Wisconsin
Wetlands Association, Natural
Resources Foundation of WI, Inland Sea Society, and Friends of South Shore
Estuaries invite you to….
Explore a State Natural
Area Along the Shore
of Lake Superior:
Bark Bay
Slough, Lost Creek Bog and Port Wing Boreal Forest
Saturday,
June 4, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, Bayfield
County
Call Wisconsin Wetlands Association to register: 608-250-9971
The shore of Lake Superior has a wealth of
unique, beautiful, and ecologically significant wetlands. This event will
provide the opportunity to choose
your own adventure and explore one of three State Natural Areas
along the shore of Lake Superior in Bayfield County.
Paddle through Bark Bay Slough with Jim Meeker (bring your own canoe or kayak),
trek around Lost Creek Bog with Gus Smith, or hike through Port Wing Boreal
Forest with Tom Gerstenberger. We will gather in Cornucopia for an introduction
and then divide into three groups before heading out to the three sites. Read
about the trip that is planned for each sites below.
Directions
to Meeting Location
Meet at 9:00 am at Siskiwit
Bay Coffee &
Curiosities in Cornucopia. From Ashland,
take US-2 west to WI-13 and turn right (north). Go about 6 miles and turn left
onto CR-C. Take C ~20 miles into Cornucopia and turn right onto Superior
Ave. Siskiwit Bay Coffee & Curiosities is located at 88610 Superior Ave.
Paddling Trip in Bark Bay Slough State Natural
Area
Field trip leader: Jim Meeker, Associate
Professor of Natural Resources/Biology, Northland College
Bring your own canoe or kayak
Limited space; call WWA to register: 608-250-9971
Trip Description
We will talk about the types of coastal wetland habitat in Bark Bay
and the transition from coastal peatland to coastal marsh. This will be a canoe
trip so participants must bring their own canoes - no canoes will be provided.
A maximum of 6 canoes (12 participants) will be allowed on this trip. Bring
binoculars, sunscreen, water, and associated canoe gear.
General Site description
Bark Bay
Slough consists of a coastal barrier spit, lagoon, springs, and wetlands
occupying an embayment between two rocky headlands along Lake
Superior. The wetlands are extensive and include two major types:
coastal fen and coastal bog. Both communities are floristically diverse, in
excellent condition, and support many rare species, including Michaux's sedge (Carex michauxiana), downy willow-herb (Epilobium strictum), and dragon's-mouth
orchid (Arethusa bulbosa). The
sandy, 2-mile long barrier spit contains red pine and white pine with an
understory of blueberry, bearberry, alder, sweet gale, and beach grasses. A
large lagoon occupies the center of the site and supports submergent and
floating-leaved aquatic plants. Together, the wetlands and 28-acre lagoon form
a bay-mouth bar lake. The shallow (8 foot maximum depth), hardwater lake
supports mostly panfish and northern pike. The Bark River,
and a spring complex on the eastern end of the natural area supply water to the
lake and wetlands. Birds present during the breeding season include bald eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus),
merlin (Falco columbarius),
northern harrier (Circus cyaneus),
yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis),
sandhill crane, Brewer's blackbird, and American bittern (Botaurus lentaginosus). Substantial numbers
of migrating shorebirds make use of the property. Bark Bay Slough is owned by
the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1977.
Directions to this SNA
>From Herbster in Bayfield County, go northeast on State Highway 13 3.5 miles,
then north and west on Bark Bay Road 0.5 mile to a boat landing east of the
road. NOTE: Start location for this trip is
the Siskiwit Bay Coffee & Curiosities in
Cornucopia (directions above).
Found! Lost Creek Bog State Natural Area
Field trip leader: Gus Smith
Call WWA to register: 608-250-9971
Trip Description
We’ll hike into lost creek slough, get our feet wet, take off our boots
and feel the moss and the support of years and years of build up of organic
material. We will walk and talk about the development of bogs, plants and
animals that live there and the importance of protection. We’ll end the
hike on the blueberry lane beach on Lake Superior.
Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them, and shoes that can get wet.
Hiking will be easy but on uneven ground.
