Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map

BLACK ASH SWAMP
LOCATION:
The Black Ash Swamp, located in the Towns of Brussels and Forestville encompasses
approximately 2100 acres in southeastern Door County (T25N, R25E). As this report represents general
areas of concern, exact locations of boundary lines have not been designated.
GENERAL SITE DESCRIPTION:
Although the largest portion of the Black Ash Swamp lies in Kewaunee County, a significant
section of the swamp is located in Door County. Within close proximity and directly to the north of the
Black Ash Swamp is the Ahnapee River Corridor.
The Town of Brussels recently adopted a town-zoning ordinance and in 2002 was in the public
hearing phase of implementing a comprehensive land use plan. The plan is expected to be complete early
in 2003. The Town of Forestville has not as yet adopted a county or a town-zoning ordinance although
discussions have continued for the past few years.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
The Black Ash Swamp is the largest contiguous forest in southern Door County (Zimmerman,
1989), and continues into Kewaunee County where it forms, by far, the largest block of forested land in
Kewaunee County. The swamp covers approximately 5000 acres in total and 2100 acres in Door County.
This 2 mile-wide and 6-mile long habitat is extremely significant ecologically as it represents the largest
contiguous block of habitat in this subregion. Numerous species of wildlife are known to utilize the mix
of lowland forest, shrub carr, sedge meadow, emergent marsh and open water habitats that this area
provides. In addition, the Black Ash Swamp is known to harbor the state-threatened Red-shouldered
Hawk (Buteo lineatus) and the federally protected and the endangered Hines Emerald dragonfly
(Somatochlora hineana). Lowland forests of this size are regionally rare in Wisconsin and the Black Ash
Swamp represents an opportunity to protect such a forest.
NOTEWORTHY CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL FEATURES:
The swamp is 2 miles wide (east-west) and 6 miles long (north-south), three quarters of which is
located in Kewaunee County and for generations has been a favored hunting spot for local sportsman.
SITE FEATURES:
Black Ash Swamp
The Black Ash Swamp is the northern tip of a large block of lowland forest and swamp extending
into Door County from Kewaunee County. It is drained by Silver Creek into the lower Ahnapee River.
The swamp has diverse wildlife habitat used by many plants and animals.
• The surrounding land use is mostly agricultural with lesser amounts of woodland, other natural area,
and idle cropland.
• Soils are mostly very poorly drained to poorly drained, nearly level organic soils (USDA SCS 1978).
• The primary surface water body is Silver Creek, which discharges into the Ahnapee River near the
city of Algoma.
Black Ash Swamp 29