Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape
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Chapter 9 Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape Where to Find the Publication The Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin publication is available online, in CD format, and in limited quantities as a hard copy. Individual chapters are available for download in PDF format through the Wisconsin DNR website (http://dnr.wi.gov/, keyword “landscapes”). The introductory chapters (Part 1) and supporting materials (Part 3) should be downloaded along with individual ecological landscape chapters in Part 2 to aid in understanding and using the ecological landscape chapters. In addition to containing the full chapter of each ecological landscape, the website highlights key information such as the ecological landscape at a glance, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, natural community management opportunities, general management opportunities, and ecological landscape and Landtype Association maps (Appendix K of each ecological landscape chapter). These web pages are meant to be dynamic and were designed to work in close association with materials from the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan as well as with information on Wisconsin’s natural communities from the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory Program. If you have a need for a CD or paper copy of this book, you may request one from Dreux Watermolen, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Photos (L to R): Karner blue butterfly, photo by Gregor Schuurman, Wisconsin DNR; small white lady’s-slipper, photo by Drew Feldkirchner, Wisconsin DNR; ornate box turtle, photo by Rori Paloski, Wisconsin DNR; Fassett’s locoweed, photo by Thomas Meyer, Wisconsin DNR; spatterdock darner, photo by David Marvin. Suggested Citation Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS-1131 2015, Madison. Suggested Citation for This Chapter Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Chapter 9, Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS- 1131K 2015, Madison. Cover Photos Top left: Some parts of the Central Sand Hills feature mixtures of “southern” and “northern” plants. This forest is dominated by large black oak and eastern white pine. Photo by Josh Meyer. Center left: Slender glass lizard (Wisconsin Endangered) inhabits sandy oak savannas and open woodlands. Photo by A.B. Sheldon. Bottom left: Extensive Northern Sedge Meadow dominated by wire-leaved sedges. Numerous rare species have been documented here. Comstock Bog-Meadow State Natural Area, Marquette County. Photo by Eric Epstein, Wisconsin DNR. Top right: Calcareous fen, oak forest, and spring-fed drainage lake. Muir Park State Natural Area, Marquette County. Photo by Wisconsin DNR staff. Center right: Wedde Creek Savanna features large open-grown oaks over a diverse understory of prairie plants. Photo by Josh Meyer. Bottom right: Fassett’s locoweed is a Wisconsin endemic. It grows on the sandy shores of seepage lakes that experience dramatic annual water level fluctuations. Photo by Joel Trick, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Contents Wisconsin DNR staff Wisconsin Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape at a Glance ............................................ vii Introduction ................................................................................. 1 General Description and Overview ............................................................ 3 Environment and Ecology .................................................................... 3 Physical Environment ........................................................................ 3 Size ..................................................................................... 3 Climate .................................................................................. 3 Bedrock Geology ........................................................................... 4 Landforms and Surficial Geology ............................................................... 6 Topography and Elevation .................................................................... 8 Soils .................................................................................... 8 Hydrology ................................................................................ 8 Biotic Environment .......................................................................... 13 Vegetation and Land Cover ................................................................... 13 Flora .................................................................................... 19 Fauna ................................................................................... 21 Natural and Human Disturbances .............................................................. 26 Management Opportunities for Important Ecological Features of the Central Sand Hills ........ 31 Fire-adapted Ecosystems: Oak Forest, Mixed Pine-Oak Forest, Oak Woodland, Oak Savanna, Prairie, Sedge Meadow, Fen ............................................................... 32 Coastal Plain Marsh and Inland Beach .......................................................... 35 Coldwater Streams, Springs, and Spring Runs .................................................... 36 Alkaline Wetlands ........................................................................... 36 Warmwater Rivers and Floodplain Corridors ..................................................... 37 Lakes, Ponds, and Impoundments ............................................................. 38 Bedrock Features ........................................................................... 39 Miscellaneous Opportunities .................................................................. 40 Socioeconomic Characteristics ................................................................ 41 History of Human Settlement and Resource Use ................................................. 41 American Indian Settlement .................................................................. 41 Euro-American Contact and Settlement ......................................................... 41 Early Agriculture ........................................................................... 41 Early Mining .............................................................................. 42 Early Transportation and Access................................................................ 42 Early Logging Era .......................................................................... 42 K-iii Resource Characterization and Use ............................................................. 43 The Land ................................................................................. 43 Minerals ................................................................................. 43 Water (Ground and Surface) .................................................................. 43 Recreation ............................................................................... 44 Agriculture ............................................................................... 46 Timber .................................................................................. 46 Infrastructure ............................................................................. 48 Current Socioeconomic Conditions ............................................................. 49 Demography .............................................................................. 49 The Economy ............................................................................. 51 Integrated Opportunities for Management ................................................... 55 Appendices Appendix 9.A. Watershed Water Quality Summary for the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape ............... 56 Appendix 9.B. Forest Habitat Types in the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape ............................ 57 Appendix 9.C. The Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) Table of Rare Species and Natural Community Occurrences (Plus a Few Miscellaneous Features Tracked by the NHI Program) for the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape in November 2009 .......................................................................... 58 Appendix 9.D. Number of Species with Special Designations Documented within the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape, 2009 ................................................................... 65 Appendix 9.E. Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) Found in the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape ... 66 Appendix 9.F. Natural Communities for Which There Are Management Opportunities in the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape ........................................................................ 69 Appendix 9.G. Public Conservation Lands in the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape, 2005 .................. 70 Appendix 9.H. Land Legacy Places in the Central Sand Hills Ecological Landscape and Their Ecological and Recreational Significance ..................................................................... 71 Appendix 9.I. Importance of Economic Sectors within the Central Sand Hills Counties Compared to the Rest of the State ........................................................................ 72 Appendix 9.J. Scientific Names of Species Mentioned in the Text ......................................... 73 Appendix 9.K. Maps