwootherimportantwetlandcommunities,southernsedgemeadowandcalcareousfen,primarilyatplacessuchasWhiteRiver,GermaniaandComstockmarshes,andalongtheFoxRivercorridor.Alsoofsignificancearemanagementopportunitiesforwet-mesicprairieandtamarackbogs.Inadditiontotheplantcommunities,thereisampleopportunitytomanageforwetlandbirdswithinthesecommunitytypes.

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Figure 109: Legacy Places and public conservation land of the Central Sand Hills

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Figure 110: Legacy Places and land cover of the Central Sand Hills

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PublicConservationLands

Map# PropertyName Size (acres)1

State s1 Caves Creek State Fishery Area 810s2 Comstock Bog-Meadow State Natural Area 630s3 Devils Lake State Park2 460s4 Emmons Creek State Fishery Area2 1,120s5 French Creek State Wildlife Area 3,260s6 Germania State Wildlife Area 2,410s7 Glacial Habitat Restoration Area2 340s8 Grand River Marsh State Wildlife Area 6,990s9 Grassy Lake State Wildlife Area 690s10 Greenwood State Wildlife Area 1,440s11 Hartman Creek State Park2 390s12 Hinkson Creek State Fishery Area 230s13 Jennings Creek State Wildlife Area 530s14 John A Lawton State Fishery Area 280s15 Lawrence Creek State Wildlife Area 940s16 Lodi Marsh State Wildlife Area 1,090s17 Lower Wisconsin State Riverway2 250s18 Mecan River State Fishery Area 6,390s19 Mud Lake State Wildlife Area2 2,010 -Columbia Countys20 Peter Helland State Wildlife Area 3,070s21 Pine Island State Wildlife Area 5,260s22 Pine River System State Fishery Area 1,920s23 Radley Creek State Fishery Area 1,420s24 Rocky Run Creek State Fishery Area 710s25 Rowan Creek State Fishery Area 650s26 Swan Lake State Wildlife Area 2,290s27 Upper Neenah State Fishery Area 380s28 White River State Fishery Area 2,970s29 White River Marsh State Wildlife Area2 840s30 Willow Creek State Fishery Area2 1,840 Miscellaneous Lands3 4,260

Federal s1 Fox River National Wildlife Refuge 800 Waterfowl Production Areas 3,050

County Forest 4 None

Total 59,720

1 Actual acres owned in this Ecological Landscape.2 This property also falls within adjacent Ecological Landscape(s).3 Includes public access sites, fish hatcheries, fire towers, streambank and non-point easements,

lands acquired under statewide wildlife, fishery, forestry, and natural area programs, small properties under 100 acres, and properties with fewer than 100 acres within this Ecological Landscape.

4 Locations and sizes of county owned parcels enrolled in the Forest Crop Law are presented here. Information on locations and sizes of other county and local parks in this Ecological Landscape is not readily available and is not included here, except for some very large properties.

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Lawrence Creek in Marquette County


Recreation Uses and OpportunitiesThisecologicallandscape,especiallyduetothesouthernportion’scloseproximitytoMadisonandtheeasternportion’scloseproximitytoOshkoshandNeenah,hasthepotentialtohelpmeetgrow-ingdemandforavarietyofrecreationalactivities.Propertiesandtrailsthatprovidehiking,offroadbiking,birdwatching,horsebackriding,cross-countryskiing,huntingandfishingareinhighdemandinthispartofthestateandcouldlikelybeestablishedinseveralplaceshere.ThestretchoftheWisconsinRiverfromWisconsinDellstoSaukCityprovidesmanypaddling,boating,andfishingopportunities.

