Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Red Banks Alvar (No. 332)

Overview

Location

Brown County. T25N-R22E, Sections 6, 29, 32. 146 acres.

Access

From the intersection of State Highways 54 (East) and 57 in Green Bay, go north on 57 4.8 miles to a small pull-off and parking area. Walk northeast into the site staying north of the fence. To reach the escarpment, from Benderville, go east on County A 0.5 miles, then go southwest (right) on an access road to the turnaround. Park and walk southwest on the old lane 0.4 miles. To reach the land trust parcel, from the intersection of Highway 57 and County Line Road in Dyckesville, go south on County Line Road 2.2 miles, then west on Marys Road 1.6 miles. Walk south into the site.

Description

Description

Red Banks Alvar supports Wisconsin's best example of an alvar community - a rare community type that occurs on flat limestone or dolomitic bedrock with very shallow soils. An unusual blend of boreal, southern and prairie species, relicts of the post-glacial environment and the warmer, dryer period that followed, characterize alvar ecosystems. Red Banks Alvar contains one of the most diverse land snail communities known in the Midwest and is one of the most important areas in Wisconsin for snails. Colonies of 25 different groups of these glacial relicts can be found from the base to the top of the escarpment. Of interest are the number of rare and glacial relict snail taxa that are present including the cherrystone drop (Hendersonia occulta) and the Midwest Pleistocene vertigo snail (Vertigo hubrichti). In many aspects, the thin-soiled, sparsely vegetated landscape resembles a dry oak savanna dominated by open grown bur oak and white oak. However, the trees are not especially large owing to the harsh growing conditions. But looks can be deceiving, as some of the oaks are very old. In many areas the shrub and sapling layer is dense with red cedar, common juniper, and snowberry. Rare plants include cream gentian (Gentiana alba), Crawe’s sedge (Carex crawei), and Richardson’s sedge (C. Richardsonii). Butterfly collections in the early 1980s documented at least 20 species within the oak savanna community. On the talus slope below the dolomite escarpment is an old-growth mesic forest dominated by sugar maple, slippery elm and basswood, with an understory characterized by a rich flora of spring ephemerals. Several plant species are at their northeastern range limit in Wisconsin at this site including American bladdernut, glade fern, and eastern wahoo. Red Banks Alvar is owned by the DNR and the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust. It was designated a State Natural Area in 2001.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 770 KB]
• Detailed Map 2 [PDF, 770_2 KB]

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)