Govednod Knowles
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MASTER PLAN GOVERNOR KNOWLES STATE FOREST SEPTEMBER 2012 GOVERNOR KNOWLES STATE FOREST MASTER PLAN • SEPTEMbER 2012 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This plan has been developed through a team effort by many individuals from the Department of Natural Resources. Through their hard work and expertise, these people have developed a plan that will guide the Governor Knowles State Forest into the future. NATURAL RESOURCE BOARD David Clausen, Chair Preston D. Cole, Vice Chair Christine L. Thomas, Secretary William Bruins Terry N. Hilgenberg Gregory Kazmierski Jane Wiley WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Cathy Stepp, Secretary Paul DeLong, Chief State Forester PLAN ACCEPTANCE TEAM Erin Crain Bureau of Endangered Resources Paul Cunningham Bureau of Fisheries Tom Hauge Bureau of Wildlife Management Bob Mather Bureau of Forest Management Steve Miller Bureau of Facilities and Lands Dan Schuller Bureau of Parks and Recreation PLAN SPONSORS Tom Duke, Kate Fitzgerald, and Jim Warren PLAN PROCESS TEAM Bob Dall, Kristin Lambert, Amy Mercer, Teague Prichard, Steve The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides Runstrom, Dan Thill, and Mike Wallis equal opportunity in its employment, programs, services and functions under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have any TECHNICAL TEAM questions, please write to Equal Opportunity Office, Depart- Bob Hanson, Todd Hintz, Rhonda Kenyon, Robin Maercklein, ment of the Interior, Washington D.C. 20240, or Wisconsin’s Ryan Magana, Colleen Matula, Tim Miller, and Jamison Wendel Office of Diversity – WDNR Office of Diversity, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. This publication is available in alter- CARTOGRAPHY native format upon request. Contact the Division of Forestry Andy Stoltman at 608-267-7494. OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Ken Brokaw, Mark Dudzik, Bob Hartshorn, Angela Jacobs Division of Forestry 101 South Webster Street PO Box 7921 PHOTO CREDITS Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921 Department of Natural Resources Staff For your convenience this document is available on the internet at: dnr.wi.gov/master_planning/govknowles/ F GOVERNOR KNOWLES STATE FOREST SEPTEMBER 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND PLAN OVERVIEW ...............................................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose of the Master Plan ......................................................................................................................................1 Overview of the Planning Process ..........................................................................................................................2 Organization and Content of This Document ...........................................................................................................2 Need To Revise the Governor Knowles State Forest Master Plan ...........................................................................2 Summary of the Master Plan ...................................................................................................................................2 How the Statutory and Other Purposes and Benefits of the State Forest Will Be Realized Through the Plan ..........................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 2: MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................9 Property Designation and Authority .........................................................................................................................9 Vision Statement ......................................................................................................................................................9 Property Goals ..........................................................................................................................................................9 General Management Strategy of the State Forest .................................................................................................9 Land Management Areas ......................................................................................................................................11 Forest Production Management Areas .................................................................................................................14 Bluff Lake .......................................................................................................................................................16 Sand Plain .......................................................................................................................................................20 Native Community Management Areas ................................................................................................................24 St. Croix River Lowlands .................................................................................................................................26 Brandt Pines and Foxes Landing ....................................................................................................................30 Lagoo Creek Forest and Wetlands ..................................................................................................................34 Sunrise Ferry Terrace ......................................................................................................................................38 Trade River Corridor and Wolf Creek Lowlands ..............................................................................................42 Habitat Management Areas ..................................................................................................................................46 Kohler-Peet Barrens ........................................................................................................................................48 Sterling Barrens ...............................................................................................................................................52 Recreation Management Areas ..............................................................................................................................56 St. Croix Campground .....................................................................................................................................58 Trade River Equestrian Campground and Day Use .........................................................................................62 State Natural Area Designations ............................................................................................................................66 General Forest Management Prescriptions By Primary Forest Type .....................................................................69 Wildlife Management Plan .....................................................................................................................................73 Fisheries Management Plan ...................................................................................................................................78 SEPTEMBER 2012 GOVERNOR KNOWLES STATE FOREST G TABLE OF CONTENTS Recreation Management ........................................................................................................................................80 Background .....................................................................................................................................................80 Designated Recreation Trails ...........................................................................................................................80 Non-Motorized Trails .......................................................................................................................................80 Motorized Trails ...............................................................................................................................................84 Camping ..........................................................................................................................................................89 Day Use Areas ...............................................................................................................................................91 Nature Observation .........................................................................................................................................92 Hunting and Trapping ......................................................................................................................................93 Fishing .............................................................................................................................................................93 Water Recreation ............................................................................................................................................93 Additional Recreational Activities and Trends .................................................................................................93 Education and Interpretation ...........................................................................................................................94 Recreation Land Use Agreements .................................................................................................................94