The Black River State Forest / Meadow Valley Landscape Biotic Inventory

This report presents the results of a multi-year project to inventory and analyze selected biotic resources of the Black River State Forest, the State Wildlife Areas located near the forest (including the Meadow Valley, Wood County, and Sandhill Wildlife Areas), and the surrounding landscape. This project was undertaken by the Natural Heritage Inventory section of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Bureau of Endangered Resources, in cooperation with the Division of Forestry, to provide baseline information on the rare species, natural communities, and ecology of the study area relevant to the development of a new property Master Plan for the Black River State Forest and the conservation of biological diversity. The state wildlife areas were included in the project to provide information for future master planning efforts and to provide a landscape perspective.

This inventory and analysis is one of a number of assessments identified as critical for developing a new state forest master plan. The information provided in this report consolidates background information useful for property master planning and is intended to be used in conjunction with other master planning assessments along with other sources of information to develop overall recommendations for the forest. It is our hope that this information will also be useful to a wider audience that includes managers, administrators, conservation groups, private landowners, and others who have an interest in conserving the biological diversity of this landscape.

The primary objectives of this project were:

• The identification and evaluation of natural biotic communities,
• The identification and evaluation of rare or otherwise significant plant and animal populations,
• The identification and evaluation of selected aquatic features and their associated biotic communities,
• The identification of sites appropriate for the restoration of lost or declining communities or important habitats,
• The identification of especially important protection, management, and restoration opportunities, focusing on both unique and representative natural features of these properties, as well as the surrounding landscape,
• The interpretation and transfer of the information gathered for use by the property master planning team, as well as managers, administrators, and others involved in the implementation of land use decisions on the Black River State Forest and Meadow Valley Landscape properties, as well as the surrounding landscape.

Download the Report

Main Body

• Main Report Body [PDF 15847KB]

Appendices

• Appendix A. NHI overview [PDF 146KB]
• Appendix B. BRSF Sites [PDF 407KB]
• Appendix C. Meadow Valley Wildlife Area Sites [PDF 219KB]
• Appendix D. Wood County Wildlife Area Sites [PDF 163KB]
• Appendix E. Sandhill Wildlife Area Sites [PDF 174KB]
• Appendix F. Aquatic Sites [PDF 173KB]
• Appendix G. External sites [PDF 271KB]
• Appendix H. Rare Plants [PDF 233KB]
• Appendix I. Natural Communities [PDF 154KB]
• Appendix J. Rare Animals [PDF 296KB]
• Appendix K. Working List Explanation [PDF 103KB]
• Appendix L. Ecoregions [PDF 114KB]

Figures

• Primary Sites Map [PDF 5723KB]
• Aquatic Sites Map [PDF 410KB]

To request a hardcopy of one of the state forest Biotic Inventory Reports please contact Drew Feldkirchner