Final NKMR Regional & Property Analysis Final Regional and Property Analysis Northern Kettle Moraine Region (NKMR) Wildlife, Fishery and State Natural Areas Wildlife Areas Fishery Areas (Sheboygan County) Jackson Marsh (Washington Co.) La Budde Creek Fishery Area Allenton (Washington Co.) Onion River Stream Bank Protection Area Theresa (Washington/Dodge Co.) Mullet Creek (Fond du Lac Co.) State Natural Area Kiel Marsh (Sheb/Calum/Manit Co.) Nichols Creek (Sheboygan Co.) Cedarburg Bog (Ozaukee Co.) May 2013 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Publication number LF-067 Final NKMR Regional & Property Analysis Cover Photo Kelly Raleigh Moses, WDNR Nichols Creek Wildlife Area – Spring Pond Pub LF-xxxx2011 For your convenience, this document is available on the internet at http:/dnr.wi.gov/ . Enter property master planning in the Search and Keywords box or access the document from each property’s web page. 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 the Equal Opportunity Office, Department of the Interior, Washington D.C. 20240, or Wisconsin’s Office of Diversity, WDNR, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. This publication is available in alternative format (large print, Braille, audio tape, etc.) upon request. Please contact the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Facilities and Lands at 608-266-2135 for more information. Final NKMR Regional & Property Analysis TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW .................................................................. 1 PURPOSE OF REGIONAL AND PROPERTY ANALYSIS .............................................. 1 INTRODUCTION TO PROPERTIES BY DESIGNATION ................................................. 1 OVERVIEW OF THE NORTHERN KETTLE MORAINE REGION PROPERTIES ................. 2 ANALYSIS OF THE REGIONAL CONTEXT ...................................................... 3 RECREATION RESOURCES: USE AND POTENTIAL .................................................. 3 Hunting and Trapping………………………………………………………………………..3 Fishing and Water Based Activities .............................................................................. 3 Wildlife Viewing, Research and Outdoor Education ..................................................... 4 Trails ............................................................................................................................. 4 Shooting Sports………………………………………………………………………………4 Camping ....................................................................................................................... 5 Recreation Opportunities and Need ............................................................................. 5 Population and Public Access Lands………………………………………………………5 Recreation and Public Use Challenges......……………………………………………… 7 HABITAT MANAGEMENT – CURRENT PRACTICES .................................................. 8 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND ECOLOGICAL CAPABILITY ..................................... 10 Defining the Region ................................................................................................... 10 Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape ....................................................... 10 Historic Vegetation ............................................................................................... 10 Physical Environment: Geology & Soils ............................................................... 11 Water Resources and Aquatic Habitats ............................................................... 11 Wild Game Resources…………………………………………………………………12 Natural Community Management Opportunities ....................................................... 12 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (WI Wildlife Action Plan) ........................... 13 Conservation Opportunity Areas ............................................................................... 13 LAND USE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS ......................................... 14 Defining the Region ................................................................................................... 14 Population .................................................................................................................. 14 Land Use and Ownership .......................................................................................... 14 Economic Issues ....................................................................................................... 15 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources May 2013 Final NKMR Regional & Property Analysis ANALYSIS OF PROPERTIES .......................................................................16 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF NKMR PROPERTIES: ....................................... 16 Vegetation and Natural Communities ........................................................................ 16 Threats to Biodiversity: Simplification, Disturbances, Invasive Species .................. 19 Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation ............................................................. 21 Exceptional Characteristics of NKMR Properties ................................................ 21 Sites of High Conservation Significance ............................................................. 23 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................... 23 PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS: RESOURCES, USE, MANAGEMENT, CONSTRAINTS ..... 24 Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area & State Natural Area (Washington Co.) ......... 24 Allenton Wildlife Area (Washington Co.) ...................................................... 28 Theresa Wildlife Area (Washington/Dodge Co.) .......................................... 30 Mullet Creek Wildlife Area (Fond du Lac Co.) .............................................. 34 Kiel Marsh Wildlife Area (Sheboygan, Calumet, Manitowoc Co.) ................. 38 Nichols Creek Wildlife Area (Sheboygan Co.) ............................................. 41 La Budde Creek Fishery Area (Sheboygan Co.).......................................... 44 Onion River Stream Bank Protection Area (Sheboygan Co.) ....................... 47 Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area (Ozaukee Co.) ...................................... 51 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................55 PROPERTIES’ ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CAPABILITY ................................. 55 PROPERTIES’ RECREATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CAPABILITY ............................. 57 SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 58 LITERATURE & SOURCES CITED ................................................................60 APPENDIX A: SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED .......................62 MAPS MAP A: NKMR REGIONAL LOCATOR AND PUBLIC LANDS MAP B: NKMR NAVIGABLE WATERS AND TRAILS MAP C: CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY AREAS AND ECOLOGICAL UNITS MAP SERIES D: VEGETATION COVER TYPES MAP SERIES E: EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE MAP SERIES F: DNR MANAGED LANDS, OTHER PUBLIC LANDS AND PRIMARY SITES MAP SERIES G: ARCHAEOLOGY Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources May 2013 Final NKMR Regional & Property Analysis LIST of FIGURES Figure 1. Statewide need for recreation lands ................................................. 6 Figure 2. Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin ................................................10 Figure 3. Population density gradient for 1-hour drives to managed lands ............15 LIST of TABLES Table 1. Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area Cover Types .........................................24 Table 2. Allenton Wildlife Area Cover Types ..................................................28 Table 3. Theresa Wildlife Area Cover Types ..................................................30 Table 4. Mullet Creek Wildlife Area Cover Types ............................................34 Table 5. Kiel Marsh Wildlife Area Cover Types ...............................................38 Table 6. Nichols Creek Wildlife Area Cover Types ..........................................41 Table 7. LaBudde Creek Fishery Area Cover Types ........................................44 Table 8. Onion River Streambank Protection Area Cover Types ........................48 Table 9. Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area Cover Types ................................ 51 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources May 2013 Final NKMR Regional & Property Analysis Introduction and Overview Purpose of Regional and Property Analysis (RPA) All Department of Natural Resources properties are required to have a Master Plan describing the scope, purpose, and management of the project. The plan will be developed within the parameters of Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter NR 44, which governs Master Planning for DNR properties. Most of the Northern Kettle Moraine Region fish and wildlife properties have approved Master Plans, but they date to the early to mid1980’s. NR 44 requires the plans be reviewed and updated at 15-20 year intervals. The Regional and Property Analysis is the first phase and foundation of the Master Planning Process. Functionally, it highlights those elements in a regional context that are most important to consider when planning the property and identifies the most suitable potential future roles or niches for a property. Regional Analysis The Regional Analysis component of this document describes the broader biological/ecological,