Western Prairie ecological landscape

Attributes and Characteristics small inclusions of sugar maple-basswood forest in the steeper sites protected from This ecological landscape is located on the far Key characteristics: fire. Prairie pothole-type were most western edge of the state just below the “tension » Prairie pothole prominent in St. Croix County. Barrens were zone” and contains some of the best prairie potholes and wetlands found along the river terraces of the St. Croix in the state. This is the easternmost extent of the » Prairie remnants and River. Floodplain forests, marshes, and wet grassland landscape vast prairie pothole that stretches across prairies occurred within the floodplain » Oak savanna and oak barrens , North and , , of the St. Croix. » St. Croix River corridor and south . The area is characterized by generally open, gently to moderately rolling hills Almost one-half of this landscape is Size: with pothole lakes, ponds, and wet depressions. now in with another one-third » 1,090 square miles A ribbon of forest occurs along the St. Croix River. in grasslands. Forest pockets are mostly » 697,400 acres Soils consist of a mosaic of silty, shallow and stony comprised of maple-basswood and oak-hickory, (1.9% of Wisconsin) alluvial sands and peats, with a red clay subsoil. with smaller amounts of lowland hardwoods Population: Pre-settlement vegetation was comprised and conifers. Although dairy farming and » 98,000 of dry to mesic prairies in the broad rolling areas row crops remain the predominant agricul- tural uses, this area is experiencing rapid (1.8% of Wisconsin’s and wet prairies in the wide depressions. Open oak population) savannas were found on the hilly topography with urbanization along its western fringe due to its proximity to the Twin Cities. Notable species: » Western meadowlark » Bobolink Legacy Places » Loggerhead shrike » Blue-winged teal

POLK Kinninckinnic River BARRON KN » t Queen Regal fritillary butterfly r

Robe LT Lower St. Croix River » Smallmouth bass » Sand shiner Grassland near New Richmond RR Rush River » River redhorse TB Trimbelle River » Dotted blazing star WP Western Prairie Habitat » Ground plum » Prairie satin grass ST CROIX Restoration Area Natural communities: Minnesota WP DUNN (See Appendix B for descriptions) » Dry-mesic prairie LT » Emergent aquatic » Mesic prairie » Moist cliff KN » Oak opening RR » Oak woodland TB PIERCE Prairie

Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 137 Western Figure 86: Legacy Places and public conservation lands of the Western Prairie 25 12 Alma Durand 8 35

64 79 Menomonie Cumberland 25 94 Habitat River

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138 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Western Figure 87: Legacy Places and land cover of the Western Prairie 25 Alma 12 Durand 8 35 64 79 Menomonie Cumberland 25 94 63 72 29 WATERSHED LOWER CHIPPEWA 10 128 48 City Glenwood cover

Amery 46 land

63 35 63 RR Prairie

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ST. CROIX ST. 12 WATERSHED WP 64 65 8 29 35 65 65 63 Places

Western TB 94 New Richmond 35 Legacy 35 35 Miles 29 KN 10 River Falls 10 St. Croix Falls Hudson LT 5 2.5 Forested Forested Open Wetland Open Shrubland Open Water Open Grassland Forest Agriculture Urban Prescott Minnesota 0 Prairie

Land Cover

Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 139 Western Western Prairie Figure 88: Land cover of the Western Prairie Figure 89: Public conservation and other land ownership Figure 90: Land cover of public conservation lands ecological landscape in the Western Prairie in the Western Prairie

Open Water State Open Wetland 2% Urban 1% 2% County Forest Federal 1% Forested Urban 1% 0% 1% Open Wetland Agriculture Public Conservation Lands Wetland 13% 10% 1%

1 Forest Forested Map# Property Name Size (acres) 18% Wetland Grassland State 9% 20% s 1 Cylon Marsh State Wildlife Area 340 Shrubland s 2 Cylon State Wildlife Area 2,500 0% Agriculture 48% s 3 Kinnickinnic River State Fishery Area 365 s 4 Kinnickinnic State Park 1,310 Other s 5 St. Croix Islands State Wildlife Area 1,110 97% Shrubland s 6 Willow River State Park 2,810 (private land, roads, 0% schools, cemetaries, Willow River State Wildlife Area 860 s7 Grassland military lands, etc.) Forest Miscellaneous Lands 3 3,260 29% 47% Federal s 1 Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway 4,900 s 2 Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge 3,480 Waterfowl Production Areas 5,130 Conservation Needs and Opportunities Recreation Uses and Opportunities County Forest 4 This ecological landscape offers the best Given its proximity to Minneapolis and None opportunity in the state to maintain a true St. Paul, this ecological landscape receives TOTAL 26,065 prairie-pothole complex and thus is an impor- heavy recreational use. Boating and fishing tant component of maintaining and recovering are very popular on the St. Croix River, as 1 Actual acres owned in this Ecological Landscape. grassland birds and waterfowl in the state. are canoeing and “tubing” on the Apple River. 2 This property also falls within adjacent Ecological Landscape(s). 3 Includes public access sites, fish hatcheries, fire towers, streambank and non-point easements, Protection of remaining pothole wetlands and Several coldwater streams in the area are 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. their associated uplands, prairie remnants, and very popular fishing destinations, including 4 Locations and sizes of county owned parcels enrolled in the Forest Crop Law are presented here. oak savanna is very important. Maintenance the Kinnickinnic, Trimbelle, and Rush Rivers. 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. of the scenic and habitat values associated Pheasant and waterfowl hunting are also popular with the St. Croix National Wild and Scenic activities on public and private land. State parks River is also important. Cold, headwater within this landscape receive substantial use streams originating in this landscape offer for a variety of activities, including camping, opportunities to establish, restore and hiking, and nature observation. Additional maintain brown and brook trout fisheries. off road biking, hiking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing trails would likely receive heavy use, as would additional rustic and fully developed campsites. t lange r be r Prairie He

