Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map

Cover Photographs 

Top: Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris) - Courtesy Gary Emmerlich 

Middle: Hines Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) - Courtesy Paul Burton 

Bottom: Mink River, on the Upper Peninsula, looking west. - Courtesy Mike Grimm 

Cover Design: Pat Robinson, UWEX Lakeshore Basin Educator for Natural Resources

A Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat and Natural Areas 

Of 

Door County, Wisconsin 

March, 2003 

First Edition 

A Collaborative Community Project 

Copies of this document can be obtained from the 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 

Sturgeon Bay Service Center 

110 S. Neenah Avenue 

Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Illustrations © 1997 Chris Baird, Minneapolis, All Rights Reserved

– Foreword – 

by Nina Leopold Bradley 

The Highest and Best Uses of Land 

History tells us that our native surroundings provide our 

fundamental identity and sense of place. They provide the foothold 

for understanding who we are as a people. Our natural heritage has 

helped to shape our cultural heritage. 

In Door County the splendor of its natural surrounding has 

played an important role in shaping and nurturing community 

values. Fifty years ago Aldo Leopold urged Americans to adopt a 

more caring attitude toward the land. He wrote, “Quit thinking about 

decent land use as solely an economic problem … examine each 

question in terms of what is ethically and esthetically right, as well as 

what is economically expedient.” 

This guidebook on natural areas allows us to examine the 

maps and descriptions of the uncommon natural wonders that are the 

precious heritage of Door County. Leopold’s thoughts lead us to 

think about what is esthetically right as well as economically 

expedient. To achieve a balanced economy, in harmony with the 

natural environment and its preservation, will require strong 

leadership and a broad ethical vision. 

It has been written that the future of our public lands will be determined by the strength of our 

leadership on environmental issues. Our own Wisconsin environmental ecologists have articulated such 

a commitment over the last century. From Sig Olson to Aldo Leopold to John Muir, we have abundant 

inspiration to protect our wildest places, balancing the increasing demand for development. 

Conservation, as Aldo Leopold understood it, is a matter not just of technical skills, but of social 

development, which in turn is a matter of changing mores, customs, laws, incentives and community 

standards. 

As we care for this special part of 

Wisconsin we may be able to implement an 

elevation of community standards, a fresh 

understanding of the dynamic interrelationship 

between public and private interests, and 

public and private lands. 

Leopold wrote: “Now we face the 

question whether a still higher standard of 

living is worth its cost in things natural, 

wild and free.” 

– Foreward – 3

This volume indicates that Door County still retains some of these “things natural, wild and free”. 

Let us value them as we study these carefully constructed maps and descriptions, and consider the highest 

and best use of the unspoiled lands. 

With all of its appeal, Door County is going to attract growth whether we actively seek it or not. 

The future of the county’s remaining undeveloped landscape is contingent upon how we determine their 

highest and best use. This guide will facilitate our learning about the county’s remaining natural areas as 

we contemplate their future. 

4 

– Forward – 

Nina Leopold Bradley 

September, 2002 

Aldo Leopold’s eldest daughter Nina Leopold Bradley lives in Baraboo, Wisconsin 

where she continues to deepen her father’s legacy through her work in 

supporting the mission of the Aldo Leopold Foundation. 

The Foundation promotes the care of natural 

resources by fostering an ethical 

relationship between people and land. 

Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic 

“When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may 

begin to use it with love and respect. That land is a community is the 

basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is 

an extension of ethics”.

— Preface — 

This publication represents the collective efforts of a group of individuals whose intent is to help 

preserve Door County’s communities of plants and animals and their habitats. Many people acknowledge 

that most of the remaining natural landscapes and open space are seriously threatened by continued 

commercial and residential development. Concerned about the problem, this initiative was organized to 

examine this threat and formulate a strategy to help minimize the consequences. 

One could conclude that the way of life we experience in Door County is in many respects 

dependent upon its open spaces and undeveloped natural landscapes. Considered a special place, Door 

County can be characterized by its numerous and diverse natural areas. These places are home to a 

variety of plant and animal species and geographical features, the likes of which are found nowhere else. 

The fact that some of these natural areas are already protected as state parks, nature preserves and 

wildlife areas is a testament to the high quality of natural ecosystems to be found in Door County. Door 

County has a total of 22 designated State Natural Areas, which is more than any other county. Five state 

parks encompassing over 9000 acres are found here, which is also more than in any other county, and two 

state wildlife areas contain an additional 3000 acres. The Ridges Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, 

The Door County Land Trust and the University of Wisconsin collectively own or manage more than 

5000 acres for purposes of natural area protection. Seventeen county parks and numerous town and 

municipal parks provide varying levels of protection for other sites. 

Although significant areas of Door County have been set aside for conservation and recreation, 

large expanses of undeveloped natural ecosystems remain unprotected. The rush of daily life makes it 

easy to take these unprotected areas, and the benefits we derive from them, for granted. Yet many of 

these natural landscapes will eventually be lost or degraded if preventive action isn't taken. Losing these 

special areas would have a significant and noticeable adverse affect on adjacent properties. Even those 

areas that are preserved are threatened by over use or invasive species. 

Our purpose has 

been to provide 

practical information 

that might assist 

citizens and civic and 

political leaders in 

supporting natural 

area preservation and 

protection activities in 

and around their 

communities. 

This guide is designed for people at all levels of government. 

Hopefully, others will find it useful, including natural resource 

professionals and interested citizens. Our purpose has been to provide 

practical information that might assist citizens and civic and political 

leaders in supporting natural area preservation and protection activities in 

and around their communities. 

Seventeen areas have been identified as the most critical in 

maintaining the ecological integrity of Door County’s natural environment, 

and hence one of the keys to the county’s way of life. While this list of 

areas is certainly not exhaustive and could be debated, it does represent the 

best identification effort of a very diverse group of interested parties with 

knowledge of Door County and its natural areas. Each area holds 

significant value for recreation, aesthetics, clean air and water, and local 

biodiversity. 

Even though efforts were made to gather information about available land preservation and 

protection programs, it has not been included as part of this publication. Future editions will explore and 

catalogue the variety of programs and strategies that can be used to preserve and protect wildlife habitat 

and natural areas. 

– Preface – 5

6 

— Acknowledgement — 

This publication has been an evolving and collaborative effort since its early beginning in July of 

1997. The result represents many generously given volunteer hours, numerous regularly scheduled 

meetings and considerable give and take by everyone involved. No one individual or organization was in 

control, rather the process can best be characterized in the spirit of shared leadership and shared 

responsibility. Many of those participating have affiliations with local, state and federal agencies and 

conservation organizations but have given of their energies and time as individuals concerned about the 

future of wildlife habitat and natural landscapes on the Door Peninsula. Their professional association 

should not be perceived as an endorsement by those agencies or organizations of the work presented here. 

Roy Aiken 

Dan Burke 

Jaime Corbiser 

Ron Fassbender 

Coleen Feucht 

Robert Florence 

Terry Gardon 

Mike Grimm 

Robert Howe 

– Acknowledgements -- 

Roy Lukes 

Patrick Robinson 

Bill Ruff 

Carl Scholz 

William Schuster 

Mary Standish 

Ron Stieglitz 

Joel Trick 

Jerry Viste 

Others who have occasionally participated to offer timely information and advice are recognized 

and appreciated for their contribution: 

Guenevere Abernathy 

David Allen 

Jim Bunning 

Laddie Chapman 

Ray Drake 

George Evenson 

Mariah Goode 

Vinnie Hancock 

Bill Laatsch 

Arnie Lindauer 

Charlotte Lukes 

Paul Mahlberg 

Robert Merline 

Pat Miller 

Paul Regnier 

Jon Renner 

Bob Ryan 

Phil Saperstein 

Larry Smith 

Mike Toneys

Special Recognition 

Since its early beginnings these individuals have given many hours to this project. Their 

agencies, institutions and organizations are each recognized for having allowed them to work on this 

important project: 

Bay Lake Regional Planning Commission 

Door County Environment Council 

Door Property Owners, Inc. 

Door County Planning Department 

Door County Soil & Water Conservation Department 

The Door County Land Trust 

The Door County Land Use Forum 

The Nature Conservancy 

United States Fish & Wildlife Service 

University of Wisconsin-Extension 

University of Wisconsin Green Bay 


Bay Lake Regional Planning Commission has provided natural area site maps and the many 

seemingly unending revisions as the project unfolded. The Bureau of Endangered Resources of the 

Department of Natural Resources has provided considerable assistance in the inventory of plants and 

animals in many parts of the county. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has been especially helpful in seeking out and 

securing the financial resources provided by Peterson Builders, Inc. to employ a project coordinator 

during the past year to pull everything together for this publication. UW-Extension and the Wisconsin 

Department of Natural Resources have helped underwrite printing expenses. 

The pen and ink drawings that are found throughout this publication are the works of nature artist 

Chris Baird, of Minneapolis MN. Charles Bradley, Sr., husband of Nina Leopold Bradley drew the 

sketch of the Leopold Shack shown on page 17. 

Richard Follmer piloted his flying machine and allowed us to take many of the aerial photographs 

you’ll see in this guide and his generosity is very much appreciated. Numerous photographers are 

recognized with credits along side their work and we thank them collectively for their contribution. 

A very special thanks to Ms. Coleen Feucht, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin 

Green Bay Campus, who has acted as the project coordinator. She has been a tremendous asset in helping 

to finalize the guide. Serigraph, Inc., of West Bend, Wisconsin generously contributed the printing of the 

front and back cover pages. Roy Aiken, coordinated the final revisions, edited, and prepared the 

publication for printing. 

– Acknowledgements -- 7

— Table of Contents — 

Foreword ………………………………………………………………………………………….... 3 

Preface ……………………………………………………………………………….………….… 5 

Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………………… 6 

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 

Chapter 1 - A (very) Short Course in Ecology & Related Land Use Philosophy ………………... 15 

Chapter 2 - Natural Areas in Door County ……………………………………………………….. 19 

Wildlife Habitat & Natural Areas Reference Map ………………….…………..… 21 

Ahnapee River Corridor …………………………………………………………… 23 

Black Ash Swamp …………………………………………………………….…… 29 

Delwiche – Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex ….………………...……. 33 

Renard Swamp ……………………………………………………….……..…….. 39 

Hardwood Swamp, Renard Creek, South Renard Swamp, 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex …………………………………………....….…. 45 

Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek / Gardner Swamp Complex ……………………….... 51 

Hungry Settlement Marsh ……………………………………………………..….. 57 

Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline ……………………………………….………. 61 

Shivering Sands, Lily Bay, Lily Bay Creek, Kellner Fen 

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Clay Banks 

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex ….……….… 71 

West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor ………………………….….…..…… 77 

Whitefish Bay Creek, Marsh Area 

Bay Shore Bluff Lands…………………………………………………...….…….. 83 

Bay Shore Bluffs & Woods, Spring Lane Hardwood Swamp 

Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor ………………………………………………… 91 

Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor ………………………………………….….……… 97 

Fish Creek Watershed, Hibbards Creek, Thorp Pond, Meridian Park 

North Kangaroo Lake 

Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands ……….…..….. 109 

Ephraim Swamp, Forest Corridor, North Bay Three Springs 

Mink River / Rowley’s Bay System………………………………………..………. 115 

Europe Lake Forest Area ………………………………………….……..………… 123 

Grand Traverse Islands ………………………………………….….………….….. 127 

Literature Cited …………………………………………………………………………..……….. 149 

Glossary of Terms…………………………………………………………………………………. 153 

Appendix A – Natural Communities Cross Reference to Natural Areas …………………………. 157 

Appendix B – Door County’s Rare Species & Natural Communities ………..…………………… 159 

Appendix C – Recognized Natural Communities of Door County………………………….…….. 171 

Appendix D – Natural Areas: A Definition & Status Report……………………………………… 179 

Appendix E – Statistics on Wisconsin’s Biological Diversity …………………………………… 195 

Appendix F – Resources for Natural Areas Information and Protection …………………………. 197 

– Table of Contents – 9

— Introduction — 

Natural landscapes and wildlife matter to people in Wisconsin and Door County. Nature and its 

seasonal patterns marked by fall colors, the annual migration of waterfowl and songbirds, and the spring 

explosion of budding trees and wildflowers are so much a part of people’s everyday lives that we can not 

imagine being without them. 

But as the pressures of growth and a tourism economy accelerate, what will it take to protect 

these natural resources distributed across the county? Practically speaking, we must consider the 

economic aspects. We want communities to prosper. Can we afford to protect significant parcels of land 

and leave them in a wild and natural condition? Our first response is we can't afford not to, however, 

easy answers or single solutions are not possible. Most likely solutions will have to be tailored to the 

uniqueness of the landscape and the specific needs of each landowner. 

Economic vitality may be one of the best reasons for maintaining undeveloped lands in and 

around our communities. Natural areas have a positive impact on property values of adjacent lands, and 

when kept in their natural or native state serve many practical functions, including moderation of 

stormwater runoff, abatement of surface and groundwater pollution, erosion control and air quality 

enhancement. There are many tangible economic benefits that are associated with natural areas. Local 

businesses in many communities rely on revenues generated by tourism related activities from the public 

enjoyment of wildlife, natural areas and open space. 

Natural areas improve the overall livability of a community, offering not only quality air and 

drinking water, but also scenic beauty and opportunities for low-impact recreation, such as birdwatching, 

fishing and hiking, which can be enjoyed by local residents and visitors alike. Communities with 

generous natural areas and open spaces are considered by many as good places for children, and offer a 

high quality of life for everyone in the community. 

Any serious cost to benefit analysis will look beyond the simplistic notion that development 

equals an increased tax base, and will tell us that we quite literally can't afford not to protect natural areas. 

To a great degree, the reason most of us live in or visit Door County is for the pleasures we derive from 

these undeveloped and natural landscapes. If we lose them and the benefits they offer — the quality of 

our lives and our children’s lives will have been diminished. Even for those who do not derive direct 

pleasures from the enjoyment of natural areas, the local economy is largely dependent upon their 

existence, by virtue of the tourists that they attract. 

The preservation of significant areas of undeveloped landscape can result in a host of benefits to 

the local community. However, some of these are not generally recognized, and others tend to be taken 

for granted. Below, are some of the advantages of leaving these landscapes in an undeveloped condition. 

Storehouse of biological diversity 

Among the many things that make Door County attractive to residents and tourists alike, are the 

widespread natural habitats, and the wildlife they support. It is the high quality of these ecosystems that 

make them so appealing, due in large part to their high level of ecological integrity. Among the factors 

contributing to Door County’s unique and rare environments is its location as a major peninsula of the 

Lake Michigan coast and the effects of the dolostone bedrock on surface drainage and water chemistry. 

These and other factors, combined with relatively low levels of development, help to support 

habitats for numerous species of rare plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the 

state. 

– Introduction – 11

As notable as the county is as a site for rare species, it is also recognized for its diversity of more 

common and widespread species. The diversity of the local ecosystems is a result of their relatively large 

sizes, undisturbed nature, and connections with each other. As landscapes become more developed the 

remaining patches of habitat become smaller, more degraded, and less connected with each other. This 

lack of connection then prevents many plant and animal species from interacting with other members of 

the same species, a process that is essential to maintain healthy populations. It also makes it more 

difficult for a species to re-colonize an area following a local extinction or natural population decline. 

Therefore, this connection of habitats is critical to retain existing levels of biodiversity in Door County. 

Community's appeal to families, new residents and visitors 

The benefits we derive from existing natural areas in the county - green vistas, clean water and 

air, abundant wildlife and natural beauty - are among the many reasons for its popularity as a tourist 

attraction. These are also the very reasons that many people choose to live and work in Door County. 

They are a major attractant to people wanting to purchase or build retirement or vacation homes. As 

tourism is a primary force in our local economy, the economic vitality of the region depends upon the 

attractiveness of our county to both visitors and new residents. 

Low-cost stormwater management and flood control 

Natural areas can be highly efficient at moderating the passage of rainfall over the landscape. 

They help to reduce large pulses of surface waters and slow the passage of water over the land, by 

soaking up rainfall and releasing it slowly. Thus, the variety of natural landscapes help to prevent erosion 

of stream banks and lake shores in developed areas, where streams and rivers tend to be more "flashy" 

and affected by extreme precipitation events. 

Purification system for drinking water and surface waters 

A healthy, functioning ecosystem does an excellent job of filtering runoff from snowmelt or 

rainfall and removing sediment and pollutants. These free ecological “services” result in cleaner water 

being discharged to lakes and streams, as well as to groundwater. 

Contribution to air quality 

The trees, shrubs and other vegetation of natural areas act as effective and efficient filters of 

atmospheric gases, absorbing many airborne pollutants. Living vegetation produces abundant oxygen, 

essential to all animal life, including humans. 

Increased property values 

Door County property values are higher than in many other areas of the state. One reason for this 

is the attractiveness of the area due to its scenic and natural beauty. There is little doubt that individual 

property values are also influenced by the surrounding land use, with greater value given to a scenic and 

natural landscape. Retaining these special places throughout the county will enhance long-term property 

values in Door County. 

Tourism dollars 

Natural areas are important wildlife habitat, serving to support the hunting and fishing, skiing, 

snowmobiling, hiking, biking, birding and boating activities that attract so many visitors. Even for those 

visitors who do not partake in active recreation, natural areas are important to their Door County 

experience, providing the rural character and scenic vistas that many people value. 

12 

– Introduction –

Former Astronaut Kathryn Sullivan, the first woman to walk in space, relates with clarity how she 

became a citizen of the planet in a recent special issue of Time Magazine. She confesses that as you 

circle the planet at intervals of 90 minutes you cannot help but acquire a very different perspective of the 

world. 

“All the colors and patterns you see – the visible evidence of the complex 

working of the natural systems that make our planet habitable – seem both vast 

and precise, powerful and yet somehow fragile. You see volcanoes spewing smoke, 

hurricanes roiling the oceans and even fine tendrils of Saharan dust reaching 

across the Atlantic. You also see the big, gray smudges of fields, paddies and 

pastures, and at night you marvel at the lights, like brilliant diamonds, that reveal 

a mosaic of cities, roads and coastlines — impressive signs of the hand of 

humanity. 

Scientists tell us that our hand is heavy, that we are wiping out other species 

at an unprecedented rate and probably transforming our climate. Will the 

immense power of global systems withstand the impact of humanity? Or is it 

possible that our collective actions will change the nature of our planet enough to 

cripple its ability to support life? 

I no longer believe that we can wait for all the scientific data needed to 

answer these questions conclusively. We must recognize immediately what it 

means to be citizens for this planet. It means accepting our obligation to be 

stewards of the earth’s life-giving capacities. As homeowners, we wouldn’t neglect 

or damage our houses until they weren’t fit to live in. Why would we do that with 

our planet?” ©2002 TIME, INC. reprinted by permission. 

Kathryn Sullivan, who as a Navy Reserve captain, flew three space shuttle missions 

now resides in Columbus Ohio where she is president of the 

Center of Science & Industry. (www.cosi.org) 

It’s interesting that Aldo Leopold’s vision of stewardship and a land ethic resonate from miles 

above the earth. The phrase “think global – act local” offers a perspective from which each of us can be 

citizens of the planet as stewards of the natural communities in our neighborhood. Stewardship can take 

many forms, from increased local efforts to eliminate pollution from streams and creeks, to seeing 

nature’s landscapes as community assets. 

The hope for this publication is that it helps to generate increased interest for preserving the 

remaining wildlife habitat and natural areas in each of the communities described in the following 

seventeen sections. Collaboration among local, state and federal agencies, citizens and landowners will 

be essential in developing new and creative methods to accomplish what will, at best, be a difficult task. 

It is not our purpose to identify how or when these places should be protected or who should help 

to protect them. Many organizations and citizens will need to be involved in evaluating more precisely 

where protection efforts can best be focused and which preservation or protection strategies are most 

appropriate. Successful efforts will most likely depend on the area’s landowners. Their vision of the 

future will play a major role in determining if, when and how these places are protected. 

– Introduction – 13

A (very) Short Course in Ecology & 

Related Land Use Philosophy 

Chapter 1 

Used with permission 

of the Minnesota Department of 

Natural Resources & Laurie Allman (1997) 

At the root of every discussion and decision related to natural area protection are qualitative 

judgements. 

• What qualities are desirable in a natural area? 

• What level and type of impacts resulting from a development, new home or 

management practice will be considered acceptable? 

• What exactly is one is trying to protect? 

In any genuine initiative aiming to sustain the health of local natural areas, the answers to 

questions such as these must be grounded in the basic principles of ecology. 

Ecology is about relationships—relationships among living things, and between living things and 

their non-living environment. As a scientific discipline, ecology pays attention to how things interact. 

This discipline assumes that it is both impractical and misguided to look at individual living things in 

isolation, because living things depend for their survival on the set of elements that surround them and the 

processes that sustain their population over time. It considers natural areas to be intricate and interacting 

systems that operate at many scales. Ecologists assess the condition of natural areas by looking at three 

primary elements: composition, structure, and function. 

Composition is a measure of the plant and animal species present, their relative 

abundance, and the differing characteristics of individuals that make up populations, 

such as age, ability to reproduce, and relative vigor. 

Structure refers to the physical organization of natural elements across a landscape - 

that is, awareness of patterns evident in the distribution of living things and how those 

patterns change naturally over time. Elements of structure include the varying heights 

of vegetation, the degree to which a community is open or unshaded, and the mosaic of 

natural community types across a defined area, as well as the presence of nonliving 

elements such as waterways, rocks, logs and woody debris on the forest floor. 

Function refers to the processes and relationships that sustain a system. Such as the 

flow of nutrients moving through an ecosystem, the natural disturbance regimes that 

determine site conditions, such as wind events, fire, seasonal water level changes, and 

the movement of animals to find food and appropriate sites for breeding and 

reproduction. There are many ways that the needs of plants and animals are met 

through interactions with each other and with their physical non-living surroundings, 

and many roles that each individual or population plays in the operation of the system 

as a whole. 

A site with ecological integrity contains populations of native species in naturally occurring 

patterns as determined by the unique physical characteristics, climate, and history of the site. Natural 

processes will drive changes and fluctuations in structure and composition over time. 

Chapter 1– A Short Course in Ecology 15

16 

An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal, fungal and 

microorganism communities and their associated nonliving environment 

interacting as an ecological unit. 

An appreciation of the complexity of ecosystems is at the very root of ecology. It is not 

uncommon for ecologists who have devoted their lives to researching a particular species or natural 

process to insist that they have only scratched the surface of understanding. Ecologists hold to this 

position in part because natural systems are ever changing, and in part because our ability to get the right 

answers is limited by our ability to ask the right questions. 

Yet the fact that our study of the natural world will always be a work in progress does not mean 

that we cannot make decisions based upon what knowledge we have already acquired. Just as the equally 

inexact science of medicine is routinely used to guide the decisions we make about our health care, we 

must actively use the understandings gained by ecological research to guide our land use decisions. What 

has the study of ecology taught us? A few generally accepted concepts include: 

Having a diversity of native species - many different kinds of naturally occurring plants and 

animals - tends to make an ecosystem more stable and better able to handle stress, and may be 

used as one of the indicators of health. It is therefore desirable to maintain the biological 

diversity that is naturally characteristic of a site, with the understanding that some areas are 

naturally lower in diversity, as well as some are naturally higher, as in a rain forest. 

Plants and animals do not occur randomly over the landscape; they occur in identifiable and 

recurring groupings of species known as "natural communities." Populations that comprise a 

community may live in proximity because of interdependent relationships (predator/prey), or 

similar habitat requirements and physical tolerances, such as fish species that share a need for 

high oxygen waters or insects that require high humidity environments, or plants that can thrive in 

dry climates. [Note: For a listing of Door County’s natural communities see Appendix “A” and 

for a description of these areas see Appendix “C”]. 

Energy moves through natural systems in complex ways, so that each organism plays a role in 

determining the conditions for other organisms. For a system to be sustained, nutrients must be 

transferred from one species to another, and dead and decaying materials must be allowed to 

break down or decompose and reenter the system to support the development of new life. 

There are limits to the adaptability of species and ecosystems. Change is inherent in natural 

systems and occurs when species expand their range into new territories, or when populations 

fluctuate in response to food availability and climate changes, or when one plant community is 

gradually supplanted by another through the process of succession. Accelerated rates of change 

can produce conditions that cause populations of species and even entire natural systems to 

collapse. Declines are not always gradual; species may decline to critical threshold level and then 

crash. Worldwide, 99% of modern-day, post-1600 species extinctions are considered attributable 

to human activity. (Primack 1995) 

Chapter 1– A Short Course in Ecology

Obviously, these are broad concepts, which are not immediately applicable to given land use 

decisions. Nevertheless, it is with such principles that we can begin to build the philosophical foundation 

that determines the way in which we approach discussions about land use issues. Strategic ways of 

thinking that may reasonably arise from the principles would include: 

Assumption of value 

The willingness to work under the assumption that each element of a natural system has 

an important role to play in the health of the system, as a whole, even if the specific contribution 

of the species is unknown. Accordingly, a threat to one component of a system is treated as a 

threat to the system as a whole. 

Thinking system — thinking forever 

A shift away from planning and managing for the benefit of a few species and toward 

planning and management at an ecosystem level, in which an effort is made to preserve the 

structure and function of natural communities over the long term. 

Erring on the side of caution 

Acceptance of a certain degree of humility regarding the limits of our knowledge about 

natural areas, and accordingly, the desire to err on the side of caution when evaluating whether a 

given land use practice will have a negative affect on a species or community. If the structure of 

a natural community is unduly compromised, there is a point, at which it can be expected to fail, 

after which it will no longer serve valued ecological functions, such as water quality enhancement 

or habitat for native species. 

Protection over restoration 

A heightened emphasis on proactive planning to protect natural sites rather than an 

emphasis on restoration or mitigation, given the understanding that "created" or "built" 

environments seldom achieve the same degree of complexity and diversity found in communities 

of natural origins and that even modest restoration efforts are extremely costly. 

A new aesthetic 

A new aesthetic view of natural areas, in which system health and ecological integrity are 

assigned greater value than purely scenic or recreational considerations. 

Illustration of the Leopold Shack by Charles C. Bradley, Sr., with permission of The Aldo Leopold Foundation 

Chapter 1– A Short Course in Ecology 17

Significant Wildlife Habitat & Natural Areas 

Chapter 2 

The wildlife habitat and natural areas identified in this chapter are arranged beginning in the 

southern part of the county and continuing to the north. Information pertaining to each of the sites has 

been organized using the following headings: 

Location: The generalized location of the site indicates the area of the county, section and town 

within which the site is located. The area identified on the site map is not precisely defined and is only 

intended to draw attention to the general area that is known to contain one or more significant natural 

communities. 

General Site Description: The site description points out pertinent natural characteristics and 

highlight recognizable features in the area. Other information such as the status of land use planning that 

applies to the entire area may be covered. 

Ecological Significance: This section gives more detailed information about the ecological features 

of the site that make it worthy of consideration for preservation. 

Noteworthy Cultural & Historical Features: Some of the more interesting features of the area’s 

history and how it has evolved since settlement began are highlighted in this section. 

Site Features: Each of the area’s identifiable locations is addressed in greater detail, including plant 

and animal species known to be in the area. Also covered are natural features such as types of soils, 

vegetation, and other attributes, that help to identify the area’s contribution as a community asset. 

Conservation Goals: Several general conservation goals are listed for each natural area. These goals 

are intended to provide some broad guidance to future conservation efforts. It is important to note that the 

goals are only representative of what may be appropriate for maintaining the natural characteristics of a 

given site. 

Threats: The threats identified are not all-inclusive, but rather bring out the general or more obvious 

threats to the health of the ecosystems and natural communities that exist on the site. Specific strategies 

or tactics needed to eliminate or minimize these threats are not covered in this publication. 

Information Needs & Gaps: Since this is a work in progress, additional research and data collection 

needed is listed for some of the sites. 

Additional References: In several cases, important reference materials for the site should not be 

overlooked, although they are not specifically addressed in the site’s text. These references are listed in 

this section. 

Site Map and Photos: A map of the general boundary for the project area is shown in green with 

adjacent natural areas identified in yellow, or brown for state-owned lands or dark green for private 

conservation areas. Photographs are included for each site and show some of the dominant features as 

well as surrounding habitat you would expect to see in the area. 

Chapter 2 – Significant Wildlife Habitat and Natural Areas 19

20 

Site Index 

Wildlife Habitat & Natural Areas Reference Map ……………….……….……….. 21 

Ahnapee River Corridor ……………………………………………………….……… 23 

Black Ash Swamp ………………………………………………………………….…… 29 

Delwiche – Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex…………………....……. 33 

Renard Swamp ……………………………………………………….…………..…….. 39 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex ……………………………..……….………..….…. 45 

Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek / Gardner Swamp Complex ……………………….... 51 

Hungry Settlement Marsh …………………………………………..……………..….. 57 

Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline ……………………………………….….……… 61 

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex ..….….….… 71 

West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor …………………..……………….…… 77 

Bay Shore Bluff Lands……………………………………..…………………………... 83 

Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor .…………………………………………..……… 91 

Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor ……………………………………………...………… 97 

Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands ……..…….. 109 

Mink River / Rowley’s Bay System ……………….…………………….……….…... 115 

Europe Lake Forest Area …………………………………………………..………… 123 

Grand Traverse Islands ……………………………………………………..….…….. 127 

Chapter 2 – Significant Wildlife Habitat and Natural Areas

AHNAPEE RIVER CORRIDOR 

LOCATION: 

The Ahnapee River Corridor is located in southern Door County (T25-26N, R24E) in the Towns 

of Brussels and Forestville. As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of 

boundary lines have not been designated. 

GENERAL SITE DESCRIPTION: 

The Ahnapee River Corridor is approximately 5,200 acres in size. Much of the surrounding land 

adjacent to the river is composed of woodlots and farmland. Idle land comprises much of the area 

categorized as farmland. Therefore, a potential exists to purchase lands not currently utilized for 

agriculture or residential purposes for ecological restoration. One significant attribute of the Ahnapee 

River is the length of its reaches. The longest river trip via canoe in Door County exists between County 

Road H and the Kewaunee County line. 

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

The Ahnapee River Corridor and Kayes Creek/Brussels Hill/Gardner Swamp Complex provide a 

continuous habitat passage that stretches from the Kewaunee County line north to the waters of Green 

Bay. The overall length of the Ahnapee River Corridor and the land-water interface provided through its 

connection to the river and its secondary connection to the bay make the corridor an ecologically 

significant area for Door County. Additionally, the river corridor is relatively intact, thereby providing 

important habitat for a variety of riparian wildlife. 

The Ahnapee River Corridor begins in wetlands north of the river and is a valuable fishing and 

boating resource (Zimmerman 1989). The miles of open to shrubby wetland habitat and upland woodlots 

along the river corridor form a landscape pattern suitable for a large number of bird species. Birds 

commonly seen or heard in the moist meadows of grasses, dogwood and green ash south of Forestville 

include Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis), Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), Yellow Warbler 

(Dendroica petechia), Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis), Red-wing Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), 

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). The adjoining 

upland woodlots and fields contain Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), American Redstart 

(Setophaga ruticilla), Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), 

American Robin (Turdus migratoriius), Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), Gray Catbird (Dumetella 

carolinensis), and House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). This north-south tending corridor of natural lands 

probably also serves as an important spring and fall migration corridor for passerine songbirds. 

NOTEWORTHY CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL FEATURES: 

The Ahnapee River, formerly known as the Wolf, played a major role in the settlement of the area 

and particularly the town of Forestville, which was the third town to be organized (1857) in the county. 

Mainly people of Irish and German descent settled the area. The Ahnapee was at one time a deep river 

and for more than 20 years steamboats and heavily laden barges navigated its waters (Holand 1917). In 

later years after much of the surrounding land had been cleared, the river became too shallow for 

commercial use. The river drains much of the southern portion of the county and sedimentation resulting 

from timber harvesting, land clearing and the fire of 1871 were contributing factors leading to its loss of 

depth. 

The Ahnapee River State Recreation Trail is one of the oldest segments of the Ice Age Trail in 

Wisconsin and is excellent for hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and horse back riding. The 28-mile long 

trail starts at the ship canal in the City of Sturgeon Bay and heads south through Door County and 

eventually ends in Kewaunee County. Visitors can view a combination of farmland and natural areas 

ranging from cedar swamps to hardwood forests. The marshes along the Ahnapee River offer excellent 

viewing opportunities for many waterfowl, mammals, and annual salmon spawning runs (WDNR 2000). 

Ahnapee River Corridor 23

SITE FEATURES: 

Ahnapee River Corridor 

The portion of the Ahnapee River within Door County is 8.5 miles in length and averages 25 feet 

in width, with a low gradient of 7.7 feet per mile. The headwaters of the Ahnapee lie north of Highway 42 

near Tornado Memorial County Park. A major tributary, Silver Creek, joins the Ahnapee just south of the 

highway. The river eventually empties into Lake Michigan within the City of Algoma. 

• The Town of Brussels recently adopted a town-zoning ordinance and in 2002 was in the public 

hearing phase for implementing a comprehensive land use plan. The plan is expected to be complete 

early in 2003. The Town of Forestville has not adopted a county or town-zoning ordinance although 

numerous discussions regarding ordinances have taken place over the past few years. 

• In the Town of Brussels land use surrounding the Ahnapee River Corridor is predominantly woodland 

with lesser amounts of cropland, idle farmland, natural lands, recreational area, and residential lots. 

In the Town of Forestville land use near the river corridor consists of cropland with lesser amounts of 

idle farmland, recreational public, and non-farm residential. 

• Soils are deep, well drained to poorly drained, and level to sloping. Loamy sand to silt loam subsoil 

overlays sandy loam or loam till (USDA SCS 1978). 

• A county dam impounds the river in Forestville forming the Forestville Millpond. The river is 

adversely impacted by non-point source pollution from local agriculture practices and overall, the 

river receives only a fair quality ranking. The Ahnapee River is listed for PCB contamination, and as 

recently as 2000 there was an advisory on smallmouth bass and carp consumption (Corbisier 2000). 

• Pre-settlement vegetation of the Ahnapee River Corridor was predominantly of two types; upland 

areas dominated by a northern mesic forest composed of maple (Acer spp.), hemlock (Tsuga 

canadensis), and yellow birch (Betula allgheniensis); and lowland forests dominated by swamps of 

black spruce (Picea mariana), tamarack (Larix laricina), and cedar (Thuja occidentalis) (Finley 

1976). 

• Trout and salmon are stocked annually, and the river sustains annual fish runs in spring and fall below 

the dam (Corbisier 2000). 

• Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), a fish-eating raptor, is a state-threatened species known to use this 

stream corridor. 

CONSERVATION GOALS: 

• Maintain ecological integrity of the Ahnapee Rive Corridor, including associated upland forest habitat 

and wetlands. 

• Enhance and protect the water quality of river and its tributaries. 

• Maintain large blocks of undisturbed habitat to promote natural interactions among plant and animal 

communities. 

24 

Ahnapee River Corridor

THREATS: 

• Non-point source pollution from agricultural practices is degrading stream quality. 

• Increasing development pressure is a threat to both the Ahnapee River floodplain and the relatively 

contiguous habitat corridor that surrounds the Ahnapee River. 

• The proposed four-lane expansion of Highway 42-57 will have a serious impact on this watershed and 

many of the source streams will be entirely relocated at the crossings. 

INFORMATION NEEDS / GAPS: 

• Vegetation and animal inventories 

• Names of supportive groups and individuals in this site 

Ahnapee River Corridor 25

26 

Ahnapee River Corridor

OAD 

ROAD 

END 

DEAD 

ROOSEVELT 

MP 

RD. 

ROAD 

RD. 

ROOSEVELT 

ROAD 

SCHOOL 

ROAD 

Rosiere 

RIDGE 

HILLY 

ROAD 

ROAD 

SWAMP 

RD. 

MISERE 

Kayes 

LANE 

Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/ 

Gardner Swamp Complex 

ROAD 

SWAMP COURT 

B R U S S E L S 

Door 

County 

GARDNER 

# 

ROAD E. 

NASEWAUPEE 

UNION BRUSSELS FORESTVILLE 

Forestville 

HIGH 

EGG 

HARBOR 

N. 

RD. 

TOWN HALL 

TOWN HALL RD. 

S. 

N 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 

Sturgeon STURGEON 

Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

ROAD 

DUMP 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

RABBIT 

STAR ROAD 

WASHINGTON 


ROAD 

LANE 

CEDAR 

E. 


TORNADO 

RD. 

RENIER 

FLAT 

RD. 

KOLBERG 

ROAD 

K E W A U N E E C O U N T Y 

STEVENSON 

ROAD 

PIER 

STEVENSON 

RD. Kolberg 

ROAD 

MARSH 

CURVE 

RD. 

RD. 

CURVE 

ROAD 

Black Ash 

Swamp 

DRIVE SCHOOL 

SCHOOL 

LANE 

Ahnapee 

HERB'S 

CLOVERLEAF 

RD. 

DR. 

ELM 

FOREST 

DRIVE 

FOREST 

57 

Kewaunee County 

River 


Adjacent Project Areas 

State Owned Lands/Parks 

NOTE: Site boundaries are approximate. 

STONE 

F O R E S T V I L L E 

CENTER 

NAZE 

RD. 

CHERRY 

Forestville 

Flowage 

FORESTVILLE 

ROAD 

MILL 

42 

FEEST 

GAEDE 

RD. 

Maplewood 

MILE 

LA. 

BRANS 

RD. 

ROAD 

Stony Creek 

Wetland Complex 

ROAD 

IDLEWILD 

ROAD 

OLD KRUEGER 

COUNTY 

GUILETTE 

RD. 

RD. 

ROA 

STOKES 

MAPLEWOOD 

GEIER 

ROAD 

LINE 

DUFEK 

LA. 

CARNOT 

ROAD 

Source: Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, 2003. 

OLD 

ROA


ALL PHOTOS BY COLEEN FEUCHT

BLACK ASH SWAMP 

LOCATION: 

The Black Ash Swamp, located in the Towns of Brussels and Forestville encompasses 

approximately 2100 acres in southeastern Door County (T25N, R25E). As this report represents general 

areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated. 


Although the largest portion of the Black Ash Swamp lies in Kewaunee County, a significant 

section of the swamp is located in Door County. Within close proximity and directly to the north of the 

Black Ash Swamp is the Ahnapee River Corridor. 

The Town of Brussels recently adopted a town-zoning ordinance and in 2002 was in the public 

hearing phase of implementing a comprehensive land use plan. The plan is expected to be complete early 

in 2003. The Town of Forestville has not as yet adopted a county or a town-zoning ordinance although 

discussions have continued for the past few years. 


The Black Ash Swamp is the largest contiguous forest in southern Door County (Zimmerman, 

1989), and continues into Kewaunee County where it forms, by far, the largest block of forested land in 

Kewaunee County. The swamp covers approximately 5000 acres in total and 2100 acres in Door County. 

This 2 mile-wide and 6-mile long habitat is extremely significant ecologically as it represents the largest 

contiguous block of habitat in this subregion. Numerous species of wildlife are known to utilize the mix 

of lowland forest, shrub carr, sedge meadow, emergent marsh and open water habitats that this area 

provides. In addition, the Black Ash Swamp is known to harbor the state-threatened Red-shouldered 

Hawk (Buteo lineatus) and the federally protected and the endangered Hines Emerald dragonfly 

(Somatochlora hineana). Lowland forests of this size are regionally rare in Wisconsin and the Black Ash 

Swamp represents an opportunity to protect such a forest. 


The swamp is 2 miles wide (east-west) and 6 miles long (north-south), three quarters of which is 

located in Kewaunee County and for generations has been a favored hunting spot for local sportsman. 


Black Ash Swamp 

The Black Ash Swamp is the northern tip of a large block of lowland forest and swamp extending 

into Door County from Kewaunee County. It is drained by Silver Creek into the lower Ahnapee River. 

The swamp has diverse wildlife habitat used by many plants and animals. 

• The surrounding land use is mostly agricultural with lesser amounts of woodland, other natural area, 

and idle cropland. 

• Soils are mostly very poorly drained to poorly drained, nearly level organic soils (USDA SCS 1978). 

• The primary surface water body is Silver Creek, which discharges into the Ahnapee River near the 

city of Algoma. 

Black Ash Swamp 29

• Dominant tree species of this forested wetland include silver maple (Acer saccharinum), red maple 

(Acer rubrum), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Associated species are white cedar (Thuja 

occidentalis), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), yellow birch (Betula 

alleghaniensis) balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), willow (Salix spp.) and black ash (Fraxinus 

nigra). 

• Fishers (Martes pennanti) have been reported but are not typical inhabitants. Birds known to the 

Black Ash Swamp include Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), Least Flycatchers 

(Empidonax minimus) and various ducks and other waterfowl. 

• The state threatened Red-shouldered Hawk is found in this habitat. In addition the federally protected 

and endangered Hines Emerald dragonfly has been documented at this site, near the Door-Kewaunee 

County line. 


• Maintain ecological integrity of the Black Ash Swamp, as part of one of the largest forested wetland 

tracts in Northeast Wisconsin. 

• Enhance and maintain the surface and groundwater quality of the site. 

• Restore the quality of and protect the water sources of the tributaries supporting this large wetland. 

THREATS: 

• Poor logging practices could threaten the ecological value of the swamp, however sustainable forestry 

may preserve the integrity of the swamp. 

• An increasing population of Gypsy Moth has been recently observed and may pose a threat. 

• Poor agricultural practices could threaten this watershed and other nearby wetlands. 


• Plant and animal inventories 

• List of individuals and organizations interested in land conservation 

30 

Black Ash Swamp

S 

RABBIT 

ROAD 

TAR ROAD 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


E. 

Forestville 

RENIER 

# 

EGG 

HARBOR 

FLAT 

RD. 

N 

2000 0 2000 Feet 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

KOLBERG 

WASHINGTON 

ROAD 

ROAD 

PIER 

STEVENSON 

RD. Kolberg 

ROAD 

MARSH 

CURVE 


RD. 

RD. 

CURVE 

ROAD 

SCH 

Ahnapee 

HERB'S 

RD. 

DR. 

FOREST 

ELM 

DRIVE 

FOREST 

River 





STONE 


CENTER 

NAZE 

RD. 

CHERRY 

Forestville 

Flowage 

FORESTVILLE 

ROAD 

MILL 

42 

GAEDE 

RD. 



Wetland Complex 

MILE 

LA. 

BRANS 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

Ahnapee River 

Corridor 

OLD KRUEGER 

COUNTY 


R 

G


ALL PHOTOS BY PAT ROBINSON 

Swamp Interior

DELWICHE – SAND HILL PINERIES 

& FABRY CREEK COMPLEX 

LOCATION: 

Delwiche-Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex covers approximately 930 acres in 

southwestern Door County (T25N, R23E) in the Town of Union. As this report represents general areas 

of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated. 


The forest cover of this site ranges from dry xeric on top of the escarpment to wet-mesic across the 

west-facing slope near Highway 57. This area is known for its large diameter native red pine (Pinus 

resinosa) and white pine (Pinus strobs) trees. Fabry Creek, a 3.7-mile long stream runs through this 

complex. The western edge of the Niagara Escarpment can be seen as ridges or small bluffs in the 

interior portion of the Pinery. A major wildlife corridor runs north and south paralleling the edge of the 

wooded bluff (Lukes 2001). 

The Union community has been working to develop a local zoning ordinance. The town board has 

been gathering information, conducting community surveys and holding public meetings to help define a 

workable ordinance. Adoption of an ordinance is anticipated in 2003. State-mandated zoning applies to 

land use along shorelines and navigable streams. 


Several features of the Delwiche-Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex make this area 

ecologically significant, including the presence of dry xeric forests (which are relatively uncommon in 

Door County), large diameter native red pine and white pine, the Niagara Escarpment, and Fabry Creek. 

The south forty of Delwiche Woods contains one of the most pristine stands of native trees and shrubs in 

eastern Wisconsin (Lukes 2001). 

The pinery thrives along the top western edge of the Niagara Escarpment with stands of 

predominantly white pines and red pines of at least 100 years old. This parcel has been enrolled in the 

Managed Forest Law Program since the mid 1990's and only recently has timber been selectively 

harvested. As far as the owners can tell, up until this time, the forest has not been logged since the 

Peshtigo Fire of October 1871. The pinery remains a good example of uninterrupted succession over 

the past 125 years. 


Belgian immigrants were attracted to this area of the county between 1853 and 1857 from their 

homes, primarily in the south central provinces of Brabant, Hanant and Namur. Extensive mixed forests 

provided logs for the first structures erected by the Belgians. Few of these buildings exist today. Most 

were leveled in early October 1871 by extensive and intense fires (exactly contemporaneous with, but 

unrelated to, the Great Chicago Fire), which destroyed buildings, crops, livestock, timber and took more 

than 200 lives. The fire partially cleared thousands of acres, and land was thus more readily available for 

farming (Laatsch and Calkins 1992). 


Delwiche – Sand Hill Pineries Area 

• The complex is predominantly natural forest area, intermixed with cropland, pasture and selectively 

logged woodlots. 

Delwiche - Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex 33

• A small man-made spring fed pond located at the interior portion of the woods supports a diversity of 

aquatic plant and animal life, including amphibians and waterfowl. 

• Soils are deep, well drained to moderately well drained, and gently sloping to sloping. A fine sand or 

sandy loam subsoil overlays sand or sand and gravel outwash, and very poorly drained nearly level 

organic soils (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Large white and red pine dominate the xeric forest. Other tree species include pin oak (Quercus 

ellipsoidalis), northern red oak (Quarcus rubra), white oak (Quarcus alba), bitternut hickory (Carya 

cordiformis), butternut (Juglans cinerea), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), blue beech (Carpinus 

caroliniana), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), red maple (Acer 

rubrum), ironwood (Ostraya virginiana), Canada hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), eastern cottonwood 

(Populus deltoides), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), large-toothed aspen (Populus grandidentata), paper 

birch (Betula papyrifera), white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and wild black cherry (Prunus serotina). 

• Common shrubs include red-berried elder (Sambucus pubens), choke cherry (Prunus virginiana), 

witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), round-leaved dogwood 

(Cornus rugosa), maple-leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium), nannyberry viburnum (Viburnum 

lentago), and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) Wildflowers are commonly found blooming in the spring. 

Door County’s official wildflower, the large yellow lady’s–slipper orchid (Cypripedium pubescens), 

is among them (Lukes 2001). 

• Wildlife include typical species of this region such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), 

wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), songbirds, red and gray squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus and 

Sciurus carolinensis), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and striped 

skunk (Mephitis mephitis) (Lukes 2001). 

• Delwiche Pinery is an unusual forest type in Door County and therefore has high aesthetic value. The 

pine forest is associated with the Southern Door County Pineries and the western edge of the Niagara 

Escarpment. Delwiche Woods still exists because of the land stewardship approach of the Roy 

Delwiche family. 

Fabry Creek 

Fabry Creek is a 3.7-mile long high gradient stream with approximately 2.7 miles of the stream 

within Door County. Headwaters originate mainly in a wooded wetland, and the stream empties into 

Green Bay. 

• The surrounding land use is mainly mid-successional wooded and agricultural areas. 

• Soils are of Rousseau-Kiva-Markey association, similar to Delwiche Pinery (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Fabry Creek is a high gradient stream with a fair ranking supporting a limited community of forage 

fish and aquatic life (Corbisier 2000). 

34 

Delwiche - Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex


• Maintain and enhance connectivity between remnant tracts of pine forest. 

• Protect the natural features and characteristics of this mature forest of pines. 

THREATS: 

• The most immediate threat to Delwiche Pinery is the possibility that a portion of the older growth 

pine woods, would be included in the expansion of State Hwy 57. 

• Agricultural practices lack stream buffers to protect water quality within Fabry Creek. 

• Fabry Creek receives considerable amounts of nutrients, sediments, and bacteria according to water 

samples. Portions of the creek have been ditched, pastured, or have feed lots next to the creek 

(Sweeney et al. 1996). 


• Plant and animal inventories have not been completed and are needed to determine if threatened or 

endangered species are in the area of this site. 

• Fish and invertebrate inventories in Fabry Creek 

Delwiche - Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex 35

36 

Delwiche - Sand Hill Pineries & Fabry Creek Complex

G R E E N B A Y 

S. 

BAY- 

SHORE 

SHOEMAKER 

57 

OAK- 

WOOD 

RD. 

RD. 

RD. 

CEDAR RD. 

DUVALL 

RD. 

SHORT 

RD. 

ROCKY 

BELGIAN 

DR. 

HILL 

SAND 

RD. 

BELGIAN 

U N I O N 

RD. 

STAGE 

BAYSHORE 

ROAD 

ROAD 

CREEK 

COUNTYLINE ROAD 

N 

1000 0 1000 2000 Feet 

Fabry Creek 

Renard 


RIDGE 

RD. 



RD. 

PLEASANT 

DRIVE 

Namur 

WOODS 

RD. 

PIT 



SWAMP 

# 

GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

Creek 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

THRU-WAY 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

57 

PINE 

WASHINGTON 


BRUSSELS

COLEEN FEUCHT COLEEN FEUCHT 

JERRY VISTE 

Forested portion of North Escarpment

RENARD SWAMP 

LOCATION: 

Renard Swamp is located in the Town of Union along the southwestern shoreline of Door County 

(T26N, R23E). The area contains approximately 1,570 acres of wetland habitat near the bay of Green 

Bay. As this report represents general areas of concern, exact location of boundary lines have not been 

designated. 


The Renard Swamp area contains three significant habitats: southern hardwood swamp, mesicwet 

beach ridges, and Renard Creek. The creek is a portion of the Red River & Sturgeon Bay Priority 

Watershed Program. The YMCA owns a small portion of the site. 

The Town of Union community has been working to develop a local zoning ordinance. The town 

board has been gathering information, conducting community surveys and holding public meetings to 

help define a workable ordinance. Adoption of an ordinance is anticipated in 2003. State-mandated 

zoning applies to land use along shorelines and navigable streams. 


This wetland area is significant in that it represents an intact example of a significant sized stand 

of southern hardwood forest, and associated drainage corridor, in a relatively undisturbed condition. The 

Renard Creek Corridor is mainly blocks of scenic, mixed upland forest and pineries associated with 

several creeks, drainage ways, escarpments, terraces, and shores (Zimmerman 1989). The value of the 

hardwood swamp and creek is as a large contiguous block of natural habitat for a variety of plant and 

animal species. 


J. P. Schumacher explored the areas around Shoemakers Point and Renard Creek in the early 

1900’s in search of Indian village sites and burial places. He found evidence of Potawatomi campsites 

and other indications of aboriginal residence (Schumacher 1918). Many of the artifacts he unearthed are 

located at the Neville Museum in Green Bay. 

