Kidrick Swamp

State Natural Area (No. 464)

Location: Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Taylor County. T33N-R2W, Sections 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32.

Access: The site can be accessed from Jump River. From the intersection of Highways 73 and D just east of Jump River, go east on D 6.3 miles, then south on FR 113 2.3 miles. The swamp lies east of the road.

Description: Kidrick Swamp is a large, hydrologically intact peatland complex of black spruce and tamarack bog and black spruce muskeg situated within a matrix of extensive upland hardwood forest. Numerous ericaceous understory shrubs are present including velvet-leaf blueberry, small cranberry, Labrador-tea, leather-leaf, creeping snowberry, and bog-laurel. Sedges include few-seeded (Carex oligosperma), boreal bog (C. magellanica), few-flowered (C. pauciflora), and three-seeded (C. trisperma). Tawny cotton-grass, tussock cotton-grass, and moccasin flower are also present. “Moated” areas along the swamp edges have cinnamon fern, false mayflower, and crested shield fern. On the nearly level, somewhat poorly drained ground moraine and surrounding upland islands are rich mesic hardwoods dominated by sugar maple, basswood, white ash, black ash, and red oak. A sparse, poorly developed shrubs layer is occupied primarily by alternate-leaved dogwood. White ash and maple seedlings are moderately dense. The stand is even-aged but large diameter white ash, black ash, and red oak are present in some numbers. The ground flora contains most of the rich site indicator species including wood anemone, dwarf ginseng, wild leek, bishop’s cap, wild geranium, blue cohosh, and bloodroot. Many neotropical migratory birds breed here including the yellow-bellied flycatcher and golden-winged warbler. Other species include wood duck, alder flycatcher, sedge wren, veery, hermit thrush, mourning warbler, Nashville warbler, ovenbird, rose-breasted grosbeak, and white-throated sparrow. Kidrick Swamp is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.