Rapid Ecological Assessment for the Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group A Rapid Ecological Assessment Focusing on Rare Plants, Selected Rare Animals, and High-quality Natural Communities Properties included in this report are: Jackson County LaCrosse County Trempealeau County Black River Savanna State Van Loon Bottoms State Borst Valley Sedge Meadow Natural Area Natural Area State Natural Area North Bend Wildlife Area Van Loon Floodplain Savanna Borst Valley Wildlife Area State Natural Area North Bend Wet Prairie State Van Loon Wildlife Area Chimney Rock Oak Savanna Natural Area State Natural Area South Beaver Creek Wildlife Chimney Rock Wildlife Area Area Hawkinson Creek Wet Prairie State Natural Area Lakes Coulee Wildlife Area Tamarack Creek Bog State Natural Area Tamarack Creek Wildlife Area Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory Program Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 March 2016 PUB-NH-855 2016 Acknowledgments We extend special thanks to Mark Rasmussen, Gary Wolf, Ron Lichtie, Anna Jahns, Scott Roepke, Daniel Hatleli, Armund Bartz, Kris Johansen, Tim Babros, Dan Dehmer, Cody Caulum, Gary Wolf and Scott Krultz for their assistance in compiling this report and assisting with property access and field surveys. We are also grateful for support from the Ecosystem Management Planning Team and Owen Boyle. Funding for this project was provided by the Wisconsin DNR Bureau of Wildlife Management. Primary Authors: Richard Staffen Contributors: Julie Bleser – data management Andy Clark – plant and natural community surveys Jason Dare – herptile surveys Kevin Doyle – data processing Jason Granberg – invasive species information Logan Huse – herptile surveys Terrell Hyde – data processing Ryan O’Connor – inventory coordination, data processing Dr. Kurt Schmude – aquatic invertebrate surveys Amy Staffen – data processing, report contributions, bird and natural community surveys Richard Staffen – inventory coordination, data processing, bird and herptile surveys Jay Watson – terrestrial invertebrate surveys Dr. Erik Wild – herptile surveys Paige Witek – data entry, report resources WDNR Reviewers: Armund Bartz (NHC) Amy Staffen (NHC) Kevin Doyle (NHC) Mark Rasmussen (WM) Ryan O'Connor (NHC) Dan Hatleli (Fisheries) Shari Koslowski (NHC) Anna Jahns (WM) Cover Photo: Dry-mesic Prairie at Van Loon Floodplain Savanna State Natural Area, by Richard Staffen. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides equal opportunity in its employment, programs, services, and functions under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have any questions, please write to Equal Opportunity Office, Department of Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. This publication is available in alternative format (large print, Braille, audio tape. etc.) upon request. Please call (608-264-6271) for more information. 2 Rapid Ecological Assessment Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Appendices.................................................................................................................................................... 4 Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group at a Glance ......................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose and Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 7 Overview of Methods ................................................................................................................................... 7 Background on Past Efforts ........................................................................................................................ 10 Special Management Designations ............................................................................................................. 11 Regional Ecological Context ...................................................................................................................... 12 Overview of Regional Natural Resources .................................................................................................. 12 Description of the Study Area .................................................................................... 13 Location and Size........................................................................................................................................ 13 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................................. 13 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Rare Species and High-Quality Natural Communities of Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group .......................................................................................................................................................... 26 Management Considerations and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation ... 30 The Black River and Bottomland Habitats ................................................................................................. 30 Coldwater Streams and Wetlands of the LBTRPG .................................................................................... 34 Oak Savanna and Prairie Conservation ...................................................................................................... 36 Wildlife Action Plan Implementation and the LBTRPG ............................................................................ 38 Wisconsin’s Statewide Forest Strategy and the LBTRPG ......................................................................... 40 Non-Native Invasive Species ..................................................................................................................... 41 Game Species .............................................................................................................................................. 45 Primary Sites: Site-specific Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation ................................................. 46 Future Needs ............................................................................................................... 48 Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 49 Species List ................................................................................................................. 50 Reference List ............................................................................................................. 57 Additional Resources ................................................................................................. 59 Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group 3 List of Tables Table 1. Surveys at Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group ............................................... 9 Table 2. Number of SGCN or Rare Plants Significantly Associated with the Western Coulees and Ridges Ecological Landscape ................................................................................................................................. 13 Table 3. Named Water Bodies of the Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group ................. 14 Table 4. Documented rare species and high-quality natural communities of the Lower Black and Trempealeau River Planning Group. .......................................................................................................... 26 Table 5. Forest Interior Birds of Conservation Concern of LBTRPG ........................................................ 31 Table 6. Rare Fishes of the Lower Black River .......................................................................................... 33 Table 7. Wetlands of the Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group..................................... 34 Table 8. Rare Plants of the LBTRPG Associated with Prairies and Savannas .......................................... 37 Table 9. Natural Communities with High or Moderate Management Opportunities in the Western Coulee and Ridges Ecological Landscape that Occur in the LBTRPG (WDNR 2015a) ....................................... 40 Table 10. Selection of Wisconsin Statewide Forest Strategies Relevant to the LBTRPG. ........................ 41 Table 11. Non-native Invasive Species currently known at the Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group ........................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 12. Non-native invasives to watch for in the Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group .................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Table 13. Lower Black and Trempealeau Rivers Planning Group Primary Sites. ..................................... 46 Appendices A. Natural Heritage Inventory Methods Overview B. Map of Conservation Opportunity Areas for the Western Coulee and Ridges Ecological Landscape F. Wisconsin Natural Heritage Working List Explanation G. Primary Sites within the LBTRPG 4 Rapid Ecological Assessment Lower