Bonita Country

State Natural Area (No. 487)

Location: Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Oconto County. T31N-R15E, Section 24. T31N-R16E, Sections 19, 20, 29, 30. 1,176 acres.

Access: The site is located approximately 3.5 to 6 miles southwest of Mountain, Wisconsin. The north end of the site neighbors Temple Lake. The south end of complex borders Menominee County. The site is accessible from County Highway W and Forest Roads 2112 and 2964. From Mountain, go west on County W 4.9 miles, then south on Bonita Road 0.7 miles. Walk east into the site.

Description: Bonita Country supports a large lowland complex contain of conifer swamp as part of the watershed feeding the First South Branch Oconto River. Two small lakes are included at the west end of the complex, south of Temple Lake. Upland areas feature a very diverse canopy, including sugar maple, basswood, white ash, beech, red oak, aspen, hemlock, and bitternut hickory. The understory is also diverse, and includes the rare species Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginiana) and ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Other species include maple-leaved viburnum, witch hazel, and hog peanut. At the east end of the complex, adjacent to the First South Branch of the Oconto River is a forest of red maple, hemlock, cedar, and aspen with abundant rock outcrops, some up to 25 feet tall. These rocks feature common polypody with occasional Canada yew (Taxus canadensis). Super-canopy white pine occurs occasionally in or along the margins of different lowland habitats throughout the complex. Other lowland communities include northern wet-mesic forest, alder thicket, northern sedge meadow, northern wet forest, and open bog. The largest lowland area is northern wet-mesic forest, with both cedar swamp and mixed conifer swamp. Much of these swamps were strip cut in the late 1970s to late 80's. Regeneration in the strip cuts is assorted, with balsam fir, black spruce, red alder, and aspen as common re-growth. Two intact areas near the strip cuts have experienced recent flooding and canopy death, presumably from beavers. The best remaining intact swamp is dominated by white cedar with white pine as a frequent canopy component. White pine regeneration is occurring on the sphagnum groundlayer. Good quality northern wet forest occurs around and north of unnamed lake. The forest canopy is black spruce and tamarack, but in places also includes frequent white pine. The unnamed lake is a picturesque soft-water seepage lake which contains bluegill and bass. A narrow open bog mat occurs around some portions of the lake. To the north of this lake is a smaller, unnamed, hard water drainage lake with a floating mat resembling both an open bog and a northern sedge meadow community. Bonita Country is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.