Sugar River Planning Group Final Master Plan and Footville Wildlife Area Feasibility Study May, 2016 Approved by the Natural Resources Board Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources DNR PUB-LF-083 Cathy Stepp - Secretary Natural Resources Board Terry Hilgenberg, Chair Gregory Kazmierski, Vice Chair Julie Anderson, Secretary William Bruins Preston D. Cole, Dr. Frederick Prehn Gary Zimmer Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 101 S. Webster St. P.O. Box 7921 Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921 DNR PUB-LF-083 The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides equal opportunity in its employment, programs, services, and function under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have any questions, please write to Equal Opportunity Office, Department of Interior, Dane, Green and Rock, D.C. 20240. This publication is available in alternative format (large print, Braille, audio tape, etc.) upon request. Please contact the Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Facilities and Lands at (608) 266- 2135 for more information. Photos (from upper right clockwise) Yahara River (DNR Flickr) White-tailed Deer (DNR Flickr) Bird Watching at Avon Bottoms (DNR Flickr) Pheasant Hunting (DNR Flickr) Master Plan Team Members Plan Acceptance Team Sanjay Olson – Administrator, Lands Division Thomas Hauge - Director, Bureau of Wildlife Management Erin Crain - Director, Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation Steve Miller - Director, Bureau of Facilities and Lands Dan Schuller - Director, Bureau of Parks and Recreation Paul Cunningham - Director’s designee, Bureau of Fisheries Jim Warren - Director, Bureau of Forest Management Sponsor Team Eric Lobner – Southern Regional Supervisor - Wildlife Management Core Team Eric Lobner – Southern Regional Supervisor, Wildlife Management Sharon Fandel – District Ecologist, Natural Heritage Conservation Ed Jepsen – Planner, Lands and Facilities Kurt Welke – Fisheries Biologist, Fisheries Management Nick Koltz – Forester, Forest Management Brigit Brown – Parks and Recreation Specialist, Parks and Recreation Technical Team Mike Foy - Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Management Andy Paulios - Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Management Mike Dieckhoff – Conservation Warden, Law Enforcement Mike La Bissoniere – Real Estate Specialist, Facilities and Land Mark Dudzik – Archaeologist, Facilities and Lands GIS/Map Production Mark Binder - Information Systems Data Services Specialist, Facilities and Lands Kaylin Helm – Information Systems Data Services Specialist, Facilities and Lands Other Contributors Nate Fayram - District Ecologist, Natural Heritage Conservation Brian Buenzow – Wildlife Technician, Wildlife Management (retired) Steve Holaday – Forester, Forest Management Cory Secher – Forester, Forest Management James Amrhein – Water Resources Management Specialist, Water Quality Nathan Kroeplin – Conservation Warden, Law Enforcement Sugar River Planning Group_NRB Approved Master Plan 1 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ 2 TABLES......................................................................................................................................................... 4 FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 MAPS ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER ONE THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS ........................................................................... 12 Planning and Management Background ............................................................................................................. 12 Prior Conservation Efforts ................................................................................................................................. 13 Public Support and Input .................................................................................................................................... 15 Wildlife Communities .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Fish Communities ............................................................................................................................................... 16 RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES ....................................................................................... 17 Investments in Public Lands, Recreation and Conservation ............................................................................... 19 ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE ........................................................................................................................... 22 CHAPTER TWO - SECTION ONE GENERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND USE ......................... 24 Planning Group Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 25 General Authority ............................................................................................................................................... 26 Land Management Classifications ...................................................................................................................... 26 RECREATION MANAGEMENT AND USE ............................................................................................................ 29 Recreation Trends ............................................................................................................................................... 31 GENERAL HABITAT MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................. 34 AND PRESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Active and Passive Management......................................................................................................................... 38 WETLANDS, GRASSLANDS AND AGRICULTURAL HABITATS ............................................................................. 41 Wetland Habitats (non-forested) ......................................................................................................................... 41 FOREST HABITATS ........................................................................................................................................ 46 Management Objectives for all Forest Types ..................................................................................................... 46 Management Prescriptions for all Forest Types ................................................................................................. 46 Forested Wetlands .............................................................................................................................................. 50 FISHERY HABITATS AND WATER QUALITY ...................................................................................................... 53 PROPERTY ADMINISTRATION AND POLICIES .................................................................................................... 57 Real Estate Management .................................................................................................................................... 62 Public Communications and Plan Monitoring ................................................................................................... 64 CHAPTER TWO- SECTION TWO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY PLANS ...................................................... 65 WILDLIFE AREA RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................. 65 Albany Wildlife Area and Scattered Wildlife land .............................................................................................. 65 Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area ................................................................................................................................ 69 Badfish Creek Wildlife Area ............................................................................................................................... 76 Brooklyn WildlifeArea, Streambank Protection-Story Creek and Scattered Wildlife/ExtensiveWildlife Parcel . 80 Evansville Wildlife Area & Streambank Protection-Allen Creek........................................................................ 84 Hook Lake/Grass Lake Wildlife Area and State Natural Area and Extensive Wildlife Habitat .......................... 87 Liberty Creek Wildlife Area ................................................................................................................................ 91 Footville Wildlife Area Feasibility Study ............................................................................................................ 93 Extensive Wildlife Habitat - Rock County.............................................................................................................95