Central Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape
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Central Lake Michigan Coastal ecological landscape Attributes and Characteristics remediation effort is underway to remove pollutants Central Lake Michigan Lake Central from the river bottom. Although still a seriously The western portion of this landscape is dominated impacted river, it remains a very popular boating and by the Wolf River system and is a popular recreation fishing location for the residents along the Fox Valley. destination. Soils tend to be mostly loamy along with peat and muck components. Some agriculture East of the Escarpment, the land gradually slopes is present, although a considerable amount of towards Lake Michigan. Many soils are clayey less productive land is no longer farmed. The and, although more poorly drained, are fertile and topography is a combination of gently rolling predominantly used for agriculture, particularly hills interspersed with large flat wetlands. dairy farms. Several rivers drain off the “backside” of the Escarpment, including the Anahapee, The central portion of the landscape, running Kewaunee, Twin, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, and between Duck Creek and the Niagara Escarpment, Onion. Although impacted by non-point pollution, is rapidly converting from agriculture to suburban HELDON these rivers support moderate to good quality S . B. development. Reflecting the long history of a variety A fisheries and are popular recreation locations. of industries located along its banks, the Fox River was one of the state’s most polluted waters. Water Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) quality has improved in recent years as point source discharges have been reduced and an extensive Legacy Places DP Door Peninsula Along the Lake Hardwood Swamps DOOR Michigan shoreline MARATHON OCONTO RH EYER SHAWANO WS M RA DC Duck Creek and Burma Swamp CS Colonial Waterbird DP THOMAS PO KG Kewaunee River and Grasslands Nesting Islands Stevens Point Green Bay Kohler Dunes OUTAGAMIE CS KG Lower Wolf River Bottomlands WAUPACA LB FP Fischer Creek, WOOD KEWAUNEE PORTAGE LB DC BROWN MB Manitowoc - Branch River Point Creek and MANITOWOC Appleton Cleveland Swamp NE PD MI Milwaukee River WINNEBAGO TW KA Kohler - Andrae Dunes WAUSHARA NE Niagara Escarpment CALUMET MB Manitowoc Oshkosh OG Onion River Grasslands PO Point Au Sable FP ADAMS PD Point Beach W RH Red Hill Woods - is c GREEN LAKE o n s MARQUETTE in Sheboygan and Dunes R Fond du Lac i Brussels Grassland v Lake Michigan e SHEBOYGAN r FOND DU LAC KA RA Red Banks Alvar OG TW Twin Rivers WS West Shore Green OZAUKEE COLUMBIA Bay Wetlands DODGE SAUK WASHINGTON MI DANE IOWA WAUKESHA Madison JEFFERSON Milwaukee 128 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Conservation Needs and Opportunities The Lake Michigan and Green Bay shorelines, Key characteristics: although largely developed, remain among the » Lake Michigan shoreline most ecologically valuable resources in the state. and Bay of Green Bay These shorelines are a major migratory pathway » Fox Valley for shorebirds, waterfowl, songbirds, and a variety » Central portion of the Niagara Escarpment of hawks. Some large, unprotected tracts still exist » Wolf River and could substantially contribute to maintaining important pockets of biological diversity. Size: Michigan Lake Central The lower Wolf River is the dominant feature » 2,740 square miles in the western portion of this landscape. Many » 1,751,900 acres (4.9% of Wisconsin) large, high quality wetlands occur throughout this valley and are a major factor in the river’s Population: water quality. The DNR is currently pursuing » 667,000 opportunities to protect a large corridor (12.5% of Wisconsin’s along the Wolf and its major tributaries. population) East of the Niagara Escarpment, this land- Notable species: scape once supported dense forests dominated by » Chinook salmon American beech and sugar maple with basswood, » Lake sturgeon oak, and some hemlock. Currently the landscape » Yellow perch is dominated by open farmland with small patches » Shorebirds of trees. The largest stands are primarily located » Migratory songbirds in wet areas. Several large wetlands still exist, and waterfowl notably Collins and Hayton (Killsnake) Marshes » American beech at the headwaters of the Manitowoc River. » Sugar maple Maintaining open space between and around » American sea-rocket the three large state wildlife areas in this area » Thickspike would be important in maintaining the ecological Natural communities: connection that currently exists and help prevent (See Appendix B for descriptions) conflicts with the hunting use of the properties. » Alvar This landscape harbors the only sizable example » Dry cliff in the state of a rare type of natural community » Forested ridge and