The area attracted Belgian immigrants primarily coming from the south central provinces of 

Brabant, Hanant and Namur. Extensive mixed forests provided logs for the first structures erected 

between 1853 and 1857. Few of these buildings exist today. Most were leveled in early October 1871 by 

extensive and intense fires (exactly contemporaneous with, but unrelated to, the Great Chicago Fire), 

which destroyed buildings, crops, livestock, timber and took more than 200 lives. The fire partially 

cleared thousands of acres, and land was thus more readily available for farming (Laatsch and Calkins 

1992). 


Hardwood Swamp 

This portion of the site is a large (200 acres) wooded area and contains at least 110 acres of 

wetlands, including a significant southern hardwood swamp, with wet-mesic beach ridges. Preliminary 

surveys show a high diversity of plant and animal species (SWIS 1992). 

• The surrounding land use is primarily woodlots and lesser amounts of cropland, recreational private 

and idle farmland. 

• Soils underlying the hardwood swamp are poorly drained and nearly level to sloping. 

Renard Swamp 39

• Near the Green Bay shoreline, soils are deep, poorly drained, nearly level and underlain by fine sand 

outwash or silt loam subsoil over stratified lake sediments (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Renard Creek and portions of Silver Creek provide a drainage function for the swamp and hardwood 

areas. 

• Vegetation consists of silver maple (Acer saccharinum), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), willow 

(Salix spp.), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), ferns, sedges (Carex spp.) and dense stands of 

Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) on the edge of the swamp and on adjacent ridges. The habitat is 

considered high quality and diverse (SWIS 1992). Numerous standing dead trees are present 

affording good wildlife habitat. 

• Renard Swamp is a good breeding habitat for frogs. Songbirds, woodpeckers, nuthatches, finches, 

orioles, and waterfowl use the wet woodland during the summer months. White-tailed deer, wild 

turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), coyote (Canis latrans), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) have been known 

to reside in this area. 

• Plant and animal inventories have not been completed and are needed to determine if threatened or 

endangered species are in the area. 

Renard Creek 

Renard Creek is approximately 6 miles in length, and is part of the 11.5 square mile Renard 

Creek subwatershed. This perennial stream is a warm water forage fishery. The upper section of the 

stream flows intermittently and floods easily; the lower reach flows continuously and is more stable. 

Renard Creek flows into Green Bay about 3 miles north of the Door County line (Sweeney et al., 1996). 

The fair to poor habitat ranking of the stream is possibly due to the many small dairy farms along the 

length of the stream (Corbisier 2000). 

• The surrounding land use is primarily pastured or cropped with very little buffering along the stream 

course. At the point where the two branches converge and extending to where Renard Creek empties 

into the waters of Green Bay, the primary land use is wooded residential. 

• Soils are deep, moderately well drained, and nearly level to sloping soils with a loamy sand to silt 

loam subsoil over sandy loam or loam till (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Renard Creek is considered a warm water forage fish community, indicating that waters are capable 

of supporting an abundant diverse community of forage fish and other aquatic life (Sweeney et al. 

1996). 

• Vegetation has not been documented, however filamentous algae has been seen in the creek 

(Corbisier 2000). 

• Spring runs of suckers (Catostomus spp.) occur annually along with intermittent use of the stream by 

smelt (Osmerus mordax) and occasionally northern pike (Esox lucious). Otters (Lutra canadensis) 

have been seen near the mouth of Renard Creek and the Bay of Green Bay (Corbisier 2000). 

• It is unknown if threatened or endangered plant and animal species are present, as biological 

inventories are incomplete. 

40 

Renard Swamp

South Renard Swamp 

Another section of the Renard Swamp Complex is referred to as South Renard Swamp. The area 

contains 70 acres of wetland occupied by both upland and lowland species (SWIS 1992). 

• The surrounding land use is mainly woodlots with a lesser amount of cropland, residential, and other 

natural area. 

• Fine sand or sandy loam sub-soil overlays sand or sand and gravel outwash that is poorly drained, 

nearly level, and organic (USDA SCS 1978). 

• The lower reaches of Renard Creek flow near South Renard Swamp. 

• Vegetation consists of green ash, silver maple, swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), elm (Ulmus 

americana), sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), sedges, Iris (Iris 

spp.), and a mix of upland and lowland species. There has been some past cutting; however, the 

wetland remains relatively undisturbed (SWIS 1992). 

• It is unknown if any threatened or endangered plant and animal species are present, as biological 

inventories have not been completed. 


• Maintain the exceptional quality of natural communities in and around the hardwood swamp (i.e., the 

sand beach ridges and silver maple stands and wetlands). 

• Improve and maintain water quality in Renard Creek. 

THREATS: 

• Poor logging practices 

• Renard Creek has a fair to poor habitat rating for quality of aquatic life. The habitat is being degraded 

by outside sources. Limiting factors contributing to poor stream quality include sedimentation, 

excessive plant growth, and pasturing of stream banks, especially in the headwaters of the creek. A 

potential source of these problems is cropland erosion (Sweeney et al., 1996). 

• The exotic plant, common reed grass (Phragmities australis) and reed canary grass (Phalaris 

arundinancea), has been found in the area. The spread of these exotic plants could threaten native 

plant species (Corbisier 2000). 

• Renard Creek has a fair to poor habitat ranking possibly due to organic pollution from area farming 

operations. 


• Plant and animal inventories for the entire site 

• List of individuals and organizations interested in land conservation 

Renard Swamp 41

42 

Renard Swamp

# 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

COUNTYLINE 

2000 0 

N 

2000 4000 Feet 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

S. 

BAY- 

SHORE 

SHOEMAKER 

57 

WASHINGTON 

South Renard 

Swamp 

OAK- 

WOOD 

RD. 

RD. 


RD. 

CEDAR RD. 

DUVALL 

RD. 

Hardwood 

Swamp 

SHORT 

RD. 

ROCKY 

BELGIAN 

DR. 

HILL 

SAND 

RD. 

LEDGE 

BELGIAN 

U N I O N 

RD. 

STAGE 

BAYSHORE 

Renard 

Fabry Creek 

ROAD 

BENT 

RD. 

ROAD 

SKEET 

CREEK 

RIDGE 

RD. 

RD. 

PLEASANT 

ROAD 

AVE. 

DRIVE 


Renard Swamp 



Namur 

WOODS 

RD. 

ROAD 

PIT 

SWAMP 

Creek 

THRU-WAY 

ROAD 

57 

PINE 

BRUSSELS 

LOW 


PLAIN 

CEME TER 

PLAINVIEW 

Bru 

SAMS 

STAR

Renard Swamp 


STONY CREEK WETLANDS COMPLEX 

LOCATION: 

The Stony Creek Wetlands Complex covers approximately 6,370 acres and lies in southeastern 

Door County (T25-26N, R25E) in the Towns of Forestville and Nasewaupee. As this report represents 

general areas of concern, exact location of boundary lines have not been designated. 


Stony Creek Wetlands Complex is situated north of the Ahnapee River Corridor and connects 

with the Sawyer Harbor/Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watershed Complex and the Hungry Settlement 

Marsh to the north. 

As of 2002, the Town of Forestville had not adopted a county or a town-zoning ordinance, 

however numerous discussions have taken place over the past few years. The Town of Nasewaupee does 

not currently utilize land use regulation or zoning, except for state-mandated zoning of shorelines and 

navigable streams; however, a planning initiative was started in the summer of 1997. Numerous public 

meetings, surveys, informational forums have taken place and along with professional land use planning 

services are being used to develop a comprehensive land use plan. Considerable information has been 

gathered, all leading toward a land use framework that reflects the public’s wishes and intentions. Many 

community members are volunteering substantial time and energy at various levels to develop the town’s 

comprehensive land use plan, which is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2003. 


The "Heritage Areas of Door County" publication lists wetlands in this complex among the three 

most important inland wetland resources of southern Door County (Emmerich 1978). Also, this wetland 

complex is regarded as the second most important wildlife heritage area of southern Door County 

(Zimmerman 1989). 

The Stony Creek Wetland Complex is the largest creek system in the southern portion of the 

county and the extensive lowland and upland areas provide habitat for fish, animals and plants. In 

addition to being home to an ecologically significant wetland system, this complex joins with the Sawyer 

Harbor/Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex and the Hungry Settlement Marsh to form a 

contiguous 10,000-acre corridor extending from the Door County line north to Sawyer Harbor. 

Preliminary summer bird surveys for this site found Sora (Porzana carolina), Virginia Rail 

(Rallus limicola), Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), 

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) (one of North America's most seriously declining 

songbirds), Green Heron (Butorides virescens), Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera), Blackbilled 

Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus), Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis), Hooded Merganser 

(Lophodytes cuccullatus), Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis), and Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax 

alnorum) in the open shrub-filled wetlands along the stream north of Carnot. 


Along the shoreline around and north of Stony Creek were at one time, several villages – 

Foscoro, Clay Banks, and Horns Pier. Each of these villages had a post office and telegraph station. 

Some time in the 1860’s, three men picked a favorable spot, where Stony Creek rambles down among its 

rocks to the lake, to construct a mill and pier for shipping of forest products. Their names were Foster, 

Coe and Rowe, hence one of the village names was a combination of the first syllables of their surnames 

“Fos-co-ro” (Holand 1917). 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 45

A description of Foscoro was written in 1871 and appeared in the Milwaukee News of March 15, 

1871. “ To the north of the village plat, about a quarter of a mile, a high bluff at the lake recedes some 

forty or fifty rods and diminishes to a gentle hill, which extends southeasterly about the same distance 

from the lake for some miles and then returns to the shore again. Within this amphitheater is in the future, 

the sweetest village that the waves of Lake Michigan shall kiss. ……. One other feature I must tell you. 

Into this amphitheater comes a stream, nearly as large as Cedar Creek in Ozaukee County, bounding 

along as if glad to get there, and then stops in a quiet estuary at the lake and smiles upon the scene. 

The Indian name of this stream I understand to be Sensippi, which I am informed means “stream 

of rocks”, a name very appropriate, as its bed is filled with the freight of some former glacier” (Holand 

1917). The small villages of Clay Banks, and Horns Pier are discussed later in the section “Southern 

Lake Michigan Shoreline” found on page 61. 


Stony Creek Wetland Complex 

Stony Creek begins in a series of low seasonally flooded hardwood swamps and perennial 

wetlands north of Maplewood and south of Highway 57. Upstream of Geier Road the small streams that 

drain these wetlands unite to form the main stem of Stony Creek. From Geier Road to Carnot the stream 

flows through a wide wetland of open emergent marshes that are interspersed with banks of willow, 

dogwood, nanny berry (Viburnum lentago), sweet gale (Myrica gale), meadow sweet (Spirea alba), and 

alder or small patches of lowland forest. In this section the stream, at times, becomes wide enough to take 

on the appearance of a small river. 

Below County Road J the character of the stream changes again. The riparian wetlands disappear 

and the current of the water increases until just upstream of County Road U. Stony Creek becomes a 

rushing creek bounded by a narrow damp forest terrace and steep forested banks. The stream empties into 

Lake Michigan just south of the Door County line. Throughout its length the Stony Creek complex is a 

landscape of second growth forest patches, active farmlands, and extensive wetlands of various types. 

• Soils are of two types. The area is primarily composed of deep, well drained to poorly drained nearly 

level to sloping soils. A loamy sand to silt loam subsoil overlies sandy loam or loam till. The second 

type is very poorly drained, nearly level organic soils (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Stony Creek is 13.6 miles long and approximately 16 feet at its widest point. It has a low gradient of 

8.5 feet/mile. The upper reaches of the stream are classified as a warm water forage fishery and the 

lower 5 miles are classified as Cold Class II Water. A variation of water quality occurs between the 

upper and lower reaches of the stream. Upper portions have been ditched and are slow moving 


• The forests comprising this landscape are generally second growth with silver maple, green ash and 

elm dominating the hardwood swamps in the headwaters of the stream. In the center section of the 

complex the forest types include lowland white cedar and a mix of hardwoods and cedar. The 

dominant plant of the open emergent wetlands above Carnot is reed canary grass (Phalaris 

arundinacea). Mixed with this aggressive grass are coarse sedges (e.g., Carex aqualtilus), and large 

wetland forbs (e.g., Solidago spp., Eupatorium spp.). Common aquatic macrophytes in this stretch 

include coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), yellow pond lily (Nuphar variegata), and (Spirodela 

polyrrhiza). 

• Stony Creek is stocked annually with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Other species of fish 

present include suckers (Catostomus spp.), rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), and Chinook salmon 

(Oncorhynchus kisutch). 

46 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex

• It is unknown if any threatened or endangered plant and animal species exist in the area, as biological 

inventories are incomplete. 


• Increase the width of the riparian forest throughout the Stony Creek Wetlands Complex, including 

upland forests as well as lowland forests throughout the tributaries of Stony Creek. 

• Remove and prevent further barriers to fish passage and protect or restore water flow dynamics within 

the wetlands complex and Stony Creek. 

THREATS: 

• Samples taken near the mouth of Stony Creek show occasional elevated concentrations of 

phosphorus, ammonia, and bacteria (Corbisier 2000). Contamination of the stream and wetlands is 

possibly occurring from non-point source pollution. (Watermolen and Bougie 1995). 

• Residential and agricultural encroachment. 

• Groundwater is susceptible to water quality problems due to shallow soils and exposed fractured 

bedrock. Recent monitoring showed a number of wells with elevated nitrate and bacteria 

concentrations (Watermolen and Bougie 1995). 

• Aggressive exotic species, especially reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinancea). 


• Plant and animal inventories, especially birds, fish, and amphibians 

• Names of supportive groups and individuals within this site 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 47

48 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex

FOREST 

DRIVE 

FOREST 

LM 

57 

River 

STONE 


CENTER 

NAZE 

RD. 

CHERRY 

Forestville 

Flowage 

FORESTVILLE 

ROAD 

MILL 

N 

42 

Y-INN 

RD. 

FEEST 

GAEDE 

RD. 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 


MILE 

LA. 

BRANS 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

Ahnapee River 

Corridor 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

IDLEW 

ROAD 

IDLEWILD 

OLD KRUEGER 

COUNTY 

GUILETTE 

RD. 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

STOKES 

GEIER 

LINE 


Sawyer Harbor/Lost Creek/ 

Larsen Creek 

WILSON 

DUFEK 

LA. 

MAPLEWOOD 

CARNOT 

OLD 

SUBSTATION 

ROAD 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

RD. 

SALONA 

ROAD 

CENTER 

ROAD 

ROAD W. 

WILKE 

SETTLEMENT 

ROAD 

VIGNES 

Stony 

ROAD 

TAGGE 

JANDRIN 

RD. 

ROAD 

VISTE 

MAPLEWOOD 

N. 

ROAD 

CARNOT 

WILSON 

RD. S. 

CARNOT 

Hungry Settlement 

Marsh 

CARNOT 

Creek 

ROAD 

ROSEWOOD 

ROAD E. 

MOUNT OLIVE 

MIDWAY 

HALF- 

MILE 

RD. 

HORNSPIER 

Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 



ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

C L A Y 

Vignes 

B A N K S 

ROAD 

DANE ROAD SHILOH 

ROAD 

SHILOH ROAD 

ROAD 

LAKE 

S T U R G E O N 

SILVERDALE 

B A Y 

TAUBE ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

SAND 

MT. 

LOOKOUT 

RD. 

DRIVE 

MICHIGAN 

LAKE 

SOUTH 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 

# 


Forestville 

LANE 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

ROAD 

ROAD 

LAKE 

LANE 

MICHIGAN 

DRIVE 

Southern Lake 

Michigan Shoreline 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

WASHINGTON 

S. 


Ephraim 

HARBOR

BRUSSELS HILL / KAYES CREEK 

GARDNER SWAMP COMPLEX 

LOCATION: 

This site is located in southwestern Door County between Brussels Hill and Little Sturgeon Bay 

(T26-27N, R24E) in the Towns of Brussels and Gardner. As this report represents general areas of 

concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated. 


The "Heritage Areas of Door County" publication recognizes Brussels Hill as a scenic and 

recreational area (Emmerich 1978). The area's caves also have historic importance (Zimmerman 1989). 

Brussels Hill is listed as a scenic vista because it offers a panoramic view from the Niagara Escarpment. 

Shale, shaley dolostone and limestone of the Upper Ordovician Maquoketa Formation underlie the 

Silurian dolostone that form the escarpment. That formation is relatively weak, easily deformed and 

erodible (Kasprzak and Walter 2001). Sinkholes, caves, and dry valleys make the area unsuitable for 

development. The complex and its associated wetland areas (i.e., Kayes Creek and Gardner Swamp) 

contain a number of rare plants, animals and invertebrates (See Appendix B). Fish spawning, bird 

nesting, and amphibian habitat are all important ecological functions of the area. The Town of Brussels 

has recently adopted a town-zoning ordinance and is currently in the public hearing phase for 

implementing a comprehensive land use plan. The plan is expected to be complete early in 2003. The 

Town of Gardner has conducted preliminary discussions about land use planning and has decided not to 

take any action at this time. However, state-mandated zoning regulations apply to shorelines and 

navigable streams. 


The Brussels Hill/ Kayes Creek/ Gardner Swamp Complex covers approximately 7,125 acres. 

This region has large contiguous tracts of forests, wetlands, and dolostone karst features. Brussels Hill is 

the largest of several dolostone hills in southern Door County and it is located immediately adjacent to the 

Gardner Swamp. A large, contiguous block of hardwood forest dominated by sugar maple (Acer 

saccharum), basswood (Tilia americana), red oak (Quercus rubra), hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), aspen 

(Populus tremuloides), beech (Fagus grandifolia), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), and white cedar (Thuja 

occidentalis) characterizes the tree species at Brussels Hill (Clark 1999). One of the primary reasons that 

the hill is considered to be ecologically important to the area is the unique assemblage of animals 

supported by the dolostone rock formations. Two rare plant species, state threatened handsome sedge 

(Carex formosa) and the Wisconsin special concern species long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata), are 

found on Brussels Hill (Clark 1999). Three globally rare snails, including Succinea bakeri, Catinella 

gelida, and Vertigo hubrichtii (Kirk 1999), and the state threatened Red-shoulder Hawk are also found 

here (Clark 1999). The Gardner Swamp Area encompasses over 5 square miles, and contains a variety of 

ecologically important habitats including wetlands, sugar maple dominated forests, Kayes Creek, upland 

islands, and lowland forests. 

A Wisconsin special concern species, long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata) has been found at 

Gardner Swamp (Clark 1999). The swamp also provides an important function as a filter for local 

groundwater and surface water resources. Kayes Creek flows through Gardner Swamp and empties into 

Little Sturgeon Bay, which is one of the most important shallow aquatic habitats in the Green Bay 

ecosystem. Gardner Swamp helps to protect the water quality of Kayes Creek, and subsequently the 

health of the Green Bay ecosystem. 

Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek / Gardner Swamp Complex 51

NOTEWORTHY HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES: 

In 1835, Increase Claflin built the first white man’s house on the peninsula in the area at the 

mouth of Little Sturgeon Bay. A village of Menominee Indians, with whom Claflin got along well, was 

located on the opposite side of the bay on what is now called Squaw Point. Several years later Claflin left 

and traveled up the peninsula to settle in an area north of the present village of Fish Creek (Holand 1925). 

Construction of lime kilns in the area began in the mid 1860’s. These were furnaces used to 

reduce limestone to lime. E. B. Gardner was a major supplier of lime into the Chicago area as part of the 

rebuilding effort after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. For many years vessels made weekly trips to 

Chicago carrying much of his kilns daily capacity of 160 barrels (Holand 1925). Several kiln sites remain 

and can be seen along the shoreline of the bay of Green Bay. Gardner was among the first shipbuilders 

on a large scale in the county and for a long period employed around 100 ship carpenters. Little Sturgeon 

was a very active place for many years, with at least one vessel per day leaving with lumber, lime or other 

products. When Joseph Harris started the Door County Advocate, in 1862, it was seriously debated 

whether the printing place should be located at Little Sturgeon Bay or at the county seat (Holand 1925). 


Brussels Hill 

Brussels Hill, located in the Town of Brussels, is a prominent scenic and natural area located 10 miles 

southwest of Sturgeon Bay and approximately 2 miles northeast of Brussels. Brussels Hill covers 2,194 

acres, and is a two square mile dolostone outcrop extending 200 feet above the surrounding lowlands. 

• Land use surrounding the hill consists primarily of agriculture, with lesser amounts of woodlots, 

residential area, roads (Hwy 57 and Hwy K), a radio tower, and a town dump. 

• The Niagara Escarpment extends from New York State and Canada to central Wisconsin. Brussels 

Hill forms a dolostone outcrop of this escarpment in Door County. Fissures, sinkholes, outcrops and 

pit caves are characteristic karst formations found at Brussels Hill. Karst formations were formed by 

solution processes and modified by glacial activity (Kirk 1999). 

• The state’s deepest pit cave is located on private property near the southern portion of Brussels Hill. 

This cave was found to contain the remains of animals ranging in size from land snails to black bear. 

Analysis of the skeletal remains reveals a variety of species ranging in age from modern times to presettlement 

fauna of 600 – 1200 BP (Kox et al. 1986). 

• Soils are generally shallow to deep, well drained, and nearly level to moderately steep slopes. A 

sandy loam or loam subsoil covers sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or in the case of Brussels Hill 

dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). Springs are located throughout the area. 

• A large, contiguous block of hardwood forest dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum), basswood 

(Tilia americana), red oak (Quercus rubra), hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), aspen (Populus 

tremuloides), beech (Fagus grandifolia), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), and white cedar (Thuja 

occidentalis) characterizes the tree species at Brussels Hill (Clark 1999). 

• A unique assemblage of animals is supported by ancient rock formations including several species of 

snails. Upland forest birds and mammals are found in the area (Zimmerman 1989). 

• Two rare plant species include state threatened handsome sedge (Carex formosa) and the Wisconsin 

special concern species long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata) (Clark 1999). There are three globally 

rare snails including Succinea bakeri, Catinella gelida, and Vertigo hubrichtii (Kirk 1999). The state 

threatened Red-shoulder Hawk is also found at Brussels Hill (Clark 1999). 

52 

Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek / Gardner Swamp Complex

Kayes Creek 

Kayes Creek, located within both the Towns of Brussels and Gardner, is a perennial stream 

approximately 7 miles in length, with an average width of 4 feet and a gradient of 8 feet per mile. 

• A variety of vegetation occurs adjacent to Kayes Creek. Upland forests contain sugar maple, 

basswood, hemlock, beech, red oak (Quercus rubra), aspen, and paper birch. 

• Kayes Creek supports three aquatic community types: coldwater, warmwater sport fish, and warm 

water forage fish. Cold water communities contain surface water capable of supporting cold-water 

fish and aquatic life, as well as providing cold water spawning habitats. Warm water sport fish 

communities support sport fish and their spawning habitats, and warm water forage fish communities 

support an abundance of warm water forage fish and aquatic life (Corbisier 2000). 

• Soils are of two types. The northern section of Kayes Creek, which flows into Little Sturgeon Bay, 

consists of deep, well to poorly drained, level to sloping soils. A loamy sand to silt loam subsoil 

covers sandy loam to loam till. The second type found near the headwaters of Kayes Creek is poorly 

drained, nearly level, and organic (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Kayes Creek is the primary surface water body associated with the Gardner Swamp and arises in 

lowlands west of the north face of Brussels Hill. Two separate branches flow northward and later 

join. The creek continues north through Gardner Swamp until it enters Little Sturgeon Bay between 

Squaw Island Point and the mainland. 

• Coastal wetlands bordering the mouth of the creek are important spawning locations for fish and are 

used extensively by breeding and migratory birds. Spring fish runs have been documented, including 

suckers (Catostomus commersoni), northern pike (Esox lucious), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), and 

large bowfin (Amia calva) (Corbisier 2000). 

Gardner Swamp 

The Gardner Swamp Area encompasses over 5 square miles, and contains a variety of habitats 

including wetlands, sugar maple dominated forests, Kayes Creek, upland islands, and lowland forests. 

The Gardner Swamp is located directly north of Brussels Hill in southern Door County approximately 10 

miles west– southwest of Sturgeon Bay. Of the 5 square miles comprising Gardner Swamp, only 1.5 

square miles are part of the Gardner Marsh State Wildlife Area. The remaining portion is privately 

owned. 

• Land use consists predominantly of agriculture with lesser amounts of woodlots, residential, and 

commercial. Past and present disturbances in the Gardner Swamp include logging, quarrying, and 

clearings for campgrounds, recreation, and residential development (Clark 1999). 

• Soils consist mainly of deep to moderately deep, well to poorly drained, and nearly level to 

moderately steep soils. Silty clay subsoil overlays silty clay or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 

1978). 

• Vegetation consists mainly of open to semi-open wetland. Wetland species include sedge (Carex 

spp.), cattail (Typha spp.), bulrush (Scirpus spp.), blue-joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), 

willow (Salix spp.), dogwood (Cornus spp.), black ash (Fraxinus nigra), green ash (Fraxinus 

pennsylvanica), white cedar, elm (Ulmus americana), aspen, paper birch and tamarack (Larix 

laricina). Sugar maple, basswood, hemlock, beech, red oak, aspen, and paper birch dominate upland 

forest areas (Clark 1999). 

Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek / Gardner Swamp Complex 53

• The main surface water body of Gardner Swamp is Kayes Creek. 

• A Wisconsin special concern species, long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata) is found at Gardner Swamp 

(Clark 1999). It is unknown if any additional threatened or endangered plants and animals are 

present, as biological inventories have not been completed. 


• Protect the remaining upland forest habitat throughout the Brussels Hill area and limit further 

fragmentation of the landscape. 

• Restore and maintain the water quality and landscapes buffers along the Kayes Creek corridor to 

protect the fish-spawning habitat. 

• Eliminate or prevent the introduction of exotic invasive species within the site (e.g., garlic mustard in 

the Brussels Hill area). 

• Enhance the ecological integrity and landscape connectivity within the corridor of Brussels Hill, 

Gardner Swamp and Kayes Creek. 

THREATS: 

• Escalating numbers of residential and commercial developments, seasonal housing and recreational 

facilities threaten the ecological health of the area. Because of close proximity of this area to Sturgeon 

Bay and Green Bay, people find it convenient to live in this outlying area and commute to work in the 

city. This tendency is expected to increase with the upgrade of Highway 57 to a divided 4-lane road 

in the near future. 

• Water quality is threatened in some areas by unsuitable septic system uses. 

• Pesticide use and agricultural runoff from inadequately monitored/managed farms also contribute to 

water quality degradation. This is especially problematic in Door County because of shallow soils 

and fractured bedrock. Fractures act as pathways for polluted water to directly enter underground 

aquifers (Stieglitz and Schuster 1985), and contaminants are often not filtered by adequate soil 

amounts before contact is made with groundwater (Grimm et al. 1999). 

• Water quality in Kayes Creek is threatened by low dissolved oxygen content and abundant algae 

growth. Sources of these threats are cropland erosion, stream bank pasturing, and barnyard or 

exercise lot runoff (Corbisier 2000). 

• Agricultural lands and other open spaces are declining due to residential development. The average 

age of farmers is increasing as land prices are escalating, supporting an incentive to sell. 


• Biological and habitat inventory for Brussels Hill and Kayes Creek 

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: 

Planning for Natural Areas in Door County, Wisconsin, May 1995, by Laura E. Hewitt 

54 

Glaciokarst Depressions in the Door Peninsula, Wisconsin, Physical Geology 1987, by Carol 

Rosen and Michael Day 


ROAD 

WHITE 

ROAD 



ROAD 

ROAD 

# 

GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

STAR 

FOUR 

PLAIN- 

EGG 

HARBOR 

LOVERS 

GARDNER 

BLUFF 

FOX 

CORNERS 

GARDNER 

VIEW 

CEME TERY 

RD. 

DE- 

BROUX 

RD. 

CIRCLE 

N 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

WASHINGTON 

Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek 


GRAVEL PIT 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

END 

DEAD 

RIDGE 

ROAD 

MEADOW- 

LARK RD. 

RD. 

RIDGE 

ROAD 

HILLY 


RD. 

ROAD 

KILN 

LIME 

LANE 

BRUSH 

RD. 

LANE 

Creek 

ROAD 

HIGH 

LIME 

Gardner Swamp 

State Wildlife Area 

Kayes 

Brussels 

Hill 

ROAD 

ROAD 

Little 

Sturgeon 

PICKERAL 

RD. 

KILN 

PINE 

RD. 

SQUAW 

IS. RD. 

LANE 

G A R D N E R 

LANE 

CEDAR 

Little 

Sturgeon 

Bay 

Gardner Swamp 

PIER ROAD S. 

TORNADO 

RD. 

RENIER 

Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/ 





MAPLE 

LANE 

STEVENSON 

RILEY'S 

ROAD 

STEVENSON 

PIER 

Ahnapee River 

Corridor 

ROAD 

IER 

RD. 

N. 

BAY 

KLUTH 

RD. 

POPLAR 

LANE 

ELM 

ROAD 

ROAD 

BAY 

RILEY'S 

DRIVE SCHOOL 

SCHOOL 

LANE 

WECKLER 

RD. 

LANE 

RD. 

CLOVERLEAF 

ZIRBEL 

RD. 

ROAD 

57 

N A S E 

STONE 

May Creek 

F O R E 

Source: Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, 2003.


HUNGRY SETTLEMENT MARSH 

LOCATION: 

Hungry Settlement Marsh encompasses approximately 375 acres located south of Sturgeon Bay 

in east central Door County (T26N, R25E) in the Town of Nasewaupee. As this report represents general 



Hungry Settlement Marsh lies adjacent to the Ahnapee State Trail. The site contains an acid bog, 

a vegetation type that is rare in this area. Because current property owners are amenable to protection 

there is currently minimal threat to the marsh at this writing. 

The Town of Nasewaupee does not currently utilize land use regulation or zoning, except for 

state-mandated zoning of shorelines and navigable streams. However, a planning initiative started in the 

summer of 1997 has spawned numerous public meetings, surveys, informational forums and professional 

land use planning services that are being used to develop a comprehensive land use plan. Considerable 

information has been gathered, all leading toward a land use framework that reflects the public’s wishes 

and intentions. Many community members are volunteering substantial time and energy at various levels 

to develop the town’s comprehensive land use plan, which is scheduled for completion in the summer of 

2003. 


This large wetland complex contains areas of bog, alder thicket, and tamarack swamp and is 

mostly surrounded with upland forest. The bog community found here comprises only a portion of the site 

but represents the key ecological feature of the site. The bog holds well developed sphagnum hummocks, 

and typical bog species like bog laurel, leatherleaf and bog rosemary. This unusual occurrence appears 

stable, free of aggressive non-native species, well buffered by surrounding forest and wetland 

communities with little evidence of human disturbance. 

The Hungry Settlement Marsh contributes water to Stony Creek via a small tributary. Wetlands 

of this type are very rare in Door County. Bogs of this nature are more common in the northern sandy 

regions of Wisconsin. This is one of the few environments in the county where the bog laurel grows in 

great quantity and other plants typical of bogs are also found here. Alder thicket, open bog and shrub carr 

are three natural community types found within the marsh. (Refer to Appendix C for a more detailed 

description of these natural community types). 


This is an area of the town of Nasewaupee that has large wetland parcels intermingled with higher 

lands more suited for farming. However, it has historically been a marginal farming region in comparison 

with other parts of the Town, resulting in references being made through the years to the “Hungry 

Settlement”. 

The present Ahnapee Recreational Trail utilizes the former Ahnapee and Western Railroad rightof-way. 

The marsh was centered in the chosen route for the railroad and proved to be a challenge for its 

entire life, with this section of the railway finally being stabilized after many years of annual rebuilding 

and costly fill with any material available. The impact to the marsh could have been avoided had the 

route of the railroad been moved only a half mile south. 

Hungry Settlement Marsh 57


Hungry Settlement Marsh 

• The surrounding land use is predominantly cropland and rural residential, with lesser amounts of idle 

cropland. 

• Soils are mainly deep to moderately deep, well drained to somewhat poorly drained and nearly level 

to moderately steep. Silty clay subsoil overlays silty clay till or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 

1978). 

• When viewing the bog from a distance it appears to be relatively dry, however when walking through 

it especially in the spring, the area can be quite wet. There is surface water bordering the length of 

the old railroad bed in what is more or less a drainage ditch (Lukes 2001). 

• Vegetation consists of a locally unique plant assemblage which features, pink lady’s slipper 

(Cypripedium acaule), bog laurel (Kalmia polifolia), leather leaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), 

labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), wild cranberry (Vaccinium spp.), wintergreen (Gaultheria 

procumbens), bog rosemary (Andromeda glaucophylla), chokeberry (Aronia spp.), cotton sedge 

(Carex spp.), nannyberry (Viburnum lentago), tamarack (Larix laricina), black spruce (Picea 

mariana), and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) (Lukes 2001). 

• Few birds or wildlife have been recorded from this site. In the northern portion of this site there is 

clear evidence of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage to vegetation (Lukes 2001). 



• This is a well-hidden, incredibly beautiful bog. One of the best times to visit is late spring to early 

summer when many plants are in bloom, like the bog laurel that blooms in late May. 


• Maintain the unique characteristics of the Hungry Settlement wetland community, and increase the 

size of the upland forest surrounding the wetland. 

THREATS: 

There is virtually no threat of this area being developed or roads built through it. Because of its 

soil type and wetland properties the bog could never be farmed. Even though the Ahnapee Trail passes 

within feet of the marsh, there is a thick zone of small trees and shrubs that hides it from the view of 

bikers and others using the trail. In addition to having a visual obstacle, the wet ditch along the north side 

of the bike trail also deters people from entering the marsh. 


• Completed inventory of plant and animal species 

• List of individuals and organizations interested in site conservation 

58 

Hungry Settlement Marsh

W A U P E E 

42 

ROCK RIDGE 

Y-INN 

RD. 

FEEST 


N 

3000 0 3000 6000 Feet 

IDLEWILD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

IDLEWILD 

Sawyer Harbor/Lost Creek/ 

Larsen Creek 

RD. 

GUILETTE 

RD. 

ROAD 

STOKES 

MAPLEWOOD 


WILSON 

DUFEK 

LA. 

ROAD 

RD. 

EMERALD 


Wetlands Complex 

Ahnapee Trail 

MAPLE 

SETTLEMENT 

SALONA 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

TAGGE 

ROAD 



VISTE 

WILSON 

NOTE: Sites boundaries are approximations. 

DRIVE 

ROAD 

MOUNT OLIVE 

RD. 

HORNSPIER 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

STURGEON 

BAY 

# 

ROAD 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 


SHILOH ROAD 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

LA 

S T 

SILVER 

WASHINGTON


ROY LUKES 

ROY LUKES 

ROY LUKES 

COLEEN FEUCHT

SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE 

LOCATION: 

This landscape encompasses approximately 16,200 acres along the Lake Michigan shoreline from 

Whitefish Dunes State Park south to the Town of Clay Banks (T26-28N, R26E). The Southern Lake 

Michigan Shoreline is located in the most eastern portions of the Towns of Sevastopol, Sturgeon Bay and 

Clay Banks. As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not 

been designated. 


Stretching for approximately 16 miles along the Lake Michigan shore of Door County this site 

encompasses a diverse assemblage of sand dunes and swale forests, open to forested wetlands, and upland 

mixed conifer hardwood forests. 

The Niagara Escarpment is represented as outcrops lying deep in the evergreen forests or shallow 

protruding rock that supports a conifer-birch forest near the lakeshore. Dolostone bedrock can also be 

seen as it extends beneath the shallow shoreline waters of Lake Michigan, in such places as Whitefish 

Point and Portage Point. 

The Shivering Sands area, at the north end of this site is composed of many geologic and natural 

elements that form a landscape of high natural complexity. The natural communities here include forest 

types grading from tracts of lowland conifer to patches of upland mixed northern hardwood/conifer forest. 

Wetland communities ranging in structure from emergent herbaceous to shrub-carr and fen-like to boggy 

ring the three undeveloped lakes within the site. 

The fen communities found at the lakes this site may contain tufted club-rush (Scirpus 

cespitosus), and coast sedge (Carex exilis) (both plants are state threatened). The federally endangered 

Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hinaea) has been observed at Arbter Lake. Small streams, 

varying from slow and deep to quick and rippling, thread through the landscape both feeding and draining 

the site. A complex hydrologic pattern is characterized by numerous springs which discharge from the 

dolostone bedrock into several of the streams, and into Dunes Lake, and the draining of at least two 

streams directly into the bedrock via fissures in the east central portion of the site. 


This extensive landscape of forest, lakes, streams and Great Lakes shoreline holds an 

irreplaceable array of biological diversity and natural landforms. Only the lands surrounding the Mud 

Lake – Ridges Sanctuary – North Bay area, rival the list of rare plants, birds and invertebrates found in 

this site. The ecological significance of this landscape has been noted for some time and several natural 

areas have already been established within the boundaries of this site (e.g., Whitefish Dunes State Park, 

the Nature Conservancy’s Shivering Sands project). 

The ecological patterns of this landscape persist despite the cut of the ship canal, shoreline 

development, and secondary roads. Several opportunities to preserve large intact tracts of undisturbed 

natural lands still exist. A notable feature of this landscape is the presence in the southern portion of the 

site of nearly 1 and ½ miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline. Such a stretch of uninhabited 

shoreline is a feature otherwise rarely found within the county outside of State parks, and the opportunity 

for preservation is not likely to be available for long. 

The linear – roughly north-south – orientation of this lakeside forest contributes to its function as 

a corridor for migrating birds. Each spring thousands of north bound neotropical migrant species feed on 

the emerging lake midges that rest in the shoreline white cedars and balsam firs. The area also functions 

as a ground water recharge and discharge region emphasizing its importance to ground and surface water 

quality. 

Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 61

The Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory has documented 41 species of rare plants, 

invertebrates and animals and 12 natural community types within the boundaries of this shoreline 

complex. See the Natural Communities Cross Reference, Appendix “A”, and the Wisconsin’s Natural 

Heritage Inventory Listing, Appendix “B”. 


The east side of the Peninsula is low and sandy in numerous places along the Lake Michigan 

shoreline. This condition very probably accounts for the fact that all of the larger Indian villages were 

located along this side. Most reliable traditions and information indicate that the Potawatomi inhabited 

the northern part of the Peninsula, while their brothers, the Chippewa, occupied the southern part 

(Schumacher 1918). Numerous archeological sites have been documented along the entire shoreline from 

the Door-Kewaunee County line northward. 

Two early villages along the shore, long since having disappeared, were Clay Banks and Horns 

Pier. The village of Clay Banks was only two miles north of Foscoro, located at the mouth of Stony 

Creek. According to the Ahnapee Record in 1874, Clay Banks was “doing more shipping than any other 

port in Door County”. Two large piers supported the areas chief industry of forest products. During peak 

production the sawmill was cutting 100,000 shingles daily in addition to large quantities of lumber. One 

of the piers was 1600 ft. long making it the longest in the waters surrounding Door County. Constantly in 

need of repair it was finally carried away in the great storm of March 1886 (Holand 1917). 

The fires of 1871 almost completely destroyed the village, but it was quickly rebuilt. Another 

pier in the northeast corner of the village was built by W. H. Horn and was another focal point for 

shipping of lumber and a regular stopping place for lake steamers (Holand 1917). When the timber 

cutting came to an end in the latter 1880’s Foscoro, Clay Banks, and Horns Pier as well as St. Joseph 

(Lily Bay) ceased to be shipping points and the villages soon faded into the history books. 

Lily Bay’s original name was St. Joseph, named for V. Joseph, an early partner of William Horn. 

The name was later changed to Lily, in honor of Horn’s daughter by that name. Before the completion of 

the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Lily Bay was the only harbor in the immediate vicinity and served as the 

transfer point for freight and passengers whose destination was the village of Sturgeon Bay. A complete 

saw mill operation including blacksmith shop, boarding house and a number of other houses were in the 

area. In its earliest times as many as 500 men were employed in Horn’s businesses and the Goodrich 

ships made scheduled stops (Lotz 1994). 

Horn and one of his partners bought up nearly 2000 acres of wooded Whitefish Bay property. In 

1888 they successfully added the harvesting and shipping of hemlock bark to their list of wood products. 

That same year a million feet of lumber was shipped from the facilities at Lily Bay (Lotz 1994). Once the 

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was open, in 1879, Lily Bay’s importance began to fade. 


Shivering Sands 

This landscape is approximately 4000 acres in size, and contains several major habitat types, such as: 

Lake Michigan shoreline; sand ridge/dune and swale forests; northern lowland conifer and 

conifer/hardwood forests; upland conifer “boreal” forest; herbaceous to shrubby fens; marshes; bog-like 

wetlands; open water lakes and streams; and dolostone shaded cliff environments. 

• Substrates of peat, marl, sand, loam and dolostone bedrock underlie the mosaic of forest, marsh, 

ponds, lakes and stream communities. Small discrete habitats like dolostone outcrops, springs and 

marl fens are imbedded within the larger forest and add measurably to the kinds of plants and animals 

that inhabit the landscape. The bedrock underlying the Shivering Sands area is mostly Silurian 

dolostone, overlain by sandy lakeshore deposits and organic soils. Scattered bedrock outcrops are 

present near Lake Michigan, particularly in the hemlock-dominated forest south and west of Glidden 

Lodge, and northwest of Dunes Lake. 

62 

Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline

• One important soil characteristic that deserves further investigation is the claim by Wilde et al. (1949) 

that the white cedar forests in Door County occur on a unique soil type found in only a few other 

places in the world. This soil results from the accumulation of organic matter (wood) over an alkaline 

substrate high in carbonates. 

• Three undeveloped lakes and associated wetlands occur within the Shivering Sands area. The largest 

of the lakes, Dunes, (also known as Gurlack or Mud Lake) is 81 acres in size and receives surface 

water from Geisel Creek to the north and several springs on the northwest and northeast edges of the 

marsh. This wetland drains to Lake Michigan via the swift flowing Shivering Sands Creek. Schwartz 

Lake (28 acres) and Arbter (Schmoke) Lake (16 acres) are shallow embayment lakes to the north of 

Dunes Lake. 

• An ill-defined stream which threads through the lowland conifer forest between the lakes connects 

Arbter to Schwartz Lake in the north central portion of the site. The outlet of Schwartz Lake flows 

south and eventually disappears into the bedrock upland southeast of the lake. Besides Shivering 

Sands Creek, several other permanent to ephemeral streams drain the site to Lake Michigan. 

• An extensive white cedar, alder, and balsam fir lowland forest surround the three lakes within the site. 

The lowland conifer forest forms the core forest of the site and hundreds of acres of puddles, pools, 

and ponds saturate this forest providing habitat for frogs, salamanders, and aquatic insects. A large 

sand dune (and ridge) and swale formation lies between the lowland forest and Lake Michigan in the 

south central portion of the site. The forest covering this landform holds white birch, red maple, 

beech, balsam fir, hemlock, and white pine on the uplands and white cedar, black ash and alder in the 

wetter depressions between the dunes or ridges. 

• The close intermixing of dry upland forests with wet lowland forest types greatly increases overall 

habitat diversity. A white birch, balsam fir, white spruce, hemlock, white cedar, white pine forest 

occurs on the rocky uplands in the east portion of the site and contains many species found in a more 

northerly or boreal climate. Dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), a federally-threatened listed plant is found 

in this dolostone based upland forest. 

• Lake dunes found along the shoreline of Lake Michigan typically hold beach grass (Ammophila 

breviligulata), common juniper (Juniperus communis), Canada wild-rye (Elymus canadensis), falseheather 

(Hudsonia tomentosa), beach-pea (Lathyrus japonicus), beach wormwood (Artemisia 

campestris), sand cherry (Prunis pumila), and various willows (Salix spp.). 

• The large contiguous forest of the site furnishes the areal extent required by fauna rarely found 

elsewhere on the more highly fragmented Door Peninsula. An impressive suite of mammals 

including fisher, beaver, otter, black bear, snowshoe hare, porcupine, mink, coyote and possibly 

bobcat have been recorded from the site. 

• A similarly impressive list of breeding birds has been recorded from the area. Black Terns 

(Chlidonias niger) as well as Sandhill Cranes are regular breeders on Dune’s Lake. The ridge/swale 

forest is home to abundant numbers of Canada Warblers (Wilsonia canadensis) and Northern 

Waterthrushes (Seiurus noveboracensis) among many others. In total over 110 species of birds have 

been recorded on June bird surveys from the site between 1987 and 1999. In 2001 a pair of Bald 

Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nested at Dune’s Lake. 


Lily Bay and Lily Bay Creek 

Lily Bay area refers to the land near the County Park boat ramp on Lake Michigan at the east end of 

County Road T. Lily Bay County Park is located along the interior portion and serves as a boat launch to 

Lake Michigan. Lily Bay Creek is a 7 mile, 5 foot wide stream with a gradient of 19.1 feet per mile, 

draining a watershed of 13 square miles. The creek is located in the Towns of Sturgeon Bay and 

Sevastopol, both of which have adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. This area contains low-forested 

swamps and upland sandy ridges that drain into Lily Bay Creek. This creek begins near the center of the 

Town of Sevastopol, far to the northwest of the coastal forest and drains a landscape of dairy farms, fields 

of row crops and small woodland patches. As this portion of the overall site contains similar soils and 

topography to the Shivering Sands area, the upland and lowland forests are dominated by similar tree 

species. 

• Shoreline development consists of residential homes with wooded lots. The surrounding land use is 

primarily agriculture, natural area, and residential area. 

• Lily Bay Creek is classified as Cold Class II for 1.6 miles and cold water for 1.4 miles, with a fair 

ranking. Flow is intermittent for upper reaches, and becomes continuous in the lower reaches. The 

creek empties into Lily Bay through a ridge and swale system. 

• Various small fish are found in Lily Bay Creek. Brook trout were last stocked in 1956 (Corbisier 

2000). 

• The federal and state endangered Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is historically known from the 

Lake Michigan shoreline at this site. 

• Lily Bay Creek is a natural corridor providing wildlife habitat that connects the land shore with 

interior portions of the peninsula. 

Kellner Fen 

Kellner Fen is located about 3 miles east of the City of Sturgeon Bay. Although descriptions vary, 

the total area of the open fen is between 60-80 acres. This open wetland is bounded by a sand ridge or 

dune and swale complex to the southeast, a white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) swamp to the north and a 

second growth mesic to wet mesic conifer hardwood forest to the west. 

• The Town of Sturgeon Bay, where the fen is located, has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land cover surrounding Kellner Fen is predominantly woodlots, other natural lands, orchards, old 

fields, a landscape nursery, and residential development along the Lake Michigan shoreline. 

• Soils are very poorly drained, nearly level, and organic (USDA SCS 1978). Fens are typically 

comprised of a soil called muck, made up of accumulating organic matter. 

• Vegetation of the fen consists of several sedge species, including woolly-fruit sedge (Carex 

lasiocarpa), tussock sedge (Carex stricta), water sedge (Carex aquatilis), yellow-green sedge (Carex 

flava), Wisconsin special concern species brown beak sedge (Rhynchospora fusca), and twig rush 

(Cladium mariscoides). 

64 


• The wettest portion of the fen contains hardstem bulrush (Scripus acutus). Pitcher plant (Sarracenia 

purpurea) is abundant and widespread. The aggressive exotic tree glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus 

frangula) bounds the fen on the west. This species is typical of wet soils and is prominent in and 

around adjacent swamps reaching maximum density in the area between fen and swamp (Fewless 

1999). 

• Migratory birds, especially waterfowl use the fen for nesting. Reptiles and amphibians are likely 

inhabitants of this wet habitat. 

• Significant species known to Kellner Fen include two Wisconsin special concern species, white bog 

orchid (Platanthera dilatata), and extensive concentrations of brown beak sedge (Cyperaceae 

phynchospora fuaca). Tussock bulrush (Scirpus cespitosus) is a Wisconsin threatened species found 

at the outer edge of Kellner Fen (Fewless 1999). 

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal 

This unit of the Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline site lies north and south of the Sturgeon Bay 

Ship Canal, extending west from Lake Michigan to near the urban edge of the city of Sturgeon Bay. The 

ship canal, which bisects this unit, was built in the 1870’s through an extensive ridge and swale 

landscape, the remnants of which still exist north and south of the canal. The land here is primarily 

forested with a mix of pine, hemlock and birch on the drier sites and cedar, green ash, and alder in the 

lowlands between the ridges and in extensive poorly drained wetlands west of the ridge and swale system. 

These poorly drained wetlands are similar in composition to the forested wetlands in the previously 

mentioned units of this site. This landscape requires a biological inventory to access its contribution to 

the overall significance of the site. 

• Land use in the vicinity of the ship canal itself is largely recreational. Both north and south of the 

canal, extensive forested areas occur near the shore, with land use largely agricultural away from the 

shore. A balance between wildlife habitat and tourist needs is required to maintain the intrinsic value 

of the area. 

• Soils are of two types. The first soil type found near the Lake Michigan shoreline is deep, well to 

moderately well drained and gently sloping to sloping. The second type is found further inland. 

These are deep, poorly drained, organic, nearly level soils underlain by fine sand outwash or outwash 

with silt loam subsoil over stratified lake sediments (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Surface water resources in this area are restricted to the flooded interdunal wetlands within the beach 

complex along the shore. 

• Limited shore and dune communities occur along Lake Michigan, with plant species typical of this 

type of habitat. Forested vegetation is similar to that found north of the canal. 

• The area south of the canal extending to Clay Banks consists of a series of upland forest ridges and 

lowland forest swales. The dunes provide a protective barrier to nearby wetlands (i.e., swamps, small 

lakes, interdunal permanent and ephemeral ponds). 

• Vegetation consists of white cedar, white birch (Betula papyrifera), red maple (Acer rubrum), and 

balsam fir (Abies balsamea) on the upland sand ridges, and a mix of white cedar, black ash (Fraxinus 

nigra) and alder (Alnus incana) in wetter sites. 


• Rare species include the state and federally listed endangered dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), which 

grows along the Lake Michigan shore, and Wisconsin special concern species showy lady slipper 

orchid (Cypripedium reginae). 

• Many migratory birds rely on the shoreline for breeding and stopover habitat. 

• It is unknown if other rare plant or animal species are present, as biological inventories are 

incomplete. 

Clay Banks 

While covering several patches of mostly lowland conifer forest, the Clay Banks section of this area 

also includes about 1 and ½ miles of relatively undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline. Wetlands in 

lowland areas provide drain via several creeks and streams between Kewaunee County and the Sturgeon 

Bay ship canal. 

