Namekagon Fen

State Natural Area (No. 476)

Location: Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Bayfield County. T43N-R6W, Section 27. 41 acres.

Access: The site is located 9 miles east of Cable, WI. From Cable, go east on County M approximately 9 miles, then go south on FR 203 0.5 miles for access to the west side of the site. The east side of the site is easily accessed by FR 200.

Description: Situated within a depression of stagnation moraine is Namekagon Fen, an undisturbed, diverse fen community of sphagnum mosses, ericaceous shrubs, sedges, and insectivorous plants. Nested within the fen are a number of irregularly shaped pools (7 large, numerous small) supporting an extremely rich flora typical of both bogs and fens suggesting the possible existence of a nutrient or pH gradient and the influence of calcium rich water percolating through the system. Beds of bog-club moss are found where the moss is not thick. The fen is dominated by white beak rush with high numbers of pitcher plant, and thousands of horned bladderwort. Other plants are few-seeded sedge, cotton-grass, water bulrush, sundews, northern St. John’s wort, bog buckbean, water shield, and rattlesnake manna grass. A small stand of swamp conifers with black spruce and tamarack bordered by common yellow lake sedge is found in the northern part of the site. The edges are shrubby with alder, mountain-holly, and common winterberry. Ericaceous species are common with bog-laurel, bog rosemary, leatherleaf, and blueberry. Birds include common yellowthroat, and olive-sided flycatcher. Namekagon Fen is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.