swale known as an alvar. Alvars are characterized by » Great Lakes beach areas of thin discontinuous soil overlying horizontal » Great Lakes dune beds of limestone or dolomite in the vicinity of » Hardwood swamp Great Lakes shorelines. They have relatively low tree cover and a distinctive biota that includes elements of rocky Great Lakes shoreline, prairie, savanna and boreal forest communities. EYER M THOMAS Tellock’s Hill Woods State Natural Area in Waupaca County Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 129 Central Lake Michigan 130 Figure 81: 47 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Legacy Places and public conservation lands of the Central Lake Michigan Coastal Legacy Places and public conservationOconto lands Gillett Central Lake OcontoMichigan22 Coastal Falls 141 41 Sturgeon Bay 29 Shawano 32 42 57 RH 29 WS 5 Marion 41 DP 12 Clintonville 156 RA Algoma W 45 4 o PO l f 54 R i v e CS r 11 110 22 Seymour KG 16 187 Green Bay 13 2 Kewaunee 29 Manawa 10 De Pere 54 DC 47 r 43 New 41 e LB iv R London x o F 55 32 96 Weyauwega 42 Appleton 7 147 45 NE 15 Menasha PD 150 TW 14 49 Brillion Neenah 10 Two Rivers 1 MB er owoc Riv 41 anit Manitowoc 3 M 151 Oshkosh 21 9 Chilton Omro 42 Lake 32 Winnebago 151 New Berlin FP Holstein 44 Kiel Lake Michigan 26 Ripon S h e b 23 o y g a n 23 Fond du Lac River Plymouth 43 Sheboygan 67 32 KA 8 41 28 OG Waupun 57 45 28 Mayville 6 175 Beaver r e Dam iv Horicon 33 R ee West Milwauk Bend 151 Port Washington 41 MI Hartford 60 164 Public Conservation Lands Wisconsin Land Legacy Report State 67 Mequon 43 Federal Watertown County Forest 41 Miles 94 16 Milwaukee 0 2.5 5 10 190 Lake Pewaukee Wauwatosa Mills 94 Wisconsin L Figure 82: 47 GREEN BAY WATERSHED Legacy Places and land cover of the Central Lake Michigan Coastal a n d L Legacy Places and land cover Oconto e Gillett g 22 a c Oconto y Re Central Lake Michigan Coastal41 Falls p 141 o r Sturgeon t Bay 29 Shawano 32 WOLF RIVER WATERSHED 42 RH 29 WS 57 Marion 41 DP Algoma Clintonville 156 RA 45 PO 54 CS 110 22 187 Seymour KG Green Bay Kewaunee 29 Manawa De Pere 54 DC TWIN-KEWAUNEE 47 New LB 41 43 WATERSHED London 55 32 LOWER FOX 96 WATERSHED Weyauwega 42 Appleton 147 45 NE Menasha PD 150 TW 49 Brillion Neenah 10 Two Rivers MB MANITOWOC Manitowoc WATERSHED 151 Oshkosh 21 Chilton Omro 42 Lake 32 Winnebago 151 Berlin FP 44 New UPPER FOX Holstein WATERSHED Kiel Lake Michigan 26 Ripon SHEBOYGAN 41 WATERSHED 23 23 Fond du Lac Sheboygan Plymouth 43 67 32 KA Legacy Places 41 DP Door Peninsula 28 OG Hardwood Swamps DC Duck CreekWaupun and Burma Swamp 57 Kewaunee River KG 45 and Grasslands LB Lower Wolf River Bottomlands 28 MB Manitowoc-Branch River Mayville MILWAUKEE MI Milwaukee River 175 Land Cover NE NiagaraBeaver Escarpment WATERSHED OG OnionDam River Grasslands Urban Horicon 33 RH Red Hill Woods- West Brussels Grassland Bend Port Washington Agriculture TW Twin Rivers 41 Lega UPPER ROCK Grassland Along theWATERSHED Lake c Hartford MI y Pl 60 Michigan shoreline Shrubland a CS Colonial Waterbird ces Nesting Islands 164 Forest b FP Fischer Creek, y Ecological Landscape Point Creek and Cleveland Swamp Open Water 67 KA Kohler-Andrae Dunes Mequon 43 PO Point Au Sable Open Wetland Watertown PD Point Beach and Dunes Forested Wetland RA Red Banks Alvar WS West Shore Green 94 Milwaukee Miles Bay Wetlands 0 2.5 5 10 Lake Pewaukee 131 Wauwatosa Mills 94 Central Lake Michigan Central Lake Michigan Coastal Recreation Uses and Opportunities ecological landscape Stretching from Milwaukee to Green Bay, this ecological landscape is easily accessible to many of Wisconsin’s residents. However, much of the Public Conservation Lands existing public recreation land that is not adjacent to Lake Michigan contains a significant amount of wetland and provides a limited amount of 1 Map# Property Name Size (acres) recreation opportunity. The gently rolling hills Central Lake Michigan Lake Central State of clay to loam soils could support a variety s 1 Brillion State Wildlife Area 4,835 of outdoor activities, in particular warm-season s 2 C.D. (Buzz) Besadny State Fish and Wildlife Area 2,340 trails. Trails that connect recreation lands to urban Collins Marsh State Wildlife Area 4,290 s3 centers (for example, Sheboygan County’s very s 4 Deer Creek State Wildlife Area 1,490 popular Old Plank Road Trail from Sheboygan s 5 Green Bay West Shores 1,410 State Wildlife Area2 to the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State s 6 Harrington Beach State Park 610 Forest) are expected to be heavily used. The Ice s 7 Holland State Wildlife Area 530 Age Trail runs through this ecological landscape s 8 Kohler-Andrae State Park 920 and, with several sections incomplete, there is great s 9 Killsnake State Wildlife Area 5,940 s potential to partner with several organizations 10 Mack State Wildlife Area 1,375 to accomplish broader recreation goals here.