Mead Conifer Bogs

State Natural Area (No. 373)

Location: Within George Mead Wildlife Area. Wood, Portage, and Marathon Counties. East Unit: T25N-R6E, Sections 5, 6, 7. T26N-R6E, Sections 31, 32. West Unit: T25N-R5E, Sections 2, 3, 10. 932 acres.

Access: From the junction of Highway 10 and S in Milladore, go north on S 6.2 miles to the Wildlife Management Area Headquarters. Get a map and directions to the sites. Three parking areas provide access. To access the western portion: From the headquarters, go south on S 0.8 mile to a parking area on the west side of the road. For the eastern portion: Go south on S 0.75, then east on County Line Road about 0.8 mile to a parking area at the end. Alternatively, go south 2.75 miles, then east on H 2 miles, then north on Plum Lane to a parking area at the end of the road.

Description: Mead Conifer Bogs are extensive areas containing northern wet forest dominated by black spruce and tamarack. Both species are reproducing well. The center of the tract is dominated by black spruce, which is gradually replaced by larger tamaracks at the perimeter. The groundcover is a firm carpet of sphagnum moss dominated by leather-leaf and cotton-grass. Poison sumac is abundant. Other species include bog birch, bog-rosemary, Labrador-tea, blueberry, bogbean, yellow blue-bead-lily, bogbean, pitcher plant, bunchberry, Canada mayflower, and royal, cinnamon, and interrupted fern. Alder-dogwood shrub-carr dominates on the eastern edge near the uplands. Animal life includes bog lemming, Sandhill crane, American redstart, common yellowthroat, and Nashville warbler. Also present is the northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), a species that requires large expanses of open habitat. Mead Conifer Bogs is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002.