superior coastal plainsthe bayfield peninsula ridge splits these low plains. this ecological...

Key characteristics:»Coastalestuaries»Sandscapes»Borealconifer-hardwoodforest»Shorelinecliffs»Redclaysoils»Bottomlandhardwood

forestinthemajorrivers»Migratorybird

concentrationsites

Size:» 1,415squaremiles» 905,800acres

(2.5%ofWisconsin)

Population: » 56,000

(1.1%ofWisconsin’spopulation)

Notable species:»Anadromousfish»Lakewhitefish»Lakeherring»Ninespinestickleback»LeConte’ssparrow»Pipingplover»Commontern»Auricledtwaybladeorchid»Butterwort»Wildrice»Vaseyrush

Natural communities:(See Appendix B for descriptions)»Bedrockshore»Borealforest»Dryandmoistcliffs»Emergentaquatic»GreatLakesbarrens»GreatLakesbeach»GreatLakesdune» Interdunalwetland»Openbog»Shorefen»Submergentaquatic»Surrogategrasslands

SuperiorCoastalPlainsecological landscape

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Lake Superior

Wisconsin Land Legacy Report Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape 57

LegacyPlacesBD BadRiverBB BoisBruleRiverHW Highway2GrasslandsLS Lake SuperiorSouth ShoreStreamsMU ManitouFalls-BlackRiverMD MiddleRiverContactMT MontrealRiverMA Mt.AshwabayNJ NemadjiRiverandWetlandsST St.LouisEstuaryand PokegamaWetlandsWR WhiteRiver

Along the Lake Superior shorelineAI ApostleIslandsBY BigBayCK ChequamegonPoint- KakagonSloughsQP QuarryPointtoBarkPointWL WesternLakeSuperior DrownedRiverMouthsWI WisconsinPoint

Attributes and CharacteristicsThisecologicallandscapeiscenteredonthelowplainsofLakeSuperior’ssouthshore.TwolargepocketsofthislowplainoccurinWisconsin:onebetweentheCityofSuperiorandPortWingandtheotherbetweenAshlandandtheMontrealRiver.TheBayfieldPeninsularidgesplitstheselowplains.Thisecologicallandscapeincludesthenear-lakeportionoftheridgeaswellastheApostleIslands.Anescarpment,risingseveralhundredfeetabovetheplain,marksthisecologicallandscape’ssouthernboundary.Underlyingthislandscapeisaverythickbandofclaydepositedwhenlakelevelswereconsiderablyhigher.OutcroppingsofsandstonebedrockoccuralongthenorthernmarginoftheBayfieldPeninsulaandalongtheshoresofsomeoftheApostleIslands.

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58 Legacy Places by Ecological Landscape Wisconsin Land Legacy Report

Figure 41: Legacy Places and public conservation lands of the Superior Coastal Plains

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LegacyPlacesBD BadRiverBB BoisBruleRiverHW Highway2GrasslandsLS LakeSuperiorSouth ShoreStreamsMU ManitouFalls-BlackRiverMD MiddleRiverContactMT MontrealRiverMA Mt.AshwabayNJ NemadjiRiverandWetlandsST St.LouisEstuaryand PokegamaWetlandsWR WhiteRiver

Along the Lake Superior shorelineAI ApostleIslandsBY BigBayCK ChequamegonPoint- KakagonSloughsQP QuarryPointtoBarkPointWL WesternLakeSuperior DrownedRiverMouthsWI WisconsinPoint

LegacyPlacesandpublicconservationlandsSuperiorCoastalPlains

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Lake Superior

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Figure 42: Legacy Places and land cover of the Superior Coastal Plains


LegacyPlacesandlandcoverSuperiorCoastalPlains

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Mouth of the Bois Brule River

Urban0%Open Wetland

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Figure 43: Land cover of the Superior Coastal Plains Figure 44: Public conservation and other land ownership in the Superior Coastal Plains

