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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
Tho
ma
s m
eyer
Headwaters of the Mecan River
MadisonMilwaukee
Green Bay
Oshkosh
Appleton
Fond du Lac Sheboygan
Stevens Point
Manitowoc
SAUK
DANE
DODGE
WOOD
JUNEAU
ADAMSMONROE
PORTAGE
CLARK
WAUPACA
COLUMBIA
BROWN
IOWA
RICHLAND
FOND DU LAC
WAUSHARA
OUTAGAMIE
JACKSON
VERNON
WINNEBAGO
CALUMET
SHEBOYGAN
MANITOWOC
MARQUETTE GREEN LAKE
WASHINGTON
WAUKESHAJEFFERSON
OZAUKEE
SHAWANO
BA AP
LM
MWBO
HE
LV
PV
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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.
Cent
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Autumn color with early season snow
Ga
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wis
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nsi
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epa
rTm
enT
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Tou
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Observatory Hill in Marquette County
Other96%
Federal0%
State4%County Forest
0%
(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
Mad
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176 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report
Publ
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Figure 110: Legacy Places and land cover of the Central Sand Hills
Mad
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Fitc
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Osh
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Stev
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Port
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Berlin
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Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 177
Land
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Ope
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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
178 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report
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)
CentralSandHillsecological landscape
Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 179
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
CentralSandHillsecological landscape
180 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report
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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Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 181
Other Areas of InterestFishLake(Dane County�)FishLakeisa330-acreseepagelakewithagoodfisheryforlargemouthbass,withsomenorthernpikeandpanfish.Rareinlandciscopopulationsandbandedkillifisharefoundhereaswell.Baldeagles,ospreyandwaterfowlareoftenobservedonthelake.Havingnooutlet,thelakesufferssomewhatfrompollutantsthatarecarriedinbyrunoffandthenremaintrappedinthelake.Inrecentyears,thewaterlevelofthelakehasbeenrisingandhasfloodedlakeshoredevelopment.AlargestretchofshoreontheeastendofthelakehasrecentlybeenpurchasedbyDaneCountyforapark.FishLakehasbeenextensivelystudied,anditssomewhatunusualcharacteristicsoffergoodpotentialforfurtherresearch.
Althoughdistantfromthisarea,thesewaterseventuallyflowintoLakeWinnebago,thesourceofwaterfortheOshkosh,Neenah,Menasha,andAppletonmunicipalwatersystems.Asaresult,waterfromthisareamayaffecttherawwaterqualityofthosemunicipalsystems,whichprovidedrinkingwaterforapproximately162,000customers.
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
Althoughdistantfromthisarea,thesewaterseventuallyflowintoLakeWinnebago,thesourceofwaterfortheOshkosh,Neenah,Menasha,andAppletonmunicipalwatersystems.Asaresult,waterfromthisareamayaffecttherawwaterqualityofthosemunicipalsystems,whichprovidedrinkingwaterforapproximately162,000customers.
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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