Biotic Inventory and Analysis of the Flambeau River State Forest A Baseline Inventory and Analysis of Natural Communities, Rare Plants, and Animals May 2008 Natural Heritage Inventory Program Bureau of Endangered Resources Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707-7921 PUBL ER-808 2008 Cover Photo: South Fork of the Flambeau River at Little Falls. Photo by Drew Feldkirchner, WDNR. 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. Biotic Inventory and Analysis of the Flambeau River State Forest A Baseline Inventory and Analysis of Natural Communities, Rare Plants, and Animals Primary Authors: Craig Anderson, Eric Epstein, Drew Feldkirchner, and William Smith Natural Heritage Inventory Program Bureau of Endangered Resources Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707-7921 Acknowledgments We extend our appreciation to Jim Halvorson, Flambeau River State Forest Superintendent; Heidi Brunkow, FRSF Forester; Chuck Norgren, Forestry Technician; and Mark Schmidt, Wildlife Biologist. We also thank those individuals who reviewed this document and provided valuable input. Funding was provided by the Endangered Resources Fund and the Division of Forestry. Primary Authors: Craig Anderson, Eric Epstein, Drew Feldkirchner, and William Smith Contributors: This project would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of many people, including the following: • Craig Anderson – botany, rare plants • Richard Bautz – aquatic macroinvertebrates • Julie Bleser – data management, graphics • Chris Cold – forest raptors • Joan Elias - birds • Eric Epstein – planning, community ecology, birds • Drew Feldkirchner – report production, graphics, community ecology • Andrew Galvin – inventory coordination • Bob Hay – herpetology • Dawn Hinebaugh – report editing • Randy Hoffman – community ecology, botany, ornithology • Terrell Hyde – zoology, data processing, GIS • Christina Isenring – community ecology, botany, data processing, report editing • Dr. Emmet Judziewicz – botany, community ecology • Kathryn Kirk – terrestrial invertebrates • John Krause – community ecology, rare forest raptors • Janeen Laatsch – botany, data processing • James Meeker - botany • Ryan Magana – community ecology • Dr. Kurt Schmude – aquatic invertebrates • William Smith – planning, aquatic invertebrates, forest raptors • Elizabeth Spencer – community ecology, birds • Logan Suhr – GIS • Kristin Westad – botany, lichens, data processing • Erik Wild – herptiles • Jim Woodford – rare forest raptors Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 8 Project Purpose and Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 8 Overview of Methods .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Background on Past Efforts ............................................................................................................................... 10 Description of the Study Area .................................................................................................... 11 Location ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Ecoregions ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Size .................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Special Management Designations .................................................................................................................... 13 Public Lands ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 General Land Use .............................................................................................................................................. 14 Physical Environment ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Summary of Findings.................................................................................................................. 21 Natural Communities of the Study Area ............................................................................................................ 21 Rare Vascular Plants of the Study Area ............................................................................................................. 21 Rare Animals of the Study Area ........................................................................................................................ 23 Threats to Natural Communities, Aquatic Systems, and Rare Species.................................. 27 Priority Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation .............................................................. 30 Landscape Level Priorities ................................................................................................................................ 30 Community Level Priorities .............................................................................................................................. 31 Primary Sites: Significance and Summaries ............................................................................ 33 Future Inventory, Monitoring and Research Needs.................................................................. 35 Glossary ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Species List ................................................................................................................................. 36 References ................................................................................................................................... 42 Flambeau River State Forest 1 Appendices A. Natural Heritage Inventory Methods Overview.........................................................................................A-1 B. Primary Site Descriptions...........................................................................................................................B-1 C. Natural Communities of the Flambeau River State Forest...........................................................................C-1 D. Species of Greatest Conservation Need for the North Central Forest..........................................................D-1 E.Working List Explanation.............................................................................................................................E-1 F. Summary of Breeding Bird Data from 2000-2001 Surveys.........................................................................F-1 List of Tables Table 1. Field Surveys Conducted During 2000 – 2001………………………………….........................................9 Table 2. Natural Communities Documented from the Study Area..............................................................................21 Table 3. Rare Plants Documented from the Study Area...............................................................................................21 Table 4. Rare Animals Documented from the Study Area...........................................................................................23 Table 5. Vertebrate Species of Greatest Conservation Need for the North Central Forest..................................................26 Table D.1 Vertebrate Species of Greatest Conservation Need and Habitats for the North Central Forest............D-1 Table F.1. Numbers of Birds Observed During Point Counts, Flambeau River State Forest, June 2000.............F-1 List of Figures Figure 1. Flambeau River State Forest Study Area..…..…………………………………........................................11 Figure 2. Wisconsin’s Ecological Landscapes….……..…………………………………........................................11 Figure 3. Landtype Associations from the Flambeau River State Forest………………..….....................................12 Figure 4. Areas with Special Management Designations on the Flambeau River State Forest……...................13 Figure 5. Public Lands in the Area Surrounding the Flambeau River State Forest…………..……...................14 Figure 6. Wisconsin Contiguous Deciduous Forested Blocks………………………………..….........…..........15 Figure 7. Vegetation for the Flambeau