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Key characteristics:»Scatteredprairie,oaksavanna
remnants,andprairiepastures»Concentrationofrareand
declininggrasslandbirds»Broadopenhilltopsandriver
valleyswithsteepwoodedslopes»Highqualitywarmwaterstreams»Opportunitiesforlarge
scaleprairieandoaksavannarestoration
»Somecoldwaterresourcesinheadwaterstreams
Size:» 1,950squaremiles» 1,247,900acres
(3.5%ofWisconsin)
Population:» 93,000
(1.7%ofWisconsin’spopulation)
Notable species:»Grasslandbirdsincluding:
Henslow’ssparrow,Bell’svireo,loggerheadshrike,short-earedowl,harrier,uplandsandpiper,westernmeadowlark
»Badger»Smallmouthbass»Slendermadtom»Southernredbellydace»Regalfritillarybutterfly»Prairiebushclover»Americanfever-few»Bigandlittlebluestem
Natural communities:(See Appendix B for descriptions)»Dry-mesicprairie»Dryprairie»Oakopening»Oakwoodland
SouthwestSavannaecological landscape
Ric
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Oak savanna along the upper reaches of the Sugar River Madison
GRANT
IOWA
DANE
GREEN
LAFAYETTE
CRAWFORD
SAUKRICHLAND
GRPL PC
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FHIowa
Illinois
Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 159
LegacyPlacesBV BlueMound-Blanchardville PrairieandSavannaBP BlueMoundStateParkFH FeverRiver- HardscrabblePrairieGR Grantand RattlesnakeRiversMM Monroe-MuraltPrairiePC PecatonicaRiver andGrasslandsPL PlatteRiverYL YellowstoneLake
Attributes and CharacteristicsThisecologicallandscapeischaracterizedbydeeplydissected,unglaciatedtopographywithbroadopenhilltops,flatfertilerivervalleys,andsteepwoodedslopes.Occupyingthesouth-facingslopeoftheMilitaryRidge,prairiesandsavannaswerethedominanthabitattypesinthisareapriortoEuro-Americansettlement.Dryprairiescoveredthehilltopsandgradedintomoremesicprairies,oaksavannasandoakwoodlandsdownslope.Therivervalleyswereoftenamixofhardwoodsincludingoak,mapleandelm.Thedominantlandusenowisagriculture,althoughfarmstypicallycontainacombinationofrowcrops,hayfields,andsmallwoodlots.
Severalgoodqualitywarmwaterstreamsflowthroughthelandscapeand,althoughimpactedbynon-pointpollution,supportdiversefisheriesaswell
assomerareaquaticspecies.Thewoodedslopesalongtheseriversareoftenmanagedforoak-hard-woodproduction.Insomecasesoakisbeingover-harvestedandtheseareasareconvertingtocherry,redmapleandhickory.“Relict”standsofpineoccuronbedrockoutcroppingsalongsomestreamsystems.
GivenitsproximitytoMadison,Rockford,Dubuque,andevenChicago,theareaisexperi-encingrapidchangesasformerfarmsaresplitupintohousingforcommutersandrecreationlandforpeoplethatliveoutsidethearea.
