Chapter 20 Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape Where to Find the Publication The Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin publication is available online, in CD format, and in limited quantities as a hard copy. Individual chapters are available for download in PDF format through the Wisconsin DNR website (http://dnr.wi.gov/, keyword “landscapes”). The introductory chapters (Part 1) and supporting materials (Part 3) should be downloaded along with individual ecological landscape chapters in Part 2 to aid in understanding and using the ecological landscape chapters. In addition to containing the full chapter of each ecological landscape, the website highlights key information such as the ecological landscape at a glance, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, natural community management opportunities, general management opportunities, and ecological landscape and Landtype Association maps (Appendix K of each ecological landscape chapter). These web pages are meant to be dynamic and were designed to work in close association with materials from the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan as well as with information on Wisconsin’s natural communities from the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory Program. If you have a need for a CD or paper copy of this book, you may request one from Dreux Watermolen, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Photos (L to R): Green violet, photo by Kitty Kohout; Short-eared Owl, photo by Jack Bartholmai; reflexed trillium, photo by Thomas Meyer, Wisconsin DNR; Henlow’s Sparrow, photo © Laurie Smaglick Johnson; northern cricket frog, photo by Rori Paloski, Wisconsin DNR. Suggested Citation Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS-1131 2015, Madison. Suggested Citation for This Chapter Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Chapter 20, Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS- 1131V 2015, Madison. Cover Photos Top left: The Upland Sandpiper (Wisconsin Threatened) has declined in many parts of its North American range. Large areas of unfragmented grassland are needed as breeding habitat by this bird. Photo by Dawn Scranton. Bottom left: Dry-mesic hardwood forest, developing old-growth characteristics. This stand is on a rise within an oxbow of the Pecatonica River and was protected from many past fires. Lafayette County. Photo by Cathy Bleser, Wisconsin DNR. Top right: Extensive grasslands occur today at only a few locations in Wisconsin, where less than 1% of the former prairie acreage still exists. This site in the Southwest Savanna is composed of surrogate grasslands, prairie pasture, and small scattered native prairie remnants. Photo by Thomas Meyer, Wisconsin DNR. Center right: Important populations of the globally rare regal fritillary (Wisconsin Endangered) inhabit prairies in the Southwest Savanna. Photo by Mike Reese. Bottom right: Stream flowing through prairie pasture and remnant oak savanna, steep slope support- ing stands of native conifers (eastern white pine, eastern hemlock). Iowa County. Photo by Eric Epstein, Wisconsin DNR. Contents Thomas Meyer, WDNR Thomas Meyer, Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape at a Glance .......................................... vii Introduction ................................................................................. 1 General Description and Overview ............................................................ 3 Environment and Ecology .................................................................... 3 Physical Environment ....................................................................... 3 Size .................................................................................... 3 Climate ................................................................................. 3 Bedrock Geology .......................................................................... 4 Landforms and Surficial Geology .............................................................. 8 Topography and Elevation ................................................................... 8 Soils ................................................................................... 8 Hydrology ............................................................................... 9 Biotic Environment ......................................................................... 12 Vegetation and Land Cover .................................................................. 12 Flora ................................................................................... 18 Fauna .................................................................................. 21 Natural and Human Disturbances ............................................................. 29 Management Opportunities for Important Ecological Features of the Southwest Savanna ...... 33 Large-scale Grassland Management ........................................................... 34 Native Prairie Remnants ..................................................................... 37 Oak Savanna Restoration .................................................................... 38 Continuum of Fire-adapted Vegetation: Prairie-Savanna-Woodland-Oak Forest and Associated Populations of Sensitive Grassland and Savanna Species ....................................... 39 Forests ................................................................................... 40 Warmwater Rivers and Streams ............................................................... 41 Coldwater Streams Embedded within Grasslands ................................................ 42 Caves, Abandoned Mines, and Other Subterranean Habitats ....................................... 43 Socioeconomic Characteristics ................................................................ 43 History of Human Settlement and Resource Use ................................................. 43 American Indian Settlement ................................................................. 43 Euro-American Contact and Settlement ......................................................... 44 Early Agriculture .......................................................................... 44 Early Mining ............................................................................. 45 Early Transportation and Access ............................................................... 45 Early Logging Era .......................................................................... 45 V-iii Resource Characterization and Use ............................................................ 45 The Land ................................................................................ 46 Minerals ................................................................................ 46 Water (Ground and Surface).................................................................. 46 Recreation ............................................................................... 46 Agriculture .............................................................................. 48 Timber.................................................................................. 49 Infrastructure ............................................................................ 51 Current Socioeconomic Conditions ............................................................ 52 Demography ............................................................................. 52 The Economy ............................................................................. 53 Integrated Opportunities for Management ................................................... 56 Appendices .................................................................................. 57 Appendix 20.A. Watershed Water Quality Summary for the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape ............ 57 Appendix 20.B. Forest Habitat Types in the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape ......................... 58 Appendix 20.C. The Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) Table of Rare Species and Natural Community Occurrences (Plus a Few Miscellaneous Features Tracked by the NHI Program) for the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape in November 2009................................................................. 59 Appendix 20.D. Number of Species with Special Designations Documented within the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape, 2009 .................................................................. 63 Appendix 20.E. Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) Found in the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape ....................................................................... 64 Appendix 20.F. Natural Communities for Which There Are Management Opportunities in the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape ....................................................................... 66 Appendix 20.G. Public Conservation Lands in the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape, 2005 ............... 67 Appendix 20.H. Land Legacy Places in the Southwest Savanna Ecological Landscape and Their Ecological and Recreational Significance ................................................................. 68 Appendix 20.I. Importance of Economic Sectors within the Southwest Savanna Counties Compared to the Rest of the State .......................................................................