Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Spring Brook Drumlins (No. 458)

Overview

Location

Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Ashland and Sawyer Counties. T40N-R3W, Sec. 1-4, 10, 11, 12; T41N-R3W, Sec. 25, 26, 27, 33-36. 3,162 acres.

Access

The site is located 12 miles west of Park Falls, WI. Access to the site is via Forest Roads 161 and 163. From Park Falls, go west on County E 11 miles, then north on FR 161 5 miles. The site lies north of the road.

Description

Description

Spring Brook Drumlins represents the largest tract of closed canopy mesic hardwood forest on the National Forest outside of the Penokee Range. Located on drumlinized ground moraine with a silt loam surface, the forest is predominantly rich upland sugar maple-basswood forest with scattered pockets of hemlock and lowland black spruce-tamarack. Other mesic forest canopy trees include white ash, black ash, and occasionally yellow birch and red oak. Ironwood and sugar maple poles and saplings make up the majority of the midstory. The shrub layer is poorly developed and consists primarily of gooseberry and leatherwood. The forest supports a diverse forb population including several spring ephemerals uncommon on the Forest. Characteristic species on drumlin ridges include spring beauty, dwarf ginseng, downy yellow violet, rattlesnake fern, wood anemone, large-flowered trillium, and toothwort. Richer, moister inclusions along drainage swales, side slopes, and shallow depressions support such species as Dutchman’s-breeches, bloodroot, wild leek, blue cohosh, wild ginger, maidenhair fern, and lady fern. The best areas have a mature stand structure with large diameter trees with broad canopies and an open park-like understory. Den trees are common although snags and coarse woody debris is mostly absent, except for dead elm. Hemlock-dominated wet-mesic forest occupies perched wetland areas while the black spruce-tamarack bogs and cedar swamps are found in inter-drumlin areas. On level and somewhat poorly drained drumlinized ground moraine is rich, northern hardwood swamp forest dominated by 16-18 inch black ash with red maple and yellow birch. American elm snags and downed logs killed from Dutch elm disease are common throughout. The herb layer is diverse with spring ephemerals in wet-mesic areas and cinnamon fern, jewelweed, marsh marigold, horsetail and sedges in seasonally inundated areas. Another key feature is Spring Brook meadows, a high quality sedge meadow dominated by blue-joint grass and sedges along the border of Spring Brook. Included is a small stand of relatively old-growth northern white cedar. Rare and uncommon species found within the site include butternut (Juglans cinerea), northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), and moose. Perhaps the attribute that best typifies this site is its expansive size. Few places on the Forest afford one the opportunity to walk for several miles through unbroken canopy cover in an older, maturing hardwood forest. Spring Brook Drumlins is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.

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.

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)