Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Moquah Barrens (No. 83)

Overview

Location

Within Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Bayfield County. T48N-R7W, Section 23. 640 acres.

Access

From the intersection of Highway 2 and County E in the Village of Ino, go north on Ino Road (FR 236) 7 miles to the southern boundary of the site. Park on the road.

Description

Description

Moquah Barrens lies near the east end of an extensive outwash sand plain in northwestern Wisconsin and features Pine Barrens with jack and red pine with associated red oak, red maple, trembling aspen, large-toothed aspen, and white birch. Originally an extensive pine barrens, the Forest Service set aside this mile-square area in the early 1930's as a research site to study natural succession on sandy and sandy loam soils in the absence of fire. Historically, the droughty soils and frequent fires maintained the openness of the barrens. Today, however, after decades of fire protection, some rather dense forest stands have developed and some of the openings, which were common in the past, are now being filled with woody vegetation. The vegetation varies from large openings dominated by blueberry, bearberry, sweet fern and prairie rose to rather dense stands of jack pine and aspen. In some areas the litter layer has increased and is allowing more mesophytic species, such as sugar maple and black cherry, to invade. The shrub layer is dominated by serviceberry, dewberry, sweet fern blueberry, hazel, honeysuckle, and sand cherry. Ground layer herbs include abundant bracken fern, large-leaved aster, Canada mayflower, wintergreen, and pearly everlasting. Breeding bird surveys have shown a gradual change from open barrens species through successional forest species to the closed-forest bird community now present including Connecticut, black-and-white, black-throated green, and pine warblers. The USDA Forest Service manages this area and photographic points have been established to record vegetation changes over time. Moquah Barrens is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 1970.

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.

• Guidebook Map [PDF, 47 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 177 KB]
• Line Map [PDF, 27 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)

Data

Plant List