Brule River State Forest Master Plan Progress Report 8

The draft management concepts presented here are an important step in the process of developing a management plan for the Brule River State Forest. The Department’s master planning rule (NR44) identifies that these draft concepts and the eventual management plan for a property must meet the statutory purpose of the property’s designation. In this case, the property is a state forest as defined in Wisconsin Statutes 28.04.

State forests such as the Brule River State Forest are an important part of the Department’s broader mission to provide leadership in "all matters pertaining to forestry within the jurisdiction of the state … and advance the cause of forestry within the state" (ss 28.04). In order to meet this mission, "the department shall assure the practice of sustainable forestry and use it to assure that state forests can provide a full range of benefits for present and future generations" (ss 28.04). Sustainable Forestry on Wisconsin’s State Forests provides for "soil protection, public hunting, protection of water quality, production of recurring forest products, outdoor recreation, native biological diversity, aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, and aesthetics." These management concepts should all meet this statutory purpose and will be evaluated to determine how well they could potentially satisfy the unique role of a state forest.

As part of the master planning process Department staff have prepared 4 draft Resource Management Concepts and 4 draft Recreational Management Concepts that represent a range of possible management options for the Brule River State Forest. These draft concepts are based on ideas and comments we received from the public to date, on information in the Northern Forest Assessments and on the Department’s 90 years of experience in managing the property.

Each concept is framed by a concept statement that defines a general theme, then a number of brief bullets are listed showing key actions that further define the theme, lastly the results are briefly analyzed.

In the resource management sections management actions are organized along ecological landscapes i.e. Lake Superior Clay Plain, Mille Lacs Uplands, Bayfield Sand Plain and Brule Bog and Spillway. Because of the map scale, cost and mailing limitations the maps can only give you a generalized location as to where the proposed resource management actions would take place on the forest. By placing the 4 maps side by side and comparing them you can begin to see the differences between each concept.

A lake modified glacial topography of clay till occurs primarily north of County Highway FF. This area is called the clay plain and formerly supported a Wisconsin variation of a boreal forest. In the mid-1800’s a conifer-dominated forest occurred on the clay plain. Large white pine towered above a secondary canopy of white spruce and white birch. Balsam fir, aspen, upland white cedar and tamaracks were common associates. European settlers dramatically changed the composition and structure of this forest by logging, conversion to agriculture, and severe wildfire.

Today the clay plain forest is dominated by relatively young aspen stands. White spruce and balsam fir occur as an understory in some areas. Mature white spruce and balsam fir occur in several of the ravines on the lower Brule River and its tributaries. The three dominant presettlement trees: white pine, white spruce, and white birch are largely absent from the current clay plain forest.

Sugar Camp Hill is part of the Mille Lacs Upland. White pine and yellow birch with a mix of aspen, white birch, sugar maple, white spruce, and balsam fir dominated the presettlement forest. Today the area has a second growth forest of sugar maple, basswood, and red oak.

The sand plain is an extensive area of droughty soils that was formerly a jack pine barrens with some smaller areas of mature red pine forest. The jack pine barrens were maintained by frequent wildfire set by Native Americans and lightning. Today, forest plantations of red pine and jack pine dominate the sand plain. In some areas scrub oak has become established in fairly large stands.

Without question the most important element of the Brule River State Forest is the Brule River. Associated with the spillway of the upper Brule River are extensive forested wetlands of white cedar, spruce, and balsam fir. Terraces in the spillway once supported red and white pine forests. Numerous springs and forested seeps occur within the spillway. Old growth forests of white cedar, white pine, and red pine occur on private lands within the boundary of the state forest.

When you review the resource management concepts you will note that each concept has a different theme i.e.

1. Scenic Emphasis
2. Ecological Restoration Emphasis
3. Multiple Objective Emphasis
4. Timber Production Emphasis

When you review the recreational management concepts you will note that each concept has a different theme i.e.

1. Restricted Use and Opportunity; Solitude Emphasis
2. Restricted Opportunity; Existing Use Emphasis
3. Expand Opportunities for Existing Uses
4. Expand Opportunities and Promote Increased Use

There are elements such as laws, policies and facilities that would automatically be included in every concept and are considered mandatory elements of all concepts.

MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS CONTAINED IN ALL CONCEPTS:

• In compliance with stipulations arising from the Chippewa Treaty rights litigation and the Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 44, the DNR consults with tribal governments during the development of master plans for state lands in the Ceded territory.
• In September of 1999, WDNR staff and tribal representatives agreed to the following Property Goal for the Brule River State Forest. This goal will pertain to and be constant across all Concepts. "In consultation with tribal governments, manage the land and other natural resources to provide for the exercise of Chippewa Treaty rights in accordance with applicable law."

• Within designated use areas such as campgrounds, picnic areas, parking lots, and high use trail systems, there is a state policy to identify and remove trees that are deemed as hazards to those using these areas. These designated use areas will be maintained to provide a safe environment for those using these areas.

• All new construction of facilities will follow guidelines set forth within the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA).

• Administrative DNR buildings and the Brule Fish Rearing Station are located within the boundaries of the state forest and will be maintained and upgraded as necessary.

• As stated in Wisconsin Statutes 26.30, "It is the public policy of the state to control forest pests on or threatening forests of the state…", This means that all proposed management concepts for the Brule River State Forest must include the ability to implement appropriate forest pest control measures as needed.

• As stated in Wisconsin Statutes 26.11, "The Department is vested with power, authority and jurisdiction in all matters relating to the prevention, detection and suppression of forest fires outside the limits of incorporated villages and cities in the state except as provided in sub (2), and to do all things necessary in the exercise of such power, authority and jurisdiction". This means that all proposed management concepts for the Brule River State Forest must include the ability to implement appropriate forest fire suppression measures as needed.

• All management actions occurring on the state forest will be done in a manner which does not result in a direct taking of any known threatened / endangered resource.

• The ability to implement any management element of a proposed concept is influenced by forces beyond the control of the master plan. Obvious factors such as rainfall and severity of winters can have significant impacts on the ability to implement master plan elements, particularly those related to ecological restoration. However, other forces such as high deer and hare populations are also a concern. These animals have significant impacts on forest regeneration, particularly for species such as white cedar. Populations of these species are determined by the surrounding land uses and the severity of winter rather than by the particular practices within the Brule River State Forest. Therefore, these external forces must be considered when evaluating the ability to implement any management proposal.

• The Tri-County Corridor recreational trail connects the City of Superior to the City of Ashland. The state forest does not manage this trail system; therefore the management of this trail is outside the scope of this master plan.

• There are many easement and land use agreements with various public utility companies for facilities such as powerlines and gas pipelines running through forest property. All existing agreements will be honored.

• A minimum-security correction facility is located on the Gordon Unit of the state forest. The Department of Corrections operates this facility on the state forest property through a long-term lease agreement with the DNR.

• Easements of record and land use agreements exist which provide access across state property to private ownership within the forest boundary.

• Management activities on the state forest will take into consideration historical sites and will not knowingly impact any features of historical or cultural importance.

• The North Country Trail is a trail system that is administered through the National Park Service and runs from Maine to North Dakota. A segment of this trail crosses the state forest.

• All management activities within the state forest will follow best management practices (BMPs) for water quality. Aesthetic management guidelines will be followed as outlined in the DNR silviculture and forest aesthetics handbook.

• Management of the BRSF portion of the Bayfield Sand Plain will be done in cooperation with the Northwest Sand Barrens management group, a group that consists of a broad range of land managers and scientists from local, state and federal governments, as well as university staff. This project is sponsored in part through the Northwest regional planning commission.

At this time we are not asking you to pick one concept over another but rather to examine all the concepts to be sure we have adequately addressed a range of management options for the Brule. The Department is required to disclose the range of options as part of the master planning and environmental impact processes. In our upcoming public meeting and our mailing we will be asking you the question "have we considered a reasonable range of alternatives for the Brule River State Forest"?

Later in the master planning process these concepts will be useful as our starting point for determining a preferred resource management and recreational management alternative, and a final project boundary for the forest. Elements from one or more concepts can be combined, provided they are compatible to form a preferred alternative. You will have the opportunity to participate in the selection process.