Southwest Wisconsin Grassland & Stream
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Feasibility Study, Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN GRASSLAND & STREAM CONSERVATION AREA A REPORT TO THE NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD May 19, 2009 Cover Map taken from USFWS Upper Mississippi/Great Lakes Region Joint Venture Plan, 2007 2 Reprinted May 2010 Acknowledgements Many people contributed to the development of this feasibility study, including the members of the teams listed be- low. We thank them all. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Board Christine L. Thomas, Chair Jonathan P. Ela, Vice Chair John W. Welter, Secretary Jane Wiley Preston Cole Gary Rohde David Clausen Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Guidance Team Thomas Hauge, Director, Bureau of Wildlife Management Signe Holtz, Director, Bureau of Endangered Resources Russell Rasmussen, Director, Bureau of Watershed Management Steven Miller, Director, Bureau of Facilities and Lands Mark Aquino, Land Leader, South Central Region Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Working Group Cathy Bleser, Regional Ecologist, South Central Region, Co-coordinator Dave Sample, Bureau of Science Services, Co-coordinator Sarah Carter, Bureau of Endangered Resources, (Co-coordinator through 2005) Jim Amrhein, Bureau of Watershed Management, South Central Region Russ Anderson, Environmental Analysis and Review Section, South Central Region Bill Carlson, Area Forestry Leader, South Central Region Bruce Folley, Bureau of Wildlife Management, South Central Region (Property Manager) Mike Foy, Bureau of Wildlife Management, South Central Region Bob Hansis, Bureau of Watershed Management, South Central Region Rich Henderson, Bureau of Science Services Randy Hoffman, Bureau of Endangered Resources Darcy Kind, Bureau of Endangered Resources Jessica Kitchell, Bureau of Science Services Dave Marshall, Bureau of Watershed Management, South Central Region (through 2006) Greg Matthews, Bureau of Communication and Education, South Central Region Dave O’Malley, Real Estate Specialist, South Central Region John Nielsen, Forestry Leader, South Central Region Todd Peterson, Bureau of Wildlife Management (through May 2008) John Pohlman, Bureau of Facilities and Lands Bradd Sims, Bureau of Fisheries, Dodgeville Tom Watkins, Bureau of Facilities and Lands Rick Wojciak (to 2007) Division of Forestry Leader, South Central Region (through 2007) External Working Group Katie Abbott, Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area Coordinator, US Department of Agriculture Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council (present) Steve Bertjens, US Department of Agriculture Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council Al Brandt, Lafayette County Land Conservation Department 3 Reprinted May 2010 Susan Butler – title, Wisconsin State Office, Farm Services Agency Doug Cieslak, Driftless Area Land Conservancy Kevin Connors – Director, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department Dan Cotter, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lafayette County Steve Fabos, Trout Unlimited Bill Ehr, Chair, Iowa County Zoning Committee Keith Foye, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Pattie Haack, US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dane County Mary Penn Jenkins, Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission Todd Jenson, Green County Land Conservation Department Paul Kaarakka, Blue Mounds Area Project Melissa Keenan, Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist Jim McCaulley, Iowa County Land Conservation Department John Meyers, farm owner and Iowa County Supervisor Ron Niemann, Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission Paul Ohlrogge, UW-Extension, Iowa County Becky Olson – Upper Sugar River Watershed Association Shawn Papon, US Fish and Wildlife Service Steve Richter, The Nature Conservancy Jim Ruwaldt, US Fish and Wildlife Service Carroll Schaal, Blue Mounds Area Project Amy Staffen, The Prairie Enthusiasts Pat Sutter, Dane County Land Conservation Department Bob Thomas, Town of Ridgeway Jason Thomas, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Green County Lisa Trumble, Lafayette County Land Conservation Department Carl Wacker, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program Andy Walsh, US Deparment of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa County Jim Welsh, Natural Heritage Land Trust Rodney Walter, The Nature Conservancy Robert Weihrouch, US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Kristin Westad, US Department of Agriculture Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council (through 2005) 4 Reprinted May 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Key to Acronyms.............................................................................................................8 I. PROJECT OVERVIEW ...........................................................................................9 II. PROJECT NEED………………………………………………………... ...........11 III. PROJECT VISION AND GOALS ............................................................................16 IV. PROPOSED PROJECT..........................................................................................20 Focus Areas..............................................................................................21 Bird Conservation Areas ..........................................................................22 Population Objectives ..............................................................................23 Property Designation................................................................................23 V. IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................24 A. Conservation Tools..................................................................................24 B. Conservation Strategies............................................................................26 C. Criteria for Locating Bird Conservation Areas ........................................30 D. Criteria for Individual Parcel Acquisition................................................31 E. How Department Lands Would Be Managed ..........................................32 F. Target Species for Management and Protection.......................................33 VI. PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION: BACKGROUND AND AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...............................................................................35 A. Natural Resources ....................................................................................35 1. Terrestrial Resources.........................................................................35 a. Geology..................................................................................35 b. Soils........................................................................................35 c. Upland Communities, Non-game, and Endangered Resources ...........................................................36 d. Game Wildlife........................................................................38 2. Water Resources ...............................................................................39 a. Surface Waters.......................................................................39 Priority Streams for Project...................................................41 b. Groundwater...........................................................................42 c. Fisheries.................................................................................42 d. Wetlands.................................................................................43 e. Endangered Aquatic Resources..............................................43 f. Threats to Water Resources....................................................43 B. Agricultural Resources.............................................................................44 C. Cultural Resources ...................................................................................47 D. People and Land Use................................................................................48 1. Demographics ...................................................................................48 2. Economics.........................................................................................51 3. Comprehensive Planning ..................................................................51 5 Reprinted May 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS VII. ACREAGE GOAL AND COSTS..............................................................................55 A. Acreage Goals............................................................................................55 B. Partnering Approach..................................................................................55 C. Protection Strategy.....................................................................................56 D. Public Access (revised May 19, 2009) ......................................................57 E. Costs ..........................................................................................................60 F. Funding Sources.........................................................................................61 VIII. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .....................................................................................62 IX. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT...........................................................67 A. Effects on Natural Resources ...................................................................67 1. Terrestrial Resources.........................................................................67