• The area is in the Town of Clay Banks, which has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance, with an 

exclusive agriculture overlay. 

• Land cover along the shoreline is wooded with lesser amounts of other natural area. Along the 

shoreline are a few scattered residential homes and limited areas of recreational public land. Inland 

areas are composed of farmlands and scattered farm residences. 

• Soils are deep, well to moderately well drained and gently sloping to sloping. A fine sand or sandy 

loam overlays sand or sand and gravely outwash that is very poorly drained and nearly level. Organic 

soils are often found in lowland conifer swamps (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Surface water resources in this area include Schuylers Creek, Bear Creek, and Woodard Creek. All of 

these waters are classified fair to good in habitat quality, support limited in-stream fish populations, 

and receive some use by spawning suckers, smelt and trout (Corbisier 2000) 

• Vegetation is second growth mixed cedar and hardwood uplands and lowlands. White cedar, aspen 

(Populus tremuloides), and white birch are prominent tree species. Other tree species include balsam 

fir, red maple, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera). 

• Common animal species include White-tail deer (Odocoileus virginianus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), 

fox (Vulpes vulpes), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), mink (Mustela vison), muskrat 

(Ondatra zibethicus), waterfowl, and Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus). 

• State listed endangered species known from the Clay Banks area include the endangered moonwort 

grape fern (Botrychium lunaria) and the threatened heart-leaved foam-flower (Tiarella cordifolia). It 

is unknown if other rare plant or animal species are present, as biological inventories have not been 

completed. 

66 



• Protect the coastal areas (i.e., sand, cobble and rock beaches) and shallow near shore areas. 

• Restore contiguous forest cover throughout the upland portions of the site and create a less 

fragmented forest corridor from Whitefish Dunes to Clay Banks. 

• Enhance or maintain surface and groundwater quality of streams and springs that feed the wetland 

complexes of this landscape. 

• Maintain or enhance the ecological composition, structure and functions of the several core natural 

areas of the site (e.g., Shivering Sands forest and lakes, Kellner Fen, forests of the ship canal area and 

Clay Banks forests). 

THREATS: 

• The Southern Lake Michigan Shore is experiencing development pressures. The shoreline is 

particularly vulnerable to development because of scenic and recreational attributes. 

• Exotic species such as glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) are 

invading the area. 

• Poor logging practices could cause local ecological degradation. 

• Poor agriculture practices could threaten wetland and surface water areas including fens, lakes, and 

Lake Michigan. 


• Complete plant and animals inventories 

• Develop list of individuals and supportive groups interested in conservation activities 


68 


e 

or 

DRIVE 

ement 

OT 

ROAD 

EWOOD 

BLUFF 

'OR' 

CTH 

OLD 

ROAD E. 

CT. 

ROAD 

MOUNT OLIVE 

MIDWAY 

HALF- 

MILE 

RD. 

HORNSPIER 

TRILLIUM 

LA. 

RD. 

APPLE 

OLD CTH 

WHITEFISH 

MARTIN 

DUNN 

DRIVE 

BAY SHORE 

RD. 

'OR' 

ROAD 

C L A Y 

Vignes 

B A N K S 

ROAD 

DANE ROAD SHILOH 

ROAD 

ROAD 

CHERRY 

STURGEON 

BAY 

SHILOH ROAD 

REYNOLDS 

ROAD 

ROAD 

BAY 

ROAD 

PETERSON 

GORDON 

WALKER 

LAKE 


SILVERDALE 

JORNS 

LA. 

RD. 

Sturgeon Bay 

B A Y 

TAUBE ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

TODEY ROAD 

SAND 

MT. 

LOOKOUT 

RD. 

DRIVE 

ROAD 

JORNS 

MICHIGAN 

LAKE 

SOUTH 

LA. 

42 

LANE 

CLARKS 

FOREST 

BIG CREEK 

RD. 

ROAD 

LILY BAY 

BUFFALO 

CANAL 

LAKE 

ROAD 

ROAD 

LAKE 

ROAD 

LANE 

MICHIGAN 

DRIVE 

MATHEY 

S. 

RIPP 

MOORE 


SMEJKAL 

RD. 

B A Y 

RIDGE 

BUFFALO 

JARMEN 

LAKE 

TR. 

RIDGE 

RD. 

ROAD 

VIEW 

ROAD 

COUNTRY 

FOREST 

STRAND 

RD. 

S E V A S T O P O L 

Lily Bay 

VIEW 

COUNTRY 

HABERLI 

Creek 

RD. 

RIDGE 

WEBER 

PARK 

ROAD 

RD. 

RD. 

BRAUER 

57 

Institute 

DRIVE 

ROAD 

ROAD 

BRAUER 

MICHIGAN 

LEIST 

LAKE 

ROAD 

N. 

DR. 

Valmy 

ROAD 

ROAD 

DUNN ROAD 

Clay Banks Shoreline 

Woodard Creek 

Schuyler Creek 

Bear Creek 

PLOOR 

RO 

WHITE FISH BAY 

BECHTEL 

ROAD 

h Bay 

Kellner Fen 

Sturgeon Bay 

Ship Canal 

NELSON 

LANE 

NELSON 

Creek 

RD. 

W. 

GLIDDEN 

SHORE 

S. 

DRIVE 

LAKE 

RD. 

VE 

Whitefish Dunes 

State Park 

N 

5000 0 5000 Feet 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

CLAYBANKS 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

# 

Shivering Sands 

Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 




LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

WASHINGTON 



SAWYER HARBOR / LOST CREEK 

& LARSON CREEK WATERSHEDS COMPLEX 

LOCATION: 

Sawyer Harbor/ Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex is approximately 4,590 acres 

located in west central Door County south of Sturgeon Bay (T27N, R25E) in the Town of Nasewaupee. 

As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been 

designated. 


The Sawyer Harbor/ Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watershed Complex forms the northern portion 

of a contiguous corridor extending southeast through the Stony Creek Wetlands Complex and into Stony 

Creek which empties into Lake Michigan at a point south of the Door & Kewaunee County line. Sawyer 

Harbor has long been recognized for its recreational, historic, and scenic features, and the Larson Creek 

Watershed is considered an important wetland resource (Emmerich 1978). 

The Town of Nasewaupee does not currently utilize land use regulation or zoning, except for 

state-mandated zoning of shorelines and navigable streams. However, a planning initiative started in the 

summer of 1997 has spawned numerous public meetings, surveys, informational forums and professional 

land use planning services that are being used to develop a comprehensive land use plan. Considerable 

information has been gathered, all leading toward a land use framework that reflects the public's wishes 

and intentions. Many community members are volunteering substantial time and energy at various levels 

to develop the town's comprehensive land use plan, which is scheduled for completion in the summer of 

2003. 


The Sawyer Harbor/ Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watershed Complex creates a contiguous 

corridor from the Bay of Green Bay inland to other important watersheds. The area is large enough to 

provide important habitat corridors and aid in protecting surface and groundwater quality and quantity. 

Sawyer Harbor is an ecologically important fish spawning area for Green Bay and provides important 

shallow water habitat. This complex also contains unique, large lowland cedar and ash swamps (i.e., May 

and Cunningham Swamps) that provide important terrestrial habitat. Preliminary natural heritage 

inventories in the area have documented rare species of animals, invertebrates and plants, such as the 

federally threatened dwarf lake iris and state-threatened long-eared sunfish. See the Natural Community 

Cross Reference, Appendix "A" and Wisconsin's Natural Heritage Inventory Listing, Appendix "B" for 

more additional information. 


Peter Sherwood was among the early residents, in this part of the county, building his cabin in 

1838. The first summer hotel in Door County was built on the north shore of Sawyer Harbor, now 

commonly referred to as Idlewild. The hotel was constructed in 1879 by J. T. Wright and was about 125 

feet long, could accommodate about 40 guests and was generally filled to capacity (Holand 1917). 

Although much of the southern portion of the county was affected by the great fires of 1871 (Peshtigo 

Fire) the area around Sawyer Harbor escaped. 


Sawyer Harbor 

• Sawyer Harbor is a heavily used recreational area with three access points. Boaters, skiers, and 

fisherman use this harbor because of its sheltered nature and proximity to Potawatomi State Park. 

The harbor opens to the east into Sturgeon Bay’s outer channel. 

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex 71

• Two small islands are located near the State Park shoreline. The harbor is a shallow bay of 362 acres 

with nearly six miles of shoreline. 

• The surrounding land use is predominately recreational (Potawatomi State Park) and single family 

residential with lesser amounts of idle cropland. 

• Along the north and south shore rubble and cobble make up the shoreline, while the west shore is 

coastal wetland. The bottom substrate is predominantly sand or sand/rock mix. The rock scarps and 

estuary offer habitat for plant and animal species. 

• Vegetation includes upland hardwoods, lowland pines and white cedar (Thuja occidentalis). Other 

plant species include dwarf lake iris, balsam (Abies balsamea), and spruce (Picea spp.). 

• Fish known to inhabit the harbor include northern pike (Esox lucius), smallmouth bass (Micropterus 

dolomieui), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris), brown trout (Salmo 

trutta), and long-eared sunfish (Lepomis megalotis). 

• Dwarf lake iris is listed as a federally threatened plant and the long-eared sunfish is in the statethreatened 

category. 

• The aesthetic value of Sawyer Harbor is as a sheltered inlet that houses several impressive land 

features such as rock terraces, shoals, wetlands, intermittent streams, ponds, and scenic views of two 

islands and Potawatomi State Park. 

Lost Creek Watershed 

Lost Creek is a 2.5 mile long stream with a 2.2 square-mile watershed. 

• The surrounding land use is mainly cropland with lesser amounts of idle cropland. A golf course and 

county landfill are located near the stream 

• Soils are deep, moderate to poorly drained, and almost level to moderately steep. Silty clay subsoil 

overlays silty clay till or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). 

• The stream is classified as a limited forage fishery because it is only capable of supporting a limited 

community of forage fish and aquatic life. Limited forage fisheries tend to have poor habitat quality. 

• White cedar is the dominant tree species in lowland areas. 

• Fish known to seasonally utilize the stream include walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), northern pike, 

rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and white suckers (Catostomus commersoni) (Corbisier 2000). 



72 

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex

Larson Creek Watershed 

Larson Creek is a 4-mile long intermittent stream originating in Cunningham Swamp. The 

stream flows through rural areas and pastures before emptying into Sand Bay. Larson Creek is part of an 

8.9 square mile watershed. 

• The surrounding land use is predominantly cropland with lesser amounts of idle cropland, other 

natural area, and single family residential. 

• Soils are shallow to deep, well drained, and almost level to moderately steep. A sandy loam or loam 

subsoil overlays sandy loam or find sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock. (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Larson Creek is classified as a warm water forage fishery, with a fair habitat ranking. 

• Fish known to use the stream include walleye, northern pike, and white sucker. Snapping turtle 

(Chelydra serpentines) are also known to live in the stream. 

• It is unknown if nay threatened or endangered plant and animal species are present, as biological 



• Enhance and maintain the integrity of the large lowland cedar and ash swamps (i.e., May and 

Cunningham Swamps). 

• Restore and maintain the water quality and landscape buffers along the stream corridors to protect the 

fish spawning areas of Lost Creek and Larson Creek. 

THREATS: 

• Possible threats to this large wetland complex include the effects of nearby agriculture and future 

residential growth. 

• There are major sinkholes and solution features receiving non-point source pollution, creating the 

potential for water quality problems. 

• Sedimentation threatens wetlands in this complex. 

• Carp in the harbor and surrounding wetlands stir-up low-lying sediment disturbing native plant and 

animal growth. 


• Plant and animal inventories are needed 

• Develop a list of individuals and organizations interested in conservation efforts 

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex 73

74 

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex

RD. 

N. 

BAY 

KLUTH 

RD. 

POPLAR 

LANE 

ELM 

ROAD 

ROAD 

BAY 

RILEY'S 

LANE 

RD. 

AF 

ZIRBEL 

RD. 

WECKLER 

RD. 

2000 0 

N 

2000 4000 Feet 

ROAD 

May Creek 


ELIASON 

RD. 

ELIASON 

N A S E W A U P E E 

ROCK RIDGE 

Y-INN 

RD. 

MANN 

RD. 

LARSON 

RD. 

Larsen Creek 

ELMS 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

IDLEWILD 

Lost Creek 

ROAD 

HAINESVILLE 

SAND 

RD. 

BAY 

HOFFMAN 

RD. 

ROAD 

RD. 

PARK 

DR. 

WILSON 

ROAD 

STAGG 

RD. 

EMERALD 


Wetlands Complex 

Sawyer Harbor/ Lost Creek Watershed/ 

Larsen Creek Watershed 




Potawatomi 

State Park 

ROAD 

ROAD 

SAWYER 

DR. 



WILSON 

GARDNER 

GRONDIN RD. 

# 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

DRIVE 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

CLAYBANKS 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

WASHINGTON 

ROAD 

MOUNT 


Ephraim 

HARBOR

Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek & Larson Creek Watersheds Complex 


WEST BRANCH WHITEFISH BAY CREEK CORRIDOR 

LOCATION: 

The West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor covers approximately 2,150 acres in central 

Door County (T28N, R26E) in the Towns of Egg Harbor, Jacksonport, and Sevastopol. As this report 

represents general areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated. 

SITE DESCRIPTION: 

The West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor, locally known as Maple Creek, begins east of a 

small pond in the Town of Egg Harbor. The corridor extends southeast to the West Branch of Whitefish 

Bay Creek, then it follows the creek to Whitefish Dunes State Park. South of Whitefish Dunes State Park 

is the proposed conservation project Shivering Sands, partially owned by the Nature Conservancy. 


Factors contributing to the ecological significance of this site include the unroaded mosaic of 

forest types at the headwaters of the stream, the contiguous nature of the riparian habitat, and the 

structural quality and ecological function of several individual forest and wetland tracts within the site. 

The lack of roads through the headwater forests of this stream represent an opportunity to protect habitat 

for those species requiring large forested tracts. While the quality of the habitat structure throughout the 

forest varies the overall size and integrity of the forest is impressive for this portion of Door County. 

The riparian habitat carried by this stream stretches through an agricultural landscape in portions 

of three townships in the south central northern Door County, and connects the large forest block near 

Lake Michigan at Whitefish Dunes State Park with the large forest block at the headwaters of this stream. 

This important landscape connection while impaired by road crossings and a constriction of the riparian 

corridor at County Road WD is for the most part in tact and could be enhanced. 

Several individual locations within this site bear special note for their significance. The open 

semi-permanent marsh on the south side of County Road I at the extreme south west end of this site is 

annually used by large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds during spring migration. The diversity of 

species is equally impressive, as it is not uncommon to see 10 or more species of waterfowl at one time at 

this wetland. Elsewhere, within the headwater forest, good quality upland tracts of mature hemlock, 

sugar maple and beech grow on the rolling glacial moraine formations along the stream. Several tracts 

show little evidence of recent cutting and hold a diverse native ground flora. 

A complete account of the ecological significance of this area is dependent on further biological 

inventories of the site. However, several rare plants and invertebrates have been cataloged; refer to the 

Natural Community Cross Reference, Appendix “A” and Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory, 

Appendix “B”. 


The area has a rich cultural history. Artifacts found near the mouth of the creek may date as early 

as 1100 BC. Archaeological excavations carried out prior to the construction of the Whitefish Dunes 

Visitor Center revealed eight occupations, beginning with the North Bay people about 100 BC, followed 

by the descendants, the Heins Creek people (Dirst 1993). Certain key environmental attractants, abundant 

fish, wild plant food, wildlife and easy beach access to mention a few, brought people to this locality time 

and time again. 

Around AD 900 the Oneota people arrived. They continued to visit Whitefish Dunes through at 

least AD1400. Then, around 1640 the Potawatomis and Indian refugees from other eastern tribes moved 

into the area. The Potawatomis were still here when Euro-Americans arrived in the 1800’s. 

West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor 77


West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

The West Branch of Whitefish Bay Creek is 4.8 miles in length. The West Branch Whitefish Bay 

Creek Corridor includes approximately 1,200 acres of upland forest and 950 acres of swamp and lowland 

forest. 

• The West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek is within the Towns of Sevastopol and Jacksonport. Both 

towns have adopted the county zoning ordinance. 

• The surrounding land use is predominately cropland with lesser amounts of woodland, and plantation 

forests. 

• Soils are shallow to deep, well drained, and nearly level to moderately steep. A sandy loam or loam 

subsoil overlays sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Uplands are primarily sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Lowland 

areas are comprised of white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), birch (Betula spp.), poplar (Populus alba), 

white spruce (Picea glauca), and a Wisconsin special concern broad-leaf sedge (Carex platyphylla). 

Colonies of sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) and northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) are 

widely dispersed. The main tree species in the open marsh area is green ash (Fraxinus 

pennsylvanica). A colony of small yellow lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium calceolus var. parviflorum) is 

known to exist on the site. 

• Populations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and native brook trout exist in the stream. 

• The West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek is as a natural wetland corridor connecting to several other 

natural areas. A diverse assemblage of plants and animals depend on this creek. 

Marsh Area 

The view from the lowland marsh is rolling farmland and trees. A small upland ephemeral pond 

is located just north of this area. Natural springs are located in the lower portion of the marsh. 

• The marsh is located in the Town of Egg Harbor. A county zoning map exists for Egg Harbor 

however, county zoning is not in effect. Egg Harbor utilizes an independent planning commission 

with a sub-division ordinance. The surrounding land use is predominately cropland with lesser 

amounts of woodland, and plantation forests. 



• Vegetation within the marsh is primarily reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), bulrushes 

(Schoenoplectus spp.), and iris (Iris spp.). Cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) are also located near 

the marsh. 

• Many species of waterfowl use this creek corridor. Nesting Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus) are 

known to the marsh. 

• It is unknown if any threatened or endangered plant or animal species are present, as biological 


78 

West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor


• Enhance and maintain adequate upland buffers throughout the West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

Corridor. 

• Protect and maintain the undeveloped landscape of the headwaters of the marsh area and glacial 

moraines. 

THREATS: 

• The primary threat to this corridor is poor agricultural practices and contamination of the stream 

corridor. 

• Residential subdivisions could also threaten the wildlife corridor. 


• Complete plant and animal inventories 

• Develop a list of individuals and organizations interested in conservation activities. 

West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor 79

80 

West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor

WILLOW 

COURT 

RD. 

G G 

BOTTOM 

ROAD 

OAK 

ROAD 



GARDNER 

R B O R 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

ROAD 

EGG 

HARBOR 

STRAND 

RD. 

DIVISION 

DIVISION 

WILLOW 

AUER RD. 

RD. 

DR. 

N 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

# 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

Marsh Area 

WASHINGTON 

ROAD 

LEIST 

LAKE 

LOST 

RD. 

KIEHNAU 

ROAD 

West 

Jacksonport 

BAGNALL 

RD. 

PINE 

TREE 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 


Lost 

Lake 

West Branch 

EHLER 

ROAD 

JUNCTION 

J A C K S O N P O R T 

ROAD 

BAGNALL 

MEMORIAL 

ANSCHUTZ RD. 

ROAD 

LANE 

NELSON 

LANE 

FLOK 

ROAD 

LORITZ 

PL. 

Logan Creek 

57 

Whitefish Bay 

Creek 


ELM 

ROAD 

DR. 

W. 

SHORE 

LA. 

PIT 

ROAD 

JORNS 

S. 

ROAD 

RD. 

Clark 

Lake 

JORNS 

RD. 

CLARK CAVE 

LAKE 

DRIVE 

Logan Creek/ 

Lost Lake Area 

Creek 

POINT 

LAKE 

Bay to Lake 

Wildlife Corridor 

CT. 

RD. 

CLARKS 

RD. 

Jacksonport 

LAKE 

LOGERQUIST 

DR. 

CAVE 

N. PT. 


State Park 

Park 

L A K E M I C H I G A N 


West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek Corridor 


BAY SHORE BLUFF LANDS 

LOCATION: 

The Bay Shore Bluff Lands cover approximately 3,250 acres located north of Sturgeon Bay in 

western Door County near the shoreline of Green Bay (T29N, R26E) in the Town of Egg Harbor. As this 

report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated. 


The Bay Shore Bluff Lands extend from an area south of Carlsville Road along the western shore 

of the peninsula north to Horseshoe Point. The Niagara Escarpment is an important topographic feature 

of this natural area; karst features such as caves and sinkholes are prevalent throughout this region. 


Several groups have recognized the Bay Shore Bluff Lands (Carlsville Bluff) as a significant 

natural habitat in the last 20 years. In 1976, the Door County Natural Heritage Program ranked the area 

as an important scenic wetland and forest resource area. In this study the forest was ranked 5 th among 15 

Door County areas. Again in 1976, the Natural Areas Inventory of Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coastline 

listed the Carlsville Bluff as a significant natural area. In 1977, the Wisconsin Coastal Atlas rated the 

area as high quality wildlife habitat. In 1981, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife conducted inventory of the Great 

Lakes coastal wetlands identified and classified the forested wetlands of this site. In 1988, Dr. Jim 

Zimmerman in his natural features inventory of Door County concluded the Carlsville forest, escarpment, 

and terraced wetlands were deserving of WDNR Natural Area status. A 124-acre tract of these bluff 

lands was recently purchased by the Door County Land Trust and was designated as a State Natural Area 

in 2002, (see Appendix “D” for further information). 

The site’s natural diversity with habitat types ranging from open cliff faces to hardwood swamps 

to dry mesic forest supports an impressive number of rare or uncommon species. At least a dozen orchid 

species, a number of rare land snails, and many birds requiring large forests are found at this site. Over a 

hundred blooming and numerous non-blooming plant species have been counted in the recent past. As 

the site rests along the west exposure of the Niagara Escarpment, karst features are abundant. These 

features often allow rapid movement of surface water into the bedrock, which is why this site is also 

important for the protection of ground water resources of the region. 

Rare animals, invertebrates and plants have been inventoried in this area, including a large 

population of state threatened Ram’s head orchid. Other plants worth noting are the long-spurred violet 

(Viola rostrata) and allegheny vine (Adlumia fungosa), both are listed as state special concern. For 

additional information refer to the Natural Communities Cross-Reference, Appendix “A” and 

Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory Listing, Appendix “B”. 


Like many of the coastal communities in the late 1800’s this area was a shipping point for lumber 

and shingle products. Three major piers were in use between Carlsville Road at the southern end of the 

site and what is now Murphy Park at the northern end. By 1937 the southern and northern piers were 

gone. 

The earliest aerial photos of the site, June 1938, show a solid forest block along the shore of 

Green Bay from Carlsville Road to Murphy Park. The configuration of this forest coverage is generally 

similar to present coverage. Agricultural land use, at least row cropping and haying, appears to have 

always been confined to land above the bluff in the deeper clay-loam soils. 

However, aerial photos in 1961 show explosive growth of shoreline homes and cottages since 

1938. The next aerial photos were taken in 1974 and indicate a continual increase in home building along 

the shore and road building activity above the bluff areas. Some of the previously tilled agricultural fields 

have been abandoned and “old field” succession has begun. 

Bay Shore Bluff Lands 83


Bay Shore Bluff Lands & Woods 

The Bay Shore Bluff Lands are located from Horseshoe Point south to Carlsville Road. The Bay 

Shore Bluff Lands’ escarpment is one section of the Niagara Escarpment and is approximately 6 miles in 

length. 

• Upland sand ridges and lowland forest swale features sustain a diversity of woodland plant species. 

Several forest types exist both above and below the escarpment. Many seeps are found along the base 

of much of the talus slopes. Along the escarpment face the type and amount of rock exposure is 

highly variable (Grimm 2001). 

• The bluff lands and woods are mostly within the Town of Egg Harbor, with a small portion in the 

Town of Sevastopol. A county zoning map exists for Egg Harbor, however, zoning is not in effect. 

An independent Town Board using its own sub-division ordinance governs the Town. The Egg 

Harbor Town Board enacted a moratorium on commercial development from January 1998 to March 

1999. Under the Town Plan wetlands, forests, the Niagara Escarpment and open space should be 

protected. The Nature Conservancy is working with the town to identify high quality natural 

resources in Egg Harbor. 

• Land use surrounding this area is predominantly that of cropland, woodlots, idle cropland, residential 

lots, orchards, and recreational land under private ownership. 



• The area including the base of the escarpment is characterized by seeps. Across Carlsville road to the 

north lies springs and ponds that serve as breeding grounds for northern pike (Esox lucius). 

• Herbaceous plants include wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis), American hog-peanut 

(Amphicarpa bracteata), sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii), black snakeroot (Sanicula marilandica), 

wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), white baneberry (Actaea pachypoda), red baneberry (Acaea 

rubra), and zig-zag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), 

rosy twisted-stalk (Streptopus roseus), large-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus), New Jersey tea 

(Ceanothus americanus), rattlesnake fern (Botrychium virginianum), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia 

nudicaulis), Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), and spreading dogbane (Apocynum 

androsaemifolium), sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba), long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata), 

bladder fern (Cystopteris bulbifera), common polypody (Polypodium virginianum), walking fern 

(Camptosorus rhizophyllus), northern fragile fern (Cystopteris fragilis), American bittersweet 

(Celastrus scandens), climbing fumitory (Adlumia fungosa), and two-leaf miterwort (Mitella 

diphylla). 

• Several types of vegetation are consistent with various habitat types found here. Canopy species 

include hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), white pine (Pinus strobus), red pine (Pinus resinosa), bigtoothed 

aspen (Populus grandidentata), northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis), beech (Fagus 

graqndifolia), and basswood (Tilia americana). Understory plants include mountain maple (Acer 

spicatum), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and ironwood (Ostrya virginia). 

84 

Bay Shore Bluff Lands

• Below the escarpment are several types of forests. A seasonally spring-fed wet forest is dominated by 

silver maple (Acer saccharinum), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylanica). Several species are present 

which are more common to southern regions, such as: swamp white oak (Quarcus bicolor); American 

bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia); and great water-leaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum). Sugar maple 

(Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), red oak (Quarcus rubra) and hemlock 

dominate a mesic northern hardwood forest. Another northern forest type is comprised of white 

cedar, white spruce (Picea glauca), and balsam fir (Abies balsamea). A wetland near Carlsville Road 

is fed by springs and contains open sedge, dogwood, willow shrubs, and tamarack (Larix laricina) 

(Grimm 2001). 

• Terrace communities include canopy species such as white birch, white cedar, white pine, and 

trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), large-toothed aspen, northern red oak, sugar maple, American 

beech, white ash (Fraxinus americana) and hemlock congregate on old beach ridges. Understory 

plants include chokecherry, red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), round-leaved dogwood (Cornus 

rugosa), and balsam fir. Other species include American witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), 

highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum (americanum), beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), eastern 

leatherwood (Dirca palustris), and russet buffalo-berry (Shepherdia canadensis). 

• A shrub layer south of Carlsville Road contains pussy willow (Salix discolor), grape (Vitis spp.), red 

osier dogwood, willow (Salix spp.), and green ash. Herbaceous plants include spotted Joe-Pye-weed 

(Eupatorium maculatum), blue-joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), panic grass (Panicum spp.), 

monkey-flower (Mimulus ringens), panicled aster (Aster simplex), goldenrod (Solidago spp.), grassleaved 

goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia), and small yellow lady's-slipper (Cypripedium calceolus 

var. parviflorum) (Standish 2001). 

• Wildlife includes upland forest species with many songbirds (Zimmerman, 1989). A large number of 

breeding birds are known to the area, such as: American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager (Piranga 

olivacea), White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus 

crinitus), Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), Black-throated 

Blue warbler (Dendroica caerulescens), Orchard oriole (Icterus spurius), Veery (Catharus 

fuscescens), Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), and Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens). Other 

birds include Northern or Yellow-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus), Pileated Woodpecker 

(Dryocopus pileatus), Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 

(Sphyrapicus varius), Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus), Barred Owl (Strix varia), Great 

Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus), American woodcock 

(Scolopax minor), and Common Raven (Corvus corax). Some hawks such as Northern Harrier, 

Broadwing Hawk (Buteo platypterus), Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Cooper’s Hawk 

(Accipiter cooperii), Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), 

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) during migration and Red-shouldered Hawk have been found in 

the area (Standish 2001). 

• Land snails have been found on rock outcrops north and south of Carlsville Road and at the north end 

of the bluffs. Nineteen species were recorded in 1995 including 3 rare species and 1 glacial relict 

species (Grimm 2001). A preliminary list of snails include Allogona profunda, Anguispira alternata, 

Cochilcopa lubrica, Columella simplex, Discus catkillensis, Euconulus fulvus, Gastrocopta contracta, 

Gastrocopta pentadon, Glyphyalina indentata, Hendersonia occulta, Mesodon thyroidus, Nesovitrea 

electrina, Paravitrea multidentata, Punctum minutissium, Strobilops aeneas, Strobilops labyrinthica, 

Vertigo bollesiana, Vertigo gouldii, Vertigo hubrichtii, and Zonitoides arboreus (Standish 2001). 


Spring Lane Hardwood Swamp 

The Spring Lane Hardwood Swamp covers approximately 15 acres and is located between 

Monument Point Road north to Horseshoe Point. The swamp was named after the road Spring Lane, 

which runs the length of the site. This spring fed hardwood swamp is drained by several sinkholes. 

• Spring Lane Hardwood Swamp is in the Town of Egg Harbor. Land use is primarily woodlots with 

lesser amounts of residential, cropland, idle farmland, and orchards. 



• Vegetation within the hardwood swamp canopy is green ash, sugar maple, and swamp white oak. A 

common understory plant is young green ash. Herbacious plants include northern blue flag (Iris 

versicolor), common moonseed (Menispermum canadense), and blue skullcap (Scutellaria 

lateriflora). 

• Upland forest near the swamp contains canopy trees such as red oak, white birch, silver maple, 

bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), wild black cherry (Prunus serotina), hemlock, large-toothed 

aspen, and white ash. Understory plants include eastern leatherwood, American yew (Taxus 

canadensis), American bladdernut, wild black currant (Ribes americanum), and silver maple. A 

herbaceous plant layer contains rue-anemone (Anemonella thalictroides), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum 

thalictroides), broad-leaf sedge (Carex platyphylla), allegheny vine, long-spurred violet, trillium, and 

American trout-lily (Erythronium americanum). Near the edge of swamp vegetation varies. Virginia 

waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum), great water-leaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum), springbeauty 

(Claytonia virginica), Dutchman's-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), squirrel-corn (Dicentra 

canadensis), and bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) are common species (Standish 2001). 

• Wildlife includes several noteworthy bird species. Among these is the state special concern Northern 

Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, Veery, Wood Thrush, and the state threatened Redshouldered 

Hawk. Other significant birds in the area include the Hermit Thrush and the Turkey 

Vulture (Cathartes aura) (Standish 2001). 

• State threatened plant species include ram's-head lady's-slipper (Cypripedium arietinum) and dwarf 

lake iris (Iris lacustris). State special concern species found in this area are small yellow lady'sslipper 

(Cypripedium parviflorum), showy lady's-slipper (Cypripedium reginae), Hooker's orchis 

(Platanthera hookeri), long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata), allegheny vine (Adlumia fungosa), large 

white-flowered ground-cherry (Leucophysalis grandiflora), broad-leaf sedge (Carex platyphylla), 

Canadian yew (Taxus canadensis), and variegated horsetail (Equisetum variegatum). 

• Other significant plant species include northern green orchid (Platanthera hyperborea), striped 

coralroot (Corallorhiza striata), early coralroot (Corallorhiza trifida), spotted coral-root 

(Corallorhiza maculata), cancer-root (Orobanche uniflora), great water-leaf, Hitchcock's sedge 

(Carex hitchcockiana), swamp white oak, American bladdernut, common moonseed, walking fern, 

and prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) (Standish 2001). 

86 




areas or features of the site, (e.g., the hardwood swamps below the talus, the escarpment free face and 

talus slopes, the semi-open wetlands at the south end of the site, and the interior mixed 

conifer/hardwood forests). 

• Maintain the existing forest of the site and reforest abandoned agricultural land adjacent to the 

existing forest to increase the overall size of the forest. 

• Prevent further fragmentation of existing forest by roads. 

• Prevent impairment to water quality and flow regime of the springs that feed the sub-talus wetlands at 

this site. 

• Monitor exotic aggressive species, particularly garlic mustard, and control, as necessary. 

THREATS: 

• Loss of forest cover for homesites and “viewsheds”; bedrock destruction for foundation and sewer 

construction; erosion during construction; filling of wetlands and karst features for roads, driveways 

and lawns; increased impervious surfaces that promote runoff of oils and salts; and increased human 

activity (Grimm 2001C). 

• Poor logging practices could disturb karst features, especially when snow cover is unavailable to 

protect the ground surface (Grimm 2001C). 

• Exotic plants and animals like the gypsy moth, butternut canker, and garlic mustard increase when 

forest interior decreases. Non-native species could thrive on human disturbed habitat with increased 

forest edge (Grimm 2001C). 

• Deer herbivory is expected to increase as subdivisions decrease hunting lands. The forest mosaic 

could be compromised because of the removal of low woody and herbaceous vegetation by deer 

(Grimm 2001C). 

• Changes in surface or shallow groundwater movement due to surface disturbance associated with 

development could decrease water/groundwater quality (Standish 2001). 



• Develop list of individuals and landowners interested in conservation activities 


Johnson, S.B. & Stieglitz, R.D., 1990. Karst features of a glaciated dolostone peninsula, Door 

County, Wisconsin: Geomorphology, 4:437-454. 


88 




GARDNER 

WEST 

N 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

LEDGE 

OAD 

ROAD 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

# 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

WASHINGTON 


BIRCH 

MONUMENT 

LA. 

CARLSVILLE 


SPRING 

POINT RD.RD. 

DAUBNER 

LA. 

RD. 

LANE 

MONUMENT 

Carlsville 

SUNRISE 

HORSE- 

SHOE 

PHILO 

Spring Lane 


42 

WAY- SIDE 

ROAD BAY 

SUNNYSLOPE 

POINT 

ROAD 

WAY 

PLUM 

POINT 

RD. 

SUNNY 

RD. 

Bay Shore Bluffs & Woods 



POINT 

SUNNY 

E G G 

OAK 

WILLOW 

COURT 

RD. 

BOTTOM 

H A R B O R 

ROAD 

OAK 

ROAD 

ROAD 

West Branch Whitefish 

Bay Creek 

DIVISION 

DIVISION 

WILLOW 

RD. 

DR. 


ROAD

Bay Shore Bluff Lands 

GERALD H. ENMERICH, JR.

LOGAN CREEK / LOST LAKE CORRIDOR 

LOCATION: 

The Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor is approximately 4,950 acres located in the Town of 

Jacksonport in the central portion of Door County (T28-29N, R26-27E). As this report represents general 



The Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor encompasses the natural habitat associated with this 

wetland corridor. The southern edge borders Clark Lake, Whitefish Dunes State Park and Whitefish 

Dune State Natural Area. This is an important wetland habitat for fish and wildlife. Scenery, water 

quality, and forest resources are all of high quality (Zimmerman 1989). The Town of Jacksonport has 

adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 


The ecological significance of this site is defined by the condition of Lost Lake, the presence of 

several species of state significance, a large diverse wetland complex north of Lost Lake, and extensive 

riparian conifer forest along Logan Creek south of Lost Lake. Other attributes that contribute to the areas 

significance are several tracts of old growth forest, especially north of Lost Lake and at the mouth of 

Logan Creek at Clark Lake, and the high volume springs which feed Logan Creek south of Lost Lake and 

near Highway 57. 

Lost Lake, with an almost completely undeveloped shoreline, represents a rare opportunity to 

preserve a large lake-wetland system nearly intact. While its shallow nature precludes a diverse fish 

population; perch, northern pike, and black bullheads are present, and lake and wetland associated birds 

and aquatic insects (esp. odonates) are abundant. Except for a narrow lawn on the west shore the entire 

shoreline of the lake holds natural vegetation. A wide buffer of forest borders the lake on the north, 

southwest and south, with a narrow buffer on the east shore. 

Based on a very limited inventory, species of state significance observed at the lake and 

surrounding forest include, Osprey (feeding), Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) (feeding), Red-shouldered 

Hawk (possibly nesting), and the white adder’s mouth orchid (Malaxis brachypoda). Other natural 

communities and rare plant and animal species have been documented in the area. Refer to the Natural 

Communities Cross Reference, Appendix “A” and Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory Listing, 

Appendix “B” for further information. 


A settlement located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the vicinity of Clark Lake was started 

around 1838. Originally it was a fishing village and a project of John P. Clark, who was the first white 

settler in this area of the county. The inland lake was named for him and nearby Whitefish Bay was 

named for the large amounts of fish that were being caught there. He packed his tremendous catches in 

salt barrels and shipped them to markets on the Great Lakes in his own schooners. Clark bought up 2,500 

acres of land that included 9 miles of shore land. Much of the time he had as many as 30 fisherman and a 

number of coopers, including several Native Americans, who made barrels in his employ (Lotz 1994) 


Logan Creek 

Logan Creek is 5.4 miles in length, approximately 8 feet wide with a gradient of 17.7 feet per 

mile, and flows southeast from Lost Lake until it empties into Clark Lake. The creek is designated as a 

Wisconsin Outstanding Water Resource, a distinction given by the Outstanding Resource Waters portion 

of the Wisconsin Administrative Codes. 

Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor 91

• The surrounding land use is a combination of cleared cropland, stump pasture, pasture, and orchards 

(Corbisier 2000). One quarry is in the southeast section of this site (Grimm, Hewitt, & Holtz 1999). 


subsoil lies over sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). 

• The stream habitat ranking is fair; most of the stream is a warm water forage fish community. For 0.4 

miles the stream is classified Class I, and for 0.25 miles the stream is classified Class II (Corbisier 

2000). 

• Vegetation within the stream corridor is primarily lowland cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and black ash 

forest (Fraxinus nigra), with lesser amounts of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), balsam fir (Abies 

balsamea), hemlock (Tsuga canadiensis), and white pine (Pinus strobus). Ground species throughout 

most of the stream corridor are of one of two types, hummocked or pools. Hummock species include 

dewberry (Rubus flagellaris), starflower (Trientalis borealis), gold-thread (Coptis trifolia), 

bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), Labrador-tea (Ledum groenlandicum), wintergreen (Gaultheria 

procumbens), and naked miterwort (Mitella nuda). Common pool species are marsh-marigold 

(Caltha palustris), bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), and sensitive fern (Onoclea 

sensibilis) (Grimm, Hewitt, & Holtz 1999). 

• Southern portions of Logan Creek contain second growth mesic woodlands comprised of sugar maple 

(Acer saccharum), beech (Fagus grandifolia), hemlock, white cedar, yellow birch and black cherry 

(Prunus serotina). The understory typically consists of Canadian yew (Taxus canadensis), beech, and 

sugar maple. Common herbaceous plants are wild Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), 

starflower, wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), wood fern (Dryopteris carthusiana), blue-bead lily 

(Clintonia borealis), wild onion (Allium canadense), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), 

yellow trout-lily (Erythronium americanum), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), sharp-lobed 

hepatica (Anemone acutiloba), and beech drops (Monotropa hypopithys). The state endangered small 

yellow crowfoot (Ranunculus gmelinii) has been sighted within wetland areas of the creek. 

• This has been one of the few creeks in the county known to have a self-sustaining population of 

brook trout. However, none have been noticed in the past 5 years when random surveys were 

conducted. Common bird species found along the creek include Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus), 

Red-eyed Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens), Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great 

Crested Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), and Hermit Thrush. 

Lost Lake 

Lost Lake is spring-fed, shallow, marl-bottomed, and a seepage lake. The maximum depth is 5.5 feet 

There is relatively little development along the shoreline and it’s considered the largest undeveloped lake 

in the county. The surrounding land use is cleared cropland, stump pasture, pasture, and orchards. 

• Soils underlying the lake are marl-bottomed. That is, they are soft, calcium carbonate mixed with 

clay (Corbisier 2000). 

• Shallow water emergents along the shoreline of the lake include cattail, hardstem bulrush, twig rush 

(Cladium mariscoides), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), red osier dogwood (Cornus 

stolonifera), speckled alder (Alnus incana), joe-pye-weed (Eupatorium maculatum), marsh bellflower 

(Campanula aparinoides), water dock (Rumex altissimus), rush aster (Aster borealis), willow (Salix 

spp.), and tamarack (Larix laricina). The northwest portion of the lake contains yellow-water lilies. 

92 

Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor

• The northern shore of Lost Lake contains a seasonally flooded basin. Plants typically found here are 

herbaceous grasses and sedges. Hardwood swamps are located at the north end of the site. Canopy 

species include red maple (Acer rubrum), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and silver maple (Acer 

saccharinum). Understory is comprised of white cedar and green ash saplings. Groundcover plants 

are nettles (Urtica spp.), ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), royal fern (Osmunda regalis), and 

some grass and sedge species (Grimm, Hewitt, & Holtz 1999). 

• Conifer swamps comprised of white cedar and tamarack surround the rest of the lake (Corbisier 

2000.) An area of shrub/carr of approximately five acres is located just north of Lost Lake. This 

unique natural community is dominated by one species, winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Growth is 

extremely dense with occasional green ash. 

• Fish found in the lake include carp (Cyprinus carpio), bullhead (Ictalurnus spp.), northern pike (Esox 

lucious), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Animals found near the lake include northern water 

snake, snapping turtle, painted turtle, Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), 

and Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (Corbisier 2000). Other birds include the Sandhill Crane, Green 

Heron, Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, 

Swamp Sparrow, and Song Sparrow, the state special concern Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 

and the state protected and threatened Osprey (Grimm, Hewitt, & Holtz 1999). 


• Maintain an unobstructed watercourse between Lost Lake and Clark Lake. 

• Protect the undeveloped characteristic of Lost Lake and its shoreline. 

• Maintain water quality of the small tributaries connecting to Logan Creek. 

• Maintain and expand the riparian buffer along the Logan Creek corridor. 

THREATS: 

• Little development is occurring presently, however future residential expansion could threaten the 

integrity of this wetland complex. 

• Runoff from agricultural practices could threaten water quality and plant and animal communities 

within the site. 

• Cattle grazing in or near the complex could also threaten water quality and plant and animal 

communities (Grimm, Hewitt, & Holtz 1999). 



• Develop list of individuals and supportive groups interested in conservation activities 

Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor 93

94 

Logan Creek / Lost Lake Corridor

OAK 

ROAD 

ROAD 

HILLSIDE 

WILLOW 

COURT 

RD. 

G G 

BOTTOM 

ROAD 

OAK 

EGG 

HARBOR 

ROAD 

BAY- 

VIEW 

RD. 

R B O R 

42 

HILLSIDE ROAD 

ROAD 

West Branch Whitefish 

Bay Creek 

. 

DIVISION 

DIVISION 

WILLOW 

RD. 

ROAD 

T 

ROAD 

DR. 

SCHOOL 

N 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

ROAD 

LAKE 

LOST 

RD. 

KIEHNAU 

ELM 

BAGNALL 

RD. 

PINE 

TREE 

RD. 

ROAD 

MAPLE TREE 

Lost 

Lake 

ROAD 

West 

Jacksonport 

West Branch 


HILLSIDE 

EHLER 

ROAD 

JUNCTION 


ROAD 

BAGNALL 

MEMORIAL 

ROAD 

ANSCHUTZ RD. 

RD. 

ROAD 

LANE 

SON 

ROAD 

FLOK 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

PL. 

LORITZ 

DRIVE 

ELM 

ROAD 

DR. 

RE 

HONOLD RD. 

LA. 

PIT 

ROAD 

JORNS 

ROAD 

RD. 

JORNS 

RD. 

CLARK CAVE 

WOODED 

DRIVE 

POINT 

LAKE 

BEACH 

ROAD ROAD 

FAIRVIEW 

Logan Creek 

57 

Whitefish Bay 

Hibbard 

Clark 

Lake 

BERGER 

CT. 

RD. 

CLARKS 

ROAD 

RD. 

LA. 




Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 


Private Conservation Areas 


Creek 

LAKE 

SOUTH 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

LOGERQUIST ROAD 

ROAD 

DR. 

CAVE 

RD. 

LAKE 

KANGAROO 

W. 

Jacksonport 

N. PT. 


Kangaroo 

Lake 

Meridian 

Park 

L A K E 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

Heins Cr. 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

57 

FIRST 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

# 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Björklunden V 

WASHINGTON 

LA. 


Ephraim 

HARBOR

BAY TO LAKE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR 

LOCATION: 

The Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor covers approximately 15,200 acres in north central Door 

County. The corridor extends in two branches south of Peninsula State Park to the shore of Lake 

Michigan in eastern Door County (T29-30N, R28E). This area is in the Towns of Gibraltar, Egg Harbor, 

Jacksonport and Bailey’s Harbor. As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of 

boundary lines have not been designated. 


The Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor is adjacent to and contiguous with Peninsula State Park. The 

Fish Creek Watershed begins on the western shore of Door County along the Niagara Escarpment, a 

prominent ridge of dolostone bedrock. Thorp Pond and its associated wetlands are connected to the Fish 

Creek Watershed. Both upland forest and lowland hardwood and conifer swamps are ecological features 

of this portion of the corridor. Hibbards Creek originates southeast of Thorp Pond and flows through wet 

and dry mesic woodlands, a conifer swamp, shrub-carr, and ridge and swale complex before draining into 

Lake Michigan. As a continuous corridor, Hibbards Creek, Fish Creek and Thorp Pond connect the bay 

side of the county with the lakeside. 

The second branch of the Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor encompasses the shoreline of the north 

end of Kangaroo Lake, the Piel Creek Corridor, adjoining lowland and lowland forests, and several tracts 

of old fields that buffer the site. Piel Creek is the major surface water source for Kangaroo Lake. 

Connecting the southern portion of Kangaroo Lake and the Lake Michigan Shore is Meridian Park, an 

area with intact lakeshore ridge and swale communities. 


The site encompasses a major natural corridor between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. This 

corridor not only holds many rare species and significant natural areas it also provides a major ecological 

connection across the Peninsula, despite the fragmentation by roads, agricultural land and residential 

development. Places like Thorp Pond, Hibbards Creek, Piel Creek, the north basin of Kangaroo Lake, 

and Meridian Park which lie within this site contain numerous state listed species and high quality natural 

communities. Three designated State Natural Areas are contiguous with this corridor: Peninsula Park 

Beech Forest; Peninsula Park White Cedar Forest; and Kangaroo Lake. 

The corridor is rich in diverse habitat types including a fen with boreal elements, alkaline sedge 

marshes, open water wetlands and small lakes, perennial and intermittent streams (both warm and cold 

water), lowland conifer forests, swamp hardwood forests, stands of northern conifer/hardwoods on clay 

loams and sand. There are several exposures of dolostone especially in the Fish Creek / Peninsula Park 

landscape and in Meridian Park. Ridge and swale formations exist in Meridian Park and near the outlet 

of Hibbards Creek. 

The highest quality forest communities in this corridor hold mature to near old growth conditions 

with large diameter shade tolerant trees, an uneven age forest structure, and large fallen trees. These 

conditions are most common in the wet-mesic forests south of Kangaroo Lake and in the hardwood / 

conifer swamps near Thorp Pond and the upper Fish Creek watershed. These old-growth patches lie in a 

matrix of younger aged forests of varying species composition and often-simpler structure. 

Local areas of high species diversity and rarity include Thorp Pond, Meridian Park, the north end 

of Kangaroo Lake, and the upper Fish Creek forest and escarpment landscape. The presence of nonnative 

aggressive species is currently minimal, however troublesome species like Japanese knotweed, 

barberry, exotic honeysuckle, and Scotch pine are present in scattered locations. 

Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 97

Presettlement ecological processes have been disturbed by roads, residential development, poor 

logging practices, and past forest grazing. Roads and residential development constitute the clearest and 

most damaging change in this landscape. However, despite the fragmentation by roads, agricultural land 

and residential development, a practical ecological corridor for many species and processes is already 

present and restoration opportunities exist throughout the site on abandoned agricultural fields. The 

condition of the surrounding landscape is typical for northern Door County, being a mix of open fields 

(abandoned or under cultivation), small woodlots and wetlands and scattered residential buildings. 

While this site constitutes a major ecological pathway across the peninsula it should also be noted 

that it also links natural landscapes on both coasts of the peninsula. The Hibbards Creek and Meridian 

Park forests provide the link from the Bjorklunden forest to the Cave Point/Whitefish Dunes forest. On 

the Green Bay coast the forests of Peninsula Park and the Fish Creek watershed protect exposed bluffs of 

the Niagara Escarpment that represent several of the best in a series of outcrops that run the length of the 

peninsula (i.e., Boyer’s Bluff, Door Bluff, Ellison Bluff, Sister Bay Bluffs, White Cliff Road Bluffs, Bay 

Shore Blufflands, and Potawatomi Bluffs). 

Overall, the species richness of the site is very good with state and federally listed species 

present. Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory has documented 57 rare animals, invertebrates, plants 

and natural community types within this proposed conservation area. Refer to Appendices “A”, “B” and 

“C” for further information. 


After the last survivors of the Winnebago Indians fled to an area around Lake Winnebago, the 

Peninsula became the domain of the Potawatomi. Their largest village was Mechingan, at the mouth of 

Hibbards Creek, just north of present day Jacksonport, which was the last district to be settled in the 

county. The Potawatomi were very hospitable and liked nothing more than to be praised for their 

generosity. It was in the early 1650’s that a great war was raging in Lower Ontario and the adjoining 

regions. 

The Iroquois, perhaps the most warlike of the Indian tribes, came to the peninsula’s shores of 

Lake Michigan hunting the remnants of several tribes, among many, they had been seeking to destroy. 

These fleeing tribes sought refuge from the Iroquois, at the Potawatomi village of Mechingan, swelling its 

population from around 1500 to 4000. It was here that the Iroquois met defeat. This was one of the most 

important events in the history of western Indians (Holand 1925). The Hibbards Creek area has been one 

of the more significant archeological sites in the state. Many of the relics found there can be seen at the 

Neville Public Museum in Green Bay. 


Fish Creek Watershed 

Fish Creek is a small 1 and ½ mile long, 8-foot wide stream with a moderate gradient of 15 feet 

per mile. The headwaters of the stream are spring fed. Button Marsh is a large forested wetland 

associated with Fish Creek. The creek runs the length of the Niagara Escarpment until a pooling area 

occurs at a small dam. From that point the creek flows through the village of Fish Creek and then into 

Fish Creek Harbor at the southern boundary of Peninsula State Park. 