Figure 45: Land cover of public conservation land in the Superior Coastal Plains

ThereareveryfewnaturallakeswithinthislandscapebutmanysmallriversandstreamsflowingnorthtoLakeSuperiordissectthelakeplainandpeninsula.Soilsaremoderatelywelldrained(onthepeninsula)topoorlydrained(wheretheredclayisnearthesurface).BeforeEuropeansettlement,whitepine,whitespruceandpaperbirchwerethedominanttreesonuplandsintheareaandthiswastheonlyareainthestatetosupportsizabletractsofborealforest.Tamarackandwhitecedarweredominantontheforestedlowlands.Trembling(quaking)aspenisnowdominantthroughoutthelandscapeasaresultofpastdisturbanceandthesuccessionofidlefarmland,aswellasactivemanagementforearliersuccessionforests.Borealforestremnantsconsistingofspruce,fir,whitepineandassociatedhardwoods(aspen,balsampoplar,whitebirch,andredmaple)stillexist.

Themajorityofthisecologicallandscaperemainsforested,withonlyasmallamountofthelandbeingusedforagriculture.Urbandevelopmentthreatenssomecoastalwetlands.TheKakagon-BadRiverSloughsareofspecialecologicalinterest.PubliclandswithinthisareaincludetheApostleIslandNationalLakeshore,

ChequamegonNationalForest,BruleRiverStateForest,St.LouisRiverStreambankProtectionArea,SuperiorMunicipalForest,andseveralStateParksandNaturalAreas.

Conservation Needs and OpportunitiesThearea’sextensive,highqualitycoastalwetlandsandestuariesprovidecriticalhabitatformanyNeotropicalmigratorysongbirds,waterfowl,shorebirds,andrareplants.Ofparti-cularconservationvaluearetheApostleIslands,ChequamegonBayandPoint,andtheSt.LouisRiverestuary.Inadditiontowetlands,theshore-linealsoconsistsofmanysandstonecliffsandclaybluffsthatharborrareplantspecies.

Wisconsinisatthesouthernlimitoftherangeofborealforestsand,assuch,theyhavealwaysbeenarareelementinthestate.Theywere,however,adominantcommunitytypeintheSuperiorCoastalPlains.Today,remnants,nonelargerthan300acres,existatseveralscatteredlocationswiththebestpotentialrestorationsiteslocatedneartheBruleRiverandthePokegamawetlands.Althoughnotnativetothisarea,aswathofgrasslandhabitatrunningroughlybetweenSuperiorandAshlandonfallowfarmfieldsprovidesimportanthabitatformanynortherngrasslandbirds,mammals,waterfowl,andamphibians.

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Sunset on Chequamegon Bay


Recreation Uses and OpportunitiesLakeSuperioranditsshorelinedrawvisitorsfromthroughoutNorthAmerica.TheApostleIslandsNationalLakeshoreincludes21islandsand12milesofmainlandshoreline,featuringpristinestretchesofsandbeach,spectacularseacaves,remnantold-growthforests,residentbaldeaglesandblackbears,andthelargestcollectionoflighthousesanywhereintheNationalParksystem.Withaseriesofprimitivecampsitesscatteredthroughouttheislands,theareaoffersaboatingandpaddlingexperienceunparalleledintheMidwest.

ThemanystreamsandriversflowingoffthesurroundinguplandsthroughtheSuperiorCoastalPlainsofferexcellentfishing,particularlyfortroutandsalmon.Severaloftheriversarepop-ularpaddlingwaters,notablytheBruleandtheMontreal.ChequamegonBayhostsaveryproductiveanddiversefisheryincludingtrout,salmon,pike,walleyeandbass.Exceptionalconcentrationsofmigratorybirds(waterbirds,songbirds,andraptors)occuratthewesternendofLakeSuperiorandattractbirdwatchersfromacrosstheregion.Campingandhikingarepopularintheseveralstateandlocalparkssituatedalongthestringofwaterfallsthatrunsalongtheescarpmentatthesouthernedgeofthisecologicallandscape.TheNorthCountryTrailpassesthroughmanyoftheseparksbutremainsincomplete.

