French Creek Fen

State Natural Area (No. 546)

Location: Within the French Creek Wildlife Area, Columbia County. T13N-R9E, Sections 11, 12, 13, 14. 196 acres.

Access: From Portage, go east on Highway 33 one mile, then north on County F 3 miles, then east on Clark Road 0.75 miles, then north on Dumke Road one mile, then east on Monthey Road 0.5 miles to a DNR parking area on the north side of the road. The site lies north of the road and parking area.

Description: French Creek Fen features a semi-open wetland containing three calcareous fens with mound springs, wet prairie, and sedge meadow near the confluence of Spring and French Creeks. One fen is located on gently sloping mound with characteristic species including big bluestem, blue-joint grass, fringed brome, marsh muhly, Kalm's lobelia, shrubby cinquefoil, spotted Joe-pye weed, and shining aster. Of note, is the presence of rare plant species including lesser fringed gentian (Gentiana procera), cespitose bulrush (Scirpus cespitosus), false asphodel (Tofieldia glutinosa), and common bog arrow-grass (Triglochin maritima). Bird life is diverse. Birds using the area including the surrounding wetlands include alder flycatcher, common yellow-throat, great blue heron, great-crested flycatcher, marsh wren, sedge wren, sora, and yellow warbler. Rare and uncommon birds include black tern (Chlidonias niger), American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), and yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens). French Creek is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.