• Fish Creek is in the Town of Gibraltar. Gibraltar has adopted Door County’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land use near Fish Creek is predominantly woodlots with lesser amounts of idle farmland, orchards, 

other natural lands, farmed areas, and scattered single family residences. 

• Soils near Fish Creek are shallow to deep, well drained, and almost level to moderately steep. A 

loamy sandy loam or loam subsoil overlays loam or find sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock (USDA 

SCS 1978). 

98 

Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor

• Lowland plant species include cattail (Typha latifolia), bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), 

various sedges (Carex spp.), and rushes (Juncus spp.). Upland species include red oak (Quercus 

borealis), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and butternut (Juglans cinerea). There has been recent 

selective cutting in the upland forests. 

• Spring spawning runs of longnose (Catostomus catostomus) and white suckers (Catostomus 

commersoni) have been documented. Walleye (Stitzostedion vitreum) are also said to frequent this 

stream (Corbisier 2000). 

• Rare species include the Hooker’s orchis (Platanthera hookeri) and the Red-shouldered Hawk with 

known nesting sites around the Redmon, and Heeden properties (Fish Creek lowland forest area). 

Rare snails are found along the Niagara Escarpment near Hibbards Creek. 

Thorp Pond 

Thorp Pond is a small, nearly circular 6.4-acre lake with a maximum depth of 2.5 feet, located 

west of Bailey's Harbor and northeast of Egg Harbor. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 

classes the lake as a drainage lake, though there is no defined inlet or outlet. High quality upland and 

lowland forests and wetlands border Thorp Pond. A sensitive boreal rich fen, and a diverse northern 

sedge meadow are at the north end of the pond. Surrounding the pond and sedge meadow is a lowland 

forest of tamarack and white cedar, and surrounding uplands are dominated by sugar maple, eastern 

hemlock American beech, and birch. This upland forest forms a connection to the adjacent Fish Creek 

watershed. 

Thorp Pond is located in the Towns of Gibraltar and Egg Harbor. Gibraltar has adopted the 

county zoning ordinances. Egg Harbor utilizes an independent planning commission with a sub-division 

ordinance. The Egg Harbor Town Board enacted a moratorium on commercial development from 

January 1998 to March 1999. Under the ‘master development plan’ wetlands, forests, the Niagara 

Escarpment and open space will be protected. The Nature Conservancy is working with the town to 

identify high quality natural resources in Egg Harbor. 

• Soils under Thorp Pond are predominantly comprised of peat. Surrounding the pond is lowland 

conifer forest. Ground composition is comprised of wet saturated muck soil in the spring that dries 

out in the summer. The north side of the pond has an alkaline fen underlain by neutral peat of 

unknown depth. 

• Land use surrounding Thorp Pond include cleared cropland, stump pasture, and orchards. 

• The pond is spring fed, shallow, and hard bottomed. An emergent aquatic community surrounds the 

pond. In the western section is a seasonally flooded basin. The basin floods in the spring and is dry 

by summer. The water flows from the east draining springs in the western part of the hardwood 

swamp. There is no outlet from the pond. 

• The basin’s primary water source is the lowland hardwood swamp located in the southwestern portion 

of the site. The swamp also floods in the spring and dries by summer. An alkaline fen borders the 

pond at the northern edge and extends into the lowland conifer forest. 

• Two wetland basins are located east of Thorp Pond. It is not known whether there is a groundwater 

connection between the pond and wetlands. The basins drain south across County Trunk EE toward 

Hibbards Creek. In times of high water the wetlands serve as a portion of the headwaters of the creek 

(Grimm 2001B). 


• Vegetation in the basin is predominantly reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Other plants 

found in the basin are willow, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and marsh fern (Thelypteris 

palustris). Red maple (Acer rubrum) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum) dominate the lowland 

swamp, with lesser amounts of green ash and American elm (Ulmus americana). Groundcover plants 

include royal fern (Osmunda regalis), blue flag iris (Iris virginica), sensitive fern, (Onoclea 

sensibitis), and scattered reed canary grass. 

• The upland conifer/hardwood forest has high diversity. Some sections are almost completely cedar 

and balsam. Other areas are mixed sugar maple, white birch, and big-toothed aspen (Populus 

grandidentata). Understory plants vary from thick to sparse. Dominant plants include sugar maple, 

cedar, hemlock, and balsam fir (Abies balsamea). The herbaceous layer is a combination of old field 

species such as bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), red clover (Trifolium pratense), hawkweed 

(Hieracium lachenalii), and king devil (Hieracium piloselloides), and woodland species such as 

columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), trillium (Trillium spp.), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), white 

baneberry (Actaea pachypoda), twinflower (Linnaea borealis), Canada mayflower (Maianthemum 

canadense), and wood aster (Aster cordifolius). The ground layer also has tree seedlings such as 

sugar maple, white birch, aspen, beech, red oak, black cherry (Prunus serotina), balsam, white cedar, 

red maple, and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). 

• A lowland conifer forest surrounds Thorp Pond. Vegetation is a mix of white cedar, tamarack, 

balsam fir, red maple, and black ash. Understory is comprised of cedar, balsam, and black spruce 

(Picea mariana). A shrub layer is predominantly ash, willow, alders, labrador-tea (Ledum 

groenlandicum), red osier dogwood, and high bush cranberry (Viburnum opulus). 

• Groundcover species include dewberry (Rubus spp.), sphagnum moss (Sphagnum cymbifolium), 

bluebead (Clintonia borealis), gold thread (Coptis trifolia), star flower (Trientalis borealis), 

miterwort (Mitella spp.), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), and sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis). 

Close to the pond, bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and three leaved false Solomon’s seal (Smilacina 

trifolia) are common. 

• Near the fen is a section of taller white cedar and tamarack; less frequent are silver maple and black 

spruce. Shrubs found within this area are alder, willow, and red osier dogwood. Meadows between 

sections of trees are comprised of sedges, tussock sedge (Scirpus cespitosus), wire sedge (Carex 

lasiocarpa), and twig rush (Cladium mariscoidus). 

• Other area plants include cattail, pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea), common reed grass 

(Phragmites australis), and young white cedar and tamarack. 

• East of Thorp Pond are two small wetland basins dominated by reed canary grass and small green 

ash. A low ridge lies between the pond and basins. The east and west sides of Thorp Pond contain 

upland hardwoods. The western hardwoods have been more thoroughly surveyed and contain sugar 

maple, beech, white ash, white birch, and occasionally hemlock. Groundcover plants include 

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) Dutchman’s-breeches 

(Dicentra cucullaria), wild onion (Allium canadense), Canadian white violet (Viola canadensis), 

downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens), sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii), toothwort (Cardamine 

concatenata), and sedges (Carex plantaginea and Carex pensylvanica) (Grimm 2001B). 

100 


• Waterfowl often visit the area in the spring and fall. Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) and Mallard 

(Anas platyrhynchos) are seen nesting along the shore and in the adjacent woods (Corbisier 2000). 

The basin houses a variety of frogs including spring peepers (Hyla crucifer), leopard frogs (Rana 

pipiens), wood frogs (Rana sylvatica), and gray tree frogs (Hyla versicoloer). 

• Red-shouldered Hawks have been heard in the lowland swamp. Other birds observed in the upland 

hardwoods include Scarlet Tanagers, Ovenbirds, Eastern Wood Pewees, and Red-eyed Vireos 

(Grimm 2001B). 

• Rare plants include the state threatened linear-leaved sundew (Drosera linearis goldie), sedge (Carex 

exilis) and arrow-grass (Triglochin maritima). The Red-shouldered Hawk is state threatened. Bog 

copper butterflies (Lycaena epixanthe), a state special concern species, are also found near the 

alkaline fen. 

Hibbards Creek 

Hibbards Creek, upper Door County’s longest steam corridor, is 7.4 miles long and varies in 

width from 10 to 30 feet. It has a low gradient of 7.6 feet per mile and originates southeast of Thorp Pond 

in a series of springs and emergent wetlands. The creek drains a watershed of 21.9 square miles. 

Emergent wetlands, conifer swamps, dry-mesic woodlands, and ridge-swale complexes are characteristic 

of the stream corridor. 

Hibbards Creek is the only stream in Door County monitored by the USGS under the National 

Water Quality Assessment Program (NWQA). Under this program, Hibbards Creek is used to compare 

other streams with similar physical settings. According to the USGS survey, habitat, algae, benthic 

invertebrates, and fish scored a fair rating (Corbisier 2000). 

• The Hibbards Creek watershed is in the Towns of Jacksonport and Bailey’s Harbor. Both towns have 

adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land use surrounding the creek is primarily agriculture with lesser amounts of woodland and 

residential area along the lakeshore. A sand and gravel quarry is located adjacent to the stream. 

Future residential development is planned along the stream corridor off of County Highway A 

(Grimm 2001). 

• Soils are mostly shallow to deep, well drained, and nearly level to moderately steep. A sandy loam or 

loam subsoil lies over loam, fine sandy loam or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Overall, stream habitat is ranked good. Most of the stream is considered a warm water forage fish 

community, but 2.8 miles of the stream are classified as Class II trout water (Corbisier 2000). 

• Vegetation in the northern portion is comprised of wet-mesic and dry-mesic woods. These were 

traditionally maple (Acer spp.), hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), and yellow birch (Betula allgheniensis). 

Hibbards Creek flows through conifer swamp and shrub-carr before it passes through a ridge-swale 

series and empties into Lake Michigan. (Corbisier 2000). In the 1830’s, a vegetation survey found 

that paper birch (Betula papyrifera), sugar maple, white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), hemlock, quaking 

aspen (Populus tremuloides), willow (Salix spp.), beech (Fagus grandifolia), basswood (Tilia 

americana), tamarack (Larix laricina), and white spruce (Picea glauca) were common tree species. 

Understory is beech, sugar maple, hemlock, pine, cedar, and tamarack (Grimm 2001). 


• The stream is annually stocked with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Rainbows and suckers 

(Catostomus commersoni) make spring runs upstream as do Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 

tshawytscha) in the fall when water levels and water flow permit (Corbisier 2000). 

• State special concern plant species supported by the creek are slender bog arrow grass (Triglochin 

palustris) and marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre). 

North Kangaroo Lake 

The Piel Creek-Kangaroo Lake system lies in a shallow trough of the Niagara Escarpment 

extending from Fish Creek to the north and west, down through the minor valley of Piel Creek through 

Kangaroo Lake to Lake Michigan. Like similar low areas adjacent to Lake Michigan, this trough was 

submerged intermittently by higher waters of post-glacial lakes (Lake Algonquin 8,000 BP; and Lake 

Nipissing 4,000 BP; note BP is abbreviation for “before present”). 

Embayment of Kangaroo Lake by sand deposition and dune formation followed the receding lake 

levels and regional post-glacial land rebound. Today, a small stream, Hine's Creek, flowing from the 

southeast corner of Kangaroo Lake, links Kangaroo Lake to Lake Michigan. 

• North Kangaroo Lake is in the Towns of Gibraltar, Baileys Harbor, and Egg Harbor. Both Gibraltar 

and Baileys Harbor have adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. Egg Harbor utilizes an independent 

planning commission with a subdivision ordinance. 

• The shoreline of Kangaroo Lake south of the causeway has become highly developed with cottages, 

homes, resorts and condominiums. Except for one small cluster of cottages at the causeway, the north 

portion has escaped all shoreline development. 

• The forests and marshes of this site are bordered by abandoned or, less commonly, active agricultural 

lands, and rural single family homes. The typical abandoned field setting consists of low herbaceous 

vegetation mixed with patches of juniper (Juniper communis), raspberries (Rubus sp.), and bracken 

fern. Depending on the time since abandonment, historic use, and soils; saplings and small pole sized 

trees of black cherry, choke cherry (Prunus viginiana), green ash, apple (Malus spp.), and sumac 

Rhus typhina) may be found invading these fields, often emerging through the shrubby patches of 

raspberry and juniper. 

• Low herbaceous stands of short grasses, ox-eye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), hawkweed 

(Hieracium spp.), knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), and St. 

John’s-wort (Hypericum perforatum) characterize other abandoned hayfields or old orchards. These 

early succession species appear to persist until a full tree canopy has closed over the site. Due to the 

increasing difficulty of farming in Door County, abandonment of agricultural land can be expected to 

continue with conversion to single family dwellings the usual outcome. 

• Based on an examination of historic aerial photos (1938; black and white, 1:15,840 scale) of the site, 

several observations can be made. Prior to 1938, much of the presently forested land had been logged 

to varying degrees of intensity, though complete canopy removal did not occur. Only sparse residual 

mature trees represented the upland hardwood/conifer forest north of the lowland forest at the north 

end of the lake in 1938. Today this forest is composed of a mix of even-aged big tooth aspen and 

dense white cedar/balsam fir sapling stands. The majority of the upland forest block west of the lake 

appeared intact in 1938, however, recent logging was evident just west of the mouth of Piel Creek. 

For the most part the forest acreage north of Kangaroo Lake has increased since 1938 by infilling of 

small interior patches and by expansion out from the forest edge. 

102 


• The most noticeable change to the lake edge marsh since 1938 appears to be a slight but clear 

expansion of the marsh at the mouth of Piel Creek. The wetlands near the lake have received little 

human disturbance and are largely intact. Today, very light and select logging occurs sporadically 

throughout the private forests of the site. Largely inactive alfalfa fields or pasture borders the lowland 

forest corridor of Piel Creek. 

• Three large culverts that pass water from the north to the south basin of the lake breach the causeway 

separating the north end of the lake from the south end. As water flows from north to south in 

Kangaroo Lake, the impacts of cottage and home development on the south basin shoreline have been 

confined to the waters south of the causeway. 

• Like the other lakes of Door County which were bays of the post glacial lakes, Kangaroo Lake is a 

shallow, marl bottom basin with high pH, and calcium bicarbonate rich water. The marl of the lake 

sediments results from past and continuing calcium carbonate precipitation in the basin. 

• The landscape relief through the site is generally low with the noted exception of the dolostone 

plateau west of the lake, which rises to 110 feet above the lake surface. This plateau has a high 

concentration of bedrock crevices and fracture traces as well as numerous areas of exposed bedrock. 

Maps created for the Upper Door Watershed Project illustrate these features and are available at the 

Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department. This dolostone plateau is the probable 

catchment for the springs of lower Piel Creek and the north end of Kangaroo Lake. 

• Small scale relief consists of interesting long low lake edge ridges and the slight surface irregularities 

associated with a glacial till plain drained by a small low gradient stream. It is thought that the lake 

edge ridges found at the north end of Kangaroo Lake are ice-shove ridges dating from the post-glacial 

lake period. 

• Piel Creek originates from a series of small springs located in a 40-acre basin about 2.5 miles above 

Kangaroo Lake. The creek then flows southeast through a wooded corridor before entering Kangaroo 

Lake. North of Piel Creek and west of Kangaroo Lake are upland hardwoods of sugar maple, red oak, 

white birch and ash. The upland just west of the lake rises in a series of broad terraces to a plateau, 

which offers a scenic vantage point of the lake. 

• A lowland forest composed of white cedar and black ash is located just north of the lake and borders 

Piel Creek north to its headwaters. The north basin of the lake is ringed by floating sedge mats, 

having a maximum water depth of only 4.5 feet with a marly to rocky bottom. 

• Rare plant and animal species that have been recorded utilizing this landscape include the showy lady 

slipper orchid, Hine's emerald dragonfly, dorcas copper butterfly (Lycaena dorcas), and three species 

of land snails. Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Caspian Terns often feed on the lake, and historically, Black 

Terns have nested in the marshes of the lake. The marshes of the north end are also important 

breeding and migration staging sites for diving and puddle ducks, and shorebirds. 

Meridian Park 

The core parcels in the site include the Lyle-Harter-Matter County Park, the Meridian County 

Park, and Wayside Park. This area incorporates most of the land from Kangaroo Lake to Highway 57, 

which runs parallel to the Lake Michigan shoreline. The site contains a diverse set of natural features 

characteristic of Door County such as the ridge-swale complexes that border the Lake Michigan shoreline 

and the sedge meadows found along the southern shore of Kangaroo Lake. 


The site boundaries include some of the privately owned lands along either side of the county 

park. These areas will serve several purposes; expanding the area of protection and act as a buffer where 

compatible land use practice may be promoted. 

• Meridian Park is in the Town of Jacksonport, which has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• The surrounding land use is primarily natural lands. 

• The soils are generally of shallow depth overlaying dolostone bedrock that is occasionally exposed. 

Bedrock, where exposed, is covered with mosses and lichens. 

• The area situated between the southwest corner of Kangaroo Lake and the northwest side of the high 

sand dune of the lake holds two permanently flooded basins. Shallow water emergents dominated by 

wire sedge and twig rush surround both basins. 

• The Meridian Park site lies between the southern shore of Kangaroo Lake and the Lake Michigan 

shoreline. The site is dominated by wooded sand dunes and ridges along with associated wetlands 

characteristic of the ridge-swale complexes found in Door County. Here a set of parallel forested 

ridges are interspersed with low swales of varying wetness. The forest cover on the ridges varies 

from cedar and balsam fir to a mix of hardwoods and conifers. 

• Dry-mesic woodlands are confined to the western side of the site between the agricultural fields along 

Logerquist Road and the ridge-swale complex. The dominant trees are sugar maple and beech with 

some scattered white ash and ironwood. The understory is composed of balsam fir, ironwood, sugar 

maple, beech, maple leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium), and hazelnut (Corylus spp.). 

• The characteristic groundcover species are downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens), wild leek (Allium 

tricoccum), trout lily (Erythronium spp.), sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba), large flowered 

trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), and big-leaved aster 

(Aster macrophyllus). 

• The ancient sand dunes at the southern end of Kangaroo Lake rise up to 60 feet over the level of 

Kangaroo Lake and hold a mixture of sugar maple, beech, and hemlock with occasional black cherry 

and white ash. Understory varies from sparse to moderately dense and is composed of sugar maple 

and beech saplings with scattered balsam fir and hemlock. Groundcover has low diversity but ranges 

from light to dense coverage. Lowland areas are dominated by Canada yew. 

• Adjacent to this high dune is a ridge-swale complex composed of a series of parallel ridges 

interspersed with swales of varying wetness. The complex follows the contour of the Lake Michigan 

shoreline and occupies most of the central portion of the site. The ridges are covered with dead or 

dying white birch mixed with white cedar, sugar maple, and balsam. Characteristic species of the 

understory include mountain maple, white birch, balsam, and occasional black spruce (Picea 

mariana), and hemlock. There is abundant downed woody material. The groundcover is abundant 

and dense with such characteristic species as wild sarsaparilla, star flower, bluebead, wintergreen, 

Canada yew, and Canada mayflower. The major swale within the unit is large and open with standing 

water most or all of the year. 

104 


• A conifer/birch woodland is located in the far southern tip of the site adjacent to Highway 57. The 

dominant trees include white cedar with scattered hemlock, white spruce, white birch, and white pine. 

The understory is light and composed of scattered white cedar and balsam fir, and beaked hazelnut. 

Groundcover is also sparse and consists of Canada yew, thimbleberry, large leaved aster, wild 

sarsaparilla, and several weedy species including hawkweed and helleborine orchid (Epipactus 

helleborine). 

• Common birds surveyed at the site include Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood Pewee, Veery, 

Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus), and Great Crested Flycatcher. Black-throated Blue Warblers have 

been reported as nesting at this site. 

• Rare plants that occur in the Meridian Park area include State special concern long-spurred violet 

(Viola rostrata), and State and Federally threatened dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri). Rare plants near 

Heins Creek include State special concern bog reed grass (Calamagrostis inexpansa); State 

threatened dune goldenrod (Solidago simplex var. gillmanii) and State threatened thickspike 

wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus var. psammophilus). 


• Create and maintain a contiguous and natural landscape between Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, 

Button Marsh Lowlands, Thorpe Pond and Hibbards Creek. 


areas of the site, (e.g., the marsh and lowland conifer forest at the north end of Kangaroo Lake, Piel 

Creek fen, the open marl ponds south of Kangaroo Lake, and the forested sand dune south of the 

lake). 



• Monitor and control, as necessary, exotic aggressive species, particularly Japanese knotweed, 

barberry and garlic mustard along the forested trails west and south of Kangaroo Lake. 

• Prevent impairment to water quality and flow regime of Piel Creek, especially the headwater fens. 

THREATS: 

• Four major roads intersect Hibbards Creek: County Hwy A, Junction, Honold, and Fairview. The 

roads threaten the natural corridor by impeding movement of native plants and animals and allow 

invasive exotic plants to gain access to interior portions of the area. During the winter months creek 

water quality is impacted by runoff from road salting operations. (Grimm 2001B). 

• The Town of Jacksonport owns and operates a sand quarry close to Hibbards Creek. Land has been 

cleared near the quarry, increasing habitat fragmentation of the stream corridor. 

• Quarrying is taking place in the southwest corner of the Thorp Pond wetland area. It does not pose a 

significant threat to plant, animal, and water quality at this time. If the quarry increased mining 

efforts it could become a threat to the area (Grimm 2001B). 

• Poor agricultural practices threaten Hibbards Creek and the surrounding corridor. In several 

locations, land is cleared up to the stream’s edge and used for agricultural purposes (Grimm 2001B). 


• Agricultural practices including runoff of pesticides and fertilizers are a threat. Grazing of streamside 

pastures and sedge meadows can result in streambank erosion and direct input of manure into 

waterways, increasing stream turbidity, phosphates, and coliform bacteria (Grimm 2001B). 

• Surrounding Thorp Pond lowland area, agriculture is the primary land use, however, residential 

development is beginning to appear. The most notable threat from development is seen near 

Juddville and Quarterline Roads where subdivision is taking place at a rapid rate. 

• The viability of the natural communities and species of North Kangaroo Lake area faces its largest 

threat from the construction of single family units on the developable forest and lakeshore lands 

within the project site. Residential unit construction with the associated road and utility construction 

is the major cause of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and possible alteration to the hydrology of the 

shallow aquifer in the Piel Creek watershed. 

• Inappropriate and poor logging practices are a moderate threat to the natural features of the site, 

which could alter the plant community and destroy the natural balance of biodiversity in the area. 

Destruction of forests could open the canopy and create additional forest edge (Grimm, 2001B). 

While several tracts are under Managed Forest Law contracts with the state, other tracts are not. 

Currently pressure to log the area is low due to the higher recreational and home development 

potential of wooded tracts. 

• Recreational vehicle use is a threat to discrete areas within the project boundary, especially in the 

headwater marshes of Piel Creek. Trespass with ATVs has occurred sporadically into this marsh. The 

landowner continues to have difficulty controlling the problem. 

• Note that while the causeway and Kangaroo Lake dam could be listed as threats, their net 

ecological effect on the site should probably be considered positive. The causeway provides a 

barrier to motorized boat traffic, restricting such activity to the southern part of the lake. The 

dam at the outlet, while stabilizing the water level in the lake to some degree also prevents carp 

from entering the lake from Lake Michigan. 

• Exotic plant species invasion is not a major problem at this time as no purple loosestrife (Lythrum 

salicaria), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), 

buckthorns (Rhamnus cathartica, R. frangula), or Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) 

have been found within the project site. These species are in the surrounding landscape however and 

may become a concern in the future. Eurasian water milfoil has been found in the southern basin of 

the lake. Efforts by the Kangaroo Lake Association and WDNR to control this population with native 

herbaceous beetles (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) is underway. Exotic honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica, L. 

morrowii, L. x bella) are present on the uplands west of the lake. 


• Develop list of individuals and supportive groups interested in land conservation efforts. 

• Completed inventories of plant and animals species. 

106 


POINT 

SUNNY 

RD. 

POINT 

SUNNY 

ROAD 

HILLSIDE 

WILLOW 

COURT 

RD. 

E G G 

BOTTOM 

A R B O R 

OAK 

Egg 

Harbor 

BAY- 

VIEW 

RD. 

42 


HILLSIDE ROAD 

ROAD 

WHITE 

ROAD 

DIVISION 

WILLOW 

DR. 

RD. 

CLIFF 

ROAD 

SCHOOL 

LAKE 

LOST 

ISLAND 

RD. 

VIEW RD. 

WILD 

FLOWER 

RD. 

ORCHARD 

BLUFF 

GIBRALTAR 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ELM 

ROAD 

COTTAGE 

ROW 

RD. 

42 

PENINSULA 

Juddville 

QUARTERLINE 

RD. 

Logan Creek- 

Lost Lake Area 

MAPLE TREE 

ROAD 

West 

Jacksonport 

RD. 

Lost 

Lake 

N 

3000 0 3000 6000 Feet 

SHORE 

Fish 

Creek 

Fish Creek 

JUDDVILLE 

DRIVE 

HILLSIDE 

ROAD 

JUNCTION 

SPRING 

MEMORIAL 

RD. 

ROAD 


RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

Peninsula 

State Park 

GIBRALTAR 

WANDERING 

G I B R A L T A R 

PLAYERS 

Thorpe 

Pond 

ROAD 

FAIRVIEW 

FLOK 

OAD 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

PL. 

DRIVE 

ELM 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

LONGVIEW 

HONOLD RD. 

LA. 

PIT 

ROAD 

Hibbard 

ROAD 

HIGHLAND 

LITTLE 

Creek 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

MARSH 

RD. 

Peninsula 

Center 

WOODED 

BEACH 

BERGER 

GROVE 

ROAD 

ROAD 

GARDNER 

COURT 

MAPLE 

LA. 

SOUTH 

ROAD 

N. 

SUGAR 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

BUSH RD. 

MAPLE 


ROAD 

RD. 

PLATEAU 

TRIANGLE 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

RD. 

LAKE 

KANGAROO 

W. 

Jacksonport 

WILDERPIONEER 

RD. 

GROVE 

RD. 

RD. 

HIGH RIDGE 

TOWNLINE 

W. 

RD. 

RD. 

MEADOW 

RD. 

MEADOW 

CEDAR 

ROAD 

CHERRY 

GROVE 

North Kangaroo 

Lake 

Kangaroo 

Lake 

Meridian 

Park 

L A K E 

Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 





Piel 

Creek 

SUMMIT 

FIRST 

H A R B O R 

BLUFF 

ROAD 

LA. 

ROAD 

B A I L E Y S 

ROAD 

LIME KILN 

RD. 

ROAD 

Ephraim-Baileys Harbor 

Swamp Corridor 

Heins Cr. 

57 

ROAD 

ROAD 

RIDGES 

Björklunden Vid Sjön 

Mud Lake State 

Wildlife Area 

The Ridges 

Sanctuary 

Baileys 

Harbor 

M I C H I G A N 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

Mud 

Lake 

SEVASTOPOL 

TOFT 

PT. 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

Moonlight 

Bay 

Toft Point 

ROAD 

DRIVE 

POINT 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

SUNSET 

RD. 

BIRCH 

WASHINGTON 

No 

Ba 

RD. 


# 

Ephraim 

HARBOR

MIKE GRIMM 

STEVE KELLERMAN

EPHRAIM / BAILEYS HARBOR FOREST CORRIDOR 

& NORTH BAY LOWLANDS 

LOCATION: 

This large complex landscape is located in northeastern Door County in the Towns of Gibraltar, 

Baileys Harbor and Liberty Grove (T30-31N, R27E). As this report represents general areas of concern, 

exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated. 


The Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands follows the shoreline of 

Lake Michigan in the Baileys Harbor area then reaches inland across the peninsula to Eagle Harbor. The 

area contains cedar swamps, a variety of glacial landforms, and a forest corridor with few roads. The 

North Bay section contains several high quality wetland communities associated with the Lake Michigan 

shoreline, including emergent aquatic communities; a northern sedge meadow, and a large forested fen 

community. 

Further inland are extensive tracts of northern wet to mesic forest, which intergrades with a forest 

type having boreal components. Many shallow, cold hard water springs and spring runs also originate 

with the area. The major spring fed stream, Three Springs (or Nick’s Creek) empties into Lake Michigan 

through a large emergent marsh in the north end of the bay. The northern section adjoins Peninsula State 

Park and the southern section adjoins The Ridges Sanctuary, Mud Lake State Wildlife Area, Toft Point 

Natural Area, Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest & Wetlands State Natural Area, Marshall’s Point State 

Natural Area, Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach State Natural Area, North Bay State Natural Area, and 

Mink River/Rowley’s Bay System. 


Approximately 11,100 acres comprise this large complex of natural area projects and preserves. 

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, The Ridges Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, the Door 

County Land Trust and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are already protecting large tracts 

totaling 4,338 acres. While, the project area identified here contains many unique natural features and 

species of concern, its importance is magnified when recognized as part of a landscape contiguous with 

the adjoining sites and natural areas. This site is large enough to furnish habitat for several animals 

requiring large home ranges or large breeding territories. The contiguous nature of the forest mosaic also 

allows for the natural recovery from small to medium sized natural disturbances (e.g., windstorms, insect 

outbreaks). 

Old growth conditions occur with the site, along with small to extensive patches of younger early 

succession forest. Given time this site represents one of the best opportunities on the peninsula to 

establish a landscape with old growth dynamics and characteristics. Species composition is extremely 

rich with some of the highest densities of rare, state listed species anywhere in Wisconsin. The diversity 

of native orchids is especially high within this site. 

Ecological processes were disrupted historically through logging, road building and land clearing 

for orchards and grazing. The impacts of these activities are still visible throughout the site. However 

important natural ecological processes (surface water movement, forest stand dynamics, food web 

interactions) appear to have remained intact, to be recovering, to have been only minimally impaired, or 

to have compensated. 

The lands surrounding this site both supports the quality of the site and at the same time may 

present some of the threats facing the maintenance of the ecological processes and species richness of the 

site. The ecological connection of this site to the Mink River forests provides additional territory for 

species movement and genetic interchange. Natural Heritage inventory efforts have identified 36 rare 

animals, invertebrates, and plants, along with five natural community types. See the Natural communities 

Cross Reference, Appendix “A” and Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory Listing, Appendix “B”. 

Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands 109


Ephraim was first inhabited by Native Americans, then later by Europeans from Norway. It 

became the first platted village in Door County. It also had the first public school in the county and the 

first church, a Moravian congregation begun in 1853 (Holand 1917). 

North Bay was yet another of the early 1870’s settlements built around a lumber shipping pier. It 

is one of the two largest harbors along the eastern shore of the Peninsula and has been known for many 

years by sailors as a refuge in a storm. 

The Marshall family moved to the area now called Marshall’s Point in 1868. Mary Marshall was 

the daughter of Increase and Mary Claflin, acknowledged as the first white settlers in the county. The 

unique boreal forest and wilderness setting of Marshall’s Point were factors that led to its becoming a 

State Natural Area. 


Ephraim Swamp 

Ephraim Swamp begins along the shoreline of Eagle Harbor and follows a corridor southeastward 

to the Town of Baileys Harbor. Two small creeks, Hidden Spring Creek and Ephraim Creek, are located 

in this area. Hidden Spring Creek originates in Ephraim Swamp. Ephraim Creek originates south of 

Hidden Spring Creek in a similar habitat. Overlooking the swamp to the west is a wooded section of the 

Niagara Escarpment. 

• Ephraim Swamp is in the Town of Gibraltar. The town has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

Land use is mainly cropland with lesser amounts of woodlots, recreational public, transportation, idle 

farmland, and other natural areas. 

• Soils are shallow to deep, well drained, and moderately steep. A sandy loam or loam subsoil covers 

sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Hidden Spring Creek is 1 mile long and 2 feet wide; it has a gradient of 10 feet per mile and is 

classified as a Class I trout stream for 0.5 miles. Ephraim Creek is 1 mile long and 9 feet wide and 

has a gradient of 15 feet per mile. It has a good habitat ranking and is also classified as a Class I and 

II trout stream (Corbisier 2000). 

• Vegetation consists of lowland swamp species such as black spruce (Picea mariana), tamarack (Larix 

laricina), and white cedar (Thuja occidentalis). Upland hardwood portions contain maple (Acer 

spp.), hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), and yellow birch (Betula allgheniensis). 

• Hidden Spring Creek is historically known to have white suckers (Catostomus commersoni) and 

brook trout. However, there is little new information to support the presence of brook trout. Ephraim 

Creek could attract spring runs of smelt (Osmerus mordax), suckers, and occasionally rainbow trout 

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) (Corbisier 2000). 

• It is unknown if any threatened or endangered plant or animal species are present, as biological 


Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor 

This portion is located from the town line of Baileys Harbor southeast to the shoreline of Lake 

Michigan. There are 2 creeks that flow east into this swamp. Hidden Brook Creek follows a ridge and 

swale system. An unnamed stream originates in the corridor and flows east into Mud Lake. 

110 

Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands

• The Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor is in the Town of Baileys Harbor. Baileys Harbor has adopted 

the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land use is predominantly woodlots with lesser amounts of recreational public, idle cropland, other 

natural area, and cropland. Soils are mostly deep, poorly drained and nearly level, and organic. A 

fine sandy outwash or silt loam subsoil over stratified lake sediments underlay the top layer. (USDA 

SCS 1978). 

• Hidden Brook Creek has no documented steam rankings. It has an intermittent flow and is fairly 

short in length. Originating within the wetland corridor, the creek is supported by surface water 

runoff and an intermittent spring, and flows into Baileys Harbor (Corbisier 2000). In wet years 

Hidden Brook Creek can support spawning suckers (Catostomus commersoni) from Baileys Harbor 

(Corbisier 2000). Black bear (Ursus americanus) are known from this area. 

• Vegetation consists of lowland swamp species such as black spruce (Picea mariana), tamarack (Larix 

laricina), and white cedar (Thuja occidentalis). 

North Bay Lowlands / Three Springs 

The North Bay Lowlands / Three Springs site covers approximately 4,700 acres and includes 

8,500 feet of frontage along North Bay. The water frontage represents a highly significant length of 

pristine Lake Michigan shoreline on the Door Peninsula. 

• The area contains a significant breeding population of federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly 

(Stomatochlora hineana). Four other rare dragonflies inhabit the site as well. Other rare animals 

include the dorcas copper butterfly (Lycaena dorcas) and the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). Important 

plant species identified from the site include the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), 

showy lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium reginae), leafy white orchis (Platanthera dilitata) and 

slender bog arrow grass (Triglochin palustre) 

• Based on research conducted in the late 1970’s, the waters of North Bay are an important spawning 

site for lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). It is estimated that 1.1 million young are produced 

annually in the coastal waters from Moonlight Bay to North Bay. North Bay, with its feeder streams, 

also provides spawning habitat for northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow and brown 

trout, and chinook salmon. 

• The major disturbance to lands within the area has been through logging of forests. A small amount 

of high land from which trees were removed prior to farming are in some stage of succession back to 

forest. Lowland forest which were logged for cedar posts and lumber, were never cleared completely 

for farming, and have since returned to full canopy coverage by native species, primarily white cedar 

(Thuja occidentalis), tamarack (Larix laricina), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), and black ash (Fraxinus 

nigra). 

• The sand ridge and swale forest to the west of North Bay has recovered from historic logging to a 

forest dominated by white birch (Betula papyrifera), red maple (Acer rubrum), white spruce (Picea 

glauca), white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and mountain maple (Acer spicatum). 

• Tracts on the periphery of the project area remain unforested, having been most recently under 

grazing. Farming has ended on most of these tracts, and they are slowly converting to shrubby old 

fields. 

Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands 111

• Sometime prior to 1950, County Trunk Q was routed through the wetland just south of Winding Lane 

and present day County Q. This road no doubt disrupted hydrologic processes in this coastal wetland. 

The small stream that drains this wetland to North Bay contains Hine’s emerald dragonfly larvae. 

• Birds observed in the area suggest that the site supports a significant numbers of species. 

Characteristic birds of the area include Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Blackthroated 

Green Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Parula Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Ovenbird, 

Cedar Waxwing and Winter Wren. 




• Prevent impairment to water quality and flow regime of the springs and streams that feed or drain the 

lowland conifer forests, open wetlands, and ponds of the site. 

• Enhance the natural forested connections and corridors that link the major blocks of forest and 

wetlands within this area and also link to adjacent natural areas, (i.e., The Ridges Sanctuary, Baileys 

Harbor Boreal Forest & Wetlands State Natural Area, Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach State Natural 

Area, Mink River Estuary and Marshall’s Point). 

• Monitor and control, as necessary, exotic aggressive species, particularly Japanese knotweed, and 

glossy buckthorn. 


areas of the site (i.e., Mud Lake and surrounding lowland conifer swamps, Ephraim Swamp, the 

North Bay/Three Springs forest and wetlands, and the lowland conifer swamp and upland ridges west 

of Highway 57). 

THREATS: 

• Habitat fragmentation and disturbance from high and /or low-density residential development in the 

interior forested areas. 

• Disruption of surface water and shallow ground water regimes. 

• Motorized vehicle use (4-wheel drive or ATV) of the trails or in the open marsh. 

• Poor logging practices. 

• Non-point source pollution associated with sewage and road maintenance. 

• Poor farming practices that threaten the streams and wetlands associated with this site. 


• Completed inventories of plant and animal species 

• Develop list of individuals and supportive groups interested in conservation activities. 

112 

Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands

D 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

LONGVIEW 

RD. 

L T A R 

HIGHLAND 

LITTLE 

Eagle 

Harbor 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

MARSH 

RD. 

GROVE 

ROAD 

GARDNER 

COURT 

N. 

. 

EPHRAIM 

SUGAR 



ROAD 

BUSH RD. 

MAPLE 

Piel 

RD. 

PLATEAU 

WILDER 

RD. 

TRIANGLE 

RD. 

GROVE 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

RD. 

HIGH RIDGE 

TOWNLINE 

42 

W. 

RD. 

MEADOW 

RD. 

N 

3000 0 3000 6000 Feet 

DRIVE 

LINE 

RD. TOWN 

COUNTRY 

LA. 

SETTLEMENT RD. 

MEADOW 

CEDAR 

OAD 

GERMAN 

PIONEER 

GROVE 

57 

ORCHARD 

ROAD 

STAGE 

B A I L E Y S 

ROAD 

SISTER 

BAY 

FLINT 

OLD 

RD. 

BEACH 

ROAD 

GREEN 

LIME KILN 

CREST 

HILL 

RIDGE 

RD. 

ROAD 

H A R B O R 

RD. 

ROAD 

WOOD CREST 

WILDWOOD 

ROAD 

SCANDIA 

PLATEAU 

ROAD 

RIDGES 

ROAD HIG 

WATERS END 

HILL 

RO 

RD. 

ROAD 

TOFT 

PT. 

STAGE 

OLD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

DRIVE 

SUNSET 

LAKEVIEW 

SUMAC 

LA. 

ROAD 

BIRCH 

MEADOW 

ROAD 

ROAD 

L I B E R T Y 

G R O V E 

North Bay/Three Springs 

Project Area 

Mud 

Lake 

Mud Lake State 

Wildlife Area 

The Ridges 

Sanctuary 

Moonlight 

Bay 

RD. 

ROAD 

NORTH 

CANA 

ROBIN 

BAY 

PINE 

DR. 

ISLAND 

LANE 

ROAD 

APPLEPORT 

KINSEY 

RD. 

RD. 

APPLEPORT 

BAY 

LA. 

Baileys Harbor 

Boreal Forest 


Ephraim/Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor 

State Owned Lands / Parks 



LANE 

BAY 

SAND 

LANE 

Cana 

Island 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

CLAYBANKS 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

# 

HARBOR 

WASHINGTON 


MINK RIVER / ROWLEY’S BAY SYSTEM 

LOCATION: 

This area, approximately 2900 acres, is located entirely within Liberty Grove Township at the 

northern end of the Door Peninsula in Door County. As defined by the conservation planning of The 

Nature Conservancy, this natural area covers parts or all of Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, and 

26 of T.32 N. – R. 28 E.; and part of Section 19 in T. 32 N. – R. 29 E. Several adjoining or nearby 

significant natural areas are not included in this description, but the contiguous or adjacent position of 

these sites should be considered when planning for the conservation of the broader landscape around the 

Mink River. The Mink River Estuary, as a conservation site and State Natural Area, has been an ecoregional 

priority for the Nature Conservancy since the 1970’s when they began buying land in the area. 

The Conservancy now owns about 1500 acres and continues to acquire land in the area. 


The Mink River / Rowley’s Bay system is situated in a north-west to south-east oriented bedrock 

valley crossing the peninsula from Green Bay to Lake Michigan at the northern end of the Door Peninsula 

and is considered a fresh water estuary. That is, the conductance and alkalinity gradient occurring in the 

lower and mid-section of the river can shift either upstream or downstream in the river channel dependent 

on the seiche activity in Rowley’s Bay and Lake Michigan. 

Within this wetland system, the physical and chemical processes of the estuary impact the 

function, species composition, and natural community structure of the affected wetlands. As a result of 

seiche activity the water level in the estuary can fluctuate from 10 to 30 cm in approximately hourly 

cycles, and considering longer periods, the dynamics of the Mink River hydrologic cycle changes from 

year to year, affected by the changing levels of Lake Michigan. 

Along with the periodic inflow of Lake Michigan water, other sources of water to the wetlands 

bordering the river include precipitation, overland flow, and a series of groundwater springs found 

primarily near the upland / marsh transition in the upper parts of the marsh at the head of the Mink River. 

Overland flow from the watershed is thought to play a small, seasonal role as a water source to 

the estuary. The precipitation levels and spring flow varies to a lesser degree throughout the year and 

from year to year. The watershed boundaries are not well defined but encompass much of the Liberty 

Grove Township landscape immediately north and south of the Village of Ellison Bay. 

Alluvial fine sand, silt and clay and organic material underlie the marsh along the Mink River. 

More specifically, the soils within the 600-foot contour consist primarily of Carbondale, Markey and 

Rondeau mucks and soils of the Deford and Yahara series. These soils are typically saturated to depths of 

a few feet, and while poorly suited for development provides for excellent wildlife habitat. 

The upland soils bordering the core wetlands comprise Summerville, Longrie and Omena soil 

series, and cover large areas in the western and northern portions of the watershed. These are generally 

considered well-drained loams, and the erosion potential is considered moderate on level areas of this soil 

but increases with increase in slope. 


The Mink River is an unaltered Great Lakes estuarine system and one of two large Lake 

Michigan coastal marshes in Door County and it is one of the larger coastal wetlands on Lake Michigan. 

The undisturbed nature of the wetlands and adjoining forests of this landscape and the large number of 

rare species found here define the high ecological significance of the site. 

The near pristine integrity in the plant communities and the lack of human disturbance in the 

wetland complex has identified the Mink River Estuary as a natural area of statewide or greater 

significance. Edging the shore of Rowley’s Bay north and east of the mouth of the Mink River the beach 

and the series of sand ridges and swales support a number of rare or uncommon plants and natural 

community types. 

Mink River / Rowley’s Bay System 115

The high quality wetlands that compose the central element of the area contain a variety of rare or 

endangered species. This includes ten rare plants. Two are listed as federally threatened, the dwarf lake 

iris and dune thistle. The latter is also listed as a state threatened plant, as is western fescue. Fifteen bird 

species not commonly found elsewhere in the state nest in the Mink River / Rowley’s Bay complex. 

Most notably are the Yellow Rail and Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). The 

endangered Caspian Tern also uses the area as foraging habitat. During fall migration waterfowl are 

attracted to the area for forage on a variety of seed producing plants. Finally, two or more rare 

invertebrates including the federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly thrive in the sedge meadows. 

The estuary, where the waters of the river and the lake meet, is the focal point of much of the high 

quality natural habitat and is an important spawning habitat for fish, particularly northern pike and 

smallmouth bass. The variety of community types found in this relatively small landscape almost 

comprises a representative sample of those natural communities found on the Door Peninsula. Newport 

State Park and the Newport Conifer-Hardwoods State Natural Area as contiguous landscapes enhance the 

ecological significance of the site. 


The area witnessed significant lumber shipments in 1870, when 1,500 cords of wood, 6,000 

railroad ties, 8,000 telegraph poles and 60,000 cedar posts were shipped from Rowley’s Bay. The 

following year shipments included 16,000 telegraph poles, 60,000 cedar posts, 6,000 ties and 15,000 

cords of wood (Peterson 1991). 

By the 1880’s, many sawmills were being moved to places where trees still stood. Many of the 

large lumber operations had been established in Upper Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. There were 

many trees left in the inland areas of the Peninsula. However, for most mill owners the problem of 

getting lumber to the coastal piers made harvesting too costly (Lotz 1994). 

All of the lumber business centered in cedar trees, which were large enough to cut. But there 

were millions of cedars too small to even make fence post. About 1885, J.H. Mathews of Milwaukee, 

who understood the process of making cedar oil for furniture polish, built a factory on the northeast side 

of Rowley’s Bay. The distillery lasted only two years and closed when the trees were used up (Lotz 

1994). 

The area’s history reflects both Indian settlement and American’s pioneer movement. Logging 

and farming, followed by a burgeoning tourism industry has put its strains on the area over the years. Yet 

one of the most dramatic influences on the quality of the estuary is the change in lake level. As the marsh 

goes from exposed sediment to deep water and back again, the mix of vegetation keeps any one natural 

community from being preeminent. 

Despite development and use, changing fortunes and careful local conservation over time helped 

protect this fresh water estuary in much the same condition as when it was inhabited by the Potawatomi 

Indians more than a century ago (Peterson 1991). 


Natural Communities of the Mink River / Rowley’s Bay area 

• The Mink River landscape comprises a mosaic of wildlife habitats. The uplands of the watershed 

hold scattered patches of forest, abandoned agricultural fields and orchards interspersed with active 

agricultural lands and low density residential development. Although most of the upland forest had 

been removed by the early 1900’s and replaced with open agricultural fields and orchards, the low 

wet forest immediately surrounding the marsh and river, while cut extensively for timber, and 

significantly altered as a result, was not replaced with a different land use. 

• The estuary, where the waters of the river and the lake meet, is an important spawning habitat for fish, 

particularly northern pike and smallmouth bass. These two species as well as yellow perch and black 

bullheads make up the bulk of the fishery according to interviews with fishery biologists and 

116 

Mink River / Rowley’s Bay System

commercial fishermen. Seventeen species of fish have been identified in the river or the adjoining 

bay. However, no net surveys of non-game fish have been conducted in the Mink River. 

There has been neither survey of mollusks nor evaluation of the biotic index of the river based on 

aquatic invertebrates. 

• The dynamics of the wetland communities are driven largely by the short and long-term fluctuation in 

lake level. The wetland communities can be broken into five main categories: The emergent [or 

deep] marsh along the Mink River; A shallow marsh characterized by an even mixture of the sedges 

Carex aquatilis and C. prairea forming extensive sedge meadows that fringe the spring-fed channels 

upstream; A wet meadow dominated by sedges Carex stricta and Calamagrostis canadensis that 

border the entire marsh; The interface between the marsh and the surrounding upland which is 

inhabited by a mixture of small trees, shrubs, and herbaceous wetland species; And the lowland 

forest of white cedar, alder, black ash, and tamarack. 

• The northern sedge meadow mentioned above is a rare to uncommon community in Wisconsin as 

many of these sedge meadows have been lost to grazing or drainage. The relatively board expanse of 

this meadow area near the headwaters of the Mink River is also significant as most sedge meadows in 

northern Wisconsin are limited to narrow strips between deeper water marshes and a surrounding 

shrub carr. 

• With water levels near the soil surface fed by alkaline springs, the Mink River sedge meadow is the 

breeding site of the federally endangered Hine’s Emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana). 

Because of the dolostone bedrock below, the sedge meadow area supports species more often 

associated with fens such as brook lobelia (Lobelia kalmii) and marsh-bellflower (Campanula 

aparinoides). 

• Mature fruits of the abundant sedge plants are food for some bird species and contribute to the 

desirability of the Mink River habitat for the rare Yellow Rail, a species considered to be critically 

imperiled in Wisconsin. The Sedge Wren is a special concern species in the state and appears to be 

abundant in the sedge meadow area. 

• The deep marsh at the Mink River is also valuable to the avian community. Especially during fall 

migration, waterfowl are attracted to the area to forage on the seeds of wild rice (Zizania aquatica), 

bulrushes (Scirpus americanus and S. validus), and bur-reeds (Sparganium spp.). Common breeding 

waterfowl include Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), Mallards, and Wood Ducks. While not as 

common as the preceding species, American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), Northern Pintail (Anas 

acuta), and Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) have nested in the Mink River wetlands. Other 

rare birds associated with the Mink River wetlands include Black-crowned Night Herons and Caspian 

Terns. The terns are listed as endangered in Wisconsin and nest on islands in Lake Michigan and use 

the river for foraging. American Bitterns (Botaurua lentiginosus), Double-crested Cormorants 

(Phalacrocorax auritus), Yellow Rails, and Great Blue Herons also use the wetland area. Northern 

Harriers, Goshawks, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawks, Osprey and Bald Eagles have all 

recently nested in the forests surrounding the Mink River. 

• The most abundant forest type surrounding the Mink River is the northern wet-mesic forest. Seasonal 

pooling and an abundance of bryophytes and liverworts characterize the northern wet-mesic forest, 

dominated by white cedar and balsam fir standing in a swampy substrate. The conifer swamp at the 

Mink River is the habitat of at least four rare orchids. Three of these orchids: white adder's-mouth 

(Malaxis monophyllos var. brachypoda), showy lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium reginae), and large 

roundleaf (Platanthera orbiculata) are listed as species of special concern in Wisconsin due to rarity. 


118 

The fourth rare orchid, the ram’s-head lady-slipper orchid (Cypripedium arietinum), is listed as 

threatened in the state. A diversity of warbler species has been observed in this forest type, which 

include Northern Parula (Parula americana), Black-and-white (Mniotilta varia), Nashville 

(Vermivora ruficapilla), Canada , and Blackburnian (Dendroica fusca) Warblers, and Ovenbird as 

well as the Northern Waterthrush. 

• Surrounding the wetland communities along the river are upland forests of hemlock, sugar maple, 

white birch, and beech with lesser numbers of yellow birch and white pine. Younger stands hold 

earlier succession species like quaking and big-tooth aspen. These upland forest stands occur on 

relatively deep soils, which for Door County may only extend a couple feet at most but are 

nevertheless usually quite rich in humus. The moist, rich environment is very favorable for fleshy 

fungi and saprophytic seed plants. Preliminary study of the fungi of the Mink River forest reveals 

over 35 species of mushrooms present during late summer. These upland forests contain the habitats 

of many northern songbirds. The Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica), Nashville 

Warbler, and Black-throated Green Warbler are common in the mesic stands. The Blackburnian 

Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus) may be found on the drier sites with 

pines in the forest canopy. Most recently 69 species of birds have been confirmed using the area for 

breeding habitat. 