Giventheheavysnowfalltheareatypicallyreceives,snowmobilingisaverypopularactivityintheSuperiorCoastalPlains.Maintainingthelonglineartrailnetworkhere,andconnectionstoadjacentecologicallandscapes,remainsapriority.Giventheremotenatureandlowpopulationdensityofmuchofthearea,huntingisalsoapopularactivityhere.

PublicConservationLands

Map# PropertyName Size (acres)1

State s1 Amnicon Falls State Park 830s2 Bibon Swamp State Natural Area2 7,880s3 Big Bay State Park 2,300s4 Brule River State Forest 2 15,090s5 Copper Falls State Park2 600s6 Lost Creek Bog State Natural Area 460s7 Pattison State Park2 1,100s8 South Shore Lake Superior 2 5,390 State Fish And Wildlife Areas9 St. Louis River Stream Bank Protection Area 6,230s10 White River State Fishery Area 1,430s11 White River State Wildlife Area2 950 Miscellaneous Lands3 2,900

Federals1 Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest 2 2,150s2 Apostle Islands National Lakeshore 41,100s3 Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge 300

County Forest 4 s1 Bayfield County Forest2 69,870s2 Douglas County Forest2 9,130s3 Iron County Forest 2 7,630s4 Superior Municipal Forest 4,500

TOTAL 179,540

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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LegacyPlacesSuperiorCoastalPlainsecological landscape

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Bad River


BD BadRiverSize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00

TheBadRiverflowsthroughawidevarietyofhabitatsinarelativelyshortspan.StartingattheforestedheightsofthePenokee-GogebicRangeitquicklydropsthroughdeepforests.CopperFallsStatePark,wheretheriverdropsovertheescarpment,hostsspectacularcanyons,streamsandwaterfalls.Theparkdrawsvisitorsyearroundandispopularwithphotographers,hikers,campers,andcross-countryskiers.Manyhighqualitywatersfeedthesystem,notablytheWhite,Marengo,Brunsweiler,PotatoandTylerForksRivers.

BelowCopperFalls,theBadRiverflowsthroughlowlandforestsandthenouttosloughswhereitmeetsLakeSuperior.Here,theBadandWhiteRiversflowthroughtheBadRiverIndianReservation.TheBadRivertribemanagesmostofthelandwithintheReservationandbecauseoftheirstrongstewardshipethicthisarearetainssignificantnaturalresources.

BB BroisBruleRiver Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . .00000

TheBoisBruleisoneofthebestknownriverseastoftheMississippiforfishing,paddling,andbeautifulscenery.TheBrulecontainsresidentbrook,brownandrainbowtrout.Lake,brown,andrainbow(steelhead)trout,alongwithcohoandchinooksalmon,migrateuptheBruleannuallyfromLakeSuperior.NativeAmericansandearlyEuro-AmericansettlersusedtheBrule,withaportagetotheSt.CroixRiver,asacriticaltravellinkbetweenLakeSuperiorandtheMississippiRiver.

Theriveritselfhastwodistinctpersonalities.Theupperriver(thesouthernportion)flowsthroughmilesofconiferousbogandisfedbynumeroussprings.WheretherivercrossestheCopperRange,itbeginsafallof328feetinthe18milestoLakeSuperior.Here,flashingcascadestumbleoverrocksandledgesbetweensteepriverbluffsforestedwithaspen,spruce,andbalsamfir.

TheBruleRiverStateForest,along,narrowbandofpubliclandcenteredaroundtheriver,harborsagreaterdiversityofbirdsandmammalsthananyothernorthernWisconsinareaofsimilarsize.Theforesthasmanydistinctlandscapesthatallowforawiderangeofspeciessuchasdeer,ruffedgrouse,geese,baldeagle,ospreyandsongbirds.Hunting,camping,hiking,cross-countryskiingandsnowmobilingareallpopularactivitiesontheStateForest.WithinandadjacenttotheStateForest,nearwheretheBruleentersLakeSuperior,thereareopportunitiestorestoreandmanagesignificantstandsofborealforest.MuchofthelandoutsidetheStateForestiswithinindustrialforestownership.