Conservation Needs and OpportunitiesFrombothastatewideandnationalperspective,apressingconservationconcernhasbeenthedramaticdeclineoverthepastseveraldecadesofmanygrasslandbirdssuchasHenslow’ssparrow,loggerheadshrike,greaterprairiechicken,andBell’svireo.Althoughdatashowingpopulationtrendsforgrasslandmammals,reptiles,amphibians,insectsandotherspecies
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Madison
Middleton
Monroe
Verona
Prairiedu Chien
Dodgeville
Lancaster
Boscobel
Mineral Point
Fennimore
Cuba City
Shullsburg
Darlington
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Mississippi River
PecatonicaRiver
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Platteville
160 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report
Figure 96: Legacy Places and public conservation lands of the Southwest Savanna
LegacyPlacesandpublicconservationlandsSouthwestSavanna
Public Conservation Lands
State
Federal
County Forest
0 5 102.5Miles
LegacyPlacesBV BlueMound-Blanchardville PrairieandSavannaBP BlueMoundStateParkFH FeverRiver- HardscrabblePrairieGR Grantand RattlesnakeRiversMM Monroe-MuraltPrairiePC PecatonicaRiver andGrasslandsPL PlatteRiverYL YellowstoneLake
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Madison
Middleton
Monroe
Verona
Platteville
Dodgeville
Lancaster Mineral Point
Boscobel
Fennimore
Cuba City
Shullsburg
Darlington
Prairiedu Chien
697811
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LOWER WISCONSINWATERSHED
GRANT-PLATTEWATERSHED
SUGAR-PECATONICAWATERSHED
Figure 97: Legacy Places and Land Cover of the Southwest Savanna
Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 161
LegacyPlacesandlandcoverSouthwestSavanna
Land Cover
Forest
Open Water
Open Wetland
Forested Wetland
Urban
Agriculture
Grassland
Shrubland
0 5 102.5Miles
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Eastern Hognose Snakes (Heterodon platirhinos), one playing dead
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American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
SouthwestSavannaecological landscape
Open Wetland 1%
Forested Wetland 0%
Open Water0% Urban
1%Forest17%
Shrubland0%
Grassland11%
Agriculture70%
Urban0%
Open Wetland 6%Forested
Wetland1%
Forest55%
Shrubland0%
Grassland14%
Agriculture24%
County Forest 0%
State1%
Federal0%
Other99%
(private land, roads, schools, cemetaries ,military lands, etc.)
162 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report
Figure 98: Land cover of the Southwest Savanna Figure 99: Public conservation and other land ownership in the Southwest Savanna
Figure 100: Land cover of public conservation lands in the Southwest Savanna
groupsarelacking,itisbelievedthatthefullrangeofgrasslandspecieshasplummeted.Theprimarycauseofthisdeclinehasbeenthelossandfragmentationofprairiesandoaksavannas.
Somehighqualityprairieremnantsremainontherockyhilltopsandslopesthatarenotsuitableforfarming.Althoughnearlyalloftheoaksavannashavebeenconvertedtoproductionagricultureorhavetransitionedtooakforests,asmallnumberofremnantsremainorarebeingrestoredinthisecologicallandscape.PrairiepasturesarescatteredthroughtheareaandasubstantialnumberoffarmfieldshavebeenenrolledinthefederalConservationReserveProgram.Together,theseremaininglandscomprisecriticalhabitatformanyraregrasslandbirds,invertebrates,mammals,andreptiles.Becauseofitssoil,existinglanduse,andtopography,theSouthwestSavannaecologicallandscapeoffersoneofWisconsin’sbestopportunitiesforthelarge-scalerestorationoffunctioningdryprairies,dry-mesicprairies,andoaksavanna,threeofthestate’srarestnaturalcommunities.Maintainingviablefarmingoperationsintheareawouldbeacriticalcomponentinanyoverallprotectionstrategytorestorefunctioninggrasslandecosystemshere.
Anumberofhighqualitystreamsflowthroughtheecologicallandscape.Severalofthecoldheadwaterstreamssupporttrout,withmanyofthelargerstreamsandriverssupportingvery
productivewarmwaterfisheries.Manystreamsandriversintheareaareimpairedbynon-pointpollutionandwouldbenefitfromcontinuedeffortstoestablishbuffersalongstreambanks.