• Edging the shore of Rowley’s Bay north and east of the mouth of the Mink River, the beach and the 

adjacent series of sand ridges and swales support a number of rare or uncommon plants and natural 

community types. Along the shore, fractures in the exposed bedrock allow pockets of soil to collect 

and support a number of plant species adapted to the extremes of moisture and heat created by a 

dynamic system of periodic flooding. The small grass, parnassus (Parnassia parviflora), the lesser 

fringed gentian (Gentianopsis procera), and (Satureja sp.) are uncommon species which occur here. 

• The rare Crawe’sedge, (Carex crawei), has been found along the sandy shoreline and western fescue 

(Festuca occidentalis), and the federal and state threatened dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), inhabit the 

open sandy fore dunes. On the ridges behind the beach, the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris 

lacustris), is found in small scattered patches in openings between the white cedars. 




• Enhance the natural forested connections and corridors that link the major blocks of forest and 

wetlands within this area to adjacent natural areas (i.e., Door Bluff County Park to the north, Newport 

State Park to the east, and the North Bay area to the south). 

• Prevent impairment to water quality and flow regime of the springs and upper reaches of the Mink 

River that feed the marsh and open water of the Mink River estuary. 

• Monitor and control, as necessary, exotic aggressive species, particularly Japanese knotweed, glossy 

buckthorn and garlic mustard in the forests adjoining the Mink River. 

• Maintain or enhance the ecological composition, structure and functions of the core natural areas of 

the site (i.e., the open marsh and adjoining lowland and upland forests of the Mink River, the 

undeveloped shoreline of Rowley’s Bay, and the riparian forest of the Mink River north of Hwy 42). 


THREATS: 

• As the quality of the groundwater that supplies a large portion of the water of the Mink River is 

critical to the health of this wetland dominated system, any contamination of this groundwater would 

degrade the quality of this site. Possible sources of contamination to this groundwater could include 

leaking or failing septic systems in the watershed, or increased nutrient loading of the groundwater 

from poor fertilizer management in the watershed. 

• Surface water runoff also may contribute degrading influences to the system. Sources of 

contaminants would likely be runoff from paved or impervious surfaces within the watershed. This 

could be of particular concern where Highway 42 crosses the Mink River and further upstream. 

• Another threat to the health of the Mink River landscape is the presence of a number of non-native 

species of plants and animals. Carp in particular have invaded the shallow waters of the river 

negatively affecting the water quality. Zebra mussels have also been found in nearby Rowley’s Bay, 

although in low numbers. 

• Invasive plant species also pose a threat to this site. Purple loosestrife has been seen occasionally in 

the marsh, but has been controlled by pulling. Garlic mustard has recently been found along the shore 

of Rowley’s Bay. Other species such as Vinca, bitter sweet nightshade, autumn olive, Japanese 

knotweed and others are present in the landscape and if not controlled could prove damaging to the 

integrity of the natural communities of the site. 

• Dispersed home development in the woods of the Mink River landscape also pose a threat to the 

integrity of the site. Impacts such as direct habitat loss, forest fragmentation, groundwater 

contamination, and exotic species introduction often follow home development in intact forest 

settings. 


• Groundwater recharge areas for the springs of the Mink River. 

• Location and abundance information on exotic species in the landscape. 


Goodyear, C.D., T.A. Edsall, D.M. Ormsby Dempsey, G.D. Moss and P.E. Polanski 

1982. Atlas of the Spawning and Nursery Areas of Great Lakes 

Fishes, Vol.IV Lake Michigan, Great Lakes Fishery Laboratory, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Ann Arbor, MI. 

Lukes, C. 1986. Mushrooms in Schoenbrun Woods. Unpublished report. 

Moore, F.R., S.A. Gauthreaux, Jr., P. Kerlinger and T.R. Simons 1992. “Stopover Habitat: 

Management Implications and Guidelines” in Status and Management of Neotropical Migratory 

Birds, USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RM-229, pp.58-69. 

Zovnik, A.W. 1990. In the Mink River Advisory Committee Report, December, 1990. 

Unpublished report to The Nature Conservancy. 

Zovnik, A.W. and R.W. Howe 1994. Breeding Birds of the Mink River Natural Area in Door 

County. The Passenger Pigeon 57(1): 23-29. 


120 

Keough, Janet R. 1986. The Mink River – A Freshwater Estuary. Trans. Wis. Acad. Sci., Arts & 

Letters. 74:1-11. 

Keough, Janet R. 1990. Water Level Fluctuations and the Great Lakes Wetlands. National 

Wetlands Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. 5:19-21. 

Keough, Janet R. 1991. The Range of Water Level Changes in a Lake Michigan Estuary and 

Effects on Wetland Communities. In: Wetlands of the Great Lakes: International Cooperation for 

Protection and Restoration. Assoc. Wetland Managers, Berne, N.Y. J. Kusler, Ed. 

Marz, Penny A. 1986. Depositional History of the Mink River Area, Door County, Wisconsin. 

M.S. Thesis, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

Stearns, Forest and Keough, Janet. June, 1982. Pattern and Function in the Mink River 

Watershed with Management Alternatives. Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin- 

Milwaukee. A report to the Wis. Coastal Zone Mgt. Program, Contract No. POADA-01417. 


GRASSE 

ROAD HIGH 

E 

OD 

LA. 

ROAD 



GARDNER 

HILL 

SIDE 

BAY 

RD. 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

Ellison 

Bay 

DR. 

HIGH VIEW 

LAKEVIEW 

ROAD 

MEADOW 

ROAD 

ROAD 

L I B E R T Y 

N 

2000 0 2000 4000 Feet 

ROAD 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

# 

ROAD 

WASHINGTON 

DOOR 

BLUFF 

MAPLE- 

WOOD 

DR. 

BIRCHWOOD 

MINK 

SYLVAN 

LA. 

RD. 

BAY 

GARRETT 


RD. 

RIVER 

RD. 

GARRETT 

BADGER 

ROAD 

ROAD 

RD. 

BAY 

Garrett 

Bay 

ROAD 

BLACKBERRY 

LANE 

RD. 

COTTAGE 

Gills 

Rock 

NOTE: Site boundaries are approximations. 

RD. 

NEWPORT DR. 

Ephraim/Bailey's Harbor/ 

North Bay Corridor 



JUICE MILL 

42 

Rowleys 

Bay 

LA. 

ISLE 

EUROPE 

ROAD 

TIMBERLINE 

VIEW 

EUROPE 

LAKE 

BAY 

WILDERNESS 

Europe Lake 

Forest Area 

RD. 

ROAD 

NEWPORT 

LA. N. 

LA. 

Europe 

Lake 

ROAD 


EUROPE LAKE FOREST AREA 

LOCATION: 

The Europe Lake Forest Area is composed of approximately 1700 acres located immediately 

north of Europe Lake in the northern most portion of Door County, in the Town of Liberty Grove (T32N, 

R28E). As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not 

been designated. 


The Europe Lake Forest Area is an extensive forested landscape at the northern most point of the 

Door Peninsula. Included in this natural area are Europe Lake, Wisconsin Bay, and Table Bluff. Europe 

Lake is separated from the Lake Michigan shoreline by a dolostone ledge and sand dune topography 

(Watermolen and Bougie 1995). Newport State Park adjoins the southern boundary of the forest area and 

Europe Lake. The lake, once a bay of Lake Michigan, was created by wave action forming a sand and 

gravel bar across the mouth of the embayment (Merryfield 2000). 


Northern mesic forest dominates the area, and sections east of Europe Lake support what appear 

as good representations of “boreal” forest. Near the shoreline are dolostone outcrops of the Niagara 

Escarpment and sand dunes created by wave action of Lake Michigan. 

The site holds a diverse array of forest, wetland, and shoreline habitats and its ecological 

significance is enhanced by Newport State Park to the south, a portion of which is designated as Europe 

Bay Woods State Natural Area. As the northern most series of Lake Michigan coastal landscapes, along 

the Door Peninsula, the Europe Lake forest block represents the last migratory staging habitat for 

northward migrating birds in the spring, before they begin their crossing of the Grand Traverse Islands 

into northern Michigan. The landscape is equally important for birds migrating south from Michigan in 

the fall. The mosaic of habitat types, especially the near shore forest, provides essential resources to these 

migrants. 

Exotic species do not appear to be prevalent in the area. Perhaps the most significant feature of 

the site is the shoreline of Europe Lake. While cottages have been built on the lake, there are 

opportunities to preserve portions of the shore. Protection of the remaining shoreline would compliment 

the already protected portion of the lake in Newport State Park. The species composition is rich, and 

partial inventories conducted in the area have documented twenty rare species of animals, invertebrates, 

and plants. Four natural community types are found in the area. (See Appendices “A”, “B” and “C” for 

specifics.) 


Early settlement of this area was like a roller coaster in the county’s history. First, the village of 

Newport was created in the 1870’s, primarily to support the wood cutting business of a Dane named Hans 

Johnson. He specialized in selling cordwood to fire kilns in Milwaukee, which had become well known 

for their “Cream City” bricks. His enterprises built an entire village, including sawmill, pier, store, horse 

barn, home and post office. Later, the area’s woodland was harvested for cedar juice used in making 

furniture polish. The village became a ghost town at the turn of the century, but was revived for a brief 

period by the Christmas tree business. Thousands of trees were shipped to larger cities around Lake 

Michigan. The community was deserted once more around 1904 when the trees were gone (Lotz 1994). 

In the decade of the 1920’s, a large area around Europe Lake became a kind of public park owned 

by Ferdinand Hotz, a Chicago diamond broker. Hotz acquired 2200 acres and built a summer lodge. He 

opened his land to visitors and late in the decade offered it to the State Conservation Commission to be 

maintained as a wildlife refuge. The commission accepted the land and eventually it became Newport 

State Park (Lotz 1994). 

Europe Lake Forest Area 123


Europe Lake Forest Area 

• Europe Lake Forest Area is in the Town of Liberty Grove. Liberty Grove has adopted the county’s 

zoning ordinance. The surrounding land use is primarily natural area with lesser amounts of idle 

cropland, cropland, orchards, and residential lots. 

• Soils are shallow to deep, well drained, and level to moderately steep. A sandy loam or loam subsoil 

overlays sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock (USDA SCS 1978). 

• The shoreline of Wisconsin Bay is comprised of rubble, cobble, and gravel with small portions of 

shelving bedrock, and is the northern most bay on the tip of the peninsula. 

• Europe Lake is a 273-acre seepage lake with an average depth of 6 feet and maximum depth of 10 

feet. Lake is classification is oligotrophic, meaning it is generally unproductive and nutrient poor. 

Water quality of the lake is considered very good, however increased boating pressures could 

intensify turbidity within the lake (Corbisier 2000). 

• Common vegetation includes butternut (Juglans cinerea), oak (Quercus spp.), hemlock (Tsuga 

canadensis), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and pine (Pinus spp.). Vegetation surrounding the lake 

is birch (Betula spp.), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and pine species with a marsh at the 

northern end. A red pine (Pinus resinosa), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) and old-growth beechsugar 

maple mesic forest is located between Europe Lake and Lake Michigan. Swampy sections of 

boreal forest occur east of the lake and support many rare plants. 

• The site provides good habitat for many species of migratory birds. Fish species present in Europe 

Lake include walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), northern pike 

(Esox luscious), rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), and pumpkinseed 

(Leposis macrochirus). 

• In Wisconsin Bay, smallmouth bass are present along with Chinook salmon (Onchorynkus 

tshawytscha) and brown trout (Salmo trutta), which are annually stocked for fishing purposes 


• Integrate and maintain an ecological connectivity with Newport State Park. 

• Protect the remaining ecological integrity of the Lake Michigan shoreline including the upland forest 

and hydrology supporting the coastal areas. 

THREATS: 

• Residential development is the main threat to northern Door County. 

• The major threat to this area is fragmentation of the ridge and swale topography, dolostone 

escarpment, shoreline of Europe Lake, mesic hardwood forest and lowland boreal forests of areas 

west of Europe Lake. 


• Completed inventories of plant and animal species 

• Develop list of individuals and supportive groups interested in conservation efforts 

124 

Europe Lake Forest Area

RD. 

OD 

GARRETT 

RD. 

BADGER 

BAY 



Garrett 

Bay 

GARDNER 


ROAD 

BLACKBERRY 

RD. 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

NASEWAUPEE 

BAY 

Forestville 

Egg Harbor 

EGG 

HARBOR 

COTTAGE 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

er 

# 

2000 

N 

0 2000 Feet 

WASHINGTON 

Gills 

Rock 

RD. 


NEWPORT DR. 

JUICE MILL 

42 

LA. 

ISLE 

EUROPE 

ROAD 

TIMBERLINE 

VIEW 

EUROPE 

LAKE 

BAY 

WILDERNESS 

RD. 

ROAD 

NEWPORT 

LA. N. 

LA. 






Europe 

Lake 

Newport 

State Park 

ROAD 

North Port 

L A K E M I C H I G A N 

Gravel 

Island 




GRAND TRAVERSE ISLANDS 

LOCATION: 

The Grand Traverse Islands (or Lake Michigan Islands) includes all of the major islands located 

in the water surrounding Door County, such as Pilot Island (T32N, R30E), Plum Island (T33N, R30E), 

Washington Island (T33-34N, R30E), Detroit Island (T32-33N, R30E), Rock Island (T34N, R30E), and 

Chambers Island (T31N, R29E). Smaller islands included in this landscape are Cana Island (T30N, 

R29E), Horseshoe Island (T31N, R26E), Hat Island (T30N, R26E), Adventure/Strawberry Island (T31N, 

R 26E), Little Strawberry Island (T31N, R26E), Jack Island (T31N, R26E), Sister Islands (T31N, R27E), 

Spider Island (T31N, R29E), Gravel Island (T32N, R29E), Hog Island (T33N, R30E), and Fish Island 

(T33N, R30E). As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have 

not been designated. 


Surrounding the Door Peninsula is a chain of islands in Lake Michigan and Green Bay called the 

Grand Traverse Islands. Grand Traverse refers to the route travelers followed; once they came to Rock 

Island, a “Grand Traverse” was made across Lake Michigan to the southern peninsula (Holand 1917). 

Most islands (except Chambers Island) are underlain by Silurian dolostone with outcrops along 

shorelines and an occasional interior escarpment. Dolostone shoreline communities known as Great 

Lakes alkaline rock shores are present on eastern and southeastern coasts of the islands. Sometimes these 

communities grade into alvar, a globally rare plant assemblage. Of the 19 islands in the Grand Traverse, 

17 are located in Door County and are discussed. Pilot, Plum, Washington, Detroit, Rock, and Chambers 

Islands have been studied at length and descriptions are fairly detailed. These islands are also labeled 

accordingly on site maps. 

Cana Island and Horseshoe Island are both small and have been less well documented. The other 

islands are considered smaller ‘bird’ islands. They include Hat Island, Adventure Island, Little 

Strawberry Island, Jack Island, Sister Island, Spider Island, Gravel Island, Hog Island, and Fish Island. 

The bird islands are now predominantly used by colonial waterbirds such as Herring Gulls (Larus 

argentatus) and Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). Their value for rare plant and 

animal communities has thus been degraded (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 


Five State Natural Areas have been designated at various sites among the Grand Traverse Islands: 

Jackson Harbor Ridges, Big & Little Marsh, and Coffee Swamp all on Washington Island. Rock Island is 

a state park and a large portion of the island, Rock Island Woods, is a State Natural Area. Sister Islands is 

also State Natural Area. Washington Island has several exposed areas of escarpment along the northern, 

western, and southeastern edges with 20-120 foot tall bluffs. All of these islands form a portion of the 

Niagara Escarpment. Nearly 850 acres of wetlands (Coffee Swamp, Jackson Harbor Ridges, Big and 

Little Marsh, and Boyer’s Bluff) are found near the eastern and northwestern portions of Washington 

Island. 

. When comparing the islands with data from 25-75 years ago drastic changes can be seen 

(Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). Vegetation on the smaller islands has been severely impacted by 

colonial water birds in the last decade. Human residential developments and white-tailed deer herbivory 

are widespread on most islands. The sensitive nature of the plant and animal assemblage makes them 

particularly susceptible to human disturbance. Despite Door Peninsula’s islands having been severely 

impacted by human activity in the late 19 th and early 20 th century, evidence is clear that the many of these 

islands still house some of the richest rare plant reserves in Wisconsin. 

Grand Traverse Islands 127

Inventories of plants and animals conducted among these island communities at various times 

have documented 64 rare species of animals, invertebrates and plants, including 18 natural community 

types. See Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory listing, Appendix “B” and natural community cross 

reference, Appendix “A”. 


The State Historical Society of Wisconsin has identified several historic sites on or near the 

islands, which are noted in the National Register of Historic Places. The Chester H. Thordarson Estate 

dates from 1910-1935 and was placed in the register in 1985. Along the southwest tip of the island 

Thordarson built a Viking meeting hall that was considered his great achievement. He was said to be an 

excellent botanist, however Anna Threlfall and Ted Cochrane did not take the first known plant 

collections until 1971 and 1972 respectively, mainly because Thordarson did not like guests on the island 

(Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

There are several other areas of historic interest found in the National Register. The Louisiana 

Steamer shipwreck in the Town of Washington was deemed a historic site in 1992 and dates from 1887- 

1913. Pilot Island Lighthouse was put in the register in 1983 and dates to 1858. Pilot Island NW Site 

shipwrecks were put into the register in 1992 and date to 1857-1892. Plum Island Range Rear 

Lighthouses were deemed historic sites in 1984 and date to 1889 and 1897. 

Rock Island Historic District was put into the register in 1972. Rock Island was well known to 

French explorers under the names of Potawatomi Island and Louse Island. It is considered the first place 

in Wisconsin visited by white men, when Jean Nicolet passed through the area. in 1634. The first 

lighthouse in Door County was the ‘Pottawatomie Light.’ It was built in 1836 and in use by 1837. The 

house built for the lighthouse keeper is also the oldest in the county. The first keeper was David E. 

Corbin, a former sergeant in the War of 1812 (Holand 1917). 

Pilot Island lighthouse is in the National Register. It was the second lighthouse to be built in 

Door County. It is known as the Porte des Morts Station. Because of the importance of this station, there 

were three keepers. Depressed by the isolated island, the first assistant keeper committed suicide on June 

20 th 1880 (Holand 1917). 

Washington Island at one time belonged to Native Americans. Many village sites, cemeteries, 

mounds and cornfields are found on the island. The shorelines of Detroit Harbor, Little Lake, and 

Jackson Harbor were once Native American village sites. The first permanent European settlement in 

Door County was on Rock Island. Around 1850 many moved from Rock Island to Washington Island. It 

later became a potato growing center along with fruits and grains (Holand 1917). 

SITE FEATURES 

Pilot Island 

Pilot Island is a small 3.5 acre island with a somewhat steep rocky shoreline. An old Coast Guard 

building and lighthouse are present, and were formerly occupied. Cormorants began nesting on the island 

5 years ago, and have managed to kill most of the trees, mainly white cedar. The significance of Pilot 

Island is that it has no human presence and is an important bird nesting area. 

• Pilot Island is owned and managed by the federal government and land use is predominantly as a 

natural area. 

• Soils are nearly level to sloping on old glacial lake beach ridges. Dolostone bedrock is at a depth of 

40 or more inches (USDA SCS 1978). 

• The majority of living vegetation is dense shrubs with open grassy and weedy areas near the Coast 

Guard building. For the remainder of the island dominant species are white-cedar (Thuja 

occidentalis), red-berried elder (Sambucus racemosa), Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), chokecherry 

128 

Grand Traverse Islands

(Aronia melanocarpa), motherwort (Chaiturus marrubiastrum), and catnip (Nepeta cataria) 


• Nesting colonies of Herring Gulls (500 pair) and Cormorants (200 pair) make up the bulk of the 

fauna. Other probable nesters include Great Blue Herons and Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus 

serrator). 

• Rare species have not been documented on Pilot Island. 

• The aesthetic value of Pilot Island is that it is predominantly absent of human presence, a rare 

occurrence for most islands. 

Plum Island 

Plum Island, named because it is plumb in the center of Deaths Door (Holand 1917), is 

approximately 267 acres in size and has a maximum elevation of 13 meters. The island is mostly 

forested, and U.S. Coast Guard facilities are present on the northeast and southwest shores. The shoreline 

has 2-3 meter cliffs along the eastern shore, gravel beach on the south and west sides, and a narrow sandy 

beach on the north side (Judziewicz and Kopitzke, 1999). The US Coast Guard currently owns Plum 

Island. However, the Coast Guard has determined that Plum Island is surplus property, and the process to 

transfer ownership to another entity is in progress. 

• The U.S. Coast Guard controls land use, therefore casual visits to the island are not permitted. 

• Soils are shallow to deep, well drained, and almost level to moderately steep. A sandy loam or loam 


• A small wetland locally known as Carp Lake on the northeast tip of the island has unique 

physiographic features. It is recurrently connected and separated from Lake Michigan. 

• Forest communities are diverse. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and basswood (Tilia americana) 

forests dominate the interior. White cedar is prevalent along coastal areas especially where dolostone 

is near the surface. A heavy select cut opened the canopy to red raspberry and common hound’stongue 

(Cynoglossum officinale). The east and south coast have white cedar along dolostone bluffs. 

One-flowered cancer-root (Orobanche uniflora) and climbing fumitory (Adlumia fungosa) are 

common understory plants. In sand dominated areas dune goldenrod (Solidago simplex, var. 

gillmanii) is abundant. 

• Near Carp Lake on the northwest section of the island plant species are diverse. During a 1999 

survey when Lake Michigan was low, a meadow near the lagoon was dominated by brook lobelia 

(Lobelia kalmii), rushes (Juncus spp.), and St. John’s-wort (Hypericum spp.). Southwest of the 

lagoon is a 10-acre sedge meadow. Dominant plant species include bluejoint (Calamagrostis 

canadensis) and tussock sedge (Carex stricta). In a strip of disturbed boreal forest near the Coast 

Guard Station dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), alvar violet (Viola nephrophylla), and white camass 

(Zigadenus elegans) are present (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Animals present on the island include nesting Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and whitetailed 

deer (Odocoileus virginanus). Pigs (Suscrofa domesticus) were introduced sometime before 

1998 (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999), but they are no longer present. In Carp Lake, carp (Cyprinus 

carpio) are seasonally abundant. 


• Federally threatened dwarf lake iris occurs near Carp Lake (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Plum Island has been impacted by logging, but remains an aesthetic natural forested area because of 

the absence of human presence. If left alone re-growth of vegetation could increase the aesthetic 

value of Plum Island. 

Washington Island 

Washington Island is the largest of the Grand Traverse islands and covers approximately 35 

square miles. It is located at the northern tip of the Door Peninsula. Four coastal wetlands are associated 

with the island: Coffee Swamp, Jackson Harbor Ridges, and Big and Little Marsh. Development pressure 

is strong throughout the island, including sensitive areas such as the high dolostone cliffs at Boyer Bluff. 

Numerous, small private lots with houses coexist along the southeastern shore of the island along 

with occurrences of alkaline rock shore communities. A number of owners have signed Protective 

Agreements to safeguard this community and the plants that grow in it, including the federally listed 

dwarf lake iris. Similar protection efforts would benefit other priority sites on the island (Judziewicz and 

Kopitzke 1999). 

• Washington Island is in the Town of Washington. They have adopted the county zoning ordinance. 

• Upland and lowland hardwoods are dominant forest types. Conifer species including hemlock, white 

spruce and balsam fir are present in varying degrees within hardwood stands. Lowland conifer stands 

dominated by white cedar are also present. The quality of these forests is variable based on site 

condition and past land use. Forest quality ranges from poor to good quality second growth. 

• Land use is predominantly forested with lesser amounts of general agriculture, estate, single family 

residential, recreational commercial, countryside, and mixed use commercial in the ferry dock area. 

The Town of Washington has a population of 623 according to the 1990 census (Kasprzak and Walter 

2001). 

• Soils of Washington Island are mainly of two types. Most of the island, including the interior portion 

contains soils shallow to deep, well drained, almost level to moderately steep. Sandy loam or loam 

subsoil overlays sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or dolostone bedrock. The northeast tip and 

southern shore contains soils that are deep and moderately deep, well drained to poorly drained, and 

gently sloping to sloping. Fine sand or sandy loam subsoil overlay sand or sand and gravel outwash, 

and very poorly drained, nearly level organic soil (USDA SCS 1978). 

• Detroit Harbor is the south facing bay on the southwest section of Washington Island. This harbor 

provides spawning habitat for smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), yellow perch (Perca 

flavescens), and northern pike (Esox Lucius). Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are annually stocked in 

Detroit Harbor (Corbisier 2000). 

• West Harbor is located on the southwest side of Washington Island. It has approximately 50 acres of 

water area lying below the normal high water mark of Lake Michigan. West Harbor is noted for its 

diverse population of native aquatic plants and the minimal occurrence of invasive exotic plants. 

Because high quality submerged aquatic species are rare in Lake Michigan this area is being reviewed 

to become a state natural area by the WDNR. Known plants include flat-stemmed pondweed 

(Potamogeton zosteriformis), milfoil (Myriophyllum spp.), Richardson’s pondweed (Potamogeton 

richardsonii), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), Illinois pondweed (Potamogeton illinoensis), 

muskgrass (Chara spp.), and coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum). Curly leafed pondweed 

(Potamogeton crispus) an invasive exotic is also present. The plant community appears to support a 

130 


diverse fishery and benthic community (Fassbender 2000). Smallmouth bass and yellow perch are 

common fish in the harbor. 

• Figenscaus Harbor (sometimes referred to as Figenscaus Bay) is located on the southwest corner of 

Washington Island. It has approximately 100 acres of water area lying below the normal high water 

mark of Lake Michigan. This harbor also has a diverse community of native aquatic plants, and is 

also being studied as a possible state natural area. Known plants include flat-stemmed pondweed, 

milfoil, Richardson pondweed, wild celery, Illinois pondweed, chara, and coontail. Curly leafed 

pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) an invasive exotic is also present. The aquatic plants support a 

diverse fishery and benthic community. This area is also used heavily by migrating waterfowl 

(Fassbender 2000). 

• Washington Harbor is located in the northwest section of Washington Island. This north facing bay is 

located between Boyer Bluff to the west and Coffee Swamp to the east. Various archaeological sites 

are located near Washington Harbor. A historical site is found on the southeast shoreline. The 

dominant fish of this harbor is smallmouth bass. Other fish include yellow perch, northern pike, and 

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). 

• Facing Rock Island State Park is Jackson Harbor. It has approximately 100 acres of water area lying 

below the normal high water mark of Lake Michigan. Like West Harbor and Figenscaus Harbor, 

Jackson Harbor houses a highly diverse population of native aquatic plants and is being looked at by 

the WDNR for state natural area designation. Known plants include flat stemmed pondweed, milfoil, 

Richardson pondweed, wild celery, sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus), largeleaf pondweed 

(Potamogeton amplifolius), elodea (Elodea canadensis), and small pondweed (Potamogeton pusillus). 

Curly leafed pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) and Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), 

invasive exotics are also present. A diverse fishery and benthic community seems to thrive because 

of the aquatic plants. Waterfowl also use this harbor during migration (Fassbender 2000). Most of 

the eastern shoreline is sand beach and wetlands. Helping to preserve the beach, dunes, swales, and 

rare plants is the designation, Jackson Harbor Ridges State Natural Area. The bay is a spawning 

habitat for smallmouth bass, northern pike, and yellow perch (Corbisier 2000). 

• Little Lake is located in the northwest section of Washington Island. The lake is 23.6 acres and has a 

maximum depth of seven feet. This landlocked lake may have been created from a shallow bay of the 

glacial Lake Nipping stage. A 250-foot cobblestone ridge separates Little Lake from Lake Michigan 

(Kasprzak and Walter 2001). A small museum and dock serve as a public access point at the 

southwest portion of the lake. Older stands of white cedar and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) surround 

the north side of the lake, while the remaining portion is surrounded with various types of wooded 

vegetation. A floating bog mat is located in the northeast section of Little Lake. 

• Animals associated with Little Lake are blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale), several 

species of frogs, and breeding waterfowl. Songbirds are common residents during the spring and 

summer months on Washington Island. 

• Rare boreal rich fen plants of Washington Island wetlands include slim-stem small-reedgrass 

(Calamagrostis stricta), low calamint (Calamintha arkansana), northern bog sedge (Carex 

gynocrates), livid sedge (Carex livida var radicaulis), showy lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium reginae), 

tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), few-flower spikerush (Eleocharis quinqueflora), and 

thickspike (Elymus lanceolatus spp. psmmophilus). Rare emergent aquatic plants include variegated 

horsetail (Equisetum variegatum), seaside spurge (Euphorbia polygonifolia), and lesser fringed 

gentian (Gentianopsis procera). One rare Great Lakes beach plant, the American sea-rocket (Cakile 


132 

edentula) occurs on Washington Island. The dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), a Great Lakes endemic 

known only from the shores of Lake Michigan and Huron, occurs in several locations. 

• Rare northern wet-mesic forest plants include bird’s-eye primrose (Primula mistassinica), northern 

black currant (Ribes hudsonianum), tufted club-rush (Scirpus cespitosus), Ohio goldenrod (Solidago 

ohioensis), sticky goldenrod (Solidago simplex var gillmanii), sticky false-asphodel (Tofieldia 

glutinosa), and common bog arrow-grass (Triglochin maritimum) (Merryfield 2000). 

• The aesthetic value of Washington Island includes its natural sand and cobblestone beaches, large 

bluffs and cliff areas, inland lake and wetland areas, and its indented bays that house rare aquatic 

plant life. 

Coffee Swamp 

Coffee Swamp is approximately 1200 acres of low wetlands along the northern coast of 

Washington Island. It is designated a State Natural Area and contains a boreal rich fen, northern wetmesic 

forest, northern hardwood swamp, and northern sedge meadow (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

Coffee Swamp is unique because of its sudden transition from a large depression to upland deciduous 

forest (Corbisier 2000). 

• The central portion of Coffee Swamp contains a small seepage pond. The pond is shallow, and nearly 

dry during times of drought and in late summer. Substrate is pure marl. North of the pond is 9 acres 

of boreal rich fen (Merryfield 2000). 

• Vegetation within the fen is primarily wire-leaved sedge (Carex spp.), sweet gale (Myrica gale), 

bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), bog goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa), and hoary willow (Salix 

candida). Invasive species are known to the fen including glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and 

giant reed (Phragmites australis). Near the south side of the pond is a large 225-acre northern wetmesic 

forest or white cedar swamp. 

• North of the fen is a small 10-acre northern hardwood swamp dominated by black ash. Small 

sections of northern sedge meadow also occur throughout the Coffee Swamp complex (Merryfield 

2000). The exotic plant glossy buckthorn is invading here as well. Extending to the south and west 

of Mountain Tower Park is approximately 100 acres of good quality second-growth beech (Fagus 

grandifolia) and sugar maple forest (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• White-tailed deer are known to heavily browse the cedar swamp. Frogs and waterfowl also use this 

wetland habitat. 

• Mountain Tower Park includes a unique moist cliff habitat with rare fern species. 

Jackson Harbor Ridges 

Jackson Harbor Ridges comprises approximately 225 acres and is located on the northeast side 

of Washington Island. This complex has forested ridges and swales with associated Great Lakes dunes 

and beaches and interdunal ponds. Most of Jackson Harbor is designated a State Natural Area. The 

remaining portion is owned by one landowner that has signed a voluntary Protective Agreement 


• Land use is low density residential and reserved wetlands and ridges. Surrounding waters are used 

for boating and recreational purposes. 


• The beach area has many dry and wet sand areas and interdunal swales. One large swale includes an 

unusual community of plants preferring wet calcareous soils (Merryfield 2000). 

• Common plant species include brook lobelia (Lobelia kalmii) shrubby cinquefoil (Pentaphylloides 

floribunda), Arctic primrose (Primula mistassinica), low calamint, slender bog arrow-grass 

(Triglochin palustris), bladderworts (Utricularia spp.), and various sedges. 

• Drier dunes contain drought resistant plants like bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), junipers 

(Juniperus spp.), and sand coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata). Behind the dunes is a mixed coniferhardwood 

forest of red and white pines, white cedar, balsam fir (Abies balsamea), and American 

beech (Merryfield 2000). 

• Other plants common at Jackson Harbor are Seneca snakeroot (Polygala senega) and Iceland moss 

(Cetraria islandica). 

• A sand spit at the entrance point to Jackson Harbor attracts gulls, terns, shorebirds and waterfowl 

(Merryfield 2000). Many species of songbirds are common in Jackson Harbor (Zimmerman 1989). 

Big and Little Marsh 

Together Big and Little Marsh are approximately 570 acres located halfway up the eastern coast 

of Washington Island. Percy Johnson County Park is 5 acres located near a sandy barrier beach mostly 

developed with unpaved roads and houses. The park contains good quality remnant Great Lakes Beach 

and Lake Dune communities with several rare plants. Behind the beach is undeveloped open wetland and 

wooded swamp called Big Marsh. Northeast of Big Marsh is Little Marsh also known as Wickman 

Marsh (Corbisier 2000). It includes swamp hardwoods and an ephemeral pond (Merryfield 2000). 

• Both Big and Little Marsh are privately owned, and there is some residential development 

(Zimmerman 1989). 

• Big Marsh has sections containing patches of nearly bare marl with pavements of dolostone gravel 

and cobbles exposed when water levels are low (Merryfield 2000). 

• Water depth in Big Marsh ranges from 2 feet in the spring to completely dry in the fall. Water levels 

are also dependent on Lake Michigan (Merryfield 2000). Little Marsh contains 14 acres of open 

water segmented by woodland creating a north and south basin. Maximum depth is 1.5 feet 


• Big Marsh is a combination of boreal rich fen, and relatively high quality northern wet-mesic forest. 

A 38-acre emergent aquatic marsh is located on marl substrate dominated by softstem bulrush 

(Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani). Southwest is a 60-acre northern wet-mesic forest or white cedar 

swamp of high quality. Northwest of the marsh is a 7-acre boreal rich fen dominated by wire-leaved 

sedges, sweet gale, shrubby cinquefoil, and swamp buckthorn (Rhamnus alnifolius). Little Marsh 

contains lower quality communities, predominantly a northern hardwood swamp dominated by black 

ash (Fraxinus nigra), and an ephemeral pond (Merryfield 2000). 

• Little Marsh provides resting habitat for waterfowl during migration (Corbisier 2000). 

• Several rare plant species occur in Big Marsh and its surrounding area. 


Detroit Island 

Detroit Island is 2.3 miles long by .08-0.4 miles wide, is located a few hundreds yards east of the 

Washington Island ferry dock, and ranges up to 25 meters above Lake Michigan. The island is primarily 

privately owned. Despite large deer populations, the island has high ecological quality and should be 

considered by the DNR for State Natural Area designation (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Detroit Island is in the Town of Washington. Washington has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land use is predominantly natural area and estate along the shoreline of the north half of the island. 

• Silurian dolostone outcrops, and interior low escarpments underlay the surface of the island. The 

shore at the southern tip is considered a high quality Great Lakes alkaline rock shore community 

(Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). Soils are of Summerville-Longrie-Omena association (USDA SCS 

1978). 

• Vegetation includes recent, select-cut forests of sugar maple, white birch, red maple, basswood, red 

oak, and hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana). In interior portions of the island are occasional balsam 

fir and beech trees. Because of the recent cutting, species such as red raspberry, chokecherry, and 

common hound’s tongue are common. 

• Common species in low dolostone scarps include marginal shield fern (Dryopteris marginalis) and 

yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium pubenscens). Large canopy white pines are found along the west 

coast of the island. Ephemeral plants such as Dutchman’s-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), big white 

trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum.), wild leeks (Allium tricoccum), and Canada and yellow violets 

(Viola canadensis and V. pubescens) are found on the central hill. On the northwest portion of the 

island is a small black ash swamp with tag alder (Alnus incana) and lake sedge (Carex lacustris). 

• A Great Lakes alkaline rockshore forms the southern tip of Detroit Island. This special community of 

plants includes Baltic rush (Juncus arcticus subsp. littoralis), silverweed (Argentina anserina), bird’seye 

primrose (Primula mistassinica), low calamint, white camass, Indian paintbrush (Castilleja 

coccinea), and Seneca snakeroot. There are various sedges (Carex aurea, C. crawei, C. viridula, and 

Rhynchospora capillacea), marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), tufted hairgrass, alvar violet, brook 

lobelia, frost aster (Aster pilosus), shrubby St. John’s-wort (Hypericum kalmianum), and lesser 

fringed gentian. Most of the coast surrounding the island contains white cedar. Sandy swales 

support several colonies of dwarf lake iris (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Animal life includes high populations of white-tailed deer and shore birds during migration 

(Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). A diverse assemblage of reptiles includes northern-banded water 

snakes. Rare plant species occur along the south tip of the island within the alkaline rockshore 

community (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

Rock Island 

Rock Island is approximately 900 acres and is the highest island in the Grand Traverse 

archipelago reaching 65 meters above Lake Michigan. Considered the gem of all islands in the chain, it is 

the most remote from the mainland of Door County. Rock Island was named a Wisconsin State Park in 

1964 and later 570 acres was designated as a State Natural Area in 2002. Rock Island is owned and 

managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Threats to Rock Island include deer 

134 


herbivory, and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) first seen in 1997, and now under active management. 

Dunes and beaches on the south shore of the island have been severely degraded by visitors so that 

remnant dune and beach communities are probably no longer viable (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Land use is primarily natural area with low-key recreation and tourism. 

• Like all previously mentioned islands, soils are of Summerville-Longrie-Omena association (USDA 

SCS 1978). 

• Vegetation includes old growth beech and sugar maple forests. Hop-hornbeam is a common 

understory tree along with yellow birch (Betula allgheniensis). Spring ephemeral plants are 

predominately wild leeks with interspersed Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum), Carolina 

spring beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) and Dutchman’s-breeches. 

• Deer herbivory has selected beech seedlings rather than sugar maple throughout the entire forest. The 

northern one-third of the island displays small colonies of broad-leaved wood sedge (Carex 

platyphylla). 

• West of Fernwood Trail in the center of the island are hardwood seeps, a unique feature to the island 

as well as Door County. A small wet clearing in the beech forest contains dense concentrations of 

ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and state threatened drooping sedge (Carex prasina). 

Included here are spring ephemerals such as wild leeks, Dutchman’s-breeches, and bishop’s-cap 

(Mitella diphylla). Other plants present in this wet clearing are meadow horsetail (Equisetum 

pratense), hairy-leaved sedge (Carex hirtifolia), and black snakeroot (Sanicula gregaria). 

• Dolostone escarpments break-up the interior forest. Scree slopes are covered with a variety of ferns, 

such as bulblet fern (Cystopteris bulbifera) and marginal fern. Less frequent is walking fern 

(Asplenium rhizophyllum) and Steller’s cliffbrake (Cryptogramma stelleri). Climbing fumitory also 

occurs here. The forest canopy contains white cedar, balsam fir, and sugar maple, and dense 

concentrations of mountain maple (Acer spicatum) comprise the understory. One slope is comprised 

of beech and maple, and is carpeted with broad-leaved sedge. 

• The north, east, and west shores house white cedar dominated dolostone cliffs. Other plants found in 

such areas include buffalo-berry (Shepherdia canadensis), white camass, ebony sedge (Carex 

eburnea), hairy goldenrod (Solidago hispida), rock whitlow-grass, and moss (Hyclominum 

splendens). 

• The beach ridges inland of the south coast contain white pines, white spruce, blueberries (Vaccinium 

spp.), and wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). A remnant Great Lakes dune community along the 

beach is dominated by beach-grass (Ammophila breviligulata), Canada wild-rye (Elymus canadensis), 

and beach-pea (Lathyrus japonicus). Several rare plants found here are thick-spike wheat grass 

(Elytrigia dasystachya), dune goldenrod, and seaside spurge. A small abandoned gravel pit located 

approximately 100 meters from the old Viking hall contains many calciphilic species. Dominant 

plants include cattails, soft-stemmed bulrush, brook lobelia, Ohio goldenrod, and purple false 

foxglove (Agalinis purpurea). 

• Common exotic plants found in lawns and clearings of the old Thordarson estate don’t seem to 

impact the island. Three dominant exotic plants are “Icelandic” thyme (Thymus praecox), saxifrage 

pink (Pertorhagia saxifraga), and snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) (Judziewicz and 



• Rock Island has excellent quality state significant rare species and plant communities including a 

Great Lakes dune community. The flora of 359 species is surprisingly rich considering the near-total 

lack of wetlands (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• The aesthetic value of Rock Island is its remote setting away from the mainland of Door County and 

receives less human disturbance than other areas. The island is state owned and people can visit and 

enjoy the island’s scenic attributes through low disturbance recreational activities. 

Chambers Island 

Chambers Island is 5 square miles and the second largest of Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Islands. 

It is located approximately 3.1 miles northwest of Fish Creek and 3.9 miles from the Michigan shoreline. 

The island’s dunes, beaches, and forests remain relatively intact. This island is privately owned except 

for a 40 acre Town of Gibraltar Park at the lighthouse (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Chambers Island is in the Town of Gibraltar. Gibraltar has adopted Door County’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land use is primarily small estate residential and recreational and commercial near the dock and 

retreat center. Town roads are low-specification “tunnels” in the woods. This helps to discourage the 

invasion of the forest by cowbirds. Cooperation between the WDNR and Chambers Island 

Landowners Association (CILA) benefits the plant and animal community. 

• Issues of concern include continuing responsible forestry practices (there is a select cut for sawtimber 

every 15 years) maintaining “low-spec” town roads, and assuring logging equipment is free of garlic 

mustard seeds (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• The Island is composed of sand, clay and gravel, with a maximum elevation of only 17-m above 

Green Bay. Although the underlying bedrock is mapped as Silurian dolostone, it is nowhere exposed 

on the island and the sandy-clayey soils give general indications of being nutrient-poor and somewhat 

acidic. Topography is more similar to Marinette County than that of Door County (Judziewicz and 


• Several wetlands are found on the island. Lake Mackaysee is a large 374 acre shallow lake with a 

maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake is thought to be spring fed. A 1994 survey showed no evidence 

of exotic plant species (Corbisier 2000). There are aquatic macrophytes and several ridges and 

swales on the western shore. Approximately 0.4 miles south of Lake Mackaysee is a wetland area 

dominated by small leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata). 

• Krause or Mud Lake is 3.7 acres with a maximum depth of 24 feet (Corbisier 2000). It is surrounded 

by acidic oak-pine-aspen woodlands including huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) and blueberry. 

Adjoining wetlands contain three-way sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum) and sweet flag (Acorus 

americanus) (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Forests are of variable quality and are extensive. They include second growth mixed beech, hemlock, 

sugar maple, red oak, basswood, red maple, birch, and an occasional bitternut hickory (Carya 

cordiformis). Other vegetation is predominantly white pine, red pine (Pinus resinosa), and juniper 

(Juniperus communis). Understory is comprised of violets (Viola spp.), wood anemone (Anemone 

quinquefolia), hog peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata), wide-leaved panic grass (Panicum latifolium), 

smooth aster (Aster laevis), and pale vetch (Lathyrus ochroleucus). 

136 


• Near the lighthouse and north end of the island are a variety of wildflowers including great flowered 

trillium and great-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora). Where dolostone gravel wash up onto 

the shoreline, buffalo-berry and herb-robert (Geranium robertianum) occur. 

• Sand Point and North Bay harbor remnants of a Great Lakes barren community, possibly the best 

example of this community type in the state. Typical plants include juniper, beach-grass, white and 

red pines, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Indian-grass (Sorghastrum nutans), needle-andthread 

grass (Stipa spartea), Muhlenberg’s sedge (Carex muhlenbergii), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus 

spp.) butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), blazing-star (Liatris aspera), hoary puccoon (Lithospermum 

caroliniense) and spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) an aggressive exotic. 

• A related natural community is Great Lakes beaches that occurs on three parts of the island. 

Dominant species are cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), evening primrose (Oenothera spp.), 

knotweed (Polygonum ramossimum), and state special concern species the American sea-rocket 

(Cakile edentula) and seaside spurge (Euphorbia polygonifolia) (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• White-tailed deer have been absent on the island for approximately 10 years, allowing for tree 

regeneration (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). Many species of songbirds are common on the island. 

• Mackaysee Lake contains excellent populations of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), 

smallmouth bass, and northern pike. Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and yellow perch are also 

present; Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) have been reported but have not been documented. 

No current records exist for fish in Mud Lake; historically largemouth bass, and bluegills were the 

dominant species (Corbisier 2000). 

• Heritage Areas of Door County (Emmerich 1978) cites the historic and aesthetic value of Chambers 

Island as a wildlife habitat with special forest resources (Zimmerman 1989). Aesthetic value is also 

due to the absence of invasive exotic plants, lack of deer herbivory, and remoteness from the 

mainland. 

Cana Island 

Cana Island is 8.7 acres located off the coast of the Lake Michigan shore 7 miles northeast of 

Bailey’s Harbor. When lake levels are low, the island is connected with the mainland by a causeway. 

Cana Island is known for its restored and maintained lighthouse, circa 1870, that is in the National 

Register of Historic Places. 

• Cana Island is in the Town of Bailey’s Harbor. The federal government owns the island. 

• The primary land use is natural area including upland and lowland boreal forest, light residential and 

one small animal farm (Zimmerman 1989). 

• The shoreline consists of low dolostone shelves. The island is part of the Niagara Escarpment 

composed of dolostone bedrock and cobble stone with scattered glacial erratics. There is only a thin 

layer of soil covering the bedrock (Hamm 2001). 

• There are several small wetlands and wet shore lots on Cana Island (Zimmerman 1989). 

• White cedar forests dominate the vegetation cover. Understory plants are relatively disturbed. There 

are many invasive exotic plants on the island (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 


• Deer herbivory is widespread (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). A high diversity of forest birds 

including many warbler species was noted in 1988 (Zimmerman 1989). 

• There is one rare plant species present on the island (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999.) Rare roadside 

flowers were reported in the late 1980’s (Zimmerman 1989). 

• The aesthetic value of Cana Island is primarily its quality scenic and natural views. Many consider 

the Cana lighthouse representative of all island lighthouses on the Door Peninsula. 

Hat Island 

Hat Island is named for its shape. It is less than 2.5 acres in size, sitting low in Green Bay 2 miles 

from the Door Peninsula between Egg Harbor and Fish Creek. The island was once forested, however 

only a few dead skeletal remains of cottonwoods still stand and a small colony of dutchman’s breeches at 

the highest point (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Hat Island is in the Town of Egg Harbor. Egg Harbor utilizes an independent planning commission 

with a sub-division ordinance. The Egg Harbor Town Board enacted a moratorium on commercial 

development from January 1998 to March 1999. Under the ‘master development plan’ wetlands, 

forests, the Niagara Escarpment and open space will be protected. The Nature Conservancy is 

working with the town to identify high quality natural resources in Egg Harbor (Grimm 2001). 

• Hat Island is privately owned. Land use is predominantly natural area. 



• Vegetation is comprised of dead cottonwood (Populus deltoides), Dutchman’s breeches, red 

raspberry, wild black currant (Ribes americanum), chokecherry, and red-berried elder. Invasive 

exotic plants include motherwort and catnip (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Hat Island is a breeding ground for herring gulls and cormorants (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• There are no known rare plant or animal species on Hat Island (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

Adventure (Strawberry, or Big Strawberry) Island 

Adventure Island is approximately 20 acres and is located approximately 2 miles northwest of 

Fish Creek. The island was popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s as a boys summer camp. A Milwaukee 

Public Museum expedition made several plant collections in July of 1897 (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 

1999). 

• Strawberry Island is in the Town of Gibraltar. Gibraltar has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• The island is privately owned and maintained as natural area. Because of intense past human activity, 

native vegetation has been severely altered (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 



138 


• A white cedar-basswood-quaking aspen forest has a dense understory of red-osier dogwood, 

chokecherry, exotic honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), red raspberry, and Canada yew (Judziewicz and 

Kopitzke 1999). There are few herbs and no rare plant species recorded. 

• Herring gulls are known to nest on the island. 

Little Strawberry Island 

• Little Strawberry Island is 6 acres in size, and is located in Green Bay just to the north of Adventure 

Island. Nesting cormorants and gulls threaten the native vegetation of the island (Judziewicz and 

Kopitzke, 1999). The island is privately owned, and is predominantly natural area. A small cabin is 

located at the east end of the island. 

• Little Strawberry Island is in the Town of Gibraltar. Gibraltar has adopted the county’s zoning 

ordinance. 



• Vegetation is dominated by stands of basswood and the understory plant cow-parsnip (Heracleum 

lanatum). There are a few remnant mesic forest herbs such as dicentras (Dicentra canadensis and D. 

cucullaria) and yellow trout-lily (Erythronium americanum) (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• There are no known rare plant or animal species on Little Strawberry Island. 

Jack Island 

Jack Island is a 5-acre, low, brushy island in the waters of Green Bay. The island was once 

forested and housed a resort in the 1930’s. Because of breeding colonies of gulls and cormorants 

vegetation on the island has been severely altered. Jack Island is connected to Little Strawberry Island. It 

is possible at times to wade between the two islands, as well as Pirate Island, a shoal located a short 

distance to the northeast of Jack Island (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Jack Island is in the Town of Gibraltar. Gibraltar has adopted the county’s zoning ordinance. 

• The island is privately owned and maintained in a natural state. 



• Herring gulls and cormorants are the conspicuous nesting species. It is unknown what other animal 

species are present, as comprehensive surveys have not been conducted. 

• Vegetation is comprised of a few dead cottonwoods among red-osier dogwoods, and red-berried 

elders. Exotic herbs such as motherwort and catnip are abundant (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• No rare plant or animal species are known from Jack Island. However, in 2002, a nesting colony of 

the state endangered Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) was found on Pirate Island. 


Horseshoe Island 

Horseshoe Island, named for its distinctive shape, is 37 acres and is located approximately onehalf 

mile from the mainland of Peninsula State Park. The island is a favorite anchoring spot for boaters 

who often wade ashore with picnic lunches (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• The island is owned and administered by the WDNR as part of Peninsula State Park and is located in 

the geographic boundary of the Town of Gibraltar. 

• Land use is primarily low impact recreation. 

• Soils are sloping glacial till plains underlain by dolostone bedrock. Rock outcrops are common 

(USDA SCS 1978). 

• No surface water resources are present on the island. 

• Stands of white cedar are found along the dolostone cliffs on the north and west coast. Younger 

balsam fir and white birch are common. Climbing fumitory and weedy garlic mustard are abundant 

understory plants (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• There are no known rare plant or animal species on the island. 

