Bogus Swamp

State Natural Area (No. 287)

Location: Langlade County. T33N-R10E, Section 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 26. 870 acres.

Access: From the intersection of U.S. Highway 45 and Forest Road in Summit Lake, go southwest on Forest Road 4 miles to the western boundary of the natural area. Park along the road and walk east into the wetland.

Description: The aptly named Bogus Swamp is actually an extensive variety of northern wetland types, but none are remotely swamp. Featured is a large muskeg of stunted, scattered black spruce and tamarack over a groundcover of sphagnum, sedges, and ericads. Community composition changes as one moves from north to south; along the northern boundary flows an intermittent mineral-rich stream with associated emergent aquatics dominated by cat-tails, bog birch, and leather-leaf that grades into a lake sedge and leather-leaf dominated community. South of this zone is an unusual patterned bog, one of only two well-developed examples of this type in Wisconsin. Mineral-rich water flowing into the wetland from the stream permits the development of linear, open-water tracts called flarks that alternate with narrow zones of vegetation, or strings, on a mat of sphagnum. Topographically higher areas of the strings are dominated by tamarack, bog laurel, and bog birch. Rare plants found here include four sedges: livid (Carex livida), hair-like (C. capillaris), northern bog (C. gynocrates), and sparse-flowered sedge (C. tenuiflora). Noteworthy among the breeding birds are palm warbler and Lincoln's sparrow, here at the southern limits of their breeding range. Also using the wetland are northern harrier (Circus cyaneus) and American bittern (Botarus lentiginosus). Bogus Swamp is owned by Langlade County and was designated a State Natural Area in 1995.