Plum Creek Woods

State Natural Area (No. 273)

Location: Pierce County. T25N-R15W, Section 11 N½SW¼. 80 acres.

Access: From the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and County Highway S in Plum City, go east on 10 2.3 miles, then north on ZZ 0.5 mile, then west on 310th Avenue 0.95 mile, then north on 70th Street and continue north on an access lane about 0.75 mile to the southeast corner of the site.

Description: Plum Creek Woods features a steep-sided ravine with sandstone outcrops and a rich remnant of southern mesic forest on the north facing slopes. Sugar maple, American elm, basswood, red oak, red elm, and ironwood dominate the canopy, and butternut (Juglans cinerea), a tree species of special concern is also present. Shrubs include American bladdernut, eastern leatherwood, hazelnut, and alternate-leaved dogwood. The herb layer is quite diverse and contains a significant population of the state-threatened snow trillium (Trillium nivale). Other herbaceous species include blue cohosh, large-flowered trillium, wild ginger, bishop's-cap, water-leaf, sharp-lobed hepatica, common scouring rush, and wood nettle. A scenic sculptured cove is present in the sandstone-sided drainage. Bulbet bladder fern, brittle bladder fern, and slender cliff brake grow among the outcrops here. Dutch elm disease has killed a few elms and canopy openings are rapidly filling with sugar maple seedlings. The surrounding uplands have suffered more past disturbance although some fairly good quality oak woods with a dense understory of ironwood and black cherry is also present. Birds include ovenbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, northern parula, cape may, blackpoll, American redstart, Nashville, and bay-breasted warblers. Plum Creek Woods is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1993.