Current and Past LIP Projects
Pierce County

2009: Kinnickinnic Coulee Oak Savanna Restoration

Project Goal and Site Description:
The outcome will be a restored oak savanna of nearly 10 acres -- the 3+ acres at the northern and southern ends of project, and the 6.5+ acres of the project area. Enhance and create habitat for red-headed woodpeckers, badgers, Franklin ground squirrels, whip-poor-wills, and other savanna dwellers. Enlarge and diversify the plant community of the natural remnant oak savannas.

Uplands: about 22 acres of farmland (corn, alfalfa, beans rotation) leased to local farmer (about 15 acres) and CRP which was planted in tallgrass prairie (1988-9, about 7 acres). Coulee: ravine (about 10 acres total), intermittent watercourse. The coulee slope faces southwest, and has two natural, undisturbed, high-value oak savanna / steep prairie remnants at the downstream (north) and upstream (south) ends of the coulee (about 10 acres total). Never plowed. The native remnants (about 3 acres total) are rich in species; and have been managed with fire for more than 20 years. Riparian and Forest: 11 acres, north facing, steep, fronting on the Kinnickinnic River canyon (Class 1). White pine, yellow birch, Canada yew, rattlesnake plantain, yellow ladyslipper. All of the riparian land has permanent public-use of the streambank as part of this property's conservation easement. Residential: the applicant lives on the property in a small (900 square foot) house on 0.5 acre in the forest zone.

2009:Kinnickinnic Gorge "COA" Oak Savanna and Goat Prairie Restoration

Project Goal and Site Description:
The goal of this project is to increase the available oak savanna and goat prairie habitat for at -risk species known to inhabit the Kinnickinnic River Gorge Conservation Opportunity Area.

The project site features oak woodland with areas of oak savanna and goat prairie. These areas are degraded. The project site is located along the Kinnickinnic River. Invasive species especially buckthorn have invaded the site. Landowner has actively removed buckthorn. Some burning has occurred but not to a large extent. This is a part of an active 196 acre farm.

2009: Oak Savanna and Remnant Goat Prairie Enhancement and Expansion (PS2009-72)

Project Goal and Site Description:
The goal of this project is to remove invasive vegetation in order to return the goat prairie and oak savanna to pre-settlement conditions and enhance existing habitat to protect existing and at-risk plants and animals.

This bluff area includes former bluff prairie and oak savanna that was pastured and allowed to suceed. From 1980 we have restored this small area by removal of cedars, buckthorn, prickly ash, sumac and sweet clover. Periodic burns have been carried out during this period. Bluff top is bur-oak woodland, upper slopes dry prairie, and lower slopes are bur-red oak savanna and woodland.

Two years ago with Kinnickinnic Land Trust and USFWS Assistance the goat Prairie was expanded from <1 acre to 3+ acres, and woodland cleared of invasives. This oak savanna enhancement will hopefully become habitat for the red-headed woodpecker. Additional woodland and goat prairie enhancement will increase acres for controlled maintenance. Greatest threats are re-invasion by buckthorn, prickly ash, smooth sumac, and sweet clover.

Goode Prairie Farm

Project Goal and Site Description:
The goal of this project is to enhance existing native prairie and savanna habitat in order to improve conditions for at-risk species known to inhabit the Kinnickinnic River Valley. Also to serve as an educational resource for other landowners interested in enhancing and restoring similar prairie and savanna habitat.

Project area is currently managed as a native prairie and savanna remnant. Some invasive species removal and controlled burn management has occurred.

The current landowners purchased this property in 1992. Prior to purchase, some of the WLIP project area had been used as cattle pasture and, in the non-pasture areas, no effort was made to control invasives. Within two years of purchase, the owners began site management on a small scale, primarily through controlled burns on prairie remnants and some red cedar removal. Response to these management efforts was good, though they lacked the skills and equipment to make any substantial efforts at habitat restoration.

As they became more familiar with prairie and oak savanna habitats, they realized how significant their prairie remnant was. Though small in size, it has a surprising amount of plant species. Their efforts at site improvement through brush removal were promising and they were able to expand the prairie and savanna remnants, though on a relatively small scale.

The LIP grant is the most recent in a series of three grants that they have received to restore this 15 acre prairie and oak savanna. Brush clearing work funded by the three grants took place in the winter of 06/07, May 2007 and December 2007. The bulk of the red cedar and brush removal from the project area has now been completed and the focus of their efforts will shift to control of brush resprouts and the planting of seed and plugs to assist in the revegetation of the cleared area. As available fuel and conditions permit, they will also be using controlled burns to assist in our management efforts. They expect that many Prairie Enthusiast members will participate in these burns as a means of improving their burning skills.

Seed for their revegetation efforts will come from our remnants and from other high quality prairie and oak savanna remnants in the local area, primarily along that portion of the Kinnickinnic River lying between River Falls, WI and the river's confluence with the St. Croix River.

Alexander Prairie

Project and Site Description:
The Alexander Prairie is located south of River Falls on Hwy 65. The Prairie Enthusiasts (TPE) has been actively managing the Alexander prairie since 2001 when TPE approached the owners for permission to resume active management on the site. With permission granted, TPE initiated a prescribed burning program for the site. TPE first partnered with TNC to burn 25 acres of woodland and oak openings. Several burns with TPE burn crews and local volunteers were accomplished. Over the years we have managed this site with prescribed burning only. Some of the burns here were some of the biggest fires this TPE chapter has lit. In the winter 2006-2007, TPE began active brushing of the site with the use of a US Fish & Wildlife Private Land Stewardship Grant. With this grant we hired brushing crews to begin to reconnect several isolated populations of rare prairie plants. Winter 2007-2008 saw continued efforts to reconnect remnants of the Oak Savanna and Prairie with use of Wisconsin DNR Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) grant. The LIP grant was used to finally reconnect two oak openings and triple the size of a third. This season 2008 will see TPE collecting native seed to be redistributed on site, and a fall prescribed burn.

Foster Hill

Project and Site Description:
This is a collective landowner project in an area experiencing heavy residential development pressure. The goal is to protect and enhance the population of federally listed Prairie Bush Clover across their property lots. LIP is funding removal and herbicide treatment of invasive red cedar, shrubs, and non-native herbs, and staggered prescribed burns. The St Croix Chapter of the Prairie Enthusiasts are organizing this project and will match this work with seed collection and scattering, mowing of new plantings, follow-up removal of invasive herbs. Management of this site was based on a collective desire to maintain remnant populations and additional species which may also expand on to this site. The project includes a long-term commitment to maintenance and protection, with detailed bench marks for measuring success. This project was funded in both 2006 and 2007.