HWHighway2GrasslandsSize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

StraddlingUSHighway2fromAshlandtoSuperiorisaseriesofgrasslandsthatprovideimportanthabitatformanynorthernbirds,mammals,waterfowl,andamphibians.Thesegrasslandcommunitiesarenotnativetotheredclayplainbutaretheresultoftheconversionofforeststofarmlandafterthenorthernforestwasoriginallylogged.Muchofthisareawasoncefarmedforhay,pasture,andsomesmallgrains;however,nowonlyafractionisstillactivelyusedforagriculture.Fallowfarmlandisrevertingtobrushandforest,eithernaturallyorbyplanting.Wherewetlandshaverevertedtonativevegetationorhavebeenrestored,theyarewellutilizedbywaterfowlfromLakeSuperiorforrestingandnesting.Theadjoiningoldfieldsprovideexcellentfeedingareas.

LS LakeSuperiorSouthShoreStreamsSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000

AseriesofstreamsoriginatewithintheBayfieldsandbarrensandmaketheirwaythroughtheSuperiorCoastalPlainsbeforeenteringLakeSuperior.Theyprovideavaluablecorridorforavastvarietyofwildlifespeciesbyconnectingheadwaterreacheswithextremelyrarecoastalestuaries.ThehighqualityspawningbedsofthesestreamsproduceanabundanceoftroutandsalmonthatattractlargenumbersofanglerstothestreamsandLakeSuperior.

Asdevelopmenthasoccurredinthearea,therehasbeenanadverseimpactonthewaterflowofmanyofthesestreamsresultingindamagedin-streamhabitatconditions.Somestatelandsoccuralongthesestreams,butagreaterareaisinneedofprotection,particularlyintheheadwaters,ifthequalityofthefisheriesistobemaintained.SomeoftheseimportantstreamsandriversincludetheIron(wheretheOrientaDamwasrecentlyremoved),Flag,Cranberry,Bark,Siskiwit,Raspberry,Onion,Pike,andSiouxRiversandtheirtributaries.

MUManitouFalls-BlackRiver See the Northwest Sands ecological landscape.

MDMiddleRiverContactSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00

LocatedinDouglasCountywheretheMiddleRiverdropsovertheescarpment,thisscenicareaincludeswaterfallsandinterestinggeologicfeatures.LyingbetweenAmniconFallsStateParkandtheBruleRiverStateForest,thisareaprovidesanopportunitytoconnectthetwo,aswellasthegrasslandstothenorthofUSH2.Severaltypesofoutdoorrecreationthattakeadvantageofthetopographyarepossiblehere.

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MT MontrealRiverSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000

TwomainforksdrainingoutofthenorthernhighlandsfeedtheMontrealRiver.AftercuttingthroughthePenokee-GogebicRange,theriver’sconsiderabledropprovidesaspectacularvalleystuddedwithwhitewater,waterfalls,andsteepcliffs.Ofparticularnoteisatwomilestretch,theMontrealCanyon,wheretheriverhascutthroughconglomerate,shaleandsandstone,formingsteepcliffsover200feethigh.TheSaxonandSuperiorFlowageslieupstreamanddownstream,respectively,fromthecanyonanddirectlyinfluencewaterlevels.Primaryhardwoodspeciesinthevalleyincluderedoak,aspen,sugarandredmaple,paperandyellowbirch,andbasswood.Themostcommonconifersincluderedandwhitepine,whitecedar,hemlock,fir,andspruce.Thecanyonharborsseveralrarespecies,withsomecedarandspruceclingingtothesidesofthecanyonwalls.