General Site description
Lost Creek Bog features a Lake Superior estuarine system at the drowned mouths
of three small creeks (Lost Creek 1, 2, and 3) where they empty into Siskiwit Bay. A coastal barrier sand spit
forested with spruce and pine separates the wetlands from the lake. Shore fen,
grading to open sedge bog, shrub swamp, and northern wet forest dominated by
tamarack are the major communities in the natural area. Flora of the marsh is
composed of lake sedge, water arum, marsh cinquefoil, and cat-tail. Bur-reed,
water milfoil, yellow water-lily, common bladderwort, and pondweeds are among
the submergent and floating-leaved species in the marsh. Several rare plants
and animals have been recorded in the natural area, including dragon's-mouth
orchid (Arethusa bulbosa), livid
sedge (Carex livida),
Hooker’s orchid (Platanthera hookeri),
bog fritillary butterfly (Boloria eunomia),
bog copper butterfly (Lycaena epixanthe),
and the largest known Wisconsin population of
the state-endangered lake cress (Armoracia
lacustris). Uncommon nesting birds recorded here are yellow-bellied
flycatcher, evening grosbeak and merlin. Migratory waterfowl and other water
birds make extensive use the site. Lost Creek Bog is owned by the DNR and was
designated a State Natural Area in 1993
Directions to this SNA
At the junction State Highway 13 and County Highway C in Cornucopia, go west on
Blueberry Lane
about 1.3 miles to a parking area and a canoe landing on the left. The northern
portion of the bog is directly accessible from the parking area. The remainder
of the wetland is best accessed by canoe. Uplands are accessible adjacent to
Highway 13 on the south or Roman
Point Road on the west. NOTE: Start location for this trip is the Siskiwit Bay
Coffee & Curiosities in Cornucopia (directions above).
Port Wing Boreal Forest State Natural Area
Field trip leader: Tom Gerstenberger, Retired
Educator
Call WWA to register: 608-250-9971
Trip Description
During this hike participants will learn about the northern boreal forest, bog,
and Lake Superior beach line at Port Wing SNA,
as well as the history of the old quarries next to this site. Port Wing Boreal
Forest is home to many unique nesting birds, so binoculars are recommended.
Also, due to the terrain, rubber boots (i.e., knee boots) are highly
recommended...or at least dry set of shoes for after the hike!
General Site description
Port Wing Boreal Forest encompasses two areas of northern dry-mesic forest on
sand spits inland from the present Lake Superior
shoreline. The forest has distinct boreal characteristics. Large white and red
pines (to 30 inch diameter) form a canopy over white spruce, balsam fir, red
maple, white birch, mountain maple, yellow birch, and white cedar. The ground
layer contains blueberries, twinflower, yellow blue-bead-lily, large-leaved
aster, three-leaved gold-thread, and several club-mosses. Resident birds in the
forest are very diverse and include veery, solitary vireo, northern parula,
blackburnian warbler, redstart, purple finch, and white-throated sparrow.
Between the forested sand spit and the beach to the north is a wetland complex
of northern sedge meadow, shrub swamp and bog containing typical bog species
such as pitcher plant, sundews, bladderworts, and sedges. Alder thickets are
found around the bog. The wetlands are an extension of the estuary of the Flag River,
the watercourse that separates the two natural area units. Two rare plants and
two rare invertebrates inhabit the wetlands: leafy white orchis (Platanthera dilatata), common bog arrow-grass
(Triglochin maritima), black
meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum danae)
and bog copper butterfly (Lycaena epixanthe).
The 20-acre beach and dune complex along the Lake Superior shoreline is
dominated by marram grass, blue-joint, Canada wild rye, beach pea, and
sand cherry. The beach is used extensively by shorebirds and waterfowl. Port
Wing Boreal Forest is owned by the DNR and was
designated a State Natural Area in 1979.
Directions to this SNA
For the east unit: from the intersection of County Highway A and State Highway
13 in Port Wing, go east on 13 about 1.6 miles, then west on Lakeview Road 0.2
miles, then north on Big Pete Road about 0.5 miles to Lake Superior. For the
west unit: from the intersection of Washington Avenue and 13 in Port Wing, go
north on Washington Avenue 0.6 miles, then west on Quarry Road about 1 mile,
then north on Point Road 0.25 miles to a parking area. NOTE: Start location for this trip is the Siskiwit Bay Coffee & Curiosities in
Cornucopia (directions above).