Recreation Uses and OpportunitiesWiththeeasternsideofthisecologicallandscapeadjacenttoMadison,thereisgreatpotentialforthisareatohelpmeetmanyofthetypesofoutdoorrecreationforwhichdemandisrapidlygrowing.Hiking,cross-countryskiing,camping,picnicking,birdwatching,fishing,hunting,biking,paddling,andnaturestudy,amongotheractivities,couldbeaccommodatedhere.DespiteitsclosenesstoMadisonandtheassociateddemandforrecreation,thereisrelativelylittlepubliclandinthislandscape.BlueMounds,GovernorDodge,YellowstoneLake,andNewGlarusWoodsStateParksareallheavilyusedpublicproperties.TheBrowntown-CadizSpringsandMountVernonCreekFisheriesAreasprovidesomefishingopportunities.Two“rail-trails,”thePecatonicaStateTrailandtheCheeseCountryTrailarewithinthislandscapeandwillbelinkedtotheMilitaryRidgeandtheBadgerStateTrail,increasingtheirrecreationalopportunity.AtrailfromDarlingtontoNewGlarus,viaYellowstoneLake,wouldlikelybeverypopular.AnoffroadbikingtrailhasbeenestablishedatBlueMoundsanditislikelythatotherswouldbeequallywellused.
PublicConservationLands
Map# PropertyName Size (acres)1
State s1 Belmont Mound State Park 250s2 Blue Mound State Park2 970s3 Browntown-Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area 640s4 Hardscrabble Prairie State Natural Area 160s5 Mount Vernon Creek State Fishery Area 370s6 New Glarus Woods State Park 390s7 Yellowstone Lake State Park 730s8 Yellowstone Lake State Wildlife Area 4,210 Miscellaneous Lands3 1,935
Federal None
County Forest 4
None
TOTAL 9,655
1 Actual acres owned in this Ecological Landscape.2 This property also falls within adjacent Ecological Landscape(s).3 Includes public access sites, fish hatcheries, fire towers, streambank and non-point easements,
lands acquired under statewide wildlife, fishery, forestry, and natural area programs, small properties under 100 acres, and properties with fewer than 100 acres within this Ecological Landscape.
4 Locations and sizes of county owned parcels enrolled in the Forest Crop Law are presented here. Information on locations and sizes of other county and local parks in this Ecological Landscape is not readily available and is not included here, except for some very large properties.
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View across the Pecatonica River valley
SouthwestSavannaecological landscape
Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 163
BV BlueMounds-BlanchardvillePrairieandSavannaSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . .00000LyingsouthofBlueMounds,thisareacontainsmanyhighqualityprairieremnants,somelargeprairiepastures,andmanyfieldsenrolledintheConservationReserveProgram,allimbeddedinalarge,openagriculturalsetting.Manyraregrasslandspeciesoccurthroughoutthearea,includingHenslow’sandgrasshoppersparrows,sedgewren,loggerheadshrike,anduplandsandpiper.Althoughthereissignificantdevelopmentpressurehere,therearestillexcel-lentopportunitiestoexpandthesmallprairieandsavannaremnantsthatexistbyrestoringsomelandthatisnotwellsuitedforfarming.Maintainingopenspacebetweenthesepocketsofprairieandsavannawillbecrucialinkeep-ingtheseremnantsecologicallyfunctioning.Assuch,conservationeffortswouldneedtoutilizestrategiesthathelpkeepfarmingoperationsviablethroughoutthearea.TheDNRrecentlyconductedastatewideassessmentofplacesthatpresentedthebestopportunitiestorestorefunctioninggrasslandecosystems,basedonthequalityanduniquenessofexistinggrasslands,potentialforcreationoflarger,linkedsites,andhowvaluabletheywereforrarespecies.Thisisthehighest-rankedsiteinthestate.ThisareahasalsobeenidentifiedasoneoftwograsslandareaseligiblefortheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture’snewlyesta-blishedConservationReserveEnhancementProgram(CREP),whichwillbringsignificantfederalfundingtohelpmaintainandrestoregrasslands.TheNatureConservancyandotherprivateconservationgroupsareactivelywork-ingwithlandownersinavarietyofdifferentwaystohelpmaintainandrestoregrasslandandsavannahere.
Althoughthisareaisidentifiedprimarilyforitsprairieandsavannavalues,italsositsattheheadwatersoftheEastBranchofthePecatonicaRiver.Effortstorestorenativevegetation,particularlyalongheadwatercreeks,areexpectedtoimprovewaterqualityandbenefitthegameandnon-gamefisheriesthatexist.ManyofthetroutwatersintheEastBranchwatershedarepopularwithlocalanglers.WithMadison30milestotheeast,thisareadrawsmanyvisitorsandoffersanexcellentopportunitytoeducatethepublicontheneedsandopportunitiesforprotectingsomeofthestate’srarestnaturalcommunities.