FromthePenokee-GogebicRangedownstreamtoLakeSuperiorthereislittleaccesstotheriverandasaresultithasconsiderablewildernesscharacter.Theriver’sfastmovingwatersupportsanexcellentcoldwaterfisheryofbrook,brown,andrainbowtrout.Duringthespring,steelheadandsalmonmoveintothestretchfromLakeSuperiortoSuperiorFalls.Warmwaterspecies,particularlynorthernpike,muskellunge,andwalleye,maybefoundinthevicinityofthetwoflowages.Theriverisapopularwhitewaterkayakingandcanoeingdestination.

MAMt.AshwabaySize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00

ThesidesofMt.Ashwabaycontainacoreareaofold-growthhemlock-hardwoodforest(includingalargesugarbush)thatisimportanthabitatformanynorthernbirdspecies.Thereisanopportunitytomanagealargerareaforold-growthforest.Theforest,ontheslopesofMt.Ashwabay,providesascenicbackdropforresidentsandvisitorstoBayfieldandprovidesexcellenthabitatforNeotropicalmigrantbirds.

NJ NemadjiRiverandWetlands Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Theriveranditstributariesflowthroughareasofsand,loamytills,andglacialoutwashprimarilyinMinnesotaandglaciallake-laidclaysinWisconsin.Thepre-settlementvegetationwastypicaltransitionborealforest,dominatedbysuper-canopywhitepine,maincanopyspruceandbalsamfirandwhitecedar.Thedeciduouscomponentwaswhitebirch,aspen,andblackash.Currenttreecoverisdominatedbydeciduoustreesbutisslowlysucceedingtoconifercovertypicalofpre-settlementconditions.Clayplainmeadowsandmarshesarecommonintheupperreachesofthewatershed.TerracesalongthelowerNemadjisupportsignificantfloodplainforestandmarshcommunities.

TheNemadjiRiverandWetlandsdrainintoLakeSuperiorneartheSuperiormunicipalwatersystemintakesandmayaffecttherawwaterqualityofthatsystem.TheSuperiorsystemprovidesdrinkingwatertoapproximately29,600customers.

ST St.LouisEstuaryandPokegamaWetlandsSize................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000

TheSt.LouisRiverestuaryisauniquecombinationofindustrialuseandhighqualitynaturalresources.Givenitsdeepriverchannel,theSuperior-Duluthareahaslongplayedanimportantroleinthecountry’srailandshippingtransportationinfrastructure.Asaresult,muchofSt.LouisBayisheavilydevelopedforindustrialpurposes.However,furtherupstream,particularlyontheWisconsinside,theriverretainsmuchofitswildcharacterandprovideshabitatforaverylargenumberofdiverseplantandanimalspecies.

Thesouthsideoftherivercontainssubstantialpublicownershipwithmanyhighqualityhabitats.The4,500-acreSuperiorMunicipalForestharborssignificantstandsofmatureconiferousforest,extensiveemergentmarsh,andwetclayflatssupportingamixtureofshrubswampandwetmeadow.Theconiferousforestsherearecomposedprimarilyofspeciesoftenassociatedwiththeborealregions,withcanopydominantsincludingwhitespruce,whitepine,balsamfir,balsampoplar,andpaperbirch.Residentbirdsincludemanyspeciesassociatedwithmatureconifers,suchasBlackburnian,black-throatedgreen,pine,yellow-rumped,parula,andCapeMaywarblers.Inadditiontoitssignificantnaturalresources,theMunicipalForesthostsanextensivenetworkofmotorizedandnon-motorizedtrails.