• The aesthetic value of Horseshoe Island is mainly as a favorite scenic area used by boaters. It also 

has value as a natural area for various plants and animals. 

Sister Islands 

Sister Islands are two uninhabited bird islands separated by a shoal, located approximately 1.5 

miles northwest of Sister Bay in the waters of Green Bay (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). These islands 

are sometimes above water and sometimes below depending on water fluctuations of Green Bay. 

• Sister Islands are in the Town of Liberty Grove. The islands are State Natural Areas that are owned 

and managed by the WDNR. 



• Vegetation has not been surveyed since William E. Tans of the WDNR visited the islands in 1977. 

Common plants were box elder (Acer negundo), orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), red-osier 

dogwood, bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) and stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) 


• Cormorants and gulls dominate the islands. 

• No rare plant or animal species have been documented on the island. 

140 


Spider Island 

Spider Island is a low, rocky 23-acre island located approximately 0.4 miles from the southern 

shore of Newport State Park in Lake Michigan (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). The U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service owns and manages Spider Island as part of the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge. 

• Spider Island is in the Town of Liberty Grove. 



• Vegetation was first documented in 1905 by the Milwaukee Public Museum botanists. A white cedar, 

tamarack, and white birch forest dominated the island at that time. Boreal forest and Great Lakes 

shoreline understory species were blueflag iris (Iris virginica), wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum), 

and Indian paintbrush. 

• By 1966, waterbirds like the herring gull had invaded the island degrading the forest to white birch, 

white cedar, white spruce, and Canada yew. Shrub species included red-osier dogwood, red 

raspberry, and red-berried elder. 


• In 1983, Gary Fewless, botanist from University of Wisconsin Green Bay, reported exotic herbs and 

remnant shrubs like yew and wild black currant dominated the island. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service now reports that the forest has completely disappeared (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Due to the lack of vegetation, wildlife populations on Spider Island are limited. During the nesting 

season, the island is home to large breeding colonies of Herring Gulls and Double-crested 

Cormorants. Canada Geese and Red-breasted Mergansers are also known to breed on the island. 

• No rare plant or animal species have been recorded on the island. 

Gravel Island 

Gravel Island is 1.7 acres located off the eastern tip of the Door Peninsula (Judziewicz and 

Kopitzke, 1999). 

• The island is owned and managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as Gravel Island NWR. Land 

use is maintained as a natural area for wildlife. 




• Vegetation was surveyed in July of 1999. No vascular plants were observed (Judziewicz and 

Kopitzke 1999). There are no known rare plant or animal species. 

• The only wildlife species documented from the island are nesting herring gulls. 


Hog Island 

Hog Island is a small, low, and brushy island located approximately 0.4 miles from the eastern 

shore of Washington Island. The Island is a National Wildlife Refuge, owned by the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, and is a natural area for nesting waterfowl. 




• Vegetation was documented in the 1970’s and included Canada yew, red-osier dogwood, red-berried 

elder, red raspberry, and wild black currant formed a dense brush layer. White cedar, white birch and 

aspen were also present. 

• The island was surveyed in 1999 and consisted of red-berried elder, red raspberry, among other 

weedy shrubs. A few balsam fir and Canada yew trees are still standing (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 

1999). 

• Bird species known to breed on the island include Red-breasted Mergansers, Herring Gulls, Blackcrowned 

Night-Herons, and Great Blue Herons. When the island was surveyed in 1999, Herring 

Gulls were abundant, however Cormorants were not found (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• No known rare plant or animal species have been documented on the island. 

Fish Island and Fisherman’s Shoal 

These tiny 1.2-acre gravel bars are the farthest points of land in eastern Wisconsin. 

When visited in 1999 neither islet had evidence of vascular plants (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• Fish Island and Fisherman’s Shoal are in the Town of Washington. The town has adopted the 

county’s zoning ordinance. 

• Land use is maintained as a natural area for wildlife. 

• Soils are of gravel and sand (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• No surface water resources are present on the island and no vegetation was documented when last 

surveyed. 

• The only breeding bird present is a small number of Herring Gulls. No known rare plant or animal 

species are found on Fish Island and Fisherman’s Shoal. 


• Protect rare species and natural communities among the Grand Traverse Islands as identified in recent 

Natural Heritage Inventories. 

• Maintain second growth mixed forest types on Chambers, Plum, Detroit, and Rock Islands to 

discourage invasion of parasitic and predatory birds. 

• Encourage increased management and control of deer populations and logging practices to help 

promote tree regeneration. 

142 


• Expand designated State Natural Areas (Coffee Swamp & Jackson Harbor Ridges) to include other 

natural communities of ecological quality. 

• Consider additional sites of ecological significance among the Grand Traverse Islands for designation 

as State Natural Areas. 

• Create a comprehensive ecological management plan to protect the diverse number of natural 

communities and rare plant and animal species representative of the Grand Traverse Islands habitat. 

THREATS: 

• On Plum and Detroit Islands, timber harvest, reforestation and timber stand improvement measures 

were undertaken with DNR forestry guidance in the mid-1980’s. 

• High deer populations following forest management practices negatively impacted regeneration. 

• Washington Island faces development pressures throughout the island. In Coffee Swamp, deer 

herbivory and the invasion of glossy buckthorn threaten understory plants. 

• Rock Island is threatened by deer herbivory, invasion of garlic mustard, and human visitors to beach 

and dune communities (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999). 

• The smaller bird islands have been completely dominated by colonial waterbirds. Native vegetation 

and animal life has been replaced with breeding cormorants and gulls (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 

1999). 


• Inventory of plant and animal species on some of the smaller islands 

• Develop list of individuals and supportive groups interested in land conservation activities 


144 


Little 

Harbor 


BLUFF 

OR' 

CT. 

TRILLIUM 

LA. 

RD. 

APPLE 

OLD CTH 

WEST 

'OR' 

LEDGE 

ROAD 

REYNOLDS 

ROAD 

CARLSVILLE 

TOWN LINE 

BIRCH 

MONUMENT 


Little Strawberry 

Island 

LA. 

SPRING 

DAUBNER 

LA. 

RD. 

LANE 

Carlsville 

SUNRISE 

RD. 

HORSE- 

SHOE 

POINT RD.RD. 

MONUMENT 

CLARKS LAKE 

WAY- SIDE 

PHILO 

ROAD 

ROAD BAY 

SUNNYSLOPE 

POINT 

Hat Island 

Jack Island 

Adventure Island 

WAY 

PLUM 

ROAD 

POINT 

SUNNY 

RD. 

RD. 

POINT 

SUNNY 

OAK 

ROAD 

JARMEN 

ROAD 

HILLSIDE 

WILLOW 

COURT 

RD. 

E G G 

ROAD 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BOTTOM 

OAK 

ROAD 

BAY- 

VIEW 

RD. 

H A R B O R 

ROAD 

STRAND 

RD. 

WHITE 

ROAD 

HILLSIDE ROAD 

DIVISION 

DIVISION 

WILLOW 

BRAUER RD. 

RD. 

ROAD 

LEIST 

ROAD 

DR. 

RD. 

CLIFF 

LAKE 

LOST 

ISLAND 

SCHOOL 

RD. 

KIEHNAU 

BAGNALL 

RD. 

PINE 

TREE 

RD. 

Valmy 

ORCHARD 

VIEW RD. 

WILD 

FLOWER 

RD. 

BLUFF 

GIBRALTAR 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ELM 

ROAD 

ROAD 

COTTAGE 

ROW 

RD. 

ROAD 

GREEN BAY 

PENINSULA 

Juddville 

RD. 

QUARTERLINE 

MAPLE TREE 

ROAD 

West 

Jacksonport 

RD. 

SHORE 

JUDDVILLE 

HILLSIDE 

EHLER 

ROAD 

JUNCTION 

SPRING 


ROAD 

SHORE 

Fish 

Creek 

DRIVE 

ROAD 

RD. 

BAGNALL 


MEMORIAL 

BLUFF 

ANSCHUTZ RD. 

RD. 

ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

LANE 

NELSON 

ROAD 

LANE 

FLOK 

MIDDLE 

GIBRALTAR 

WANDERING 

PLAYERS 

ROAD 

FAIRVIEW 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

PL. 

LORITZ 

SHORE 


ROAD 

DRIVE 

ELM 

ROAD 

DR. 

W. 

HONOLD RD. 

SHORE 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

LONGVIEW 

LA. 

RD. 

PIT 

ROAD 

JORNS 

S. 

Sister Islands 

Horseshoe Island 

ROAD 

RD. 

Peninsula 

Center 

JORNS 

RD. 

CLARK 

LAKE 

CAVE 

LAKE 

HIGHLAND 

LITTLE 

MARSH 

RD. 

WOODED 

BEACH 

BERGER 

DRIVE 

POINT 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

CT. 

RD. 

GROVE 

GARDNER 

COURT 

CLARKS 

ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

LAKE 

LA. 

SOUTH 

ROAD 

N. 

RD. 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

EPHRAIM 

SUGAR 

BUSH RD. 

MAPLE GROVE 


ROAD 

RD. 

PLATEAU 

DR. 

CAVE 

TRIANGLE 

RD. 

RD. 

LAKE 

KANGAROO 

W. 

Jacksonport 

N. PT. 

WILDER 

RD. 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

RD. 

HIGH RIDGE 

TOWNLINE 

DRIVE 

LINE 

RD. TOWN 

W. 

RD. 

MEADOW 

RD. 

COUNTRY 

LA. 


MEADOW 

ROAD 

CHERRY 

GERMAN 

PIONEER 

GROVE 

CEDAR ROAD 

SISTER 

BAY 

H A R B O R 

BLUFF 

OLD 

RD. 

SUMMIT ROAD 

FIRST LA. 

FLINT RIDGE 

RD. 

ORCHARD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

STAGE 

LIME KILN 

ROAD 

B A I L E Y S 

Proposed Conservation Project Areas 



BEACH 

GREEN 

ROAD 

SEAQUIST 

CREST 

HILL 

RD. 

RD. 

PORCUPINE 

ROAD 

WOOD CREST 

RD. 

WILDWOOD 

ROAD 

SCANDIA 

PLATEAU 

ROAD 

RIDGES 

Baileys 

Harbor 

ROAD HIGH 

WATERS END 

HILL 

GRASSE 

LA. 

ROAD 

HILL 

SIDE 

BAY 

RD. 

RD. 

ROAD 

STAGE 

OLD 

HIGH VIEW 

TOFT 

PT. 

ROAD 

Ellison 

Bay 

DR. 

ROAD 

G R O V E 

ROAD 

DRIVE 

POINT 

SUNSET 

LAKEVIEW 

LA. 

SUMAC 

RD. 

MEADOW 

ROAD 

ROAD 

BIRCH 

ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

L I B E R T Y 

ROAD 

DOOR 

RD. 

BLUFF 

MAPLE- 

WOOD 

DR. 

BIRCHWOOD 

MINK 

SYLVAN 

LA. 

ROAD 

CANA 

ROBIN 

BAY 

NORTH 

BAY 

GARRETT 

RD. 

RIVER 

PINE 

DR. 

ISLAND 

LANE 


RD. 

BADGER 

ROAD 

ROAD 

APPLEPORT 

KINSEY 

RD. 

GARRETT 

RD. 

BAY 

RD. 

APPLEPORT 

BAY 

LA. 

ROAD 

BLACKBERRY 

LANE 

BAY 

SAND 

LANE 

RD. 

COTTAGE 

Gills 

Rock 

RD. 

NEWPORT DR. 

JUICE MILL 

LA. 

ISLE 

EUROPE 

ROAD 

TIMBERLINE 

VIEW 

EUROPE 

LAKE 

BAY 

NEWPORT 

LA. N. 

RD. 

WILDERNESS 

LA. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

North Port 

OLD 

WEST RD. 

WOOD- 

LAND 

TR. 

GREEN 

WILCOX 

LITTLE 

BAY 

LAKE 

RD. 

RD. 

Washington 

McDONALD 

RD. 

RD. 

TOWN LINE 

WEST 

HARBOR 

RD. 

HARBOR 

Plum Island 

Cana Island 

ROAD 

MAIN 

ROAD 

MAIN 

ROAD 

Detroit 

Harbor 

GASOLINE 

W A S H I N G T O N 

AIRPORT 

RD. 

TOWN 

FOSS 

RD. 

ROAD 

RANGE LINE 

JACKSON 

MICHIGAN 

LAKE VIEW ROAD 

AZNOE ROAD 

SOUTH 

RD. 

MOUNTAIN 

EAST SIDE 

SHORE 

ROAD 

HARBOR 

GUNNLAUGSSON 

WOOD 

LAND 

Gravel Island 

RD. 

Spider Island 

RD. 

RD. 

SWENSON 

OLD 

SWENSON 

RD. 

HEMLOCK 

MILL 

DRIVEINDIAN 

POINT 

ROAD 

ROAD 

DEER 

RD. RD. 

LA. 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 


RISE 

RD. 

SUN- 

Pilot Island 

LAKE MICHIGAN 



GARDNER 

NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

N 

5000 0 5000 Feet 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

# 

CLAYBANKS 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

WASHINGTON 

Fisherman Shoal 

Hog Island 

Rock Island 

Fish Island 


D. 

ISLE 

ROAD 

VIEW 

ROAD 

2000 0 

N 

2000 4000 Feet 

Boyer Bluff 


West Harbor 

North Port 

GREEN 

WILCOX 

LITTLE 


OLD 

WEST RD. 

WOOD- 

LAND 

TR. 

BAY 

LAKE 

McDONALD 

RD. 

RD. 

RD. 

RD. 

TOWN LINE 

WEST 

HARBOR 

ROAD 

MAIN 

RD. 

HARBOR 

Plum 

Island 

ROAD 

MAIN 

ROAD 

GASOLINE 


Detroit 

Harbor 

AIRPORT 

RD. 

TOWN 

ROAD 

FOSS 

RD. 

RANGE LINE 

Coffee 

Swamp 

JACKSON 

MICHIGAN 

AZNOE 

SOUTH 

RD. 

MOUNTAIN 


Detroit 

Island 

ROAD 

SHORE 

WOOD 

LAND 

RD. 

Northern Islands 



ROAD 

EAST SIDE 

HARBOR 

GUNNLAUGSSON 

RD. 

RD. 

SWENSON 

OLD 

SWENSON 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

HEMLOCK 

MILL 

DEER 

RD. RD. 

RD. 

DRIVEINDIAN 

POINT 

LA. 

NOTE: Site boundaries are approximate. Source: Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, 2003. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

RISE 

RD. 

SUN- 

Big & Little 

Marsh 

Hog 

Island 

GARDNER 

Rock Island 

State Park 



NASEWAUPEE 


Forestville 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BAY 

Egg Harbor 

CLAYBANKS 

SEVASTOPOL 


Bay 

LIBERTY 

GROVE 

GIBRALTAR 

BAILEYS 

JACKSONPORT 

Sister Bay 

Ephraim 

HARBOR 

WASHINGTON #

— Literature Cited — 

Allmann, Laurie. 1997. Natural Areas: Protecting a Vital Community Aasset. Minnesota Department of 

Natural Resources, Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Jamestown, ND: 

Greatplains.org Home Page. hhtp://www.greatplains.org/resource/1999/natural/natural.htm 

Clark, A. November 1999. Preliminary Report on the Niagara Escarpment Inventory (Communities and 

Rare Plants). Door County, Wisconsin. 

Corbisier, J. 2000. Surface Water Inventory of Door County. Door County Soil and Water 

Conservation Department. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 

DCLT and TNC. 1997. Carlsville Bluff Project Site. Door County Land Trustees Inc., and 

The Nature Conservancy. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 

Dirst, V. 1993. The People of the Dunes. Unpublished report, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 

Emmerich, G. 1978. Heritage Areas of Door County. University of Wisconsin Madison, 

Department of Landscape Architecture. Madison, WI. 

Fassbender, R. 2000. Proposed Underwater Natural Area Report. Wisconsin Department of 

Natural Resources. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 

Fewless, G. June 1999. Door County Inventory Sites. Unpublished report. Door County, Wisconsin. 

Finley. 1976. Early Vegetation of Wisconsin Map. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 

Grimm, M. 2001. Personal Interview. The Nature Conservancy. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 

Grimm, M. 2001A. Landscape of the Ecological Targets. The Nature Conservancy. 

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 

Grimm, M. 2001B. Thorp Pond and Hibbards Creek Site Plans. The Nature Conservancy. 

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 

Grimm, M. 2001C. Carlsville Bluff State Natural Area Land Management Plan. The Nature 

Conservancy. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 

Grimm, M., L. Hewitt, and B. Holtz. 1999. The Door Peninsula Conservation 

Initiative: A Resource Guide for Local Conservation Partners with Site Reports. 

The Nature Conservancy. Madison, Wisconsin 

Hamm, W. Cana Island History. http://www.baileysharbor.com/cana.htm#history. June 27, 2001 

Holand, H. 1917. History of Door County Wisconsin, vol. 1. 

The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago IL. 

– Literature Cited – 149

Holand, H. 1925. Old Peninsula Days, Twayne Publishers, Inc., New York 

Judziewicz, E. and D. Kopitzke. 1999. Wisconsin Lake Michigan Island Plant Survey-II. 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Endangered Resources. 

Madison, Wisconsin. 

Kasprzak, C. and M. Walter. 2001. An Inventory and Assessment of the Resources of the 

Niagara Escarpment in Wisconsin. Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission. Green Bay, WI 

Kirk, K. 1999. Terrestrial Invertebrate Study Project: Niagara Escarpment. 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Endangered Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Kox, N., R. Howe, and T. Erdman. 1986. Fossil-Bearing Cave Sediments in Northeastern Wisconsin: 

Glimpse of a Presettlement Fauna. 

Laatsch, William G. and Charles F. Calkins. 1992 Ethnic Landscapes in North American, The Johns 

Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. 

Lotz, Marvin. M., 1994. Discovering Door County’s Past: A Comprehensive History of Door County, 

Holly House Press, Fish Creek, Wisconsin 

Lukes, Roy. 2001. Personal Interview, Delwiche Pinery & Hungry Settlement Marsh. Door County, WI. 

Merryfield, N. 2000. A Data Compilation and Assessment of Coastal Wetlands of Wisconsin’s 

Great Lakes. Natural Heritage Inventory Program Bureau of Endangered Resources: 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Peterson, L. 1991. Rowley’s Bay, Reliving the Heritage of Northern Door County. Leonard Peterson, 

Ellison Bay, Wisconsin 

Primack, Richard. 1995. A Primer of Conservation Biology. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc. 

Schumacher, J.P. 1918. Indian Remains in Door County, Vol. 16, No.4, The Wisconsin Archeologist, 

Madison, Wisconsin 

Significant Wetlands Inventory Study (SWIS). 1992. US Fish & Wildlife Service. 

Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

Standish, M. 2001. Personal Interview. Carlsville Bluff and Woods. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 

Stieglitz, R., and W. Schuster. 1985. Water Quality and Land Development 

In a Karst Area: Door County, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Academy Review. 

Volume 32, Number 1. Wisconsin. 

Sweeney, S., K. Taylor, and P. Klose. 1996. Nonpoint Source Control Plan for the Red 

River/Sturgeon Bay Watershed Project. The Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Water Pollution 

Abatement Program. Madison, Wisconsin. Publication WT-466-96. 

The Door Peninsula Conservation Initiative (TDPCI). 1995 A Resource Guide for Local Conservation 

Partners with Site Reports. The Nature Conservancy. Madison, Wisconsin. 

150 

– Literature Cited –

U S Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service (USDA SCS). 1978. Soil Survey of 

Door County, Wisconsin. 

Watermolen, D., and C. Bougie. 1995. Twin-Door-Kewaunee Water Quality Management Plan: 

A Five-Year Plan to Protect and Enhance Our Water Resources. Wisconsin Department of 

Natural Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Wilde, S.A., F.G. Wilson, and D.P. White. 1949. Soils of Wisconsin in relation to silviculture. 

Publication No. 525-49. Wisconsin Conservation Department. Madison, WI. 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2000. DNR News. February 14, 2001. 

Zimmerman, J. 1989. Door County, Wisconsin Natural Resource Papers. Consulting Ecologist. 

Red Cedar Field Station Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. 

– Literature Cited – 151

152

— Glossary — 

biological diversity (also, biodiversity) 

The variety of life and its processes; it includes the variety of living organisms, the genetic 

differences among them, the communities and ecosystems in which they occur, and the ecological and 

evolutionary processes that keep them functioning, yet ever changing and adapting. (from Saving Nature's 

Legacy, R. Noss and A. Cooperrider) 

buffer or buffer zone 

A defined area of land that surrounds or borders a given natural feature (such as a river, 

designated natural area, or bluff) within which specified protections are established to minimize threats to 

the ecological integrity of the natural feature. 

canopy 

Typically the uppermost continuous layer of branches and foliage in a stand of trees or shrubs, 

but can also refer to middle and lower layers in stands of multiple storeys. (from Julian & Katherine 

Dunster’s Dictionary of Natural Resource Management, 1996,UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

carrying capacity 

Conventionally defined as the maximum population size of a given species that an area can 

support without reducing its ability to support the same species in the future. In the human context, 

William Catton defines it as the maximum “load” (population x per capita impact) that can safely and 

persistently be imposed on the environment by people. (from Our Ecological Footprint, Mathis 

Wackenragel & William Rees, 1996, New Society Publishers, Canada) 

ecology 

The study of the relationships between living organisms and their physical (nonliving) 

environment. In its broadest sense, ecology is the study of organisms as they exist in their natural 

environment. (from Harper Collins' Environmental Science Dictionary) 

ecological integrity 

Refers to a system's wholeness, including presence of all appropriate elements and occurrence of 

all natural processes at appropriate rates. A landscape or area with high ecological integrity reflects 

natural evolutionary processes. (adapted from Biological Integrity versus Biological Diversity as Policy 

Directives, Angermeir and Karr) 

ecosystem 

A dynamic complex of plant, animal, fungal, and microorganism communities and their 

associated nonliving environment interacting as an ecological unit. (from Saving Nature's Legacy, R. 

Noss and A. Cooperrider) 

edge 

The zone where two different habitat types meet. It can range from an abrupt change from one to 

the other (hard edge) to a gradual integration of the two (soft edge). An edge can be of natural origin 

(such as the area where a grassland meets a woodland) or man-made origin (such as the area where a 

roadway clearing meets a woodland). See also edge effects. (adapted from Wisconsin's Biodiversity as a 

Management Issue, 1995 WI DNR.) 

edge effects 

The ecological changes that occur at the boundaries of ecosystems; these include changes in 

species composition, gradients of moisture, sunlight, soil and air temperature, wind speed, etc. Many edge 

effects have negative consequences. For example, forest-interior species have their populations reduced 

by edge effects. (from Saving Nature's Legacy, R. Noss and A. Cooperrider) 

– Glossary – 153

environmentally sensitive area 

Commonly used to describe areas whose destruction or disturbance will negatively affect the life 

or economic interests of a community by causing hazards such as flooding, landslides, and pollution of 

groundwater and surface waters; or by causing loss of topsoil or property due to accelerated erosion. Also 

used to describe areas that: 1) possess ecological functions or natural elements that are known to be 

fragile and vulnerable to disruption or disturbance, 2) serve as habitat for rare species or threatened 

natural communities, or 3) possess other conservation values identified as important to a community, such 

as scenic beauty and wildlife breeding/nesting areas. (adapted from Performance Controls for Sensitive 

Lands, C. Thurow et. al.) 

exotic (non-native or invasive) species 

A species accidentally or purposefully introduced into an area (reintroduction, transplant, 

restocking, or accidental release) where it did not formerly occur. The concept of exotic versus native 

species depends on the temporal and spatial context of analysis and if extended back to the last ice age, 

can be quite complicated. Exotic species often, but not always, have undesirable effects on native species 

and the ecological integrity of the native ecosystem. (from Julian & Katherine Dunster’s Dictionary of 

Natural Resource Management, 1996,UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

fen 

Wetlands that receive nutrients via direct contact with mineral enriched groundwater. A “poor” 

fen has very low concentrations of plant nutrients and floristically resembles a bog. A “rich” fen has 

relatively high concentrations of nutrients, but is still characterized by the accumulation of peat. 

fragmentation 

The disruption of extensive habitats into isolated and small patches. Fragmentation has two 

primary negative components for living things: loss of total habitat area, and smaller, more isolated 

remaining habitat patches. (from Principles of Conservation Biology, G. Meffe & C. Carrol et. al.) 

groundwater 

Water that occupies the pore spaces, the layers between boundaries of sedimentary rock strata 

(bedding planes), and joints of rocks, and originates from two main sources: as hot mineral water rising 

from deep within the earth, or as water resulting from percolation of precipitation and meltwater from the 

surface. Groundwater may return to the surface by seepage or through springs, or may be artificially 

withdrawn through the use of wells. (adapted from Harper Coffins' Environmental Science Dictionary) 

habitat 

The place where an organism lives and its surrounding environment, including its biotic (living) 

and abiotic (nonliving) components. Habitat includes everything that an organism needs to survive. 

(adapted from Wisconsin's Biodiversity as a Management Issue, WI DNR.) 

harmful exotic species 

Any exotic species that can naturalize and either: (1) causes or may cause displacement of, or 

otherwise threaten, native species in their natural communities; or (2) threaten or may threaten natural 

resources or their use in the state. (from MN Statutes 84D.01, Subd.7.) 

hanging swamp (perched swamp) 

An upland ephemeral swampy area not connected to the groundwater table and characterized by a 

bottom composed of clay or impervious materials that preclude seepage into the groundwater. These are 

excellent habitat for amphibians and waterfowl. 

herbaceous layer 

Vegetation or vegetative layer that is usually forbs, grasses or leafy plants. (from Dictionary of 

Natural Resource Management, Julian and Katherine Dunster 1996, UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

154 

– Glossary –

hydrological cycle 

The cyclical movement of water from the ocean to the atmosphere, through rain to the surface, 

through runoff and groundwater to streams, and back to the sea. (from Earth, F. Press and R. Siever) 

hydrology 

The science of that part of the hydrologic cycle between rain and return to the sea; the study of 

water on and within the land. (from Earth, F. Press and R. Siever) 

impervious surface 

Generally used in reference to water, an impervious surface is one (e.g. pavement, asphalt, 

roofing material) through which water cannot drain. The existence of impervious surfaces is linked to 

increased rates and speed of runoff from an area, in that they prevent water from draining into the soil. 

indicator species 

A species used as a gauge for the condition of a particular habitat, community, or ecosystem. 

(from Principles of Conservation Biology, G. Meffe and C. Carrol et al) 

interior species 

A species adapted to the conditions of a forest interior. Populations of interior species may 

decline or cease to thrive if subjected to edge environments. (from Ecology of Greenways, J. Thorne) 

local government unit 

A unit of government at the township, village, city, or county level. 

native species 

Usually, a species known to have existed on a site prior to the influence of humans. It depends on 

the temporal or spatial context of analysis, since long-established exotic species are often considered to be 

native by default. (from Dictionary of Natural Resource Management, Julian & Katherine Dunster 

1996,UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

natural area 

A site largely unaltered by modern human activity, where native vegetation is distributed in 

naturally occurring patterns. (See also, a working definition, Appendix D, page 179) 

natural community 

An assemblage of plants and animals, in a particular place at a particular time, interacting with 

one another, the abiotic environment around them, and subject to primarily natural disturbance regimes. 

Those assemblages that are repeated across a landscape in an observable pattern constitute a community 

type. No two assemblages, however, are exactly alike. (See also, Chapter 1, page 16, paragraph 4) 

natural disturbance events 

Recurring perturbations (such as lightning-caused fires, high winds, storms, floods, and insect 

outbreaks) that occur in ecosystems without human intervention. (from Saving Nature's Legacy, R. Noss 

and A. Cooperrider) 

natural succession 

The natural, sequential change of species composition of a community in a given area. (from 

Principles of Conservation Biology, G. Meffe and C. Carrol et. al.) 

old-growth forest 

Several definitions are possible depending on the forest type under scrutiny. Typically, oldgrowth 

forests differ significantly from younger forests in structure, ecological function, and species 

composition. Typical characteristics of an old-growth forest include: (1) moderate to high canopy 

closure; (2) patchy, multi-layered, multi-species canopy with trees of several age classes, but dominated 

by large overstorey trees, some with broken tops and other indications of old and decaying wood; (3) 

numerous large, standing, dead trees; (4) heavy accumulations of down woody debris; and (5) the 

presence of species and functional processes that are representative of the potential natural community. 

– Glossary – 155

On the Pacific coast of North America, old-growth characteristics begin to appear in unmanaged 

forests of 175 to 250 years of age, but this will vary considerably across the continent, depending on the 

site and forest type. See also second-growth forest. (from Dictionary of Natural Resource Management, 

Julian & Katherine Dunster 1996, UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

open space 

Land that is largely free of man-made structures, where ground cover is such that rain may enter 

the soil to replenish groundwater. May include but is not limited to natural areas, parks, and agricultural 

lands. (adapted from Land Protection Options, L. Allmann) 

population 

In biology, any group of organisms belonging to the same species at the same time and place. 

(from Saving Nature's Legacy, R. Noss and A. Cooperrider) 

riparian 

Relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (as a river or stream) or 

sometimes of a lake. (adapted from Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary) 

second-growth forest 

Relatively young forests that have developed following a disturbance (e.g., wholesale cutting, 

extensive fire, insect attack) of the previous stand of old-growth forest. Restricted in application to those 

parts of the world where clearly discernible, old-growth forest still exist, or did exist not long ago. See 

also old growth forest. (from Dictionary of Natural Resource Management, Julian & Katherine Dunster, 

1996, UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

State natural area 

Sites formally designated by the WDNR that contain outstanding examples of native biotic 

communities and are often the last refuges in the state for rare and endangered species of plants and 

animals. Areas are devoted to scientific research, the teaching of conservation biology, and especially to 

the preservation of their natural values and genetic diversity for future generations. (See also, Appendix D 

for additional information) 

understory 

The trees and other woody species growing under the canopies of large adjacent trees and other 

woody growth. See canopy. (from Dictionary of Natural Resource Management, Julian & Katherine 

Dunster, 1996, UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

warm water forage fishery 

Stream or lake waters which support fishes with a maximum summer water temperature tolerance 

of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Bluegills, perch, and largemouth bass are examples. (U.S. Forest Service, 

FSM 2605, Sept 1974) 

watershed 

An area of land, which may or may not be under forest cover, draining water, organic matter, 

dissolved nutrients, and sediments into a lake or stream. (from Dictionary of Natural Resource 

Management, Julian & Katherine Dunster, 1996, UBC Press, Vancouver, BC) 

wildlife corridor 

1) an area of continuous native vegetation designed to promote connectivity and movement of 

wildlife between isolated natural areas, or 2) a series of patches of natural vegetation that may serve as 

"stepping stones" that promote connectivity and movement of wildlife between natural areas. (adapted 

from Ecology of Greenways, Smith et. al.) The natural, sequential change of species composition of a 

community in a given area. (from Principles of Conservation Biology, G. Meffe and C. Carrol et. al.) 

xeric 

Refers to a habitat characterized by dry conditions rather than mesic (moderate) or hygric (wet) 

conditions. (from Dictionary of Ecology, Hanson, Herbert C. 1962Philosophical Library, N.Y., 382 p.) 

156 

– Glossary –

Significant Wildlife Habitat & Natural Areas 

1. Ahnapee River Corridor 

2. Black Ash Swamp 

3. Delwiche Pinery / Sand Hill Pinery & Fabry Creek Complex 

4. Renard Swamp 

5. Stoney Creek Wetlands Complex 

6. Brussels Hill / Kayes Creek / Gardner Swamp Complex 

7. Hungry Settlement Marsh 

8. Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

9. Sawyer Harbor / Lost Creek / Larsen Creek Watershed 

10. West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

11. Bay Shore Bluff Lands 

12. Logan Creek / Lost Creek Area 

13. Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

14. Ephraim / Baileys Harbor Forest Corridor & North Bay Lowlands 

15. Mink River / Rowley's Bay System 

16. Europe Lake Forest Area 

1 Alder Thicket X X X X X X X X X 

2 Alkaline Clay Bluff X 

3 Alvar X X X 

4 Bedrock Shore X X 

5 Boreal Forest X X X 

6 Boreal Rich Fen X X X X 

7 Calcareous Fen X X X X X X X 

8 Emergent Aquatic X X X X X X X X X X 

9 Ephemeral Pond X X X X X X X X X X 

10 Forested Ridge & Swale X X X X 

11 Forested Seep X X X X 

12 Great Lakes Alkaline Rockshore X X X X 

13 Great Lakes Barrens X 

14 Great Lakes Beach X X X X 

15 Great Lakes Dune X X 

16 Hardwood Swamp X X X X X 

17 Interdunal Wetland X X X X 

18 Lake Shallow, very hard drainage (marl) X X X 

19 Lake Shallow, hard drainage X X X X 

20 Lake Shallow, hard, seepage X X X X 

21 Mesic Cedar Forest X X X X X X 

22 Moist Cliff X X X X X X X 

23 Northern Wet Forest X X X X 

24 Northern Dry Forest X 

25 Northern Dry-Mesic Forest X X X X X X X 

26 Northern Mesic Forest X X X X X X X X X X X X 

27 Northern Sedge Meadow X X X X X X X 

28 Northern Wet-Mesic Forest X X X X X X X X X X X X 

29 Open Bog X X 

30 Shore Fen X 

31 Shrub Carr X X X X X X X X X X X X X 

32 Southern Hardwood Swamp X X X X X X 

33 Southern Mesic Forest X X X 

34 Southern Sedge Meadow X X 

35 Springs & Spring Runs, Hard X X X X X X X X X 

36 Submergent Aquatic X X X X X X X 

37 Talus Forest X X X X 

17. Grand Traverse Islands

158

Appendix B 

Door County’s Rare Species 

& Natural Communities 

The state of Wisconsin is replete with natural beauty. Our state contains a large diversity of native 

plant communities ranging from eastern deciduous, northern coniferous and boreal forests to prairies and 

savannas. Wisconsin's glacial past left the soils that support these diverse communities, including a 

legacy of aquatic features including bogs, lakes, spring ponds, and wetlands. These landscapes host an 

array of native species, many of which we observe and cherish while others are yet to be discovered and 

studied. 

People are part of the Wisconsin landscape as well. The natural wealth of our state has provided 

generations of farmers with fertile soils for crops. The northern and southern forests are a key resource for 

the building and manufacturing economy so important to the livelihood of many of Wisconsin's citizens. 

The enjoyment that people receive from outdoor activities, such as hunting and fishing, hiking and 

camping, and observing nature, is part of our culture. Thus, the ties that bind people to nature are diverse 

and deep. 

But much of this natural splendor has been lost through human use of the landscape and its 

natural resources. How much of the remainder can and should be preserved? This is one of the biggest 

questions facing the people of Wisconsin and Door County today. In order to make decisions about what, 

where, and how much can and should be saved, we must first know what remains, where it is, and 

whether or not something threatens its continued existence. Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory 

(NHI) is one of the critical tools that can be used in making these decisions. 

The NHI is a statewide inventory of known locations and conditions of rare and endangered 

species. Users need to recognize that parts of the state have not yet been inventoried. Thus an "absence of 

evidence is not evidence of absence". Nor does the presence of one element imply that other elements 

were surveyed for but not found. 

Despite these limitations, the NHI is the state's most comprehensive database on biodiversity and 

is widely used. In most cases, locations for species and natural communities that are tracked in the NHI 

are available down to a township level. The exceptions are those species whose locations are considered 

to be sensitive. Their locations are available down to a county level. 

Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory program’s full-time staff of biologists, as part of an 

international network, conduct inventories, identify rare species, and describe natural community 

occurrences. These are the individuals who endure tired feet and irritating insect bites to search the state 

for rare species and their habitats. A variety of part-time and temporary employees, other science 

professionals, and volunteers supplement data collection efforts. 

Appendix B – Door County’s Rare Species & Natural Communities 159

160 

The Natural Heritage Inventory program's three objectives are to: 

1) collect information on occurrences of rare plants and animals, high-quality natural 

communities, and significant natural features in Wisconsin, 

2) standardize this information, enter it into an electronic database, and mark locations on base 

maps for the state, and 

3) use this information to further the protection and management of rare species, natural 

communities, and natural features. 

Information in the Natural Heritage Inventory is sensitive because rare species are very 

vulnerable to collection as well as destruction. Publication of exact locations may threaten their continued 

existence. It is for this reason that the NHI data are exempt from the Wisconsin Open Records Law. 

However, the Bureau of Endangered Resources can and does share NHI data to facilitate protection, plan 

management, design preserves, and avoid impacts to rare resources. 

The following pages catalog rare animals, invertebrate, plants, and natural communities keyed to 

the 17 proposed conservation areas and other state owned or private landscapes that surround or make up 

part of these conservation areas. 

Several species are classified as rare and sensitive to further loss such that their location is 

generalized only to the county. There are seven species in this classification; two animal species; the 

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), and Bat Hiberhaculum (Bat hibernaculum) and five plant species; 

Round-leaved Orchis (Amerorchis rotundifolia), Fairy Slipper (Calypso bulbosa), Ram’s Head Lady’s 

Slipper (Cypripedium arietinum), Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium paraviflorum), and Showy 

Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae). 

Please take note of the following when using these tables: 

1) The presence of a rare species at a location does not imply that all taxonomic groups have been 

surveyed at that site. As such, the date should be interpreted with caution and an “absence of 

evidence is not evidence of absence” is a philosophy that should be in force. 

2) These tables include data provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Natural 

Heritage Inventory Program (WNHI). The NHI Program houses the most complete database of 

locations and status of rare species, high quality natural communities, and natural features in 

Wisconsin. Data provided are based on a comprehensive rare species inventory of the state. The 

lack of data shall not be construed to mean that no significant features are present. The WNHI 

makes no guarantee or warranty concerning the accuracy or completeness of information 

contained in the database and does not necessarily endorse any interpretation or products 

derived from the data. 

Appendix B – Door County’s Rare Species & Natural Communities

Rare Species & Natural Communities Found in Proposed Conservation Areas & Other Protected Areas 


No. Scientific Name Common Name Group Site Type Area or Site Name 

1 BUTEO LINEATUS RED-SHOULDERED HAWK Animal Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

2 WILSONIA CITRINA HOODED WARBLER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

3 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

4 HARDWOOD SWAMP HARDWOOD SWAMP Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

5 EMERGENT AQUATIC EMERGENT AQUATIC Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

6 NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

7 BOREAL RICH FEN BOREAL RICH FEN Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

8 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

9 MOIST CLIFF MOIST CLIFF Community Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

10 ORCONECTES PROPINQUUS NORTHERN CLEARWATER CRAYFISH Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

11 HYDROPORUS VITTATUS A PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

12 CYMBIODYTA ACUMINATA A WATER SCAVENGER BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

13 MATUS BICARINATUS A PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

14 HYDROBIUS MELAENUM A WATER SCAVENGING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

15 HYDROMETRA MARTINI A WATER MEASURER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

16 AESHNA CLEPSYDRA MOTTLED DARNER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

17 EPIAESCHNA HEROS SWAMP DARNER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

18 SOMATOCHLORA FRANKLINI DELICATE EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

19 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

20 ISCHNURA HASTATA CITRINE FORKTAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

21 HENDERSONIA OCCULTA CHERRYSTONE DROP Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

22 VERTIGO ELATIOR TAPERED VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

23 VERTIGO MORSEI SIX-WHORL VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

24 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

25 CATINELLA EXILE PLEISTOCENE CATINELLA Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

26 SUCCINEA BAKERI A LAND SNAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

27 GLYPHYALINIA WHEATLEYI BRIGHT GLYPH Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

28 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

29 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

30 STRIATURA MILIUM FINE-RIBBED STRIATE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

31 VITRINA ANGELICAE TRANSPARENT VITRINE SNAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

32 CIRSIUM PITCHERI DUNE THISTLE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

33 SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR GILLMANII STICKY GOLDENROD Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

34 TANACETUM HURONENSE LAKE HURON TANSY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

35 CAKILE EDENTULA AMERICAN SEA-ROCKET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

36 DROSERA LINEARIS SLENDERLEAF SUNDEW Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

37 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

38 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

39 OROBANCHE UNIFLORA ONE-FLOWERED BROOMRAPE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

40 GEOCAULON LIVIDUM NORTHERN COMANDRA Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

41 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

42 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

43 CAREX EXILIS COAST SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

44 CAREX LIVIDA VAR RADICAULIS LIVID SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

45 CAREX PLATYPHYLLA BROAD-LEAF SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

46 SCIRPUS CESPITOSUS TUFTED CLUB-RUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

47 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

48 TRIGLOCHIN MARITIMA COMMON BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

49 TRIGLOCHIN PALUSTRIS SLENDER BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

50 STREPTOPUS AMPLEXIFOLIUS WHITE MANDARIN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

51 PLATANTHERA HOOKERI HOOKER ORCHIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

52 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

53 ELYMUS LANCEOLATUS SSP PSAMMOPHILUS THICKSPIKE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

54 FESTUCA OCCIDENTALIS WESTERN FESCUE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

55 ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

Data Source: Wisconsin DNR Natural Heritage Inventory Program - October 24, 2002




56 EQUISETUM PALUSTRE MARSH HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

57 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Bay to Lake Wildlife Corridor 

58 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Black Ash Swamp 

59 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Black Ash Swamp 

60 MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS RED-HEADED WOODPECKER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

61 SPIZA AMERICANA DICKCISSEL Animal Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

62 AMMODRAMUS SAVANNARUM GRASSHOPPER SPARROW Animal Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

63 CARDUELIS PINUS PINE SISKIN Animal Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

64 FUNDULUS DIAPHANUS BANDED KILLIFISH Animal Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

65 EMYDOIDEA BLANDINGII BLANDING'S TURTLE Animal Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

66 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

67 HYDROBIUS MELAENUM A WATER SCAVENGING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

68 CORDULEGASTER OBLIQUA ARROWHEAD SPIKETAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

69 HENDERSONIA OCCULTA CHERRYSTONE DROP Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

70 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

71 SUCCINEA BAKERI A LAND SNAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

72 GLYPHYALINIA RHOADSI SCULPTED GLYPH Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

73 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

74 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

75 CAREX FORMOSA HANDSOME SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Brussels Hill/Kayes Creek/Gardner Swamp Complex 

76 BUTEO LINEATUS RED-SHOULDERED HAWK Animal Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

77 SOUTHERN HARDWOOD SWAMP SOUTHERN HARDWOOD SWAMP Community Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

78 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

79 SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

80 SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

81 NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

82 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

83 ILYBIUS IGNARUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

84 HYDROMETRA MARTINI A WATER MEASURER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

85 HENDERSONIA OCCULTA CHERRYSTONE DROP Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

86 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

87 VERTIGO IOWAENSIS IOWA PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

88 GLYPHYALINIA RHOADSI SCULPTED GLYPH Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

89 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

90 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

91 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

92 OROBANCHE UNIFLORA ONE-FLOWERED BROOMRAPE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

93 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

94 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

95 CAREX CONCINNA BEAUTIFUL SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

96 CAREX PLATYPHYLLA BROAD-LEAF SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

97 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

98 PLATANTHERA HOOKERI HOOKER ORCHIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

99 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Carlsville Bluff 

100 BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS AMERICAN BITTERN Animal Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

101 NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON Animal Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

102 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

103 NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW Community Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

104 BOREAL RICH FEN BOREAL RICH FEN Community Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

105 BOREAL FOREST BOREAL FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

106 GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE Community Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

107 CORDULEGASTER OBLIQUA ARROWHEAD SPIKETAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

108 EPIAESCHNA HEROS SWAMP DARNER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

109 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

110 LESTES EURINUS AMBER-WINGED SPREADWING Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 





111 CHROMAGRION CONDITUM AURORA DAMSELFLY Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

112 SOLIDAGO OHIOENSIS OHIO GOLDENROD Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

113 CAKILE EDENTULA AMERICAN SEA-ROCKET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

114 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

115 DRABA LANCEOLATA LANCEOLATE WHITLOW-CRESS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

116 ASTRAGALUS NEGLECTUS COOPER'S MILKVETCH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

117 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

118 GENTIANOPSIS PROCERA LESSER FRINGED GENTIAN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

119 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

120 PTEROSPORA ANDROMEDEA GIANT PINEDROPS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

121 PRIMULA MISTASSINICA BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

122 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

123 CAREX CAPILLARIS HAIR-LIKE SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

124 CAREX CONCINNA BEAUTIFUL SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

125 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

126 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

127 CAREX GYNOCRATES NORTHERN BOG SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

128 CAREX VAGINATA SHEATHED SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

129 ELEOCHARIS QUINQUEFLORA FEW-FLOWER SPIKERUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

130 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

131 TRIGLOCHIN MARITIMA COMMON BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

132 TRIGLOCHIN PALUSTRIS SLENDER BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

133 PLATANTHERA DILATATA LEAFY WHITE ORCHIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

134 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

135 DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA TUFTED HAIRGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

136 FESTUCA OCCIDENTALIS WESTERN FESCUE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

137 TRISETUM MELICOIDES PURPLE FALSE OATS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

138 ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

139 GYMNOCARPIUM ROBERTIANUM LIMESTONE OAK FERN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

140 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Ephraim/Baileys Harbor/North Bay Corridor 

141 BUCEPHALA CLANGULA COMMON GOLDENEYE Animal Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

142 MERGUS SERRATOR RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

143 DENDROICA TIGRINA CAPE MAY WARBLER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

144 HENDERSONIA OCCULTA CHERRYSTONE DROP Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

145 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

146 VERTIGO IOWAENSIS IOWA PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

147 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

148 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

149 SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR GILLMANII STICKY GOLDENROD Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

150 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

151 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

152 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

153 PARNASSIA PARVIFLORA SMALL-FLOWER GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

154 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

155 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

156 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

157 ELEOCHARIS QUINQUEFLORA FEW-FLOWER SPIKERUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

158 MEDEOLA VIRGINIANA INDIAN CUCUMBER-ROOT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

159 FESTUCA OCCIDENTALIS WESTERN FESCUE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

160 EQUISETUM PALUSTRE MARSH HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Europe Lake Forest Area 

161 HEMIDACTYLIUM SCUTATUM FOUR-TOED SALAMANDER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

162 NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON Animal Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

163 LARUS MARINUS GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL Animal Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

164 LAKE--SHALLOW, HARD, SEEPAGE LAKE--SHALLOW, HARD, SEEPAGE Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

165 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 





166 HARDWOOD SWAMP HARDWOOD SWAMP Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

167 EMERGENT AQUATIC EMERGENT AQUATIC Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

168 BOREAL RICH FEN BOREAL RICH FEN Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

169 SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

170 NORTHERN DRY FOREST NORTHERN DRY FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

171 NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

172 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

173 MOIST CLIFF MOIST CLIFF Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

174 GREAT LAKES BEACH GREAT LAKES BEACH Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

175 GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

176 GREAT LAKES DUNE GREAT LAKES DUNE Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

177 GREAT LAKES BARRENS GREAT LAKES BARRENS Community Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

178 HYDROMETRA MARTINI A WATER MEASURER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

179 LYCAENA DORCAS DORCAS COPPER Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

180 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

181 SENECIO CONGESTUS MARSH RAGWORT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

182 SOLIDAGO OHIOENSIS OHIO GOLDENROD Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

183 SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR GILLMANII STICKY GOLDENROD Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

184 CAKILE EDENTULA AMERICAN SEA-ROCKET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

185 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

186 DRABA ARABISANS ROCK WHITLOW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

187 DRABA LANCEOLATA LANCEOLATE WHITLOW-CRESS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

188 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

189 ASTRAGALUS NEGLECTUS COOPER'S MILKVETCH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

190 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

191 GENTIANOPSIS PROCERA LESSER FRINGED GENTIAN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

192 RIBES HUDSONIANUM NORTHERN BLACK CURRANT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

193 RIBES OXYACANTHOIDES CANADA GOOSEBERRY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

194 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

195 PTEROSPORA ANDROMEDEA GIANT PINEDROPS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

196 OROBANCHE UNIFLORA ONE-FLOWERED BROOMRAPE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

197 PRIMULA MISTASSINICA BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

198 PARNASSIA PARVIFLORA SMALL-FLOWER GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

199 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

200 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

201 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

202 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

203 CAREX GYNOCRATES NORTHERN BOG SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

204 CAREX LIVIDA VAR RADICAULIS LIVID SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

205 ELEOCHARIS QUINQUEFLORA FEW-FLOWER SPIKERUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

206 SCIRPUS CESPITOSUS TUFTED CLUB-RUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

207 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

208 TRIGLOCHIN MARITIMA COMMON BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

209 MEDEOLA VIRGINIANA INDIAN CUCUMBER-ROOT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

210 TOFIELDIA GLUTINOSA STICKY FALSE-ASPHODEL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

211 MALAXIS BRACHYPODA WHITE ADDER'S-MOUTH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

212 PLATANTHERA HOOKERI HOOKER ORCHIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

213 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

214 DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA TUFTED HAIRGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

215 DESCHAMPSIA FLEXUOSA CRINKLED HAIRGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

216 ELYMUS LANCEOLATUS SSP PSAMMOPHILUS THICKSPIKE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

217 FESTUCA OCCIDENTALIS WESTERN FESCUE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

218 GYMNOCARPIUM ROBERTIANUM LIMESTONE OAK FERN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

219 EQUISETUM PALUSTRE MARSH HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 

220 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Grand Traverse Islands 





221 NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON Animal State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

222 MERGUS MERGANSER COMMON MERGANSER Animal State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

223 MERGUS SERRATOR RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Animal State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

224 DIADOPHIS PUNCTATUS EDWARDSII NORTHERN RINGNECK SNAKE Animal State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

225 FORESTED SEEP FORESTED SEEP Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

226 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

227 INTERDUNAL WETLAND INTERDUNAL WETLAND Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

228 SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST SOUTHERN MESIC FOREST Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

229 NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

230 MOIST CLIFF MOIST CLIFF Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

231 GREAT LAKES DUNE GREAT LAKES DUNE Community State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

232 CIONELLA MORSEANA APPALACHIAN PILLAR Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

233 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

234 VERTIGO PARADOXA MYSTERY VERTIGO Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

235 VERTIGO IOWAENSIS IOWA PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

236 SUCCINEA BAKERI A LAND SNAIL Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

237 GLYPHYALINIA RHOADSI SCULPTED GLYPH Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

238 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

239 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

240 OSMORHIZA CHILENSIS CHILEAN SWEET CICELY Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

241 SOLIDAGO OHIOENSIS OHIO GOLDENROD Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

242 SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR GILLMANII STICKY GOLDENROD Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

