Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Brady's Bluff Prairie (No. 9)

Overview

Location

Within Perrot State Park, Trempealeau County. T18N-R9W, Section 20. 65 acres.

Access

From the intersection of State Highway 35 and Main Street in Trempealeau, go south on Main Street about two blocks, then west into Perrot State Park on South Park Road 2.6 miles to a parking lot west of the road. Access via the Brady's Bluff hiking trail.

Description

Description

Brady's Bluff Prairie is a dry bluff prairie on a steep, southwest facing Mississippi River bluff that rises nearly 460 feet above the river. The bluff, composed of sandstone capped with Prairie du Chien dolomite, affords a spectacular view of the river valley from its summit. The prairie contains over 100 species of native Wisconsin plants including big and little blue-stem, needle grass, hairy grama, silky aster, and rough blazing-star. Other species of note include hairy four-o-clock, prairie larkspur, and plains muhly, all species of the Great Plains that are at or near their northeastern limit here. Rare plants inhabiting the prairie include cliff goldenrod (Solidago sciaphila), jeweled shooting-star (Dodecatheon radicatum), and dragon sagewort (Artemesia dranunculus). Several rare animals are also harbored by the natural area including three butterflies - olive hairstreak (Callophyrs gryneus), striped hairstreak (Satyrium lipaops strigosum), and columbine dusky-wing (Erynnis lucilus) along with the state threatened wing snaggletooth land snail (Gastrocopta procera). Brady's Bluff Prairie is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1952.

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, 64 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 120 KB]

Objectives

Site Objectives

Manage the site as a dry prairie and oak opening reserve and as an ecological reference area. Natural processes and prescribed fire will determine the structure of the natural communities. Provide opportunities for research and education on the highest quality native prairies and oak openings.

Management Approach

The ecological characteristics of the site will be primarily shaped by an intensive fire management program. In the prairie, the native species are managed actively through tree/shrub control using tree harvest, brushing and especially fire to mimic natural disturbance patterns. Occasional fire-tolerant oaks, hickories, and native shrubs such as hazelnut may be retained at low densities. Augmentation of local origin native prairie species may occur after careful review. In the oak opening and associated uplands, the native dominant savanna tree species (primarily oaks) are managed passively. However, some thinning of the canopy, understory manipulation and shrub control via harvest, brushing or fire may be needed to mimic natural disturbance patterns. Augmentation of the ground layer will only add species that historically would have been found on the site, using seeds or plugs from local genetic material; this usually occurs in the early stages of restoration. The mostly passive canopy management and understory manipulation will determine the ecological characteristics of the savanna. Other allowable activities on the entire site include control of invasive plants and animals, maintenance of existing facilities, and access to suppress wildfires. In the oak opening, salvage of trees after a major wind event can occur if the volume of woody material inhibits fire prescriptions.

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)