Furtherwestliesthestate-ownedSt.LouisRiverStreambankProtectionArea,alargeblockofrough,deeplydissected,redclaylandscapedrainedbytheRedRiveranditstributaries.Someofthesmallterracesintheravinebottomscontainmaturestandsoflargewhitespruce,blackash,andbalsampoplar.UpperportionsoftheSt.LouisRiverEstuary,fromFondduLacdownstreamtoOliver,featureextensiveemergentmarshes.ImmediatelyadjacenttothestatelineliesMinnesota’s8,800-acreJayCookeStatePark,whichalsocontainsextensiveforestsandmarshes.TothesouthoftheMunicipalForestandtheStreambankArealiesthelargePokegamawetland

complexwhichcontainsamixofopensedgemeadows,forestedwetlands,andpocketsofsmalluplandssupportingaspen,pine,birch,andfir.Thewetlandcomplexharborsmanyrareplants.

TheSt.LouisEstuaryandPokegamaWetlandsdrainintoLakeSuperiorneartheSuperiormunicipalwatersystemintakesandmayaffecttherawwaterqualityofthatsystem.TheSuperiorsystemprovidesdrinkingwatertoapproximately29,600customers.

WRWhiteRiverSize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00

Originatingfromaseriesofspringfedlakesthatfeedmanytributaries,theWhiteRiverflowsfromtheChequamegonNationalForest,throughBibonSwamp,andviatheBadRiverintoLakeSuperior.Theheadwaterstreamsarecold,fast,andhighlyproductive.AtBibonSwamp,theriveranditssurroundingschange;theflowslows,theriver’scoursemeandersextensively,andthevalleyfloorwidens.ThevegetationtypesfoundinBibonSwampareunusuallyvariedforsuchatopographicallyuniformbasin.Naturalcommunitiespresentrangefromopenbogtomuskegtowetconiferswamp.Becauseofthesizeandvariedvegetation,theareahostsavarietyofwildlifeandisavitalconnectinglinkbetweentheextensiveforestsofthesouthandwestandtheBadRivercorridordownstream.Downstreamfromthisvastwetland,theriverflowsthroughalargeforestblockbeforeenteringtheWhiteRiverFlowage.Fromthisimpoundment,theriverslowlywindsthroughhighqualityforestsandwetlandsbeforejoiningtheBadRivernearitsconfluencewithLakeSuperiorontheBadRiverIndianReservation.

TheWhiteRiveranditstributariessupportaveryproductivecoldwaterfishery.Initsupperreachesofthewatershed,brookandbrowntroutareabundant.Belowtheflowage,theriversupportsanadromousrunsoftroutandsalmon.Thesesignificantruns,alongwiththequalityfishingintheupperreaches,drawanglersfromthroughouttheMidwest.

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LegacyPlacesalong the Lake Superior Shoreline

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The Bayfield County shoreline becomes more rugged and undeveloped. East of Quarry Point are actively eroding clay bluffs, some rising over 100 feet. A stretch from Squaw Bay to Sand Bay is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and contains sculptured, multi-colored, sandstone bluffs and some impressive sea caves. The Red Cliff Indian Reservation, at the tip of the Bayfield Peninsula, also contains extensive bluff lands. Just west of Ashland is the newly-established Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Whittlesey Creek is an important spawning ground for coho salmon and there is hope that it might someday serve as a point of reintroduction for the nearly-extinct strain of lake-run brook trout known as “coasters.”

The Ashland County shoreline is domi- nated by the Kakagon-Bad River Sloughs, an extensive estuary with very significant ecological values that lie entirely within the Bad River Indian Reservation. The lake shore of Iron County is fairly wild and roadless and characterized by extensive red clay bluffs. Saxon Harbor is a popular boat launching and recreational spot. The Montreal River forms the border between Wisconsin and Michigan, with Superior Falls located very close to the river’s mouth.

Extending roughly 150 miles from the City of Superior to the Montreal River, the Lake Superior shoreline is Wisconsin’s wildest and least-developed segment of Great Lakes shore. Although urban development is limited to Superior, Ashland, and smaller settlements such as Washburn and Bayfield, scattered housing occurs along the shore. Along the undeveloped portions of the shore are drowned river mouths, sandy and rocky beaches, slumping clay bluffs, wave cut sandstone cliffs, and large sloughs containing wild rice. A multitude of streams flow across the coastal plain and empty into Lake Superior. Most are small with steep sides, but contain resident trout and also serve as important spawning waters for lake-run trout and salmon.