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

140 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Western Western Prairie ecological landscape KN Kinnickinnic River LT Lower St. Croix River WP Western Prairie Habitat Size ...... Medium Size ...... Large Restoration Area Protection Initiated...... Substantial Protection Initiated...... Substantial Size ...... Large Protection Remaining...... Moderate Protection Remaining...... Limited Protection Initiated...... Moderate Conservation Significance...... 0 0 0 0 Conservation Significance...... 0 0 0 0 0 Protection Remaining...... Substantial Recreation Potential ...... 0 0 0 0 Recreation Potential ...... 0 0 0 0 Conservation Significance...... 0 0 0 0 Legacy Places Originating in an open, rolling landscape of The Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Recreation Potential ...... 0 0 farmland, the Kinnickinnic flows southwesterly extends 52 miles along the border of Minnesota The Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area through River Falls to the St. Croix River. The and Wisconsin, from the dam at St. Croix Falls was established in 1999 to protect and restore upper and middle reaches of the Kinnickinnic to its confluence with the Mississippi River. The up to 20,000 acres of grassland and wetland support a high quality trout fishery. Below River last 25 miles of river are wide, gently flowing, and habitat in western St. Croix and southwestern Falls, the river valley dramatically deepens and bordered by heavily wooded bluffs. The Riverway Polk counties. The project’s goal is to protect and narrows resulting in a spectacular canyon. The is very popular with enthusiasts that enjoy boating, restore scattered blocks of prairie, savanna and south-facing slopes harbor scattered dry prairies; canoeing, fishing, rock climbing and hiking along wetland within a larger area of farm fields and the north-facing slopes are blanketed with sugar its scenic shoreline. Congress added this segment low density development. Such a “checkerboard” maple, basswood and white pine. The steep sides of the St. Croix River to the National Wild and pattern, combining working farms and native of the valley support numerous species of rare, Scenic Rivers program in 1972, complementing prairie/savanna vegetation, would meet the habitat cliff-dwelling plants. Near its confluence with the previous (1968) designation of the Upper needs of many grassland species. It may also help the St. Croix River, the deeply incised channel St. Croix River. Many rare species are associated buffer both farms and natural areas from conflicts gives rise to scenic bluffs surrounded by large with the St. Croix and the corridor is highly with residential development. Although work on tracts of deciduous forest. significant to migratory birds. this project is just beginning, interest is high Recognized as one of the best trout fisheries and there is good local support. Most public lands in the , the “Kinni” draws many within the Western Prairie Habitat Restoration anglers every year. Due to its proximity to Minne- RR Rush River Area will be open to the public for hunting, hiking, sota’s Twin Cities, land use in the watershed is See the Western Coulee and Ridges wildlife watching and educational activities. rapidly changing from agricultural to residential ecological landscape. and threatens water quality in the river. Small stretches of the river above River Falls are pro- tected as part of the Kinnickinnic River State TB Trimbelle River Other Areas of Interest Fishery Area. The spectacular scenery at the Size ...... Medium County E Prairie mouth of the river is protected by Kinnickinnic Protection Initiated...... Limited (Pierce County) State Park and the St. Croix River National Protection Remaining...... Substantial This extensive grassland area is perhaps Scenic Riverway. In addition, the Kinnickinnic Conservation Significance...... 0 0 the best opportunity remaining in this part River Land Trust, one of the state’s most suc- Recreation Potential ...... 0 0 0 of the state for a large-scale prairie restoration. cessful land trusts, is actively working with The Trimbelle River originates in the rolling, The open landscape supports a variety of landowners to protect important places in open landscape of northern Pierce County. rare grassland birds and mammals. the watershed. A protected corridor along As the river flows south, it enters the heavily the length of the Kinnickinnic River not only forested Driftless Area of western Wisconsin. would help maintain water quality, but could A mix of deciduous woodlands, dairy farms, also provide important open space and facilitate and light residential development characterizes restoration of rare habitats, including prairie the watershed. The Trimbelle River supports one and oak savanna. of the best trout fisheries in western Wisconsin. Don blegen Rich deciduous woodlands supporting numerous Farm scene species, including a high diversity of songbirds, are found throughout the lower watershed. Due to its proximity to Minnesota’s Twin Cities, trout anglers heavily use the river corridor. Land use in the watershed is changing rapidly and threatens both the water quality of the Trimbelle, access

for anglers, and, due to fragmentation, the Prairie integrity of the woodlands.

Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 141 Western