Thenorthernportionoftheecologicallandscapeislessdenselypopulatedandisfairlyheavilyusedforhuntingandfishingaswellasotheroutdoorrecreationpursuits.ThemanycoldwaterstreamsdrawanglersfromthroughoutWisconsin.Thelargerstreamsandriversreceivesomecanoeingandkayakinguseandadditional“watertrail”opportunitiesherewouldlikelybepopular.LargewetlandslikeGrandRiverMarsh,MudLake,LakePuckaway,andGrassyLakeprovideexcel-lentwaterfowlhunting.PineIslandprovidesuplandgamebirdhuntinginadditiontodeerandothertypesofhunting.

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Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus)

Fassett’s Locoweed (Oxytropis campestris)



AP ArlingtonPrairieSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00OnceencompassingawideswathofnorthernDaneCountyandsouthernColumbiaCounty,thisformerdeepsoilprairieisnowintensivelyfarmedduetothehighlyproductivesoilsinthearea.Severalscatteredhighqualityprairieandprairiepotholeremnantsremain.ProtectedlandshereincludeGrassyLake,MudLake,Schoeneberg,andOtsegoWaterfowlProductionAreasandAudubon’sGoosePondSanctuary,andcouldformthefoundationoffurtherrestorationefforts.Ifadditionalgrasslandsarerestoredandlinkedtoexistingprotectedlands,theareacouldsupportsignificantpopulationsofarea-sensitivegrasslandbirds.

BA BadgerArmyAmmunitionPlantSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0000TheBadgerArmyAmmunitionPlant(BAAP)liesbetweentheBarabooHillsandtheWisconsinRiver.AlthoughusedtoproducemunitionsfortheArmyforoverthirtyyears,BAAP’s7,300acrescontainamixofnativeprairie,scatteredoakwoodlands,farmfields,andthousandsofidlebuildings.ItcurrentlyhostssomeofthelargestpopulationsofgrasslandbirdsinsouthernWisconsin(103birdspecieshavebeenrecordedhere,ofwhich21havecriticalstatusinWisconsin).WiththeBarabooHillsadjacenttothenorth,BAAPprovidesararecontinuumofgrasslandtooakforest.TheArmyisdisposingofthepropertyandnegotiationsareunderwaytodeterminefutureuses.

BO BarabooRiverSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0000ScenicsandstonecliffsoccuralongtheupperreachesoftheBarabooRiverandsupporthem-lockandpinerelicts,forestedseeps,andmanyrareplantsandanimals.Thesehemlocksandpinesarefoundindeep,moistravinesoroncool,northoreastfacingslopes.Groundlayerscontainspeciestypicallyfoundmuchfurthernorth,suchasclubmoss,woodfern,andmay-flower.Someheadwatercreekscontaintrout.Untilrecently,thelowerstretchesoftheriverhadbeenimpactedbyaseriesofdamsthatwarmedandslowedtheflow.Thelastofthedamswasremovedin2001andtheaquaticdiversityoftheriversystemisalreadybeginningtorecover,settingthestagefortherestorationofagoodwarmwaterfisheryincludingsmall-mouthbassandwalleye.TheBarabooRiverisnowoneofthelongestfree-flowingriverseastoftheMississippiRiver.

CMComstock-GermaniaMarshesSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0Theseadjacentwetlandcomplexeshaveunusualcombinationsofnutrientsandwaterflowthatenableuniquecombinationsofplantsandanimalstothrive.Thesewetlandsaresometimesreferredtoas“bogmeadows”becausetheycontainamixofplantsmoretypicallyfoundinopenbogs,sedgemeadowsandcalcareousfens.Theyalsosupportnestingpopulationsofbothsoutherngrasslandbirds(suchasHenslow’ssparrow)andnortherngrasslandbirds(suchasLaConte’ssparrow).Comstockisalsothesouthern-mostknownnestinglocationfortheelusiveyellowrail.Recreationopportunitiesaremostlylimitedtohuntingandwildlifewatching,giventhewetnatureofthearea.

