Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map
Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map
Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map
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The fourth rare orchid, the ram’s-head lady-slipper orchid (Cypripedium arietinum), is listed as<br />
threatened in the state. A diversity of warbler species has been observed in this forest type, which<br />
include Northern Parula (Parula americana), Black-and-white (Mniotilta varia), Nashville<br />
(Vermivora ruficapilla), Canada , and Blackburnian (Dendroica fusca) Warblers, and Ovenbird as<br />
well as the Northern Waterthrush.<br />
• Surrounding the wetland communities along the river are upland forests of hemlock, sugar maple,<br />
white birch, and beech with lesser numbers of yellow birch and white pine. Younger stands hold<br />
earlier succession species like quaking and big-<strong>to</strong>oth aspen. These upland forest stands occur on<br />
relatively deep soils, which for <strong>Door</strong> <strong>County</strong> may only extend a couple feet at most but are<br />
nevertheless usually quite rich in humus. The moist, rich environment is very favorable for fleshy<br />
fungi and saprophytic seed plants. Preliminary study of the fungi of the Mink River forest reveals<br />
over 35 species of mushrooms present during late summer. These upland forests contain the habitats<br />
of many northern songbirds. The Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica), Nashville<br />
Warbler, and Black-throated Green Warbler are common in the mesic stands. The Blackburnian<br />
Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus) may be found on the drier sites with<br />
pines in the forest canopy. Most recently 69 species of birds have been confirmed using the area for<br />
breeding habitat.<br />
• Edging the shore of Rowley’s Bay north and east of the mouth of the Mink River, the beach and the<br />
adjacent series of sand ridges and swales support a number of rare or uncommon plants and natural<br />
community types. Along the shore, fractures in the exposed bedrock allow pockets of soil <strong>to</strong> collect<br />
and support a number of plant species adapted <strong>to</strong> the extremes of moisture and heat created by a<br />
dynamic system of periodic flooding. The small grass, parnassus (Parnassia parviflora), the lesser<br />
fringed gentian (Gentianopsis procera), and (Satureja sp.) are uncommon species which occur here.<br />
• The rare Crawe’sedge, (Carex crawei), has been found along the sandy shoreline and western fescue<br />
(Festuca occidentalis), and the federal and state threatened dune thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), inhabit the<br />
open sandy fore dunes. On the ridges behind the beach, the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris<br />
lacustris), is found in small scattered patches in openings between the white cedars.<br />
CONSERVATION GOALS:<br />
• Maintain the existing forest of the site and reforest abandoned agricultural land adjacent <strong>to</strong> the<br />
existing forest <strong>to</strong> increase the overall size of the forest.<br />
• Enhance the natural forested connections and corridors that link the major blocks of forest and<br />
wetlands within this area <strong>to</strong> adjacent natural areas (i.e., <strong>Door</strong> Bluff <strong>County</strong> Park <strong>to</strong> the north, Newport<br />
State Park <strong>to</strong> the east, and the North Bay area <strong>to</strong> the south).<br />
• Prevent impairment <strong>to</strong> water quality and flow regime of the springs and upper reaches of the Mink<br />
River that feed the marsh and open water of the Mink River estuary.<br />
• Moni<strong>to</strong>r and control, as necessary, exotic aggressive species, particularly Japanese knotweed, glossy<br />
buckthorn and garlic mustard in the forests adjoining the Mink River.<br />
• Maintain or enhance the ecological composition, structure and functions of the core natural areas of<br />
the site (i.e., the open marsh and adjoining lowland and upland forests of the Mink River, the<br />
undeveloped shoreline of Rowley’s Bay, and the riparian forest of the Mink River north of Hwy 42).<br />
Mink River / Rowley’s Bay System