In response to the melting of the last glacier, Lake Superior’s western end has been slowly tilting downwards toward the south and west. As a result, a series of “drowned” river mouths has formed. One of the best examples can be seen at the St. Louis River estuary, where the former river channel has been flooded by the lake, now enabling large ships to move upriver 11 miles to Gary, Minnesota. Most of the Douglas County shoreline is rather low and heavily forested. About nine miles of the shore is within the project boundary of the Brule River State Forest.

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AI ApostleIslands Size................................LargeProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .000

Ice,wind,andwaveshavecarvedthe22islandsthatmakeuptheApostlesforoveramillionyears.Theresultisadramaticshorelinefeaturingsandstonecliffs,seacaves,andmilesofpristinesandbeaches.TheApostleIslandsdisplayarichassemblageofscenicfeaturesandnaturalandculturalresources.TheApostleIslandsNationalLakeshorewasestablishedin1970andnowincludes21oftheislandsinthegroup,aswellasa12-milestripofshorelineonthemainland.

Theislands’manyhabitatsharboranexceptionaldiversityofplantsandanimals.Whiteandyellowbirch,redandsugarmaple,balsamfir,andwhitecedarnowdominatetheislandforests.Limitedstandsofold-growthwhitepineandhemlockalsoremain.Thirty-fivemammalspeciesandovertwohundredfortybirdshavebeenidentifiedwithintheLakeshore.TheIslandsprovideauniqueremoteexperienceforboatersandpaddlers.Campingopportunitiesrangefromdevelopedsitesneardockstomini-mal-impactwildernesscamping.AllsitesarelocatedonislandsinLakeSuperior;noneareaccessiblebyroad.Althoughaconsiderabledistancefromlargepopulationcenters,theNationalLakeshoredrawsvisitorsfromthroughoutthecountry.

BY BigBaySize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . 0000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

ThislargeembaymentontheeasterncoastofMadelineIslandcontainsacoastalbarrierspit,beachanddunes,xericpineforest,lagoon,

andadiversearrayofpeatlands.Coastalfen,coastalbog,shrubswamp,andtamarackswampborderthelagoon.Anabandonedsandspit,nowthree-quartersofamileinlandfromLakeSuperior,separatesamuchmoreacidcomplexofpeatlandtypes,includingopenbog,muskeg,andblackspruceswamp,fromthemoremineralrichtypestotheeast.Theprimarycoastalspitismostlyforested,withallthreepinespeciesnativetoWisconsinpresent.Thismosaicofnaturalcommunitiesisoneofthemostunusual,diverse,andpristineintheGreatLakes.TheentireembaymentisprotectedwithintheBigBayStatePark.

CK ChequamegonPoint/KakagonSlough Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SubstantialProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

AtthemouthoftheBadRiveraresomeofthelargestandhighestqualitycoastalwetlandsintheGreatLakes.Thisvastwetlandcomplexofsloughsisalsoanimportantspawningandnurseryareaformanyfishspecies.Alongwiththesewetlandsisalongnarrowsandspit,ChequamegonPoint-LongIsland,whichprovidescriticalnestingandrestinghabitatformanymigratorywaterfowl,shorebirds,andsongbirds.TheBadRivertribemanagesmuchofthisareaincollaborationwithTheNatureConservancy,andistheprimaryreasonthisareaharborssuchoutstandingnaturalresources.

QP QuarryPointtoBarkPointSize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00

Runningabout15milesbetweenthesetwopointsisoneofWisconsin’smostruggedsectionsofLakeSuperiorcoast.WestofHerbsterarehighclaybluffsthatareactively“slumping”intothelakeandlimitdevelopmentpotential.Manysteepravinescutbackupthesebluffs.EastofHerbster,theshoreflattensasitapproachesBarkBaybutremainsrelativelyundeveloped.

