Brule River State Forest

The boundary of the Brule River State Forest (BRSF) was designed to encompass the mainstem of the Brule River. For this reason the property is about 26 miles long and 2 miles wide and includes an 8-mile long strand of public ownership along the Lake Superior shore.

In addition, there are several areas along the lower river and the upper lakes and springs with significant private ownership within the forest boundary. The Department policy is to purchase land from willing sellers within the established project boundaries. The availability of land acquisition funds and the willingness of landowners to sell determine how much land is purchased any given year. In the case of the Brule River State Forest, one of the DNR’s older properties, the Department has been acquiring land for almost 90 years, and this is likely to continue for many more years.

It is important to note that the Department will continue to pursue cooperative management of land with private landowners within the Brule River State Forest project boundary.

In addition to the existing project boundary, there are two areas of special interest near the Brule River State Forest. These areas impact on and interact with the state forest and make significant contributions to the regional open space, link regional biological corridors, have important ecological restoration potential, help provide watershed and lakeshore protection, and provide recreational opportunities. A red dashed line on the attached map outlines these two areas. Listed below are some of the reasons for evaluating these areas and some of the potential benefits:

• Approximately 43% of the parcels are in relatively large blocks of undeveloped industrial forest ownership, mostly contiguous with the current state forest boundary.
• The coordinated management of the private land in conjunction with state lands could allow for a more effective functional restoration of boreal forest, a rare ecological community in Wisconsin.
• Potential exists for a large-scale demonstration of silvicultural practices for boreal forest management. The Lake Superior Clay Plain land use is shifting away from small farms towards old field and ultimately to forest.
• Potential for more wild or remote recreational settings along the Lake Superior shore.

• Protect the land from development.

• Protection of additional Lake Superior tributaries.

• Approximately 95% of the parcels are in large blocks of undeveloped industrial forest ownership, contiguous with the current state forest boundary.
• This area contains important open-space and recreational links to other public lands in the region.

• Allow for a more extensive restoration of dry northern pine barrens, a rare ecological community in Wisconsin. More extensive use of controlled burning with permanent firebreaks would manage fire dependent plant communities.

• Large-scale restoration of barrens would help secure populations of grassland/barren wildlife in the region, including sharptail grouse.

• The area could provide for a wider range of public recreation. i.e. potential for new trails and campgrounds related to horse and motorized use.

• Long-term protection for approximately 20 wild (small 5 to 40 + acre undeveloped) lakes and provide more wild or remote recreational settings.
• Long-term protection of watershed and a major recharge area for the Brule River springs.

• Help protect the land from development.

We ask that you consider and comment on these "land areas of special interest" as part of the review of the concepts. Consider how these lands might make an important contribution to the Brule River State Forest under each concept. Should all, part or none of the land be added to the State Forest and what form of land protection might be appropriate? There could be a few different options such as; just to do nothing realizing that changes in land will occur over time, voluntary cooperative management agreements with private landowners, easement purchase of some rights (i.e. development or management rights), or consider public purchase.

Map-Land Ownership in Brule River State Forest