Structure of the NHFEU

Landtype Associations

Landtype Associations (LTA's) are nested within Subsections. They are identified by surficial geology, patterns of vegetation, soil parent materials, and water tables. LTA's are mapped at a landscape scale (1:60,000 to 1:250,000). Most LTA's in the Lake States are between 10,000 and 300,000 acres in size. In Wisconsin, they are usually based on glacial features like individual moraines or outwash plains. LTA's that are formed in outwash sand are often infertile and droughty, and support vegetation adapted to these harsh conditions. LTA's on moraines have nutrient-rich, moist conditions, and vegetation adapted to a rich environment.

• Wisconsin LTA level map in .JPEG format
• Wisconisn LTA level map in .PDF format (18,000K)

LTA's can often be identified from the ground by trained individuals, because they are based on glacial features that form topographic features like hills, valleys, and plains. Some distinctive LTA's have local names (e.g. Harrison Hills), indicating that residents of the area recognize them as outstanding features in the landscape. The sense of place that people can associate with these features, along with the utility they have in predicting land capability, make them useful tools for planning at local and regional levels.

Many National Forests in the Lake States have used LTA boundaries as the basis for Management Areas. Goals for these Management Areas are developed using information on ecological characteristics and capability, so that vegetation objectives, wildlife management, and recreation uses will be suited to the area. Regional Planning Commissions and Counties have used LTA and Subsection information in similar ways for community planning projects.

Data tables for each LTA in Wisconsin can be found at http://dnr.wi.gov/landscapes/. Click on the interactive map for the area of interest, and then click 'Maps'. In the table that lists maps, see 'Landtype Associations' and click on 'available' in the 'Screen Version' column. Scroll down the page to the 'Map Legend' table. Clicking on the code for the LTA (e.g. 212Xb01) will bring up a pdf file of the tabular description.