WLWesternLakeSuperiorDrownedRiverMouthsSize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MediumProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . .00000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

InadditiontotheSt.LouisEstuaryareanumberofsmall,drownedrivermouthsthatoccurinBayfieldCounty.ExamplesincludePortWing,BarkBay,LostCreek,SandBay,andRaspberryBay.Thesebaysandtheirsurroundinguplandssupportmosaicsofhighqualitynaturalcommunitiesincluding:coastalfen,coastalbog,tamarackswamp,drypineforest,sandspit,beach,anddune.Inadditiontoprovidingimportantspawninghabitat,theseareasharbormanyrareplants,birds,andinsects.Collectively,theserivermouthsprovidecriticalhabitatformanybirdsduringthespringandfallmigrations.

BecauseitissituatedatthesouthendofChequamegonBay,thecoastalwetlandsatFishCreekBayarefloodedandexposedasthe“seichetides”moveinandoutoftheBay.Whenthemudflatsareexposed,theareaattractstensofthousandsofshorebirds.MuchoftheareaisownedbytheDNR.

WI WisconsinPointSize................................SmallProtectionInitiated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LimitedProtectionRemaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ModerateConservationSignificance. . . . . . . . . . . .000RecreationPotential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

WisconsinPointistheeasternportionofalongcoastalbarrierspitseparatingthewatersofLakeSuperiorfromAllouezBay.Majorsitefeaturesincludeseveralmilesofopensandbeachanddunes,smallinterdunalwetlands,andaxericforestofwhiteandredpines.Althoughpartiallydeveloped,thepointandadjacentAllouezBayreceiveheavyvisi-tationbymigratingbirdsinthespring.

Other Areas of InterestHoughtonFallsandPoint(Bayfield County)Thissmall,scenicsiteisuniqueinhavingawaterfalldroppingintoafingerofLakeSuperior,whichextendsupasmallgorge.Someborealforestremainshere.Recreationusecouldfocusonthewaterfallsandgorge.

SultzSwamp(Bayfield County ) ThisacidpeatlandoccupiesadepressionhighontheBayfieldPeninsulaapproximatelysixmilesinlandfromtheLakeSuperiorcoast.Althoughthereareother,similarwetlandsinthispartofthebasin,SultzSwampisthelargestandisembeddedwithinvaststretchesofcounty-ownedforest.Themajorfeaturesofthisinsularpeatlandincludeamatureforestofblackspruce,anextensivemuskeg/openbog,andlargepopulationsofseveralrarespecies.Disturbancestotheinteriorofthesitehavebeenminimal,withtheexceptionofamaintainedpowerlinecorridorthatcrossesthearea.

SuperiorAirportWetlands(Douglas County )Alargewetlandcomplexofshrubswampandopenmeadow,withafewsmallpatchesofemergentmarsh,surroundstheSuperiorairport.Despitethedisturbancesthathavealteredthecomposition,structure,function,size,andconfigurationofthesewetlands,theyharborsignificantpopulationsofrareplants,someofwhichareonlyknowntooccurinafewlocationsinthestate.

TernandInterstateIslands(Ashland and Douglas Counties)LocatedinChequamegonBaynearAshland,TernIslandisaformerwoodenpierremnantthatwasre-builtasaCommonTerncolonysitein1986.Itcontainsthemostimportantandoldestcolonyofthisstate-EndangeredspeciesinwesternLakeSuperior.Firstdiscoveredin1974,thissitehasbeenmanagedexclusivelyforCommonTernswithover1,000ternyoungbandedattheislandsince1981.Duetothelong-termstabilityofthecolony,birdsproducedatTernIslandhavehelpedpioneeranewcolonyatInterstateIslandintheSt.LouisRiverestuary.InterstateIslandnowcontainsthelargestCommonTerncolony(>200nestingpairs)inthestate.Thelong-termprotectionofthesesmallislandsiscriticaltothepopu-lationviabilityofCommonTernsinWisconsin.

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