243 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

244 DRABA ARABISANS ROCK WHITLOW-GRASS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

245 DRABA LANCEOLATA LANCEOLATE WHITLOW-CRESS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

246 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

247 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

248 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

249 UTRICULARIA GEMINISCAPA HIDDEN-FRUITED BLADDERWORT Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

250 PTEROSPORA ANDROMEDEA GIANT PINEDROPS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

251 OROBANCHE UNIFLORA ONE-FLOWERED BROOMRAPE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

252 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

253 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

254 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

255 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

256 CAREX PLATYPHYLLA BROAD-LEAF SEDGE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

257 CAREX PRASINA DROOPING SEDGE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

258 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

259 MEDEOLA VIRGINIANA INDIAN CUCUMBER-ROOT Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

260 PLATANTHERA HOOKERI HOOKER ORCHIS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

261 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

262 DESCHAMPSIA FLEXUOSA CRINKLED HAIRGRASS Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

263 ELYMUS LANCEOLATUS SSP PSAMMOPHILUS THICKSPIKE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

264 FESTUCA OCCIDENTALIS WESTERN FESCUE Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

265 DRYOPTERIS EXPANSA SPREADING WOODFERN Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

266 GYMNOCARPIUM ROBERTIANUM LIMESTONE OAK FERN Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

267 EQUISETUM PALUSTRE MARSH HORSETAIL Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

268 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant State Owned Grand Traverse Islands 

269 BARTRAMIA LONGICAUDA UPLAND SANDPIPER Animal Grand Traverse Islands 

270 MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS RED-HEADED WOODPECKER Animal Grand Traverse Islands 

271 DENDROICA CAERULESCENS BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Animal Grand Traverse Islands 

272 AMMODRAMUS HENSLOWII HENSLOW'S SPARROW Animal Grand Traverse Islands 

273 STURNELLA NEGLECTA WESTERN MEADOWLARK Animal Grand Traverse Islands 

274 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Grand Traverse Islands 

275 GREAT LAKES BEACH GREAT LAKES BEACH Community Grand Traverse Islands 





276 GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE Community Grand Traverse Islands 

277 CAENIS YOUNGI A CAENID MAYFLY Invertebrate Grand Traverse Islands 

278 CIONELLA MORSEANA APPALACHIAN PILLAR Invertebrate Grand Traverse Islands 

279 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Grand Traverse Islands 

280 GLYPHYALINIA RHOADSI SCULPTED GLYPH Invertebrate Grand Traverse Islands 

281 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Grand Traverse Islands 

282 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate Grand Traverse Islands 

283 CIRSIUM PITCHERI DUNE THISTLE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

284 SOLIDAGO OHIOENSIS OHIO GOLDENROD Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

285 SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR GILLMANII STICKY GOLDENROD Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

286 CAKILE EDENTULA AMERICAN SEA-ROCKET Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

287 DRABA ARABISANS ROCK WHITLOW-GRASS Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

288 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

289 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

290 GENTIANOPSIS PROCERA LESSER FRINGED GENTIAN Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

291 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

292 OROBANCHE UNIFLORA ONE-FLOWERED BROOMRAPE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

293 PRIMULA MISTASSINICA BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

294 PARNASSIA PARVIFLORA SMALL-FLOWER GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

295 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

296 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

297 CAREX PLATYPHYLLA BROAD-LEAF SEDGE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

298 ELEOCHARIS QUINQUEFLORA FEW-FLOWER SPIKERUSH Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

299 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

300 TRIGLOCHIN MARITIMA COMMON BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

301 TOFIELDIA GLUTINOSA STICKY FALSE-ASPHODEL Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

302 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

303 DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA TUFTED HAIRGRASS Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

304 ELYMUS LANCEOLATUS SSP PSAMMOPHILUS THICKSPIKE Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

305 ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

306 ASPLENIUM VIRIDE GREEN SPLEENWORT Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

307 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant Grand Traverse Islands 

308 HYDROPORUS VITTATUS A PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

309 TANACETUM HURONENSE LAKE HURON TANSY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

310 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

311 RANUNCULUS GMELINII SMALL YELLOW WATER CROWFOOT Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

312 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

313 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

314 TRIGLOCHIN PALUSTRIS SLENDER BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

315 STREPTOPUS AMPLEXIFOLIUS WHITE MANDARIN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

316 MALAXIS BRACHYPODA WHITE ADDER'S-MOUTH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

317 EQUISETUM PALUSTRE MARSH HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Logan Creek/Lost Lake Area 

318 COTURNICOPS NOVEBORACENSIS YELLOW RAIL Animal Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

319 FUNDULUS DIAPHANUS BANDED KILLIFISH Animal Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

320 NORTHERN WET FOREST NORTHERN WET FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

321 EMERGENT AQUATIC EMERGENT AQUATIC Community Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

322 NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW Community Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

323 ALDER THICKET ALDER THICKET Community Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

324 SPRINGS AND SPRING RUNS, HARD SPRINGS AND SPRING RUNS, HARD Community Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

325 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

326 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

327 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

328 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

329 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 

330 PLATANTHERA ORBICULATA LARGE ROUNDLEAF ORCHID Plant Proposed Conservation Area Mink River 





331 BOREAL RICH FEN BOREAL RICH FEN Community Private Owned Private Conservation Area 

332 CAREX LIVIDA VAR RADICAULIS LIVID SEDGE Plant Private Owned Private Conservation Area 

333 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant Private Owned Private Conservation Area 

334 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Renard Swamp 

335 ADLUMIA FUNGOSA CLIMBING FUMITORY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Renard Swamp 

336 LUXILUS CHRYSOCEPHALUS STRIPED SHINER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

337 FUNDULUS DIAPHANUS BANDED KILLIFISH Animal Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

338 ALVAR ALVAR Community Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

339 HYDROPORUS VITTATUS A PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

340 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

341 CAREX RICHARDSONII RICHARDSON SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

342 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Sawyer Harbor Lost Creek/Larsen Creek Watersheds 

343 ACRIS CREPITANS BLANCHARDI BLANCHARD'S CRICKET FROG Animal Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

344 CHARADRIUS MELODUS PIPING PLOVER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

345 FUNDULUS DIAPHANUS BANDED KILLIFISH Animal Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

346 LAKE--SHALLOW, HARD, DRAINAGE LAKE--SHALLOW, HARD, DRAINAGE Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

347 LAKE--SHALLOW, VERY HARD, DRAINAGE (MARL) LAKE--SHALLOW, VERY HARD, DRAINAGE (MARL) Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

348 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

349 EMERGENT AQUATIC EMERGENT AQUATIC Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

350 NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW NORTHERN SEDGE MEADOW Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

351 BOREAL RICH FEN BOREAL RICH FEN Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

352 ALDER THICKET ALDER THICKET Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

353 NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN DRY-MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

354 NORTHERN MESIC FOREST NORTHERN MESIC FOREST Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

355 FORESTED RIDGE AND SWALE FORESTED RIDGE AND SWALE Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

356 GREAT LAKES BEACH GREAT LAKES BEACH Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

357 GREAT LAKES DUNE GREAT LAKES DUNE Community Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

358 GRAMMIA OITHONA OITHONA TIGER MOTH Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

359 GRAMMIA PHYLLIRA PHYLLIRA TIGER MOTH Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

360 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

361 HENDERSONIA OCCULTA CHERRYSTONE DROP Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

362 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

363 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

364 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

365 OSMORHIZA CHILENSIS CHILEAN SWEET CICELY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

366 CIRSIUM PITCHERI DUNE THISTLE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

367 SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR GILLMANII STICKY GOLDENROD Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

368 CAKILE EDENTULA AMERICAN SEA-ROCKET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

369 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

370 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

371 GENTIANOPSIS PROCERA LESSER FRINGED GENTIAN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

372 TIARELLA CORDIFOLIA HEART-LEAVED FOAM-FLOWER Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

373 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

374 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

375 CAREX BACKII ROCKY MOUNTAIN SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

376 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

377 CAREX EXILIS COAST SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

378 CAREX GYNOCRATES NORTHERN BOG SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

379 RHYNCHOSPORA FUSCA BROWN BEAKRUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

380 SCIRPUS CESPITOSUS TUFTED CLUB-RUSH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

381 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

382 TRIGLOCHIN MARITIMA COMMON BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

383 TRIGLOCHIN PALUSTRIS SLENDER BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

384 ARETHUSA BULBOSA SWAMP-PINK Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

385 MALAXIS BRACHYPODA WHITE ADDER'S-MOUTH Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 





386 PLATANTHERA DILATATA LEAFY WHITE ORCHIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

387 PLATANTHERA HOOKERI HOOKER ORCHIS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

388 PLATANTHERA ORBICULATA LARGE ROUNDLEAF ORCHID Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

389 CALAMOVILFA LONGIFOLIA VAR MAGNA SAND REED-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

390 DESCHAMPSIA FLEXUOSA CRINKLED HAIRGRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

391 ELYMUS LANCEOLATUS SSP PSAMMOPHILUS THICKSPIKE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

392 GYMNOCARPIUM ROBERTIANUM LIMESTONE OAK FERN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

393 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

394 BOTRYCHIUM LUNARIA MOONWORT GRAPE-FERN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

395 BOTRYCHIUM LUNARIA MOONWORT GRAPE-FERN Plant Proposed Conservation Area Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 

396 BUCEPHALA CLANGULA COMMON GOLDENEYE Animal State Owned State Lands 

397 BUCEPHALA CLANGULA COMMON GOLDENEYE Animal State Owned State Lands 

398 LAKE--SHALLOW, HARD, DRAINAGE LAKE--SHALLOW, HARD, DRAINAGE Community State Owned State Lands 

399 NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST NORTHERN WET-MESIC FOREST Community State Owned State Lands 

400 SHRUB-CARR SHRUB-CARR Community State Owned State Lands 

401 OPEN BOG OPEN BOG Community State Owned State Lands 

402 BOREAL FOREST BOREAL FOREST Community State Owned State Lands 

403 BOREAL FOREST BOREAL FOREST Community State Owned State Lands 

404 GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE Community State Owned State Lands 

405 GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE GREAT LAKES ALKALINE ROCKSHORE Community State Owned State Lands 

406 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 

407 SOMATOCHLORA HINEANA HINE'S EMERALD Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 

408 VERTIGO HUBRICHTI MIDWEST PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 



411 VERTIGO IOWAENSIS IOWA PLEISTOCENE VERTIGO Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 

412 CATINELLA EXILE PLEISTOCENE CATINELLA Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 

413 PARAVITREA MULTIDENTATA DENTATE SUPERCOIL Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 

414 STRIATURA FERREA BLACK STRIATE Invertebrate State Owned State Lands 

415 SOLIDAGO OHIOENSIS OHIO GOLDENROD Plant State Owned State Lands 

416 TANACETUM HURONENSE LAKE HURON TANSY Plant State Owned State Lands 

417 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant State Owned State Lands 

418 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant State Owned State Lands 

419 GENTIANOPSIS PROCERA LESSER FRINGED GENTIAN Plant State Owned State Lands 

420 GENTIANOPSIS PROCERA LESSER FRINGED GENTIAN Plant State Owned State Lands 

421 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant State Owned State Lands 

422 CALAMINTHA ARKANSANA LOW CALAMINT Plant State Owned State Lands 

423 PTEROSPORA ANDROMEDEA GIANT PINEDROPS Plant State Owned State Lands 

424 PRIMULA MISTASSINICA BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE Plant State Owned State Lands 

425 PRIMULA MISTASSINICA BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE Plant State Owned State Lands 

426 GEOCAULON LIVIDUM NORTHERN COMANDRA Plant State Owned State Lands 

427 PARNASSIA PARVIFLORA SMALL-FLOWER GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS Plant State Owned State Lands 

428 LEUCOPHYSALIS GRANDIFLORA LARGE-FLOWERED GROUND-CHERRY Plant State Owned State Lands 

429 VIOLA ROSTRATA LONG-SPUR VIOLET Plant State Owned State Lands 

430 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant State Owned State Lands 

431 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant State Owned State Lands 

432 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant State Owned State Lands 

433 CAREX GARBERI ELK SEDGE Plant State Owned State Lands 

434 CAREX LIVIDA VAR RADICAULIS LIVID SEDGE Plant State Owned State Lands 

435 ELEOCHARIS QUINQUEFLORA FEW-FLOWER SPIKERUSH Plant State Owned State Lands 

436 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant State Owned State Lands 

437 IRIS LACUSTRIS DWARF LAKE IRIS Plant State Owned State Lands 

438 TRIGLOCHIN PALUSTRIS SLENDER BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant State Owned State Lands 

439 MALAXIS BRACHYPODA WHITE ADDER'S-MOUTH Plant State Owned State Lands 

440 PLATANTHERA ORBICULATA LARGE ROUNDLEAF ORCHID Plant State Owned State Lands 





441 CALAMAGROSTIS STRICTA SLIM-STEM SMALL-REEDGRASS Plant State Owned State Lands 

442 DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA TUFTED HAIRGRASS Plant State Owned State Lands 

443 DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA TUFTED HAIRGRASS Plant State Owned State Lands 

444 GYMNOCARPIUM ROBERTIANUM LIMESTONE OAK FERN Plant State Owned State Lands 

445 EQUISETUM VARIEGATUM VARIEGATED HORSETAIL Plant State Owned State Lands 

446 BOTRYCHIUM LUNARIA MOONWORT GRAPE-FERN Plant State Owned State Lands 

447 OPHIOGLOSSUM PUSILLUM ADDER'S-TONGUE Plant State Owned State Lands 

448 CIRCUS CYANEUS NORTHERN HARRIER Animal Proposed Conservation Area Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 

449 CARDAMINE PRATENSIS CUCKOOFLOWER Plant Proposed Conservation Area Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 

450 CAREX CRAWEI CRAWE SEDGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area Stony Creek Wetlands Complex 

451 MATUS BICARINATUS A PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

452 ILYBIUS IGNARUS DIVING BEETLE Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

453 CORDULEGASTER OBLIQUA ARROWHEAD SPIKETAIL Invertebrate Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

454 TANACETUM HURONENSE LAKE HURON TANSY Plant Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

455 EUPHORBIA POLYGONIFOLIA SEASIDE SPURGE Plant Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

456 TRIGLOCHIN PALUSTRIS SLENDER BOG ARROW-GRASS Plant Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 

457 STREPTOPUS AMPLEXIFOLIUS WHITE MANDARIN Plant Proposed Conservation Area West Branch Whitefish Bay Creek 


170 

Appendix B – Door County’s Rare Species & Natural Communities

Appendix C 

Abbreviated List of 

The Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory’s Recognized 

Natural Communities of Door County, Wisconsin 

Prepared by Eric Epstein, Emmet Judziewicz 

and Elizabeth Spencer 

This document will be periodically updated and expanded. Future editions will include or be 

linked to additional descriptive information, range maps, and crosswalks to other vegetation classification 

systems. 

Alder Thicket 

These wetlands are dominated by thick growths of tall shrubs, especially speckled alder (Alnus 

incana). Among the common herbaceous species are Canada bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), 

orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), several asters (Aster lanceolatus, A. puniceus, and A. 

umbellatus), boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), rough bedstraw (Galium asprellum), marsh fern 

(Thelypteris palustris), arrow-leaved tearthumb (Polygonum sagittatum), and sensitive fern (Onoclea 

sensibilis). This type is common and widespread in northern and central Wisconsin, but also occurs in the 

southern part of the state. 

Alkaline Clay Bluff 

Steep, clay bluffs occur along some stretches of the Great Lakes shorelines and less commonly 

inland on streams draining into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Vegetative cover ranges from forested 

with pines (Pinus resinosa and P. strobus), white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and white birch (Betula 

papyrifera), to bare clay with only a few herbs present. Buffaloberry (Sheperdia canadensis) is a 

characteristic shrub, but more typically, alders (Alnus incana and A. crispa), as well as herbs such as 

Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) are prevalent. 

Both native and exotic pioneers such as fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) and Canada thistle (Cirsium 

arvense) are common, especially on unstable sites. But it is the semi-stabilized “weeping” bluffs that are 

of the greatest biological interest. Golden sedge (Carex aurea), orchids and calciphilic fen species may 

colonize such sites, which can be local repositories of rare or otherwise noteworthy species. 

Alvar 

This rare community consists of areas of thin discontinuous soil overlying horizontal beds of 

limestone or dolostone in the vicinity of Great Lakes shorelines. They are characterized by relatively low 

tree cover and a distinctive biota, which includes elements of rock pavement, prairie, savanna and boreal 

forest communities. Among these are regional endemics, some very rare. Small coniferous and 

deciduous trees (cedar, fir, pine, oak, aspen, birch) are scattered among an assemblage of species that can 

include big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Indian-grass 

(Sorghastrum nutans), and wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum), as well as shoreline plants such as 

silverweed (Potentilla anserina) and dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris). 

Appendix C – Recognized Natural Communities of Door County 171

Bedrock Shore 

Wave-splashed bedrock shoreline ledges are best developed on sandstone in the Apostle Islands 

of Lake Superior. Stunted trees of white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), white birch (Betula papyrifera), 

showy mountain ash (Sorbus decora) and green alder (Alnus crispa) are often present in crevices. 

Common herbs are ticklegrass (Agrostis hyemalis), fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), and Canada 

goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), but the flora often includes unusual plants such as bird's-eye primrose 

(Primula mistassinica), brook lobelia, and three-toothed cinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata). 

Boreal Forest 

In Wisconsin, mature stands of this forest community are dominated by white spruce (Picea 

glauca) and balsam-fir (Abies balsamea), often mixed with white birch (Betula papyrifera), white cedar 

(Thuja occidentalis), white pine (Pinus strobus), balsam-poplar (Populus balsamifera) and quaking aspen 

(Populus tremuloides). Mountain ash (Sorbus spp.) may also be present. Common understory herbs are 

large-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus), bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis), Canada mayflower 

(Maianthemum canadense), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), and bunchberry (Cornus canadensis). 

Most Wisconsin stands are associated with the Great Lakes, especially the clay plain of Lake Superior, 

and the eastern side of the northern Door Peninsula on Lake Michigan. Of potential interest from the 

perspectives of vegetation classification and restoration, white pine had the highest importance value of 

any tree in the Lake Superior region, as recorded during the original land survey of the mid-1800’s. 

Boreal Rich Fen 

Neutral to alkaline cold open peatlands of northern Wisconsin through which carbonate-rich 

groundwater percolates. Sphagnum mosses are absent or of relatively minor importance, as calciphilic 

species (especially the “brown” mosses) predominate. Dominant characteristic plants include woolly 

sedge (Carex lasiocarpa), twig rush (Cladium mariscoides), beaked bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta), 

rushes (Juncus spp.), and Hudson Bay cotton-grass (Scirpus hudsonianus). Shrubby phases also occur, 

with bog birch (Betula pumila), sage willow (Salix candida), and speckled alder (Alnus incana) present in 

significant amounts. 

Calcareous Fen 

An open wetland found in southern Wisconsin, often underlain by a calcareous substrate, through 

which carbonate-rich groundwater percolates. The flora is typically diverse, with many calciphiles. 

Common species are several sedges (Carex sterilis and C. lanuginosa), marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), 

shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa), shrubby St. John's-wort (Hypericum kalmianum), Ohio 

goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis), grass-of-parnassus (Parnassia glauca), twig-rush (Cladium mariscoides), 

brook lobelia (Lobelia kalmii), boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum), and 

asters (Aster spp.). Some fens have significant prairie or sedge meadow components, and intergrade with 

those communities. 

Emergent Aquatic 

These open, marsh, lake, riverine and estuarine communities with permanent standing water are 

dominated by robust emergent macrophytes, in pure stands of single species or in various mixtures. 

Dominants include cat-tails (Typha spp.), bulrushes (particularly Scirpus acutus, S. fluviatilis, and S. 

validus), bur-reeds (Sparganium spp.), giant reed (Phragmites australis), pickerel-weed (Pontederia 

cordata), water-plantains (Alisma spp.), arrowheads (Sagittaria spp.), and the larger species of spikerush 

such as (Eleocharis smallii). 

172 

Appendix C – Recognized Natural Communities of Door County

Ephemeral Pond 

These ponds are depressions with impeded drainage (usually in forest landscapes), that hold water 

for a period of time following snowmelt but typically dry out by mid-summer. Common aquatic plants of 

these habitats include yellow water crowfoot (Ranunculus flabellaris), mermaid weed (Proserpinaca 

palustris), Canada bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), floating manna grass (Glyceria 

septentrionalis), spotted cowbane (Cicuta maculata), smartweeds (Polygonum spp.), orange jewelweed 

(Impatiens capensis), and sedges. Ephemeral ponds provide critical breeding habitat for certain 

invertebrates, as well as for many amphibians such as frogs and salamanders. 

Forested Ridge and Swale 

This is a complex of semi- to fully-stabilized, often forested beach / dune ridges alternating with 

wet open to forested swales, found on the shores of the Great Lakes but best-developed along Lake 

Michigan. Both parallel the coast and offer exceptionally complex and diverse habitats for wetland, 

upland, and Great Lakes shoreline plants. Ridges may support assemblages similar to boreal, northern 

mesic or northern dry-mesic forests. Water depth is a controlling factor in the swales, and the vegetation 

may run the gamut from open (emergent marsh, fen, or sedge meadow), shrub (bog birch, alder), or 

forested wetlands (often white cedar, black ash are prominent in these). 

Forested Seep 

These are shaded seepage areas with active spring discharges in (usually) hardwood forests that 

may host a number of uncommon to rare species. The overstory dominant is frequently black ash 

(Fraxinus nigra), but yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis), American elm (Ulmus americana) and many 

other tree species may be present including conifers such as hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) or white pine 

(Pinus strobus). Understory species include skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), water-pennywort 

(Hydrocotyle americana), marsh blue violet (Viola cucullata), swamp saxifrage (Saxifraga 

pennsylvanica), golden saxifrage (Chysosplenium americanum), golden ragwort (Senecio aureus), silvery 

spleenwort (Athyrium thelypterioides) and the rare sedges (Carex scabrata and C. prasina). Most 

documented occurrences are in the Driftless Area, or locally along major rivers flanked by steep bluffs. 

Great Lakes Alkaline Rockshore 

These are creviced, wave-splashed, nearly horizontal dolostone ledges along Lake Michigan on 

the Door Peninsula. Depending on lake levels, large expanses of this habitat may be either inundated or 

exposed during a given year. Common members of this community are the shrubs ninebark 

(Physocarpus opulifolius), shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa), and the herbs silverweed (Potentilla 

anserina), goldenrods (especially Solidago hispida), brook lobelia (Lobelia kalmii), gentians (Gentiana 

spp.), grasses-of Parnassus (Parnassia spp.), Indian paint-brush (Castilleja coccinea), low calamint 

(Calamintha arkansana) and many other calciphiles. Plants endemic to the Great Lakes shores are 

significant components of some stands. 

Great Lakes Beach 

This beach community usually occurs in association with active dune systems. The beaches of 

the Great Lakes are extremely dynamic features, strongly influenced by water level changes and storm 

events. They support a suite of very specialized organisms, although unprotected shorelines may be 

entirely unvegetated. The plant species found in this community include (along Lake Michigan) seaside 

spurge (Euphorbia polygonifolia) and American sea-rocket (Cakile edentula). 


Great Lakes Dune (formerly called Lake Dune) 

The dominant plant in these semi-stabilized, open dunes along Great Lakes shorelines, is usually 

the sand-binding marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata). Frequent associates are common juniper 

(Juniperus communis), Canada wild-rye (Elymus canadensis), false-heather (Hudsonia tomentosa), 

beach-pea (Lathyrus japonicus), beach wormwood (Artemisia campestris), sand cherry (Prunus pumila), 

and various willows (Salix spp.). Two plants endemic to the Great Lakes region, pitcher's thistle (Cirsium 

pitcheri) and Lake Huron tansy (Tanacetum huronense; possibly now extirpated in Wisconsin), occur in 

this community along Lake Michigan. 

Great Lakes Barrens 

In Wisconsin, this variant of a pine savanna is known from only restricted to one sandy site on 

Lake Superior. The dominant tree species in this open stand are of wind- and fire-deformed trees. Red 

pines (Pinus resinosa) with white pine (P. strobus) also present. The understory consists of dense growths 

of lichens with scattered bushes or thickets of common juniper (Juniperus communis), early blueberry 

(Vaccinium angustifolium) and huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata). Other Common plants herbs are 

hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa), ticklegrass (Agrostis hyemalis), and false-heather (Hudsonia 

tomentosa), and bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva–ursi). 


These are northern deciduous forested wetlands that occur along lakes or streams, or in insular 

basins in poorly drained morainal landscapes. The dominant tree species is black ash (Fraxinus nigra), 

but in some stands red maple (Acer rubrum), yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis), and (formerly) 

American elm (Ulmus americana) are also important. The tall shrub speckled alder (Alnus incana) may 

be locally common. The herbaceous flora is often diverse and may include many of the same species 

found in Alder Thickets. Typical species are marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris), swamp raspberry (Rubus 

pubescens), skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata), orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), and many sedges 

(Carex spp.). Soils may be mucks or mucky sands. 

Interdunal Wetland 

Wind-created hollows that intersect the water table within active dune fields along the Great 

Lakes. These maybe colonized by wetland plants, including habitat specialists that are of high 

conservation significance. Common members of this wetland community on Lake Superior are twig-rush 

(Cladium mariscoides), species of rushes (especially Juncus balticus), pipewort (Eriocaulon 

septangulare), the sedge (Carex viridula), ladies-tress orchids (Spiranthes sp.) and bladderworts 

(Utricularia cornuta and U. resupinata). 

Lake – shallow, hard, drainage 

These are lakes that are less than 16 feet deep with total alkalinity between 40ppm and 90ppm 

that receives and discharges water through surface streams. These lakes may also receive water through 

ground water flow. 

Lake – shallow, hard, seepage 

These are lakes that are less than 16 feet deep with a total alkalinity between 40ppm and 90ppm 

that receives their water from rainfall, overland flow and ground water infiltration. These are essentially 

landlocked water bodies. 

Lake – shallow, very hard, drainage (marl) 

These are lakes that are less than 16 feet deep with a total alkalinity greater than 90ppm that 

receives and discharges water through surface streams. These lakes may also receive water through 

ground water infiltration and overland flow. 

174 


Mesic Cedar Forest 

This is a rare upland forest community of mesic sites in northern Wisconsin, characterized by 

white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and various associates including hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), white 

spruce (Abies balsamea), yellow birch (Betula alleghanensis), and white pine (Pinus strobus). The herb 

layer may contain canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), twinflower (Linnaea borealis), 

clubmosses (Lycopodium spp.), and others. More information is needed on this community type. 

Moist Cliff 

This "micro-community" occurs on shaded (by trees or the cliff itself because of aspect), moist to 

seeping mossy, vertical exposures of various rock types, most commonly sandstone and dolostone. 

Common species are columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), the fragile ferns (Cystopteris bulbifera and C. 

fragilis), wood ferns (Dryopteris spp.), rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes alba), and wild sarsaparilla (Aralia 

nudicaulis). The rare flora of these cliffs vary markedly in different parts of the state; driftless area cliffs 

might have northern monkshood (Aconitum noveboracense), those on Lake Superior, butterwort 

(Pinguicula vulgaris), or those in Door County, green spleenwort (Asplenium viride). 

Northern Dry Forest 

This forest community occurs on nutrient-poor sites with excessively drained sandy or rocky 

soils. The primary historic disturbance regime was catastrophic fire at intervals of decades to 

approximately a century. Dominant trees of mature stands include jack and red pines (Pinus banksiana 

and P. resinosa) and/or Hill’s oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis). After catastrophic logging of the late 19 th and 

early 20 th centuries Large acreages supporting of this forest type were cut and burned during the 

catastrophic logging of the late 19 th and early 20 th century. Much of this land was then colonized by white 

birch (Betula papyrifera) and/or quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), or converted to pine plantations 

starting in the 1920s. Common understory shrubs are hazelnuts (Corylus spp.), early blueberry 

(Vaccinium angustifolium) and brambles (Rubus spp.); common herbs include bracken fern (Pteridium 

aquilinium), starflower (Trientalis borealis), barren-strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides), cow-wheat 

(Melampyrum lineare), trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens), and members of the shinleaf family 

(Chimaphila umbellata, Pyrola spp.). Vast acreages of open “barrens” were also planted to pine, or 

naturally succeeded to densely stocked “dry” forests. 

Northern Wet Forest 

Black spruce (Picea mariana) and tamarack (Larix laricina) dominate these weakly 

minerotrophic conifer swamps, located in the North. Jack pine (Pinus banksiana) may be a significant 

canopy component in certain parts of the range of this community complex. Understories are composed 

mostly of sphagnum (Sphagnum spp.) mosses and ericaceous shrubs such as leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne 

calyculata), Labrador-tea (Ledum groenlandicum), and small cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) and 

sedges such as (Carex trisperma and C paupercula). The Natural Heritage Inventory has split out two 

entities, identified (but not strictly defined) by the two dominant species (see Black Spruce Swamp and 

Tamarack Swamp). 

Northern Dry-Mesic Forest 

In this forest community, mature stands are dominated by white and red pines (Pinus strobus and 

P. resinosa) and sometimes mixed with red oak (Quercus rubra) and red maple (Acer rubrum). Common 

understory shrubs are hazelnuts (Corylus spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium and V. 

myrtilloides), wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), partridge-berry (Mitchella repens); among the 

dominant herbs are wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), 

and cow-wheat (Melampyrum lineare). Stands usually occur on sandy loams, sands or sometimes-rocky 

soils. Stands usually occur on sandy or sometimes rocky soils. 


Northern Mesic Forest 

This forest complex covered the largest acreage of any Wisconsin vegetation type prior to 

European settlement. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is dominant or co-dominant in most stands, while 

hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) was the second most important species, sometimes occurring in nearly pure 

stands with white pine (Pinus strobus). Beech (Fagus grandifolia) can be a co-dominant with sugar 

maple in the counties near Lake Michigan. Other important tree species were yellow birch (Betula 

allegheniensis), basswood (Tilia americana), and white ash (Fraxinus americana). The groundlayer 

varies from sparse and species poor (especially in hemlock stands) with woodferns (especially Dryopteris 

intermedia), bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis), clubmosses (Lycopodium spp.), and Canada mayflower 

(Maianthemum canadense) prevalent, to lush and species-rich with fine spring ephemeral displays. After 

old-growth stands were cut, trees such as quaking and bigtoothed aspens (Populus tremuloides and P. 

grandidentata), white birch (Betula papyrifera), and red maple (Acer rubrum) became and still are 

important in many second-growth Northern Mesic Forests. Several distinct associations within this 

complex warrant recognition as communities, and draft abstracts of these are currently undergoing 

review. 

Northern Sedge Meadow 

Sedges and grasses dominate this open wetland community. There are several common subtypes: 

Tussock meadows, dominated by tussock sedge (Carex stricta) and Canada bluejoint grass 

(Calamagrostis canadensis); Broad-leaved sedge meadows, dominated by the robust sedges (Carex 

lacustris and / or C. utriculata); and Wire-leaved sedge meadows, dominated by such species as woolly 

sedge (Carex lasiocarpa) and few-seeded sedge (C. oligosperma). Frequent associates include marsh 

bluegrass (Poa palustris), manna grasses (Glyceria spp.), panicled aster (Aster lanceolatus), joe-pye-weed 

(Eupatorium maculatum), and the bulrushes (Scirpus atrovirens and S. cyperinus). 

Northern Wet-Mesic Forest 

This forested minerotrophic wetland is dominated by white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and occurs 

on rich, neutral to alkaline substrates. Balsam fir (Abies balsamea), black ash (Fraxinus nigra), and 

spruces (Picea glauca and P. mariana) are among the many potential canopy associates. The understory 

is rich in sedges (such as Carex disperma and C. trisperma), orchids (e.g., Platanthera obtusata and 

Listera cordata), and wildflowers such as goldthread (Coptis trifolia), fringed polygala (Polygala 

pauciflora), and naked miterwort (Mitella nuda), and trailing sub-shrubs such as twinflower (Linnaea 

borealis) and creeping snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula). A number of rare plants occur more frequently 

in the cedar swamps than in any other habitat. 

Open Bog 

These non-forested bogs are acidic, low nutrient, northern Wisconsin peatlands dominated by 

mosses (Sphagnum spp.) that occur in deep layers, often with pronounced hummocks and hollowswales. 

Also present are a few narrow-leaved sedge species such as (Carex oligosperma and C. pauciflora), 

cotton-grasses (Eriophorum spp.), and ericaceous shrubs, especially bog laurel (Kalmia polifolia), 

leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), and small cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus). Plant diversity is 

very low but includes characteristic and distinctive specialists. Trees are absent or achieve very low cover 

values as this community is closely related to and intergrades with Muskeg. When this community is 

found in southern Wisconsin, it is often referred to as a Bog Relict. 

176 


Shore Fen (formerly called Coastal Fen) 

This open peatland community occurs primarily along Great Lakes shorelines, especially near the 

mouths of estuarine streams. Along Lake Superior most stands are separated from the lake waters by a 

sand spit. The floating sedge mat is composed mostly of woolly sedge (Carex lasiocarpa); co-dominants 

are sweet gale (Myrica gale) and bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata). The following herbs are common in 

this diverse, circumneutral, nutrient-rich community: twigrush (Cladium mariscoides), marsh horsetail 

(Equisetum fluviatile), a spikerush (Eleocharis elliptica), intermediate bladderwort (Utricularia 

intermedia), marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides), narrow-leaved willow-herb (Epilobium 

leptophyllum), water-parsnip (Sium suave), and bog willow (Salix pedicellaris). Coastal fens are 

distinguished from open bogs and poor fens (which may adjoin them in the same wetland complex) by the 

lack of Sphagnum spp. mosses, higher pH, and direct hydrologic connection to the Great Lakes. They are 

distinguished from rich fens by the absence of indicator species such as linear-leaved sundew (Drosera 

linearis), grass-of-parnassus (Parnassia glauca), false asphodel (Tofiedia glutinosa) and a spikerush 

(Eleocharis rostellata). 

Shrub-Carr 

This primarily Southern wetland community is dominated by tall shrubs such as red-osier 

dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), but meadow-sweet (Spiraea alba), and various willows (Salix discolor, S. 

bebbiana, and S. gracilis) are frequently also important. Canada grass bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis 

canadensis) is often very common. Other herbs Associates are similar to those found in Alder Thickets 

and tussock-type Sedge Meadows. This type is common and widespread in southern Wisconsin but also 

occurs in the north. 

Southern Hardwood Swamp (A split from Curtis’ Southern Wet-Mesic Forest) 

This is a deciduous forested wetland community type found in insular basins with seasonally high 

water tables. It is best developed in glaciated southeastern Wisconsin. The dominant trees are red maple 

(Acer rubrum), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and formerly, American elm (Ulmus americana). 

The exotic reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is often dominant in the understory. This Natural 

Heritage Inventory community partly includes the Southern Wet-Mesic Forest of the Curtis classification. 

Southern Mesic Forest 

This upland forest community occurs on rich, well-drained soils. The dominant tree species is 

sugar maple (Acer saccharum), but basswood (Tilia americana) and (near Lake Michigan) beech (Fagus 

grandifolia) may be co-dominant. Many other trees are found in these forests, including those of the 

walnut family (Juglandaceae). The understory is typically open (sometimes brushy with species of 

gooseberry (Ribes) if there is a past history of grazing) and supports fine spring ephemeral displays. 

Characteristic herbs are spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica), trout-lilies (Erythronium spp.), trilliums 

(Trillium spp.), violets (Viola spp.), bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum 

thalictroides), mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), and Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum). 

Southern Sedge Meadow 

Widespread in southern Wisconsin, this open wetland community is most typically dominated by 

tussock sedge (Carex stricta) and Canada bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis). Common 

associates are water-horehound (Lycopus uniflorus), panicled aster (Aster simplex), blue flag (Iris 

virginica), Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), spotted joe-pye-weed (Eupatorium maculatum), 

broad-leaved cat-tail (Typha latifolia), and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Reed canary grass 

(Phalaris arundinacea) may be dominant in grazed and/or ditched stands. Ditched stands can succeed 

quickly to Shrub-Carr. 


Springs and spring runs; hard. 

Springs found in areas of active ground water flow with the water having a total alkalinity greater 

than 40ppm. 

Submergent Aquatic 

This herbaceous community of aquatic macrophytes occurs in lakes, ponds, and rivers. 

Submergent macrophytes often occur in deeper water than emergents, but there is considerable overlap. 

Dominants include various species of pondweeds (Potamogeton spp.) along with waterweed (Elodea 

canadensis), slender naiad (Najas flexilis), eel-grass (Vallisneria americana), and species of water-milfoil 

(Myriophyllum) and bladderworts (Utricularia). 

Talus Forest 

This description is based on a very limited number of stands examined and should be regarded as 

preliminary. Talus Forest develops on a substrate of quartzite, sandstone, dolostone, rhyolite, and possibly 

other rock types. Canopy cover ranges from sparse to moderately dense. Tree dominance is variable, and 

can include white pine (Pinus strobus), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), 

northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), red pine (Pinus resinosa) and others. 

Among the characteristic understory plants noted to date are the shrubs mountain maple (Acer 

spicatum), red-berried elder (Sambucus pubens), and bristly sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida). Representative 

herbs include common polypody (Polypodium vulgare), wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis), walking fern 

(Asplenium rhizophyllum), harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), 

fumitory (Adlumia fungosa), leafcup (Polymnia canadensis), and pale corydalis (Corydalis 

sempervirens). Crustose lichens and various mosses sometimes reach high cover values. 

Talus Forest communities often reflect the composition of forests in the surrounding landscape, 

but include plants and animals that are adapted to take advantage of the rock substrate, microclimatic 

conditions such as cold air drainage, and groundwater seepage. These habitat specialists, presumably 

including some of the mosses and lichens, are likely to be the species that are most restricted to such 

environments and of the greatest conservation concern. 

178 


Appendix D 

Natural Areas – A Definition and Status Report 

Natural Area: A working definition 

A natural area is a site largely unaltered by modern human activity, where native vegetation is 

distributed in naturally occurring patterns. These patterns change over time under the influences of natural 

processes such as windstorms, drought, flooding cycles, and wildfires, as well as interactions between 

plants and wildlife that inhabit or periodically use a site. A natural area may be host to one or more 

natural community types such as boreal forest, open bog, talus forest or calcareous fen, the existence and 

extent of which are determined by factors such as climate, soil composition, and a site's unique history. 

Many natural areas do include some evidence of modern human activity, such as small areas of former 

croplands in a site largely dominated by native prairie, or occasional decayed stumps in a forest that was 

logged long ago. However, natural areas are characterized by being primarily in a natural state, with only 

minor evidence of disturbance from modern human activity. 

Where natural areas are found 

Natural areas occur on private as well as public land, and across political jurisdictions. They may 

be found in designated preserves, within existing parks, or may be interspersed throughout developed and 

managed environments such as farms, ranches, commercial and industrial areas, and residential 

communities. 

How natural areas fit into the larger landscape 

Of course, today's landscape looks very different from the way it looked 150 years ago. Many 

natural processes, such as large-scale fires and the presence of large herds of bison, are no longer present 

on most of the landscape. Natural areas today, ranging in size from a few acres to several thousand acres, 

are generally within larger landscapes that have been highly altered. Because all natural areas are an 

integral part of the larger landscape in which they exist, it is important to pay careful attention to wise 

stewardship of adjacent and nearby lands. 

All natural areas may be considered "open space", but many types of open space are not 

natural areas. Golf courses, baseball fields, pine plantations, parks with maintained lawns that are 

landscaped with exotic species, all could be described as open space, but are places where natural 

features have been partially to totally displaced. While some such areas offer a degree of habitat to 

native plants and wildlife, others have been highly altered, leading to dramatic declines in diversity 

of species. 

In many parts of the state, it is often not practical or even possible to protect natural areas large 

enough to include the natural patterns that once existed on the landscape. Nevertheless, even small natural 

areas are important, and sometimes represent the only opportunity to protect natural communities or rare 

species in an area. For example, a ten-acre prairie in western Wisconsin that is surrounded by croplands 

bears little resemblance to the huge expanse of prairie that once existed on the landscape. However, if it 

were of good quality, it would still be considered a natural area. 

The surrounding land could be planted to native prairie using seeds from the natural area, or could 

be kept in other kinds of open space that might help buffer the land from activities that could lessen the 

integrity of the site. Similarly, a forty-acre old-growth forest is a natural area, even if it is surrounded by 

recent clearcuts. Allowing the clearcut forest to regenerate naturally would be one alternative that would 

help buffer the natural area and eventually add to its size. 

Appendix D – Natural Areas: A Definition &Status Report 179

Recognizing qualitative differences among natural areas and other types of open space 

The range of land uses on the landscape also leads to variability in the quality of natural areas. 

For example, one mesic cedar forest may be a large, intact natural community with little evidence of 

human use. Another may have a boardwalk nature trail in it and may occasionally receive some urban 

stormwater runoff. The second has a lower quality than the first, but could still be defined as a natural 

area. Similarly, one prairie might be managed with controlled burning and support a large diversity of 

native plant and animal species. 

Another may be somewhat overgrown with brush, have a few exotic invasive plants, and support 

fewer native species. Again, the second has a lower quality than the first, but could still be high enough 

quality to be considered a natural area. In addition, lands not considered natural areas often still possess 

important natural resource values. For example, a field that was plowed in the past and that now supports 

European bromegrass (an invasive exotic species) may provide important habitat for animals that live in 

grasslands, even though it is not considered a natural area. A forest that has been recently logged does not 

qualify as a natural area, but it does provide habitat for some species of wildlife and supports some 

natural resource functions. 

Another kind of land not considered a natural area is land supporting restored vegetation, that is, 

it has been planted to native species in an effort to restore a natural community. These are lands that will 

someday resemble natural areas, but because they have been planted on altered sites, they are not defined 

as natural areas. 

Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas Program 

Wisconsin's landscape has experienced dramatic changes in the 150 years since intensive 

settlement began. Little remains of the natural plant and animal communities which occupied our lands 

and waters in the settlement era and which set the stage for what Wisconsin has become. Their scattered 

remnants, which escaped the saw, the plow, and other development, are called natural areas. These 

exceptional sites are often the last refuges for rare plants and animals. We owe much to Wisconsin's early 

conservationists, who in 1951 recognized the loss of natural communities and their importance, and 

fostered the first state program in the United States to preserve them. 

State Natural Areas (SNAs) are formally designated sites devoted to scientific research, the 

teaching of conservation biology, and especially to the preservation of their natural values and genetic 

diversity for future generations. They are not intended for intensive recreational uses like picnicking or 

camping. Wisconsin's Natural Areas Program (NAP) holds to its original mission: to locate and preserve 

a system of State Natural Areas harboring all types of biotic communities, rare species, and other 

significant natural features native to Wisconsin. However, significant changes have come into the 

program since its inception. 

Site Establishment and Protection 

Wisconsin's NAP is housed in the Bureau of Endangered Resources (BER), within the 

Department of Natural Resources. Staff of BER oversees all aspects of the NAP in consultation with the 

Natural Areas Preservation Council (NAPC). The Council, formerly called the State Board for the 

Preservation of Scientific Areas, was established by the state legislature in 1951. This group serves as an 

advisory body to the Natural Areas Program. Its eleven members, drawn from the scientific and 

educational community of the state, guides the NAP staff in their mission to identify, manage and protect 

natural areas. 

The natural area preservation process begins with identification and selection of the highest 

quality sites. Identification of sites is accomplished largely through the continuing Natural Heritage 

Inventory (NHI); a section within the BER. The NHI maintains a comprehensive register of the state's 

natural features and rare species. This information, contained in an integrated system of maps and 

computer databases, is the result of 25 years of ongoing biological inventories. 

180 

Appendix D – Natural Areas: A Definition &Status Report

Protection is accomplished using a variety of tools, including fee acquisition, donations, and 

conservation easements. Sites on state-owned lands, especially parks, forests, and fish and wildlife areas, 

can simply be designated as State Natural Areas by cooperative agreements and management plans 

between the NAP and the cooperator. Similarly, areas controlled by universities, federal agencies, and 

private groups, such as The Nature Conservancy, are brought into the natural areas system by a 

"memorandum of understanding" — a long-term, but not legally-binding, commitment to maintain the 

sites as natural areas. Sites not owned by the state are purchased from willing sellers using funds from 

the Stewardship Program. Established in 1989, the program provides money for state land acquisition, 

including $1.5 million a year for natural area projects. An additional $500,000 a year from Stewardship 

supplements the Natural [Heritage] Area Match Grant Program, which matches, dollar-for-dollar, private 

donations of land or funds to the Natural Areas Program. In addition to donations and outright fee 

acquisition, the NAP also purchases conservation easements on natural lands. Once secured by purchase 

or agreement, sites are formally "designated" as State Natural Areas, becoming part of the natural area 

system. Designation confers a significant level of protection as guaranteed by DNR Administrative Rules, 

Management Plans, and Memoranda of Understanding, in compliance with state statutes. 

A higher level of protection is accomplished by Articles of Dedication, a kind of conservation 

easement, which provides the strongest long-term legal protection for land in the state. Legally 

"dedicated" sites are protected in perpetuity for natural area use and may not be taken for other functions 

without a finding of urgent and greater public need by the governor and the legislature. 

As of September 2002, 353 sites covering more than 125,000 acres have been designated as State 

Natural Areas. In addition to protecting biotic communities, these areas provide refuge for many species 

of plants and animals on Wisconsin's Endangered and Threatened Species List. 

Management 

Management of State Natural Areas is based on specific plans agreed to by the land managing 

agency. In most instances, the best management for natural areas is to do nothing except protect them 

from human disturbance. For many sites, however, invasive exotic species and encroaching woody plants 

are a real problem, requiring hands-on management. Prescribed burning and removal of trees and shrubs 

are used as management tools on prairies, fens, savannas, and sedge meadows. Whether managing natural 

areas or the person using them, much of the work is made possible through donations to the Endangered 

Resources Fund. The fund was established in 1984 as a means for direct public support of endangered 

resources protection projects, including management of designated natural areas. 

Research and Educational Use 

Natural areas serve as excellent outdoor laboratories for research on biotic communities and the 

species that comprise them. A permit is required to conduct formal research on State Natural Areas, and 

each year dozens of researchers undertake projects on these sites. When granting a permit, the ability of 

the area to tolerate such use without deterioration must be considered. Natural areas maintained with 

minimal human disturbance provide an unusual and valuable standard, or "benchmark," for determining 

impact of use on managed lands. A baseline data acquisition project, which gathers basic plant and animal 

information necessary to establish these benchmarks, is an integral part of the NAP. 

When combined with the state's wealth of rivers and lakes, including Lake Superior and Lake 

Michigan, the resulting range of habitat conditions is capable of supporting a wide array of plant and 

animal life. This is suggested by the abundance of natural community types that ecologists have 

identified here in Door County. Thirty-seven (37) natural communities have been cross-referenced with 

the seventeen (17) habitat areas described in this document, see table Appendix “A”. 


The State Natural Areas Program celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002 with numerous events 

statewide with a Governor's Proclamation, designation of 14 new State Natural Areas, seven of which 

were in Door County. 

Wisconsin had the first natural areas protection program in the nation, and it has become one of 

the most successful, safeguarding more than 125,000 acres, ranging from old-growth forests in the north, 

to bogs and bluffs in Central Wisconsin, to the prairies and savannas in the south. While 353 State 

Natural Areas were established in the first 50 years of the program there are still many native and rare 

ecosystems left to preserve and protect. 

A guidebook featuring 150 of the best State Natural Areas will be produced containing 176 pages 

of narrative descriptions, maps, and directions to each of the 150 sites described in the book. The guide, 

titled “Wisconsin Naturally” can be ordered through the Bureau of Endangered Resources by calling 

(608) 266-7012 

There are things you can do to help maintain this successful program in Wisconsin, such as 

giving your financial support the State Natural Areas through the purchase of wolf license plates or 

donating directly to the Endangered Resources Fund through the check-off on your state income tax 

forms. You are also encouraged to help protect rare and native plants and animal species by alerting the 

DNR biologists of their discovery. 

Since its inception, in 1952, more than 350 areas in the state have been identified and established 

as “state natural areas” or “wildlife areas”. Twenty-two (22) of these natural areas are located in Door 

County. 

182 

Door County’s State Natural Areas 

Peninsula Park Beech Forest Peninsula Park White Cedar Forest 

The Ridges Sanctuary Sister Islands 

Toft Point Newport Conifer-Hardwoods 

Jackson Harbor Ridges Mud Lake 

Whitefish Dunes Marshall’s Point 

Mink River Estuary Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach 

Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest & Wetlands Coffee Swamp 

Kangaroo Lake Bay Shore Bluff Lands 

Europe Bay Woods North Bay 

Ellison Bluff White Cliff Fen & Forest 

Rock Islands Woods Big & Little Marsh 

The map on the facing page locates each of our Door County State Natural Areas and is followed 

by a brief description and in some cases instructions as to how the site might be found. State Natural 

Areas provide opportunities for citizens of all ages to gain knowledge and a better understanding of the 

nature of native plant and animal communities. However, excessive use of these sensitive areas can cause 

damage and in some cases access to the most fragile sites in the natural areas system is limited. 



Little 

Harbor 

State Natural Areas 

BLUFF 

'OR' 

CTH 

OLD 

CT. 

TRILLIUM 

LA. 

RD. 

APPLE 

OLD CTH 


WEST 

WHITEFISH 

'OR' 

LEDGE 

ROAD 

REYNOLDS 

ROAD 

Ê 

BAY 

Ê 

CARLSVILLE 

TOWN LINE 

BIRCH 

MONUMENT 

LA. 

SPRING 

DAUBNER 

LA. 

RD. 

LANE 

GREEN BAY 

Strawberry Island 

Carlsville 

SUNRISE 

RD. 

HORSE- 

SHOE 

POINT RD.RD. 

MONUMENT 

CLARKS LAKE 

WAY- SIDE 

PHILO 

ROAD 

ROAD BAY 

WAY 

PLUM 

SUNNYSLOPE 

POINT 

ROAD 

POINT 

SUNNY 

RD. 

RD. 

POINT 

SUNNY 

OAK 

ROAD 

JARMEN 

VIEW 

UNTRY 

STRAND 

RD. 

S E V A S T O P O L 

ROAD 

HILLSIDE 

WILLOW 

COURT 

RD. 

E G G 

ROAD 

EGG 

HARBOR 

BOTTOM 

OAK 

ROAD 

BAY- 

VIEW 

RD. 

H A R B O R 

Ê 

ROAD 

WHITE 

ROAD 

HILLSIDE ROAD 

DIVISION 

ROAD 

DIVISION 

WILLOW 

RD. 

