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
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
AHNAPEE RIVER CORRIDOR<br />
LOCATION:<br />
The Ahnapee River Corridor is located in southern <strong>Door</strong> <strong>County</strong> (T25-26N, R24E) in the Towns<br />
of Brussels and Forestville. As this report represents general areas of concern, exact locations of<br />
boundary lines have not been designated.<br />
GENERAL SITE DESCRIPTION:<br />
The Ahnapee River Corridor is approximately 5,200 acres in size. Much of the surrounding land<br />
adjacent <strong>to</strong> the river is composed of woodlots and farmland. Idle land comprises much of the area<br />
categorized as farmland. Therefore, a potential exists <strong>to</strong> purchase lands not currently utilized for<br />
agriculture or residential purposes for ecological res<strong>to</strong>ration. One significant attribute of the Ahnapee<br />
River is the length of its reaches. The longest river trip via canoe in <strong>Door</strong> <strong>County</strong> exists between <strong>County</strong><br />
Road H and the Kewaunee <strong>County</strong> line.<br />
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE:<br />
The Ahnapee River Corridor and Kayes Creek/Brussels Hill/Gardner Swamp Complex provide a<br />
continuous habitat passage that stretches from the Kewaunee <strong>County</strong> line north <strong>to</strong> the waters of Green<br />
Bay. The overall length of the Ahnapee River Corridor and the land-water interface provided through its<br />
connection <strong>to</strong> the river and its secondary connection <strong>to</strong> the bay make the corridor an ecologically<br />
significant area for <strong>Door</strong> <strong>County</strong>. Additionally, the river corridor is relatively intact, thereby providing<br />
important habitat for a variety of riparian wildlife.<br />
The Ahnapee River Corridor begins in wetlands north of the river and is a valuable fishing and<br />
boating resource (Zimmerman 1989). The miles of open <strong>to</strong> shrubby wetland habitat and upland woodlots<br />
along the river corridor form a landscape pattern suitable for a large number of bird species. Birds<br />
commonly seen or heard in the moist meadows of grasses, dogwood and green ash south of Forestville<br />
include Sedge Wren (Cis<strong>to</strong>thorus platensis), Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), Yellow Warbler<br />
(Dendroica petechia), Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis), Red-wing Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus),<br />
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). The adjoining<br />
upland woodlots and fields contain Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), American Redstart<br />
(Se<strong>to</strong>phaga ruticilla), Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Brown Thrasher (Toxos<strong>to</strong>ma rufum),<br />
American Robin (Turdus migra<strong>to</strong>riius), Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), Gray Catbird (Dumetella<br />
carolinensis), and House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). This north-south tending corridor of natural lands<br />
probably also serves as an important spring and fall migration corridor for passerine songbirds.<br />
NOTEWORTHY CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL FEATURES:<br />
The Ahnapee River, formerly known as the Wolf, played a major role in the settlement of the area<br />
and particularly the <strong>to</strong>wn of Forestville, which was the third <strong>to</strong>wn <strong>to</strong> be organized (1857) in the county.<br />
Mainly people of Irish and German descent settled the area. The Ahnapee was at one time a deep river<br />
and for more than 20 years steamboats and heavily laden barges navigated its waters (Holand 1917). In<br />
later years after much of the surrounding land had been cleared, the river became <strong>to</strong>o shallow for<br />
commercial use. The river drains much of the southern portion of the county and sedimentation resulting<br />
from timber harvesting, land clearing and the fire of 1871 were contributing fac<strong>to</strong>rs leading <strong>to</strong> its loss of<br />
depth.<br />
The Ahnapee River State Recreation Trail is one of the oldest segments of the Ice Age Trail in<br />
Wisconsin and is excellent for hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and horse back riding. The 28-mile long<br />
trail starts at the ship canal in the City of Sturgeon Bay and heads south through <strong>Door</strong> <strong>County</strong> and<br />
eventually ends in Kewaunee <strong>County</strong>. Visi<strong>to</strong>rs can view a combination of farmland and natural areas<br />
ranging from cedar swamps <strong>to</strong> hardwood forests. The marshes along the Ahnapee River offer excellent<br />
viewing opportunities for many waterfowl, mammals, and annual salmon spawning runs (WDNR 2000).<br />
Ahnapee River Corridor 23