BP BlueMoundStateParkSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . .00000BlueMoundStateParkliesonthenorthernboundaryoftheSouthwestSavannaecologicallandscape.Itcontainssomeoakwoodlandandgrasslandareasthatareagradationbetweenthegrassland/savannalandscapetothesouthandthemoreheavilywoodedoakwoodlandstothenorth.Opportunitiesexisttoexpandtheparktothenorthtoincludehighqualityoakforestrepresentativeofthearea,aswellasmesicmaple-basswoodforestthatisrareinthisecologicallandscape.Expansionofprotectedlandstothesouthwouldprovideagradationfromhighqualitygrasslandcommunitiestooakwoodlands,whichisnotreadilyfoundelsewhereinthestate.AsaresultofitscloseproximitytoMadison,thispropertyisheavilyusedforhiking,biking,crosscountryskiing,picnicking,camping,andnaturestudy.Thepark’seasyaccesstoMadisonalsoresultsinsignificantdevelopmentpressurearoundthepark.
FH FeverRiver-HardscrabblePrairieSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00TheFever(Galena)RiverisoneofthehighestqualitywarmwaterriversinsouthwestWisconsin.Itsupportsanexcellentandpopularsmallmouthbassfishery.Manytributariesarehighgradient,coolwaterstreams.Thearea’sothernotablefeatureisthecollectionofhighqualityprairieremnantsconcentratedinthelowersectionsoftherivervalley.AlthoughsmallerthansomeoftheothergrasslandrestorationopportunitiesintheSouthwestSavannaecologicallandscape,thisareahasseveralverydiverse,richprairieremnants.TherearealsosomelargepasturesandseveralfieldsenrolledintheConservationReservePrograminthisareathathelpsupportthemanyrareprairieinsects,birdsandmammalsfoundhere.
GR GrantandRattlesnakeRiversSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00Inthisecologicallandscape,theheadwatersoftheseriversdrainhighlyproductivefarmfieldsandgrasslands.Smallpocketsofwoodsarefoundonthesteeperslopes.Troutarepresentinseveraloftheheadwaterstreamswiththelowerreachessupportingvariouswarmwaterspecies.Waterqualityinthissystemhasbeenaffectedtovaryingdegreesbyagriculturalrun-off.Theareacouldsupportseverallowimpactrecreationactivities.
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American Badger (Taxidea taxus)
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The delicate flower of Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), a native prairie grass
SouthwestSavannaecological landscape
164 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report
MM Monroe-MuraltPrairieSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000LyingincentralGreenCountywestoftheSugarRiver,thisarealiesamongrollinghillscreatedbyanoldglacialmoraine.Itisprimarilyanopenagriculturallandscapewithsomepasturesandfallowfarmfields,butisexperiencingrapidruraldevelopment.Somehighqualityprairieremnantsoccurontherockyhilltopsandslopesthatarenottillable,andasmallnumberofprairiepasturesandoaksavannasstillexist.Wet-mesicprairiesexistalongthevalleyfloorsandmanyrareprairieplantsandinsectsoccurinpocketsthroughoutthearea.Thisareapresentsaverygoodopportunitytocombinetheprotectionofsignificantamountsoffarmlandwithlarge-scaleprairierestoration.Connectingscatteredprairieremnantswithrestoredprairie,fieldsenrolledintheConservationReserveProgram,orprairiepastureswouldprovidesubstantialecologicalbenefits.Workingwiththefarmingcommunitytofindwaystokeepanopen,agriculture-basedlandscapewouldalsobebeneficial.LinkingthisareatotheAlbanyWildlifeAreaandtheSugarRiverCorridorwouldoffermanyrecreationalandeducationalopportunitieswithin40milesofMadison.
PC PecatonicaRiverandGrasslandsSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000Thisareacontainshighqualityprairierem-nantsimbeddedinalarge,openagriculturallandscape.Severalprairiepasturesandoaksavannasstillexist.Theopenhilltopsaremostlycultivatedorgrazed,alongwithsomescatteredrestoredgrasslands.Oaksdominatethesteep-sidedslopes.Landsadjacenttothenumeroussmallstreamsareoftencultivatedorgrazed,althoughsomelowlandwoodedandshrubbyareasexist.Somewetmeadowsandshallowwatermarshesarefoundalongthefloodplaininoldmeanderchannelsandoxbows.Numerous
rarespeciesarefoundinboththeprairieremnantsandthePecatonicaRiverandsomeofitstributaries.ThePecatonicaRiversupportsalimitednumberoftroutintheheadwatersandsmallmouthbassinthelowerstretches.Aswiththeothergrasslandareasidentifiedinthisreport,workingwiththefarmingcommunitytofindwaystokeepanopen,agriculture-basedlandscapewouldneedtobepartofasuccessfulprotectionstrategy.Ofthehighqualityfarmlandscapesinthestate,thisareaisundergoingrelativelymodestlandusechangesandthusoffersanexcellentopportunityfortheconservationandfarmingcommunitiestoworkcollaborativelytomeetcommongoals.ItsrelativelycloseproximitytoMadisonandDubuquecouldoffermanyrecrea-tionalopportunitiessuchashunting,fishing,dayhiking,andcanoeingtoalargenumberofpeople.Continuedimplementationofsoundconservationpracticeswouldallowthetrout,smallmouthbass,andwarmwatersportfisheriestoimprove.Twotrails,thePecatonicaStateTrailandtheCheeseCountryTrail,occurhereandlinkingthesewiththeMilitaryRidgeandtheBadgerStateTrailwouldlikelybeverypopular.
PL PlatteRiverSize..............................MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00ThisecologicallandscapecontainstheheadwatersofthePlatteRiver.LikethosethatfeedtheGrantandRattlesnakeriverstothewest,thesecool-watertributariesdrainalargelyagriculturallandscape.Smallpocketsofwoodsexistonthesteeperslopes.Troutarepresentinsomeoftheheadwatercreeks.
YL YellowstoneLakeSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0000ThesouthwesternpartofthestatehasfewlargewaterbodiesandYellowstoneLake,asthelargestimpoundmentinthearea,isaverypopularrecreationdestination.Twostateproperties,YellowstoneLakeStateParkandYellowstoneLakeStateWildlifeArea,provide
fishing,boating,hunting,camping,andmanytrailopportunities.Habitatsfoundonthesepropertiesincludegrassland,existingovergrownoaksavanna,oakwoodland,andmarsh,inadditiontothelake.ProtectingandrestoringadditionalareasaroundthesepropertiescouldprovideabufferaswellaspotentiallylinkthisareawitheithertheBlueMoundsorPecatonicagrassland/savannaareas.ApotentialbiketrailfromYellowstoneLaketoDarlingtonandtheCheeseCountryTrailwouldlikelybeverypopular.
Other Areas of InterestLeopold’sRileyCooperative(Dane County�)Intheearly1930s,AldoLeopoldwassearchingforaplacetoexperimentwithlandmanagementpracticesthatwouldbenefitgamespecies.TheareaaroundRiley,wheretheSugarRiverwoundthroughamixofcropland,pasture,oaksavanna,woodsandwetlands,caughthiseye.Localfarmerswerehavingproblemswithtrespassersshootingwhatlittlegameremained.Leopoldconvincedthefarmersandagroupoftownspeopleinterestedinhuntingtoworkcooperativelyonmanagementandoversightofthearea.The“RileyGameCooperative,”asitwasknown,becameafieldlaboratoryforLeopold’sdevelopingideasonconservationandhabitatmanagementinfarminglandscapes.Althoughhousinghasincreasedinthearea,muchofthearearemainsruralandcouldprovideauniqueopportunitytoeducatethepubliconLeopold’sworkandvision.TheMilitaryRidgeStateTrailrunsthroughthearea.
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