GL GrandRiverMarshandLakePuckawaySize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0000ThiswetlandandlakecomplexliesinthebedofGlacialLakeOshkosh,whichfilledwithsiltanddecayingvegetationoverthousandsofyears,eventuallycreatingmuckandpeatsoilsthatrangefrom12inchesto12feetdeep.LakePuckawayisanaturalwideningoftheFoxRiverthataveragesabout3feetindepthandwhichsupportsanexcellentfisheryofnorthernpike,walleye,bass,somechannelcatfish,andavarietyofpanfish.TheGrandRiverFlowage,anequallyshallowbutman-madeimpoundment,hasrequiredperiodictreatmenttocontrolcarpbutcurrentlyproducesrespectablenumbersofnorthernpikeandyellowperch.Thetwobodiesofwateraresurroundedbyacomplexofmarshesanduplandsthatprovidehabitatforlargenumbersofducksandgeese,aswellasahostofotherwildlifeincludingmuskrat,mink,otter,beaver,cranes,woodcock,pheasants,andquail.Therearelargerookeriesofheronsandcormorantshere,baldeagleshaverecentlybegunnestinginthearea,andospreysareoccasionalvisitors.TheareaispartiallyprotectedbytheGrandRiverMarshStateWildlifeArea.

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Coastal plain marsh along Plainfield Lake



Althoughdistantfromthisarea,thesewaterseventuallyflowintoLakeWinnebago,thesourceofwaterfortheOshkosh,Neenah,Menasha,andAppletonmunicipalwatersystems.Asaresult,waterfromthisareamayaffecttherawwaterqualityofthosemunicipalsystems,whichprovidedrinkingwaterforapproximately162,000customers.

HE Hartman&EmmonsCreeksSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000HartmanCreekStateParkandEmmonsCreekStateFisheryArea,twoheavilyusedrecreationareas,provideprimeKarnerBluebutterflyhabitat.Protectingalargerareaherecouldexpandthepopulationsofthisfederallyrarespeciesandprovideadditionalrecreationopportunitiesincludingmultipletrailuses.Maintainingtheexistingopenspacesurroundingthesepublicproperties,currentlyamixoffarmsandforests,wouldbeimportantinpreservingthearea’sexceptionalscenicvalues.

LM LewistonMarshSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0LewistonMarshharborsoneofthelargesttamarackandblacksprucebogsinthispartofthestate.Alongwithtamarackandblacksprucearecattailmarshes,alderthickets,andsouthernsedgemeadows.Twohighqualitysmalllakesandseveralstreamsoccurwithinthemarsh.Theareaprovidesnestinghabitatforwaterfowlandisanimportantrestingareaduringthefallandspringmigration.Giventhelimitedaccessandwetnatureofthearea,recreationopportunitiesarelikelylimitedtohuntingandwildlifewatching.

LP LittlePloverRiverSee the Central Sand Plains ecological landscape.

MWMiddleWisconsinRiverSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0000Thelower40milesoftheMiddleWisconsinRivercorridor,betweenWisconsinDellsandSaukCity,arefoundintheCentralSandHillsEcologicalLandscape.Amixofagriculturalandforestedlandcharacterizeslandusehere.AdamatPrairieduSacprovideshydroelectricpowerandimpoundsLakeWisconsin,whichisheavilyusedforrecreationalboatingandfishing.Approximately15milesoftheriver’sshorelineisprotectedbythePineIslandStateWildlifeArea,theprivateSandCountyFoundation,andalargeutilityowner-ship,althoughmostofthisprotectedsegmentisconfinedtojustonebank.Despiteheavyindustrialandcommercialuse,theWisconsinRivercontinuestosupportarobustwarmwaterfishery.Extensivesouthernfloodplainforestsdominatedbysilvermaple,greenash,andhackberryarefoundalongtheriver’slowlands.Inconcertwithassociatedmarshes,theyprovideimportanthabitatforavarietyofresidentandmigratorywildlife.Uplandforestsadjacenttotherivercontributetothecorridor’swildlifehabitat

values,helpmaintainwaterquality,andhavesignificantaestheticvalue.Aprotectedcorridoralongtherivercouldprovideprotectionforcriticalhabitatsaswellasincreasethevarietyofpublicrecreationopportunitiesavailable.

MP MontelloAreaCoastalPlainMarshesSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0LocatedincentralMarquetteCountyareseveralsmall,uniquewetlandsthatharboranunusualcollectionofplants.Soilsaremostlysandy,nutrient-poor,andslightlyacidicandresultinlimitedmicrobialdecomposition.Theseconditionsenableorganicmattertoaccumulateaspeat.Likeotherwetlands,thesedevelopindepressionswhererunoffandseepagewatercollect.However,thewaterlevelsinthesewetlandsvaryconsiderablybasedonannualprecipitation.Thisvariationinwaterlevelsresultsintheplantassemblagesformingdistinctzonesinconcentricrings.Inlowprecipitationyears,largeexposedshorelinesprovidehabitatforseveralspeciessuchasumbrellasedge,long-beakedbaldrush,andreticulatednutrush—speciesthatare

foundonlyhere,innorthwestIndiana,andalongtheAtlanticOcean.Theypersistforyearsintheseedbankuntilthehydrologicconditionsarerightforgermination.

NN NeenahCreekSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0Althoughsufferingsomewhatfrompoorwaterqualityatitssource(McGinnisLake),NeenahCreeksupportsagoodqualitycoldwaterfisheryinitsupperreaches.TheStateFisheryAreaprovidesascenicsettingforanglersandalsodrawslocalbirdwatchers.BelowOxford,thecreekpassesthroughfarmland,scatteredwoodlands,andopenmarshes.SouthwestofBriggsville,extensiveareasofhighqualitysedgemeadowandwetprairieoccur.Canoeingandkayakingispossiblewhenwaterlevelsarehigher.Sandhillcranes,migratingsongbirds,andavarietyofotherwildlifearecommonlyseenalongthiscorridor.BelowBriggsville,thecreekgainsconsiderablevolume,widens,slows,andsupportsagoodwarmwaterfishery.NeenahCreekflowsintotheFoxRivernearFrenchCreekWildlifeArea.

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Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata)



Other Areas of InterestFishLake(Dane County�)FishLakeisa330-acreseepagelakewithagoodfisheryforlargemouthbass,withsomenorthernpikeandpanfish.Rareinlandciscopopulationsandbandedkillifisharefoundhereaswell.Baldeagles,ospreyandwaterfowlareoftenobservedonthelake.Havingnooutlet,thelakesufferssomewhatfrompollutantsthatarecarriedinbyrunoffandthenremaintrappedinthelake.Inrecentyears,thewaterlevelofthelakehasbeenrisingandhasfloodedlakeshoredevelopment.AlargestretchofshoreontheeastendofthelakehasrecentlybeenpurchasedbyDaneCountyforapark.FishLakehasbeenextensivelystudied,anditssomewhatunusualcharacteristicsoffergoodpotentialforfurtherresearch.


OX OxfordSavannaSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000NortheastofOxfordliesanextensiveblockofforestonaruggedrecessionalmoraine.Scatteredthroughthewoodsareancient,open-grownblackoaks,somebelievedtobeseveralhundredyearsold,indicatingthattheareaoncesupportedsignificantsavannahabitat.Now,youngeroaksandjackpineforestsareintermingledwithredpineplantationsformingacanopyoverscatteredpocketsofsavannagroundlayerplants.Steep-walledkettlelakesadddiversitytothearea.Recreationopportunitiescouldincludeavarietyoftrails.

PV PloverRiverSee the Forest Transition ecological landscape.

PB PortagetoBuffaloLakeCorridorSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . .00000RunningfromtheCityofPortagenorthtoBuffaloLake,thiswidecorridorencompassesmanyimportanthistorical,biologicalandrecreationfeatures.ThePortageCanal,connectingtheMississippiRiverdrainagetotheGreatLakes,wasanoteworthy(albeit


WMWhiteRiverMarshandUplandsSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00OccupyingmuchofnorthwesternGreenLakeCounty,thisvastwetlandcomplexharborsadiversityofwetlandtypessurroundedbyuplandsofforestandfarmland.TheWhiteandPuchyanRiversjointheFoxRiverhereandallthreeriversslowlywindthroughmostlyopenwetlands.Ofparticularnotearethemanyhighqualitysedgemeadows,emergentmarshesandwetprairiesthatoccurthroughoutthissystem.Thesewetlands,alongwiththenearbyGermaniaandGrandRiverMarshes,provideimportantwaterfowlnestinghabitatanddrawhundredsofthousandsofmigratorybirds,especiallysandhillcranes,duringthespringandfall.Thesurroundinguplandsareonlyslightlyhigherthanthewetlandsinthisrelativelyflatlandscape.Wetmesicprairiecoversasignificantportionofthetransitionzonebetweenthesedgemeadowsandoak-dominateduplandforest.Afewveryresistantbedrockoutcropsarefoundnearthemarshthatharborplantsandanimalsspecializedtoliveonbarerock.Althoughdistantfromthisarea,thesewaterseventuallyflowintoLakeWinnebago,thesourceofwaterfortheOshkosh,Neenah,Menasha,andAppletonmunicipalwatersystems.Asaresult,waterfromthisareamayaffecttherawwaterqualityofthosemunicipalsystems,whichprovidedrinkingwaterforapproximately162,000customers.

brief)chapterinestablishingatransportationlinkageacrossthecountry.TheIceAgeTrailrunsthroughthiscorridor(alongtheMarquetteTrail)andfollowsthecanalforpartofitsroute.LongrangeplansaretosecureaprotectedcorridortoextendthetrailfurthernorthandeasttoincludepartsofFrenchCreekWildlifeAreaandJohnMuirCountyPark.PageCreek,ahighqualitystreampassingthroughmesictowetprairies,meadowsandmarshes,flowsintoBuffaloLakeandprovidesalogicalterminustothecorridor.

SC SandCountryTroutStreamsSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0000RunningfromPortageandWaupacaCountiestonorthernMarquetteCountyisaseriesofhighquality,coldwaterstreamsthatoriginateintherecessionalmoraineleftbythelastadvanceoftheglaciers.Oftenwithsandybottomsandsoftwater,thesespringfed,lownutrientstreamsandriverssupporthealthybrook,brown,andrainbowtroutpopulations.Aquaticinsectlifeisrichanddiverse.Alongmanyofthecreeksarehighqualityfens,sedgemeadowsandwetprairies.Thenumber,quality,andcloseproximityofthestreamstooneanotherisuniqueinWisconsin.TheMecanRiveralone,althoughonly17mileslong,hasoverfiftymilesoftroutstreaminitswatershed.OtherimportantwatersintheareaincludetheWhiteandPineRiversandLawrence,Tagatz,andWillowCreeksandalltheirrespectivetributaries.Thesurroundinguplandsareamixofoak-pineforest,activeandidlefarmland,andlow-densityhousing.Bothopenandforestedwetlandsareassociatedwithmostofthecreeksandoccurthroughoutthearea.Establishinguplandcon-nectionsbetweenthesestreamcorridorswouldprovideecologicalvaluesandenablesomeuplandrecreationopportunities.TheIceAgeTrailisplannedtopassthroughthisgeneralarea.Althoughstatefisheryareasoccuralongmanyofthesestreamsandrivers,inseveralcasesheadwatersprings,importantbufferareas,andlowerstretchesremainunprotected.Ensuringthatthesewatersmeettheirconservationandrecreationpotentialwouldrequireadditionalprotectionefforts.

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