Current and Past LIP Projects
Vernon County

2010: Tunnelville Cliffs Prairie and Savanna Restoration

Project Goal and Site Description:
The goal of this project is to expand and improve available prairie and oak savanna habitat for declining grassland birds. Restoring prescribed fire to the area will help to increase native species diversity and suppress the growth of invasive brush. Restoration work will also connect the LIP Project area to prairie and savanna that has been restored through the WHIP program, increasing the total area of both.

The site features a remnant goat prairie and adjacent oak opening with open-grown bur oak trees and prairie and savanna species in the understory, including little bluestem, birdsfoot violet, and canada anemone. These areas are buffered by upland forest and surrogate grasslands. The land has a history of selective timber harvest and grazing; although the land hasn't been grazed in the past 20 years. The land was in private ownership until December 2009 when it was donated to Mississippi Valley Conservancy specifically to be managed as a natural area. LIP work will include removal of scattered non-native brush, and a large acreage prescribed burn.

The adjacent Tunnelville Cliffs SNA includes 94 acres funded by the WHIP program and a portion of which was burned in spring of 2009, and in which extensive tree thinning has been conducted. Over 40 acres of invasive tree and brush removal will be completed by year end 2010. Prescribed burning in the Driftless Area can be especially complex and dangerous. Expanding the WHIP area to be burned in conjunction with 98 acres through LIP will allow MVC to use existing town and field roads as burn breaks, resulting in a much safer burn. A larger burn will help to mitigate for microclimate and also create a landscape scale burn more characteristic of the presettlement wildfires. In addition, there are over 200 acres of open grassland that is NOT included in a burn unit to provide refugia for grassland obligate species and provide nesting habitat for at-risk bird species.

The previous landowners had been approached by developers wanting to buy and develop the land, but the landowner decided instead to give it to MVC so that future generations could enjoy the habitat and natural resources as the family had. Over 1100 acres surrounding the LIP project site is additional nature preserve owned and managed by Mississippi Valley Conservancy, including s 2-mile stretch of the Kickapoo River. The land adjacent to the project site to the south is the 150-acre Tunnelville Cliffs State Natural Area. MVC is working with several adjacent landowners for donated conservation easements on an adjacent 900 acres.

2010: Spring Coulee Grassland and Savanna Restoration on Working Farms

Project Goal and Site Description:
This project will reduce invasive brush, improve grassland bird and herp habitat by reducing travel corridors for mesopredators along brushy fencelines, as well as improving the ground layer vegetation through cedar removal.

This is a joint effort across two working farms within the same family. 10-20 black angus cattle graze the 200-acre and 160-acre farms. The project site includes south-aspect slopes that were formerly more open and are now occupied by red cedar and other invasive brush. LIP work will focus on removal of invasive cedar and other woody species, and prescribed burning. This land is in the MFL program and oak savanna restoration and prescribed fire is included in the management plan.

In the early 1990's, the landowner began delaying hay cutting until after the 4th of July, resulting in a resurgence of grassland bird species such as the Bobolink and Dickcissel. Now, hay cutting activities always occur in mid to late summer. The landowners wish to see the same results in the management of the oak savanna

2009: Jug Creek Grassland Restoration

Project Goal and Site Description:
The goal is to improve grassland bird habitat, restore the native plant community and provide additional habitat for species found in grasslands on the adjacent KVR. This will be accomplished by removing honeysuckle in the pasture and clearing trees from old and existing fence lines. Clearing the fence line that borders the neighbors' property will open up the birds-eye view even further. Up species diversity and structure thru burning and over seeding with local sources of grasses and forbs.

This site is located in the Driftless Area, 1/2 mile east of the Kickapoo River. It has both valley and upland. Within the site there is a old field to the west, a pasture no longer being grazed with some prairie indicator species to the east, as well as a small 2 acre early stage prairie restoration and a 2 acre hay field to the So. The pasture was lightly grazed by 2 horses in 2007. Blue-eyed grass, bush clover, cream gentian and ladies tresses are present. Honeysuckle, thistles and other brush have invaded the interior of the pasture. Old and existing fence lines contain trees and brush in and around the perimeter.

The 2 acre restoration in progress lies adjacent to a DOT wetland mitigation site on the Kickapoo Valley Reserve (exit DNR). It is located on the south side of Jug Creek Road. Planted in conjunction with the mitigation site, it provides additional upland prairie habitat. The site wasn't properly prepared and needs more work in order to be effective.

2009: Model Driftless Area Oak Savanna and Prairie Restoration on a Working Farm

Project Goal and Site Description:
The goal of the project is to restore oak savanna on south aspect slopes (areas 1, 2, and 5 -- see map) to enhance habitat for formerly abundant at-risk species, such as Whip-poor-wills, increase the abundance of prairie plants, encourage oak regeneration, and make the area suitable for light grazing (< 20 beef cattle).

The LIP project site is 28.6 acres within a 61-acre southern aspect oak and hickory woodland on a 200-acre working farm. The area has excellent savanna structure with many 100+ year-old oak and hickory trees and remnant prairie sod that until recently supported abundant populations of at-risk species such as American Woodcock, Bobolink, Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, Gray Fox, Northern Flying Squirrel, Red-headed Woodpecker and cream gentians. The once open-grown oak and hickory trees are now surrounded by woody species such as bush honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, prickly ash, and red cedar. The site has not been plowed or intensively grazed in 50 years, if ever. Clearing of invasive woody species to restore prairie and oak savanna habitat is an ongoing effort. The entire 200 acres currently supports 15 beef cattle, and the LIP site is grazed lightly, as the animals prefer better pasture closer to their water source.