BRAUER 

RD. 

ROAD 

LEIST 

ROAD 

DR. 

RD. 

CLIFF 

LAKE 

LOST 

ISLAND 

SCHOOL 

RD. 

KIEHNAU 

ROAD 

BAGNALL 

RD. 

PINE 

TREE 

RD. 

Valmy 

ORCHARD 

VIEW RD. 

WILD 

FLOWER 

RD. 

BLUFF 

GIBRALTAR 

ROAD 

ELM 

ROAD 

ROAD 

COTTAGE 

ROW 

RD. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

PENINSULA 

Juddville 

RD. 

QUARTERLINE 

MAPLE TREE 

ROAD 

West 

Jacksonport 

RD. 

SHORE 

JUDDVILLE 

HILLSIDE 

EHLER 

ROAD 

JUNCTION 

SPRING 


ROAD 

SHORE 

Fish 

Creek 

DRIVE 

ROAD 

RD. 

BAGNALL 


MEMORIAL 

BLUFF 

ANSCHUTZ RD. 

RD. 

Ê 

ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

LANE 

NELSON 

ROAD 

LANE 

FLOK 

NELSON 

MIDDLE 

GIBRALTAR 

WANDERING 

PLAYERS 

ROAD 

FAIRVIEW 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

PL. 

LORITZ 

RD. 

SHORE 


ROAD 

DRIVE 

ELM 

ROAD 

DR. 

W. 

Ê 

HONOLD RD. 

SHORE 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

ROAD 

LONGVIEW 

LA. 

RD. 

PIT 

ROAD 

JORNS 

S. 

ROAD 

RD. 

Peninsula 

Center 

JORNS 

RD. 

CLARK 

LAKE 

CAVE 

LAKE 

HIGHLAND 

LITTLE 

MARSH 

RD. 

WOODED 

BEACH 

BERGER 

DRIVE 

POINT 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

CT. 

RD. 

GROVE 

GARDNER 

COURT 

CLARKS 

ROAD 

RD. 

MAPLE 

ROAD 

LAKE 

LA. 

SOUTH 

ROAD 

Ê 

ROAD 

N. 

RD. 

ROAD 

MAPLE 

EPHRAIM 

SUGAR 

BUSH RD. 

MAPLE GROVE 


ROAD 

RD. 

PLATEAU 

DR. 

CAVE 

TRIANGLE 

RD. 

RD. 

LAKE 

KANGAROO 

W. 

Jacksonport 

N. PT. 

WILDER 

RD. 

RD. 

HIGHLAND 

Ê 

State Natural Area Locations 

Ê 

RD. 

HIGH RIDGE 

TOWNLINE 

DRIVE 

LINE 

RD. TOWN 

W. 

RD. 

MEADOW 

RD. 

COUNTRY 

LA. 


MEADOW 

ROAD 

CHERRY 

GERMAN 

PIONEER 

GROVE 

CEDAR ROAD 

SISTER 

BAY 

H A R B O R 

BLUFF 

OLD 

RD. 

SUMMIT ROAD 

FIRST LA. 

FLINT RIDGE 

RD. 

ORCHARD 

BEACH 

ROAD 

ROAD 

STAGE 

LIME KILN 

ÊPORCUPINE 

GREEN 

ROAD 

ROAD 

SEAQUIST 

CREST 

HILL 

RD. 

B A I L E Y S 

RD. 

ROAD 

WOOD CREST 

RD. 

WILDWOOD 

ROAD 

SCANDIA 

PLATEAU 

ROAD 

RIDGES 

Baileys 

Harbor 

ROAD HIGH 

WATERS END 

HILL 

GRASSE 

LA. 

ROAD 

HILL 

RD. 

ROAD 

SIDE DR. 

BAY 

RD. 

STAGE 

OLD 

HIGH VIEW 

G R O V E 

TOFT 

PT. 

ROAD 

Ellison 

Bay 

ROAD 

ROAD 

DRIVE 

POINT 

SUNSET 

LAKEVIEW 

LA. 

SUMAC 

RD. 

MEADOW 

ROAD 

ROAD 

BIRCH 

ROAD 

RD. 

ROAD 

L I B E R T Y 

ROAD 

DOOR 

RD. 

BLUFF 

MAPLE- 

WOOD 

Ê 

DR. 

BIRCHWOOD 

MINK 

SYLVAN 

LA. 

ROAD 

CANA 

ROBIN 

BAY 

NORTH 

BAY 

GARRETT 

RD. 

RIVER 

PINE 

DR. 

ISLAND 

RD. 

LANE 

BADGER 

ROAD 

ROAD 

APPLEPORT 

KINSEY 

RD. 

GARRETT 

RD. 

BAY 

RD. 

APPLEPORT 

BAY 

Ê Ê 

Ê Ê 

Ê 

LA. 

ROAD 

BLACKBERRY 

LANE 

BAY 

SAND 

LANE 

RD. 

COTTAGE 

Ê 

Gills 

Rock 

RD. 

Ê 

NEWPORT DR. 

JUICE MILL 

LA. 

ISLE 

EUROPE 

ROAD 

TIMBERLINE 

VIEW 

EUROPE 

LAKE 

BAY 

NEWPORT 

LA. N. 

RD. 

WILDERNESS 

LA. 

ROAD 

ROAD 

North Port 

OLD 

WEST RD. 

WOOD- 

LAND 

TR. 

GREEN 

Plum Island 

Ê 

Ê 

WILCOX 

LITTLE 

BAY 

LAKE 

RD. 

RD. 

Washington 

McDONALD 

RD. 

RD. 

TOWN LINE 

WEST 

HARBOR 

ROAD 

MAIN 

RD. 

HARBOR 

ROAD 

MAIN 

ROAD 

Detroit 

Harbor 

GASOLINE 


N 

AIRPORT 

RD. 

TOWN 

FOSS 

RD. 

ROAD 

RANGE LINE 

JACKSON 

MICHIGAN 


AZNOE ROAD 

SOUTH 

RD. 

Ê 

MOUNTAIN 

EAST SIDE 

SHORE 

ROAD 

HARBOR 

GUNNLAUGSSON 

WOOD 

LAND 

RD. 

RD. 

RD. 

Pilot Island 

SWENSON 

OLD 

Ê 

Ê 

SWENSON 

RD. 

HEMLOCK 

MILL 

DRIVEINDIAN 

POINT 

ROAD 

ROAD 

DEER 

RD. RD. 

LA. 

RD. 

ROAD 


ROAD 

RISE 

RD. 

SUN- 

Ê 

LAKE MICHIGAN 

5000 0 5000 Feet 


184 

Peninsula Park Beech Forest State Natural Area 

Description: Peninsula Park Beech Forest is comprised of 80-acres and features a continuum of forest 

types from the dry edge of the Niagara dolostone escarpment to rolling uplands forested with mesic 

species. The northern mesic forest is old second-growth, with sugar maple, American beech, hemlock, 

yellow birch, white birch, and ironwood; some trees are nearly 2 feet in diameter. Understory species 

include yellow blue-bead-lily, large-flowered trillium, red baneberry, Hooker’s orchid, and long-bracted 

green orchid. Relict red oak and white pine are scattered through the area. To the east, between Shore 

Road and the bluff edge, is a young northern dry-mesic forest dominated by red oak and white pine. The 

bluff drops 150 feet to several terraces, which are forested with white cedar and hardwoods. The base of 

the bluff along Green Bay supports many ferns including bulblet, fragile, polypody, slender cliff brake, 

walking, and marginal wood ferns. The beach is composed of dolostone cobblestones with little 

vegetation. Numerous mesic forest plants and animals are present along with several uncommon orchids. 

Noted University of Wisconsin plant ecologist John Curtis used this site as a representative northern 

mesic forest study site. Peninsula Park Beech Forest is owned by the DNR and was designated a State 

Natural Area in 1952. 

Access: From Ephraim, go south on State Highway 42 about 1 mile to the north entrance to Peninsula 

State Park. Follow Shore Road north to the Eagle Tower parking area. Access to the natural area is via 

Shore Road, Highland Road, or the Sentinel Hiking Trail, which forms the northern boundary of the site. 

Park maps are available at the contact station. A Wisconsin State Park sticker must be displayed on all 

vehicles entering the park. 

Peninsula Park White Cedar Forest State Natural Area 

Description: Peninsula Park White Cedar Forest features a continuum of five distinct community types 

consisting of 53-acres that change with elevation away from Green Bay. On the western side of the site, a 

one-acre open marsh dominated by bluejoint grass, reed grass, and rushes is found. Immediately to the 

east of the marsh is an open calcareous meadow on a lake dune with low juniper, gay-wings, and two rare 

plants: lesser fringed gentian (Gentianopsis procera) and bird’s-eye primrose (Primula mistassinica). A 

wet-mesic conifer swamp dominated by white cedar and black and white spruce is located in the 

transition between the lower and upper beach zones. Impressive vertical cliffs of Niagara dolostone, 

vegetated with ferns and other cliff-dwelling plants, are found on the western side. A mixed upland forest 

dominated by white cedar, white birch, and sugar maple is found at the summit of the escarpment. The 

floor of the cedar-spruce forest lacks diversity but does contain such showy species as yellow 

lady's-slippers and Indian paint-brush. The federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris) is found in 

scattered patches. Bird life is characteristic of areas much farther north and includes Winter Wren, Redbreasted 

Nuthatch, Nashville, Black-throated Green, and Blackburnian Warblers, Ovenbird, and Veery. 

Peninsula Park White Cedar Forest is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 

1952. 

Access: From Fish Creek, go north on State Highway 42 about 0.5 mile to the south entrance to 

Peninsula State Park. Follow Shore Road north into the park and obtain a park map at the office. Access 

to the natural area is from Shore Road via the Sunset Trail, or Middle Road via Hemlock Trail. A 

Wisconsin State Park sticker must be displayed on all vehicles entering the park. 


The Ridges Sanctuary State Natural Area 

Description: The Ridges Sanctuary is comprised of 1070-acres and contains a diversity of unusual 

habitats, resulting in one of the greatest concentrations of rare plants in the Midwest. The preserve, 

recognized as a National Natural Landmark, was established in 1937 as Wisconsin’s first area set aside to 

protect native flora. The natural area consists of seventeen narrow, crescent-shaped sandy ridges, formed 

over the past 2400 years by wind and the wave action of adjacent Lake Michigan. Each ridge represents a 

former beach line of Lake Michigan and took an average of 150 years to form. The narrow ridges are 

forested with black spruce, white spruce, balsam fir, and white pine with wet swales between the ridges. 

Swamp conifers occupy some of the swales; others are filled with marsh and bog flora. Sections of the 

forest can be classified as boreal and are similar to, but far disjunct from the northwestern Wisconsin 

boreal forests near Lake Superior. The cool waters of Lake Michigan heavily influence the local climate, 

allowing many northern species to thrive. Some areas of the ridges are open, wet, and calcareous. The 

list of rare species found at The Ridges is long and includes dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris) in addition to 

25 species of orchid. The largest known population of the federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly 

(Somatochlora hineana) is found here. The Ridges Sanctuary is owned by the private conservation 

organization The Ridges Sanctuary, Inc. and was designated a State Natural Area in 1953. 

Access: From the junction of State Highway 57 and County Highway Q on the north side of Baileys 

Harbor, go east and north on Q 0.1 mile and follow the signs to The Ridges Sanctuary entrance east of the 

road. Several hiking trails wind through the natural area. Detailed maps are available at the office. A 

donation is requested for use of the trails. 

Sister Islands State Natural Area 

Description: Sister Islands is an historic gull and tern nesting area consisting of two low, gravel islands 

of about 15-acres. It is one of the important gulleries in Green Bay. High water levels in the early 1980's 

have greatly reduced the size of the islands'; in fact, during the low water levels of the 1960's, the islands 

were connected. The most common breeding birds are herring gulls, but small numbers of Red-winged 

Blackbird, Common Tern, Pintail, and Mallard are also present. The flora is quite variable due to the 

disturbance caused by nesting birds and fluctuating water levels. During low water years, shrubs and 

weeds dominate with small numbers of boxelder, red-osier dogwood, elderberry, bitter nightshade, 

spotted jewelweed, and stinging nettle also grow here. Sister Islands is owned by the DNR and was 

designated a State Natural Area in 1966. 

Access: By boat 2 miles northwest of the public launch in Sister Bay. 


186 

Toft Point State Natural Area 

Description: Toft Point is comprised of about 686-acres, containing several outstanding native plant 

communities concentrated on a 1-mile-wide peninsula along Door County’s Lake Michigan coast. The 

natural area is bordered on the north by Moonlight Bay and on the south by Baileys Harbor. There are 

more than two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, with areas of wave-cut dolostone cliffs. Stretches of 

limestone cobble beach, mixed with marly soil, are exposed during periods of low lake levels. The 

vegetation of the eastern shoreline, influenced by the cooling effects of Lake Michigan, consists of a 

narrow strip of relict boreal forest dominated by balsam fir and white spruce. The majority of the 

peninsula is wooded with a mesic forest of sugar maple, yellow birch, hemlock, balsam fir, and scattered 

white pine. To the north, along Moonlight Bay, is an extensive calcareous sedge meadow that grades into 

shrub-carr and wet-mesic forest dominated by white cedar with occasional paper birch and black ash. 

Pockets of tamarack swamp and alder thicket are imbedded in the wetland. Extensive stands of hardstemmed 

bulrush grow offshore in 1 to 4 feet of water, offering cover and spawning sites for a variety of 

fish. The natural area provides habitat for more than 440 vascular plant species and one of the most 

diverse bryophyte (mosses and liverworts) floras in the state. Several orchid taxa and many rare plant 

species find refuge here. Toft Point, along with the adjacent Ridges Sanctuary, contains many areasensitive 

bird species including seventeen species of nesting warblers. The site is named for Kersten Toft 

who received the land as compensation for his work at a limestone quarry nearby. Remaining on site is 

an historic kiln, which is the state’s best intact example of the early circular kilns that once dotted parts of 

the Niagara escarpment. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the Wisconsin Chapter of The 

Nature Conservancy own Toft Point. The site is recognized by the National Park Service as a National 

Natural Landmark and was designated a State Natural Area in 1967. 

Access: From the intersection of State Highway 57 and Ridges Road on the north end of Baileys Harbor, 

go east on Ridges Road about 1.4 miles, then north on an access lane (fire number 8380) to a parking area 

at the gate. Or, continue southeast on Ridges Road 1.1 miles, then east on Point Drive 1.2 miles to its 

end. 

Newport Conifer-Hardwoods State Natural Area 

Description: Newport Conifer Hardwoods features 140-acres containing a mix of northern forest types 

along Lake Michigan near the northern tip of the Door Peninsula. The cool, moist influence of the lake 

has allowed a forest composed of white birch, sugar maple, beech, and ash to develop. Elsewhere, boreallike 

forest of eastern hemlock, balsam fir, white spruce and white cedar predominates. A 3 to 8 foot high 

wall of dolostone blocks traverses the site from the northeast to the southwest. This ledge is the former 

shoreline sculpted during the Lake Nippissing stage of Lake Michigan. Above the ledge, hardwoods are 

found growing on a jumbled boulder substrate. In the south and east, the hardwood forests stabilize low 

sand dunes where large colonies of clubmoss can be observed. About ¼ mile of frontage on Lake 

Michigan is included in the natural area. Rare plants found here include western fescue (Festuca 

occidentalis), variegated scouring-rush (Equisetum variegatum), round-leaved orchid (Platanthera 

orbiculata), long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata) and the federally-threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris 

lacustris). Migrating songbirds make extensive use of the site and the rare Common Goldeneye 

(Bucephala clangula) breeds within the area. Newport Conifer Hardwoods is owned by the DNR and was 


Access: From Ellison Bay, go east on State Highway 42 about 2 miles, then south and east on County 

Highway NP about 3 miles to the Newport State Park entrance. The natural area is accessible via the 

Newport and Ridge hiking trails (get a map at the park contact station). A Wisconsin State Park sticker 

must be displayed on all vehicles entering the park. 


Jackson Harbor Ridges State Natural Area 

Description: Situated on Washington Island off the tip of the Door Peninsula, Jackson Harbor Ridges is 

made up of 70-acres containing several coastal plant communities and an exceptionally rich flora of rare 

and uncommon plants. The topography undulates with areas of dry to moist sand ridges and low, wet 

swales. Twelve ridges and swales are evident, the result of former Lake Michigan water levels. The 

swales contain an unusual plant community that prefers wet calcareous soils. Characteristic species here 

are brook lobelia, shrubby cinquefoil, bladderworts and several sedges. Bird’s-eye primrose (Primula 

mistassinica), low calamint (Calamintha arkansana), and slender bog arrow-grass (Triglochin palustris) 

are among the rare plants found here. The 9-acre beach gradually grades into drier dunes, which are 

stabilized with drought tolerant species such as creeping juniper, bearberry, and sand coreopsis. The 

dunes harbor the federally-threatened dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) and the state-threatened dune 

goldenrod (Solidago simplex var. gillmanii) and sticky asphodel (Tofieldia glutinosa). Behind the dunes is 

a mixed conifer-hardwood forest of red and white pines, white cedar, balsam fir, and American beech. 

Patches of the federally-threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris) are scattered throughout. The point at 

the entrance to Jackson Harbor is a sand spit that attracts gulls, terns, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Jackson 

Harbor Ridges is owned by the Town of Washington and was designated a State Natural Area in 1973. 

Access: From the end of Highway 42 at Northport Pier, take the ferry to Washington Island. From the 

ferry landing, go north on Losdells Point Road (County W) 1.7 miles, then continue north on Main Road 

2.6 miles, then go east on Jackson Harbor Road 3.5 miles, then north on Indian Point Road 0.1 mile to a 

parking area on the right. The natural area lies to the east. 

Mud Lake State Natural Area 

Description: Mud Lake State Natural Area is located within the Mud Lake Wildlife Area and consists of 

a 155-acre shallow (maximum depth 5’) drainage lake surrounded by an extensive shrub and timber 

swamp. The lake has a truly wild character to it. The bottom is predominantly marl, although dolostone 

bedrock is exposed in some areas. Many old snags along the shoreline attest to water levels that fluctuate 

with seasonal precipitation. Aquatic plants are most diverse in the outlet stream (Reibolts Creek) and 

include bur-reed, coon’s-tail, pondweed, and wild rice. In the lake, soft-stem bul-rush, yellow water-lily, 

common reed, and cat-tail is found. Immediately surrounding the open water is a narrow zone of shrubby 

northern sedge meadow dominated by sedges, willows, dogwoods, and sweet gale. The wetlands and lake 

provide habitat for the federally-endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana). The 

open zone grades into second-growth wet-mesic forest of white cedar, white spruce, balsam fir, and black 

ash. Reibolts Creek, which runs from Mud Lake to Lake Michigan, has been stocked with trout and 

supports a trout spawning run. Waterfowl use of the lake is occasionally heavy. Nesting birds include 

Pied-billed Grebe, American Bittern, Common Goldeneye, Mallard, Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, Wood 

Duck, and Virginia Rail. Mud Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 

1975. 

Access: From Baileys Harbor, go north on State Highway 57 0.75 miles, then east on County Highway Q 

2.5 miles to Sunset Drive, then north 1.2 miles to Birch Road, then west to Mud Lake. 


188 

Whitefish Dunes State Natural Area 

Description: Whitefish Dunes State Natural Area encompasses 230-acres within the boundaries of the 

Whitefish Dunes State Park and preserves the largest and most significant Great Lakes dunescape in 

Wisconsin. The complex of active and stabilized dunes protected by Whitefish Bay along the Lake 

Michigan coast contains a rich flora particularly adapted to this dynamic habitat. All stages of succession, 

from open beach through northern mesic and wet-mesic forest, are represented here. The lakeside fore 

dune is open, sandy and vegetated with common milkweed, beach wormwood, beach pea, lyrate rockcress 

and several beach grasses, including the state-threatened thick-spike wheat grass (Elytrigia 

dasystachya ssp. psammophila) and sand-reed (Calamovilfa longifolia var. magna). Wisconsin’s largest 

and most viable population of the federally-threatened dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) inhabits the shifting 

sands of the fore dune. The backside of the fore dune is forested with white birch, balsam fir, and white 

cedar and contains a ground cover of abundant Canada yew. The dunes farther from the lake are more 

stabilized and heavily wooded with northern mesic forest of sugar maple, large-toothed aspen, eastern 

hemlock, and American beech. Also present is a small bog lake with associated sedge meadow and 

frontage on Clark Lake, a baymouth bar lake. Common nesting birds include Red-eyed Vireo, Veery, 

Black-throated Green and Canada Warblers, American Redstart, and Eastern Wood-Pewee. Whitefish 

Dunes is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1980. 

Access: From the intersection of State Highway 57 and County Highway T in Valmy, go north on 57 1.1 

miles, then east on Clark Lake Road (County Highway WD) about 3.6 miles to a parking lot at the park 

office. Park maps are available at the office. Several hiking trails lead south into the dunes. A Wisconsin 

State Park sticker must be displayed on all vehicles entering the park. 

Marshall’s Point State Natural Area 

Description: Marshall's Point consist of 113-acres and contains a relict boreal forest dominated by white 

cedar, balsam fir, and white spruce and includes 2000 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline. Old beach lines 

form 2- to 4-foot limestone ledges and provide local relief on the otherwise level topography. The coastal 

location, with its cool microclimate, is partially responsible for the rich association of mosses and 

liverworts. The vascular plant flora is equally as rich in diversity containing several rare and restricted 

plants. The interior of the site, near the peninsula's center, is forested with northern mesic forest that has 

been undisturbed for more than 100 years. Soils have formed over limestone bedrock and have 

accumulated raw organic matter. These are termed raw humus rendzina, an extremely rare phenomenon. 

Nesting birds include Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Blackburnian Warbler, Northern Parula, 

and White-throated Sparrow. Marshall’s Point is owned by Marshall’s Point Association and was 


Access: Public access is restricted due to the sensitive nature of the site. Contact The State Natural Areas 

Program for more information. 


Mink River Estuary State Natural Area 

Description: The Mink River Estuary encompasses more than 1465-acres and is one of the most pristine 

freshwater estuaries in the country. The river originates in alkaline, spring-fed wetlands in the central 

Door Peninsula and ends just a few miles downstream where it empties into Lake Michigan at Rowley’s 

Bay. In between is the dynamic estuarine system, formed by the mixing and flushing of the waters of 

Lake Michigan and the Mink River. During periodic high water periods (seiches) the estuarine marshes 

are flooded, during low water the marshes are dry and many spring channels are evident. The vegetation 

of the natural area is diverse. Sedges, blue-joint grass, and other emergent vegetation with an overstory of 

willow, dogwood, and alder shrubs dominate the marshes bordering the river. Deeper areas of the marsh 

contain bulrush, wild rice, cat-tail and bur-reed. Water-lilies and water milfoil inhabit the deepest zone. 

The wetlands grade into lowland conifer swamp dominated by white cedar. A small stretch of beach 

along Rowley’s Bay contains federally threatened dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) while patches of dwarf 

lake iris (Iris lacustris) are scattered through the property. The estuary is an important fish spawning and 

bird migration area. Numerous birds nest here including the Yellow Rail, a state threatened species. 

Other rare and uncommon birds include Black Duck, Black Tern, Black-crowned Night Heron, and 

Northern Harrier. Mink River Estuary is owned by the Wisconsin Chapter of The Nature Conservancy 

and was designated a State Natural Area in 1988. 

Access: From the intersection of State Highway 42 and Mink River Road in Ellison Bay, go south on 

Mink River Road 2.7 miles, then east on Highway ZZ 0.9 mile to the Wagon Trail Resort on Rowley’s 

Bay. A boat launch and canoe rental are available. For hiking access, from 42 and Mink River Road, go 

south on Mink River Road 1.2 miles to a parking area east of the road. For the eastern portion, from 

Ellison Bay, go east on 42 about 2.3 miles, then south on County Highway NP (Newport Drive) one mile 

to a parking area west of the road. The estuary is best seen by canoe. 

Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach State Natural Area 

Description: Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach is comprised of about 112-acres and protects a 5-acre 

undisturbed bedrock beach, rare plant and animal communities, geological features, and adjacent boreal 

forest relict, all of which are dependent on the dynamic influence of Lake Michigan. The primary feature 

is the dolostone bedrock beach, which is periodically covered and exposed, depending on Lake Michigan 

water levels. When exposed, several plants indicative of these calcareous and unstable shorelines 

colonize the beach, including such rare species as small fringed gentian (Gentianopsis procera), tufted 

hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa), bird’s-eye primrose (Primula mistassinica), and several sedges 

(Carex spp.). Ambient shorelines are present as low ledges in the forested portions of the site. The boreal 

forest is typical of the northeastern Door Peninsula with white cedar, white spruce, paper birch, white 

pine, hemlock, and balsam fir. Common understory plants are thimbleberry and mountain maple. The 

groundlayer is sparse, with mosses and lichens predominating. The forest also harbors a population of the 

federally and state-threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris). Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach is owned by 

the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1990. 

Access: From the intersection of State Highway 57 and County Highway Q north of Baileys Harbor, go 

north and east on Q 3.5 miles, then south on Cana Island Road 0.9 mile to Bues Point Road. Park 

southeast of the intersection and walk west into the natural area. 


190 

Coffee Swamp State Natural Area 

Description: Coffee Swamp consist of about 80-acres and occupies a former embayment of Lake 

Michigan along the northern coast of Washington Island. The natural area features a shallow, hard water 

seepage pond with a substrate of pure marl that nearly dries up in late summer and during years when the 

water level of Lake Michigan is low. Surrounding the pond is an open, treeless, boreal-rich fen dominated 

by wire-leaved sedges, sweet gale, and hoary willow. Boreal-rich fens are similar to their southern 

Wisconsin counterparts in having alkaline, saturated, peaty soils. They differ compositionally by having 

species more typical of nutrient poor northern wetlands such as round-leaved sundew, pitcher plant, 

cotton-grass, bog-rosemary, Labrador-tea, and bogbean. The fen also supports many rare plants, 

including tussock bulrush (Scirpus cespitosus), and false asphodel (Tofielda glutinosa). Adjoining the fen 

is a northern wet-mesic forest dominated by white cedar situated on peat over gravel and sand ridges. 

Deer browse is heavy and some areas are lacking in cedar reproduction. Coffee Swamp is owned by the 

DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1994. 

Access: The natural area is not accessible to the public at this time. Contact the State Natural Areas 

Program for more information about visiting this site. 

Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest & Wetlands State Natural Area 

Description: Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest and wetlands consist of 329-acres along the northeastern coast 

of the Door Peninsula. Lake Michigan heavily influences the local climate of the forest area. Cooler 

springs and summers, warmer falls and winters, and reduced evaporation rates have allowed northern 

species and this boreal forest to thrive here, far south of their normal range. Balsam fir and white spruce 

dominate the boreal forest, which grades into northern wet-mesic forest of white cedar, white pine, paper 

birch, and hemlock. Many orchids and rare plants find refuge in the forest, including the federally 

threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris). The natural area protects 1.5 miles of undeveloped Lake 

Michigan shoreline. An extensive alkaline rockshore, or bedrock beach, is exposed during periods of low 

lake levels. Bird’s-eye primrose (Primula mistanssinica), small fringed gentian (Gentianopsis procera), 

and tufted hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) are among the uncommon species thriving on the open 

dolostone flats. Migratory shorebirds and waterfowl are attracted to the undeveloped shoreline, and this 

site is one of the few known nesting sites in Wisconsin for the Common Goldeneye. The forested 

communities support a wide variety of birds associated with boreal habitats, including Yellow-bellied 

Flycatcher, Blackburnian Warbler, and Merlin. Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest and Wetlands is owned by 

the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1995. 

Access: From the intersection of State Highway 57 and County Highway Q north of Baileys Harbor, go 

northeast on Q 3.5 miles to Cana Island Road, then go south (right) 0.1 mile. Park along the road at the T 

intersection where Cana Island Road splits to form a triangle. Walk south along Cana Island Road 0.3 

miles, then east into the natural area. Look for SNA signs marking the site’s boundary. 


Kangaroo Lake State Natural Area 

Description: Kangaroo Lake lies in a basin ½ mile from the Lake Michigan coast. The natural area site 

of about 357-acres contains a mosaic of communities including a shallow, marl-bottom lake, northern 

upland forest, northern wet-mesic forest and marsh. While marl lakes are relatively common throughout 

Door County, undeveloped ones such as Kangaroo Lake are exceptionally rare. The lake’s source is the 

spring-fed Piel Creek, which originates from a series of small springs in an unusual marl fen 5 miles 

upstream. Piel Creek and the surrounding wetlands provide critical habitat for the federally endangered 

Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) and is one of only two known reproducing populations 

in the country. Lowland forest of white cedar, black ash, tamarack, black spruce, and balsam fir surround 

the north end of the lake, which is ringed by floating sedge mats. Characteristic shrubs include speckled 

alder, willows, and meadowsweet. Canada yew, a declining Wisconsin species, is found along a 

peninsula of the north basin. Common herbs are three-leaved gold-thread, dewberry, naked miterwort, 

and American starflower. A dolostone plateau with numerous crevices and areas of exposed bedrock 

contains a forest dominated by sugar maple, beech, white birch, and red oak with a rich diversity of spring 

wildflowers. Numerous other rare and endangered species are present including the state and federally 

threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), the dorcas copper butterfly (Lycaena dorcas), Bald Eagle, 

Osprey, and Caspian Tern. The marsh also provides important breeding and migratory habitat for Black 

Terns, Sandhill Cranes, and many species of waterfowl. A causeway built in the late 1800’s separates 

Kangaroo Lake into two distinct parts – a highly developed southern portion and the northern end, which 

has almost completely escaped development due to the extensive wetlands. Kangaroo Lake is owned by 

The Nature Conservancy and the Door County Land Trust and was designated a State Natural Area in 

2002. 

Access: From the intersection of Highways 57 and F in Baileys Harbor, go south on State Highway 57 

1.4 miles, then west on County Highway E 1 mile to a small parking area north of the road. To access the 

western part, continue west and north on Highway E an additional 1.2 miles. Park along the road. A trail 

leads east into the site. The wetlands are best viewed by canoe. Put in at the east end of the Highway E 

causeway. 

White Cliff Fen and Forest State Natural Area 

Description: Located less than ½ mile from Green Bay, White Cliff Fen and Forest features a deep, 

undisturbed forest containing 57-acres of white cedar and hardwoods surrounding a calcareous fen 

situated at the base of the Niagara escarpment. The fen is fed by ground water upwellings rich in calcium 

and magnesium bicarbonates and is dominated by woolly-fruit sedge and hard-stem bulrush. Other plant 

species include such fen indicators as brook lobelia, boneset, marsh fern, and common bog-arrow grass 

(Triglochin maritima) – a rare species despite its name. Other plants are marsh marigold, small-flowered 

false foxglove, northern bog goldenrod, and northern bog aster. Marsh milkweed is plentiful throughout 

the wetland and attracts numerous nectaring butterflies including a large number of monarchs. Limestone 

bedrock is exposed in areas of the fen, an indicator of a very shallow peat layer. An irregular, narrow 

border of shrubby cinquefoil, small white cedar, red-osier dogwood, alder-leaf buckthorn, and tamarack 

rings the fen. The area slowly grades into a white cedar and green ash woodland and then into an upland 

forest of white cedar, hemlock, red oak, big-tooth aspen, and white ash. Other trees include paper birch, 

beech, sugar maple, white pine, white spruce, and red pine. Although rare plant and animal surveys are 

pending, the surrounding area contains three rare land snails, and the Hine’s Emerald dragonfly 

(Somatochlora hineana), a federally endangered species. Future inventories may reveal the presence of 

these and other rare species at this site. White Cliff Fen and Forest is owned by the Door County Land 

Trust and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. 


192 

Rock Island Woods State Natural Area 

Description: Rock Island Woods consist of 570-acres with a mosaic of plant community types including 

northern hardwood forest, northern wet-mesic forest, forested seeps, and shaded cliff community. The 

interior plateau of Rock Island contains a mature mesic hardwood forest dominated by beech and sugar 

maple. Canopy associates include basswood and red oak. Groundlayer species are wild leek, springbeauty, 

trout-lily, large-flowered trillium, common lady fern, blue cohosh, and jack-in-the-pulpit. Rare 

plants include drooping sedge (Carex prasina), Chilean sweet cicely (Osmorhiza berteroi), broad-leaf 

sedge (Carex platyphylla), and climbing fumitory (Adlumia fungosa). Several moist swales and forested 

seeps are found on north-facing depressions within the forest containing herbaceous species such as 

ostrich fern, clustered snakeroot, hairy sedge, and squirrel corn. Dolostone cliffs and ledges occur on the 

margins of the forest and some support an upland stand of nearly pure white cedar with some balsam fir 

and white birch along the rocky coastline. About 4 linear kilometers of low moist shaded dolostone cliffs 

are found in the interior of Rock Island. These moist seepage slopes support a lush growth of ferns with 

bulbet bladder, fragile, walking, slender cliff brake, northern wood, and intermediate wood ferns. Bird life 

is diverse with Spotted Sandpiper, Cliff Swallow, Veery, Ovenbird, American Redstart, and Canada, 

Blackburnian, and Black-throated Green Warblers. Rare plants and animals include Common Tern 

Caspian Tern, northern ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii), rock whitlow-grass (Draba 

arabisans), and mystery vertigo (Vertigo paradoxa), a land snail. Rock Island Woods is owned by the 

DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. 

Access: Most visitors reach the area by taking the Washington Island ferry from Northport to Detroit 

Harbor then drive to Jackson Harbor and take the passenger ferry to Rock Island. No motorized vehicles 

are allowed. 

Europe Bay Woods State Natural Area 

Description: Europe Bay Woods encompasses 200-acres located on an undeveloped isthmus between 

Lake Michigan and Europe Lake featuring over one mile of Great Lakes dune and beach communities, 

red pine groves, boreal forest, and northern dry-mesic and mesic forest. Once the ancient shoreline of 

Lake Michigan, the isthmus was created through wave action, resulting in the deposition of layers of sand 

and gravel. And now contains northern dry-mesic forest dominated by red pine and red oak with scattered 

hemlock, beech, and red maple. Common understory plants include beaked hazelnut, wild sarsaparilla, 

wintergreen, Canada mayflower, and rough-leaved rice grass. Also present is a mature mesic forest 

consisting of beech, sugar maple, red oak, and yellow birch on undulating topography. Along Lake 

Michigan is an undeveloped sand beach and low dunes grading to cobblestone beach and finally 

dolostone bedrock. The dunes contain extensive mats of bearberry and creeping juniper intermingled with 

rabbit-berry, sand cherry, and the state threatened prairie sand-reed (Calamovilfa longifolia var. magna). 

The dunes and beach harbor numerous rare plants and animals including bird’s-eye primrose (Primula 

mistassinica), dune goldenrod (Solidago simplex var. gillmanii), seaside spurge (Euphorbia 

polygonifolia), lesser fringed gentian (Gentianopsis procera), Lake Huron locust (Trimerotropis 

huroniana), and beach-dune tiger beetle (Cicindela hirticollis rhodensis). On gently sloping sandy soils 

is a boreal forest of balsam fir, white cedar, quaking aspen, white birch, and white spruce with white and 

red pine as the site grades into a forested ridge and swale community. Rare boreal forest species include 

the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), giant pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea), crawe 

sedge (Carex craweii), Cape May Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler. Europe Bay Woods is 

owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. 

Access: From Ellison Bay, go east on State Highway 42 about 2 miles, then south and east on County 

Highway NP about 3 miles to the Newport State Park entrance. Get a park map at the contact station. 

A Wisconsin State Park sticker must be displayed on all vehicles entering the park. 


Ellison Bluff State Natural Area 

Description: Ellison Bluff features 170-acres of densely wooded two-tiered rock terrace – part of the 

larger Niagara Escarpment rock formation that stretches and winds though the site providing spectacular 

views from the bluff tops. Extending from New York, into Wisconsin and forming the Door Peninsula, 

the limestone-capped Niagara Escarpment was formed through sediment deposition of inland seas more 

than 425 million years ago and contains fossil-rich sedimentary bedrock. Over time, the soft rocks under 

a more resistant limestone cap wear away leaving bluffs, which rise 200 feet above the Bay’s shore. The 

cliffs, free face and sheer in places, contain sufficient ledges and fractures to support a vertical, talus slope 

forest of white cedar with Canada yew, mountain maple, red pine, basswood, and red elderberry. One 

cedar was determined to be 250 years old. The talus slope also supports 26 species of land snail including 

five rare species and two glacial relict species. The forested bluff top contains a northern mesic forest 

dominated by sugar maple, white ash, red oak, and beech. Also present are paper birch, big-tooth aspen, 

and hemlock. The understory is composed of wild sarsaparilla, big-leaved aster, Canada mayflower, 

large-flowered trillium, wood-betony, and bracken fern. At least two rare plants are also present: rock 

whitlow-grass (Draba arabisans) and broad-leaf sedge (Carex platyphylla). Birds include Great-crested 

Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Black-throated Green Warbler, and Blackburnian Warbler. 

Ellison Bluff is owned by the County of Door and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. 

Access: From the intersection of Highway 42 and Garrett Bay Road in Ellison Bay, go southwest on 42 

1.9 miles, then west on Porcupine Bay Road 0.7 mile, then north on Ellison Bluff Park Road 0.7 mile and 

then head west about 0.2 mile to an observation deck and parking lot. Hiking trails provide access to the 

natural area. 

Bayshore Blufflands State Natural Area 

Description: Located along more than three miles of the Niagara Escarpment, Bayshore Blufflands is an 

ecologically complex site of 124-acres, with a diversity of plant communities both above and below the 

escarpment and a series of seeps and springs at the base of the bluff’s talus slopes. Rising 150-200 feet 

above the low terrace of Green Bay, the steep carbonate cliffs and outcrops support numerous rare land 

snails including the cherrystone drop snail (Hendersonia occulta), a state-threatened species. Aspen, 

sugar maple, red oak, hemlock, and white cedar grow out of the talus affording complete shade to the 

escarpment maintaining the cool and damp conditions, which support a lush growth of mosses. The 

unique site conditions also support such uncommon species as climbing fumitory, mountain maple, bulbet 

fern, common polypody, and fragile fern. Above the escarpment is a dry-mesic forest of red and white 

pine with red oak. The ground layer is dense dominated by round-leaved dogwood with northern bush 

honeysuckle, zig-zag goldenrod, big-leaved aster, and bracken fern. The site slowly grades into a richer, 

more mesic forest containing sugar maple, beech, and red oak with hemlock, and white pine. Also 

present is a wet-mesic forest of white cedar, big-tooth aspen, and black ash. Several white cedars reach 

impressive sizes here. Below the escarpment are seasonally flooded forests dominated by silver maple, 

and green ash with swamp white oak, American bladdernut, and great water-leaf. The site contains many 

rare plants including the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris). Other species are variegated 

horsetail (Equisetum variegatum), Hooker’s orchid (Platanthera hookeri), long-spurred violet (Viola 

rostrata), and large-flowered ground-cherry (Leucophysalis grandiflora). Rare animals include Redshouldered 

Hawk (Buteo linneatus), Midwest Pleistocene vertigo (Vertigo hubrichti), and Iowa 

Pleistocene vertigo (V. iowaensis). Bayshore Blufflands is owned by The Door County Land Trust and 

The Nature Conservancy and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. 

Access: From the intersection of Highways G and 42 in Egg Harbor, go south on 42 7.5 miles, then west 

on W. Carlsville Road 1.4 miles, then south on Reynolds Road 0.25 mile to a small parking area and Door 

County Land Trust kiosk. 


194 

North Bay State Natural Area 

Description: The North Bay Natural Area is one of the last remaining undeveloped stretches of Lake 

Michigan shore on the Door Peninsula. The site consist of 225-acres, with nearly one mile of 

uninterrupted lakeshore, this site offers a range of plant communities that change through time in response 

to the periodic rise and fall of lake water levels. The site contains many high quality remnant communities 

including northern sedge meadow, calcareous fen, northern wet, wet-mesic and mesic forest, boreal 

forests of white spruce and balsam fir, and springs and spring runs. Also present are coastal marshes and 

a complex of Lake Michigan dunes with associated ridge and swale topography. From the open waters of 

the lake, to the coastal marshes and fen, to the lowland forest and surrounding uplands, this area provides 

critical habitat for many endangered and threatened species including numerous orchids, the federallythreatened 

dwarf lake iris, and the third largest known breeding population of the federally endangered 

Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana). North Bay is also an important spawning area for a 

majority of Lake Michigan’s whitefish population. Of the estimated 1.2-1.5 million whitefish, 

approximately 1.1 million spawn in the waters between North Bay and Moonlight Bay in Door county. 

Outlet streams also provide important habitat for numerous game fish species including northern pike, 

yellow perch, smallmouth bass, trout, and chinook salmon. Six species of rare birds use this area for 

nesting and foraging including the federally threatened bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and state 

threatened osprey (Pandion haliaetus). This site also provides critical habitat for a wide diversity of 

migratory and nesting waterfowl including Bufflehead, Redhead, Hooded Mergansers, and Northern 

Pintail and the area is one of the few known nesting sites in Wisconsin of Common Goldeneye. A wide 

variety of shorebirds are also known to use the area. North Bay is owned by The Nature Conservancy and 

was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. 

Access: From the junction of Highways 42 and ZZ (Maple Drive) in Sister Bay, go east on ZZ 0.6 mile, 

then south on Wood Crest Road nearly 2 miles, then east and southeast on County Q 1.4 miles, then north 

on Winding Lane 0.25 mile to a small parking area east of the road. 

Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area 

Description: Big and Little Marsh features a complex of boreal rich fen, northern wet-mesic forest, and a 

large emergent aquatic marsh on bare marl. Located on Washington Island, off the tip of the Door 

County peninsula, the 43-acre site harbors numerous rare species. The extensive lowland conifer swamp 

is dominated by white cedar with lesser amounts of balsam fir and tamarack; the groundlayer supports 

three-leaved gold-thread, Canada mayflower, starry false Solomon’s-seal, and three-seeded sedge. Rare 

species of the wet-mesic forest include northern bog sedge (Carex gynocrates) and northern black currant 

(Ribes hudsonianum). Soft-stem bulrush dominates the unusual aquatic marsh, which contains large 

expanses of seasonally dry marl and a pavement of dolomite gravel and cobbles. Frequent in the shallow 

pools is common bog-arrow grass (Triglochin maritima). Also present are false mermaid weed, northern 

bladderwort, pondweeds, and water smartweed. An upland hardwood forest of white cedar and hemlock 

surrounds the wetlands. Nearly 200’ of Lake Michigan shore are protected within the natural area. The 

sandy, cobble beach harbors patches of the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris) and is 

important foraging habitat for the federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora 

hineana). Many birds funnel through this area during spring and fall migrations and a diversity of 

neotropical migrants breed here in summer. Big and Little Marsh is owned by the DNR and was 



Appendix E 

Statistics on Wisconsin's Biological Diversity 

Vegetation - Statewide: 

All Forest ⎯ Current total forested acres in WI is 58% of acreage in forest prior to European 

settlement (1995: 15.8 million acres; 1830s: ~ 27.1 million acres). 

Old-growth Forest ⎯ Current old-growth forest in WI is less than 4% of acreage in old growth forest 

prior to European settlement (1995:

196

Appendix F 

Information Resources 

The following private organizations and government agencies are especially good resources for 

assistance with natural area information and protection. Other sources of information related to various 

aspects of natural areas protection are too numerous to list here, but include other programs in 

government agencies, museums, public libraries, and universities. 

FOR NATURAL FEATURES INFORMATION: 

Natural Heritage Inventory Program (NHIP) 

Bureau of Endangered Resources 

WI Dept. of Natural Resources 

101 South Webster Street, P.O. Box 7921 

Madison, WI 53707-7921 

Tel.: (608) 266-2747 or 267-9788 

Web Site: www.dnr.state.wi.us 

The Natural Heritage Inventory Program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources can provide 

information to local governments on known locations of rare and/or significant natural features in the 

state. Information may be useful for local governments involved in land conservation programs, 

environmental reviews, planning, management, research, and education. 

Cofrin Center for Biodiversity 

University of Wisconsin at Green Bay 

Department of Natural & Applied Sciences 

Green Bay, WI 54311 

Tel: (920) 465-2272 

Web Site: www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity 

The Cofrin Center for Biodiversity, located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay, 

brings together a variety of information resources about the plants, animals, and ecology of the Northern 

Lake States. The Center’s aim is to promote biodiversity protections at the local level through education 

and scientific research. 

University of Wisconsin-Extension – Lakeshore Basin Natural Resources Educator 

Brown, Calumet, Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc Counties 

925 Marquette Drive 

Kewaunee, WI 54216 

(920) 388-4313 

Web site: http://clean-water.uwex.edu/lakeshore 

The Natural Resources Educator’s office delivers educational programming related to natural resources, 

including land protection and preservation alternatives for municipalities, organizations, and individuals. 

Additional services offered through the Basin Educator includes information on land protection resources 

such as printed materials and contact with other natural resource oriented agencies and organizations. 

Appendix F – Resources for Natural Areas Information and Protection 197

The Ridges Sanctuary 

P.O. Box 152 

8288 County Hwy Q 

Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 

Tel: (920) 839-2802 

Web site: www. ridgesanctuary.org 

The Ridges Sanctuary is a protected wildlife area accessible to the public and operated by a non-profit 

organization committed to preserving and protecting ecologically significant natural areas and providing 

environmental education opportunity. The Sanctuary’s unique landscapes provide for a wide range for 

ecological research and field study. 

FOR LAND PROTECTION TOOLS AND ASSISTANCE: 

US Fish & Wildlife Service 

2661 Scott Tower Drive 

New Franken, WI 54229 

Tel.: (920) 866-1717 

Web Site: http://midwest.fws.gov/GreenBay/ 

The Fish and Wildlife Service manages several programs primarily for restoration of wetlands, 

grasslands, and threatened and endangered species habitat. Technical assistance and financial help are 

available and requirements vary among programs. 

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) 

925 Marquette Drive 

Kewaunee, WI 54216 

Tel: (920) 388-0740 

Web Site: www.nrcs.usda.gov 

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial help to landowners 

for conservation practices, develop and improve fish and wildlife habitat, restore wetlands previously 

altered for agricultural use, and improve water quality. Public access is not required and eligibility varies 

depending on the program. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a 

partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. 

Door County Land Trust (DCLT) 

P O Box 345 

Ephraim, WI 54211 

Tel.: (920) 839-9990 

The Door County Land Trust is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the protection and 

enhancement of open space, including farmland, wetlands, woodlands, bluff lands, wildlife habitat, and 

scenic areas in Door County. DCLT specializes in working with private citizens and public agencies 

(including local governments) that wish to establish perpetual conservation easements on qualifying land. 

198 

Appendix F – Resources for Natural Areas Information and Protection

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wisconsin Chapter – Door County Project 

306 South Third Avenue 

Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 

Tel.: (920) 743-8695 

Web Site: www.tnc.org 

The Nature Conservancy is an international nonprofit organization, with land protection priorities guided 

by science and ecological research. The Door County Project of TNC protects land through acquisitions, 

gifts of land, management agreements, conservation easements, cooperation with state and local units of 

government, and enrollment of private landowners in a volunteer registry program. 

American Farmland Trust 

1200 18 th Street, NW, Suite 800 

Washington, DC 20036 

Tel: (202) 331-7300 

Web Site: www.farmland.org 

American Farmland Trust is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1980 to protect our nation’s 

farmland. AFT works to stop the loss of productive farmland and to promote farming practices that lead 

to a healthy environment. 


DNR Forestry 

110 S. Neenah Ave. 

Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 

Tel: (920) 746-2860 


Provides technical forest stewardship assistance to woodland owners in Door County including public 

awareness, management planning, reforestation, timber stand improvement, timber harvesting, forest 

pests & various incentive programs to promote sustainable forestry. 


Wildlife Biologist 

Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc Counties 

2220 E County Highway V 

Mishicot, WI 54228 

Tel: (920) 755-4983 

The Wildlife Biologist’s Office is responsible for managing Door County’s Mud Lake and Gardner 

Swamp State Wildlife Areas. The DNR staff surveys and makes management recommendations for 

wildlife populations (primarily deer and turkey), and provides the public with information to promote the 

sound stewardship of our wildlife resources. 

Appendix F – Resources for Natural Areas Information and Protection 199


Bureau of Community Financial Assistance (CFA) 


Madison, WI 53707-7921 

Tel: (608) 266-7555 


CFA administers numerous grants and loan programs. Financial program staff works closely with local 

governments and interested groups to develop and support projects that protect public health and 

environment, and provide recreational opportunities. 

Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department 

421 Nebraska Street 

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 54235 

Tel: (920) 743-2214 

The Soil and Water Conservation Department works with landowners to reduce soil erosion, increase 

wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and increase forestland through a variety of programs. The 

Conservation Reserve, Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement and Environmental Quality Incentives 

Programs are among those that the department makes use of when providing assistance to county 

residents. 

FOR STATE ACQUISITION AND/OR DEDICATION OF NATURAL AREAS: 

State Natural Areas (SNA) Program 



Madison, WI 53707-7921 

Tel.: (608) 266-3369 

The State Natural Areas Program selectively acquires and manages land throughout the state that hosts 

exceptional natural features such as undisturbed natural communities, rare or endangered species habitat, 

geologic formations, and seasonal habitat for concentrations of birds and other wildlife. Local 

governments may wish to contact the SNA Program to inquire about the potential for SNA designation of 

natural areas on existing public lands, or the protection of natural areas on private lands through 

acquisition from willing sellers. 

FOR ASSISTANCE WITH FINANCING AND LAND TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING 

CONSERVATION REAL ESTATE: 

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) 

420 North 5th St., Suite 865 

Minneapolis, MN 55401 

Tel.: (612) 338-8494 

Web Site: www.tpl.org 

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit conservation organization with its Midwest Regional 

Office in the Twin Cities. TPL specializes in the purchase of properties from willing sellers, with 

subsequent resale of the land to public agencies or nonprofit organizations for public open space use. TPL 

can assist local governments with identification of potential funding sources and financing for land 

acquisitions, can serve as interim title holder while a public agency procures the funds necessary for a 

purchase. And can help local governments and community groups to implement campaigns to mobilize 

support for natural areas and open space projects and their funding. 

200 

Appendix F – Resources for Natural Areas Information and Protection

201

202 

Reader’s Notes

This publication was produced through the collective efforts 

of federal, state and local government agencies, local 

conservation organizations and citizen advocates.

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