Current and Past LIP Projects
Grant County

2010: Wisconsin River Valley Bluff Prairie Restoration

Project and Site Description:
The goal is to re-join two restored bluff prairie remnants by clearing the savanna between and below them. This will result in contiguous prairie ecosystems covering over 50 acres from stream to blufftop, thus inviting new species with larger habitat needs to colonize, as well as allowing existing species to spread into new areas.

A result of ongoing dedication to restoration, the site features two west-facing sandstone bluff prairie remnants of very high quality, containing significant populations of many at-risk species. LIP work will focus on restoring the overgrown savanna area between the two bluff prairie remnants. Work will focus on removing honeysuckle, mulberry and other invasive brush and trees, controlling invasive weeds in areas that were cleared over the past two years and are therefore particularly vulnerable to weed growth, harvesting seed from the two remnants and reseeding vulnerable areas, and completely removing an old fenceline below the prairie.
Landowner has been working with USFWS, WHIP, and LIP to restore the bluff prairie remnants. The field below is in CRP-2 as native prairie. This prairie stretches from the fenceline at the bottom of the project site to a trout stream at the bottom of the valley. This includes small restored wetland areas containing a nice variety of native wetland grasses, forbs and sedges, and several permanently active springs, which are the sources of the stream. These areas are kept free of invasives by the landowner.

The entire property is protected with a permanent conservation easement with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy.

2010: Gasner Hollow Savanna and Prairie Enhancement

Project and Site Description:
The ultimate goal is an enhanced- and increased-overall area of oak savanna/prairie habitat significantly larger than the specific acreage cleared with requested funds. This would be achieved by: linking the project area with the adjacent 25-acre CRP tallgrass planting, providing a transition from prairie to savanna that the current overgrown state denies; and creating improved conditions, especially increased sunlight, needed by at-risk species that use prairies and savannas.

Restoration was begun in 2009 with a WHIP grant. The project site is immediately bordered on the east by a 25-acre CRP tallgrass planting. West and south of the project area are additional CRP tallgrass plantings, a permanent easement granted by the landowners to the WI DNR and Gasner Hollow State Natural Area. To the north are woodlands dominated by mature red oak. Open areas immediately outside the landowners' property are enrolled in CRP. The project site is a west/southwest slope of former white-oak savanna, now overgrown with elm, maple and ironwood; a red oak opening clogged with bitternut hickory and ironwood; and a prairie remnant overtopped by juniper and ironwood. From European settlement until about 1960, the site was kept open by grazing. The return of fire and increased light is essential for savanna, oak opening and prairie species to reestablish themselves.

The landowners have long been interested in native habitat enhancement, as demonstrated in part by a permanent easement to the DNR. Roughly two-thirds of the property, including the proposed project area, is subject to a regular burn regimen aimed specifically at restoring native fire-dependent ecosystems. A chinquapin- and white-oak savanna on the property was restored in 2005-2008 with the aid of WHIP and USFWS funds. An oak/hickory woodland adjacent to the natural area but independent of the easement has been burned in conjunction with the DNR since 2006.

Ventura/Krome Savanna Restoration

Project and Site Description:
The goal of the project is to restore prairie, savanna, and oak woodland habitat through prescribed burning, removal of invasives, and spot seeding. It will include creation of firebreaks around the edge of each unit so that burning can continue beyond the project period. Invasive species near the firebreaks and those that remain after two successful burns will be removed mechanically, with stump poisoning. Where land is significantly disturbed (e.g., near fire breaks and where fire burns intensively), spot seeding with savannah grass and forb mixes native to southwest will be hand broadcast; otherwise, residual native plants will be encouraged. Sites will be monitored through transects at least twice per year for the next five years to document changes in conditions and species composition.

This site was degraded by unsustainable cattle grazing up to 1992, though it has never been tilled. Because the area is either steep or shallow to bedrock and thus not very productive, it was not actively managed as pasture (apparently never herbicided, manured, cut for hay, etc.) so residual native plants can still be found, as well as 100+ year old open grown oaks. Since 1992, cattle have not been present so both native and exotic invasives are rapidly encroaching. Given the topography and the limited time for management, fire is the only realistic tool for maintaining these as open areas. The result should be a contribution to the overall goals of the Snow Bottom State Natural Area, providing a complement to adjacent white pine relicts and dry-mesic oak woodland, and providing openings and edges for numerous wildlife species. In particular, a rattlesnake hibernaculum occurs at the site and would be ill-served by continued growth of a dense, brushy understory. The site offers spectacular views of the Blue River Valley; the reciprocal view from public lands in this area to oak savannah on the site will be lost without aggressive control of shrubby growth.

Kussmaul Savanna

Project and Site Description:
This project will contribute to an ongoing restoration effort. Past effort has focused on prairie work and removal of aspen and honeysuckle, so LIP work will concentrate on the adjacent oak savanna and woods. Several acres have already been cleared out to become savanna, and the goal is to expand this area to below the bluff line to open up the rock faces and the rocky hillside below. It will reopen some areas that still have some grasses growing.

The land has not been pastured for more than 30 years. It was sitting idle until I began restoration work about ten years ago. It had become rather heavily wooded. A couple of acres are prairie, including a couple of small undisturbed remnants. Several acres have been restored as savanna and more is being opened up at this time. The site is adjacent to additional prairie and savanna restorations and the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, which is woodland with a small portion being managed as prairie.

Parish Back Bluffs

Project and Site Description:
The goal of this project is to expand prairie and savanna habitat with a special emphasis on the basking and den-site needs of snakes. LIP will be funding removal of encroaching cedars and black locusts, creation of a firebreak, and prescribed burning on 25 acres. This work will benefit on-site species and additional species on adjacent property may expand into this area. The landowner is contributing a 52% match composed of both financial investment and in-kind labor and places an emphasis on future maintenance and monitoring species for results.

This site is part of a much larger complex called Snow Bottom Natural Area which features Snow Bottom State Natural Area features a diverse and spectacular landscape encompassing the most significant remaining pine relicts in Wisconsin, as well as many other important and uncommon native plant communities including fen and springs, southern dry-mesic forest and oak woodland, riparian areas, and geological features. Located on the scattered sandstone outcrops are the pine relicts-- isolated stands of white and red pine with occasional jack pine. Some partners protecting and managing the uplands and the trout streams found here include a local land trust, the State Natural Areas Program and Trout Unlimited.

Wisconsin River Valley Bluff Prairie Restoration

Project and Site Description:
The site is made up of the northernmost of two west-facing sandstone bluff prairie remnants along with the degraded oak savanna below and between them. The southernmost goat prairie is in somewhat better condition, having been partially cleared and burned in 2000. Although the site has become overgrown with red cedar, common juniper, mulberry, aspen, birch and prickly ash, the remaining open remnants are very high quality, containing significant populations of Cirsium hillii (over 200) and Agalinis skinneriana (some years over 1,000).

The restoration work which has begun with USFWS assistance must be continued. To leave the site partially cleared and unburned would invite the invasion of exotics and directly endanger the colonies of Hill's thistle, pale false foxglove, and other species that depend upon intact prairie habitat.