Biotic Inventory and Analysis of the Kettle Moraine State Forest A Baseline Inventory and Analysis of Natural Communities, Rare Plants, and Animals June 2010 Natural Heritage Inventory Program Bureau of Endangered Resources Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 PUBL ER-821 2010 Kettle Moraine State Forest - 1 - Cover Photos (Clockwise from top left): Oak Woodland at Kettle Moraine Oak Opening SNA. Photo by Drew Feldkirchner, WDNR; prairie milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii). Photo by Ryan O’Connor, WDNR; Ephemeral Pond on the KMSF. Photo by Ryan O’Connor, WDNR; Northern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus). Ohio DNR. Copies of this report can be obtained by writing to the Bureau of Endangered Resources at the address on the front cover. This publication is available in alternative format (large print, Braille, audio tape, etc) upon request. Please call (608-266-7012) for more information. 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. Kettle Moraine State Forest - 2 - Biotic Inventory and Analysis of the Kettle Moraine State Forest A Baseline Inventory and Analysis of Natural Communities, Rare Plants, and Animals Primary Authors: Terrell Hyde, Christina Isenring, Ryan O’Connor, Amy Staffen, Richard Staffen Natural Heritage Inventory Program Bureau of Endangered Resources Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707-7921 - 3 - Biotic Inventory and Analysis Acknowledgments We extend our appreciation to Jerry Leiterman, Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit Superintendent and Paul Sandgren, Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit Superintendent; Terry Jensen, Pike Lake Unit Property Supervisor, Ed Muzik, Lapham Peak Unit Property Manager, and Tom Isaac, Loew Lake Unit Property Manager; Dale Katsma, Area Wildlife Supervisor; Tim Beyer, KMSF- NU Forester and Mike Sieger, KMSF-SU Forester; Jackie Scharfenberg, KMSF-NU Naturalist and Ron Kurowski, KMSF-SU Naturalist; Brian Glenzinski and Dan Weidert, Wildlife Biologists; and, Chuck Gatling, Wildlife Technician. We also thank those individuals who reviewed this document and provided valuable input. Funding was provided by the Endangered Resources Fund, the Division of Lands, and the Division of Forestry. Primary Authors: Terrell Hyde, Christina Isenring, Ryan O’Connor, Amy Staffen, Richard Staffen Contributors: This project would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of many people, including the following: Craig Anderson – botany, rare plants Jeff Baughman – birds Richard Bautz – mammals Matthew Berg – mussels John Bielefeldt – birds Julie Bleser – data management, graphics Susan Borkin – terrestrial invertebrates Owen Boyle – community ecology, report editing Gary Casper – herpetology and fishes Eric Epstein – community ecology, botany, birds Randy Hoffman – community ecology, botany, ornithology Terrell Hyde – zoology, data processing, GIS Christina Isenring – community ecology, botany, data processing, planning Katharine Lund – report editing Ryan O’Connor – botany, community ecology, data processing Kurt Schmude – aquatic invertebrates Thomas Slawski – rare fish William Smith – zoology, planning, aquatic invertebrates Amy Staffen – data processing Rich Staffen – zoology, planning, data processing, birds, forest raptors Andrea Szymczak – birds Paul White – bats Kettle Moraine State Forest - 4 - Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 8 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 14 Project Purpose and Objectives .................................................................................. 14 Overview of Methods ................................................................................................. 16 Background on Previous Efforts ................................................................................. 18 Special Management Designations ............................................................................. 20 Regional Ecological Context ................................................................................................ 22 Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape ......................................................... 22 Regional Biodiversity Needs and Opportunities ......................................................... 23 Rare Species of the Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape ......................... 24 Description of the Study Area .............................................................................................. 25 Location and Size ........................................................................................................ 25 Ecoregion .................................................................................................................... 25 Physical Environment ................................................................................................. 28 Vegetation ................................................................................................................... 29 Natural Communities of the Study Area ..................................................................... 36 Rare Vascular Plants of the Study Area ...................................................................... 37 Rare Animals of the Study Area ................................................................................. 40 Threats to the Biodiversity of the KMSF ............................................................................ 45 Management Considerations and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation for the Kettle Moraine State Forest ................................................................................................. 50 Landscape Level Priorities .......................................................................................... 50 Community Level Priorities and Restoration Opportunities ...................................... 52 Wisconsin’s Statewide Forest Strategy ....................................................................... 57 Management Opportunities for Rare Species ............................................................. 58 Primary Sites: Significance and Summaries ...................................................................... 64 - 5 - Biotic Inventory and Analysis Future Inventory, Monitoring and Research Needs .......................................................... 68 Glossary ................................................................................................................................. 69 Species List ............................................................................................................................ 71 References .............................................................................................................................. 75 Additional Resources ............................................................................................................ 81 Appendices A. Natural Heritage Inventory Methods Overview B. Map of Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape Conservation Opportunity Areas C. Summary Descriptions for Species and Natural Communities Documented on the Kettle Moraine State Forest D. Wisconsin Natural Heritage Working List Explanation E. Kettle Moraine State Forest Species of Greatest Conservation Need List of Tables Table 1. Field surveys conducted during 2005-2009 .................................................................................. 17 Table 2. Major Natural Community Management Opportunities in the Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape (EMPT 2007 and WDNR 2006b) ........................................................................... 23 Table 3. Listing Status for rare species in the Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape as of November 2009 (WDNR In Prep.) ............................................................................................................. 24 Table 4. NHI natural community types, with last observed dates, documented within the study area.. ..... 36 Table 5. Rare plants documented within the study area........................................................ ......................39 Table 6. Rare animals documented within the study area............................................................................41 Table 7. Known widespread invasive species on the KMSF. ..................................................................... 47 Table 8. New or not-widespread invasive species on the KMSF. .............................................................. 48 Table 9. Invasive species that are within the area, but not currently known from the KMSF. ................... 48 Table 10. Rare plant species associated with Calcareous Fens and Wet-mesic Prairies............................. 59 Table 11. Bird Species of Conservation Concern found in grassland habitats in the Southern Unit. .........60 Table 12. Forest Interior Breeding Birds of the KMSF...............................................................................63 List of