Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map

• The wettest portion of the fen contains hardstem bulrush (Scripus acutus). Pitcher plant (Sarracenia
purpurea) is abundant and widespread. The aggressive exotic tree glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus
frangula) bounds the fen on the west. This species is typical of wet soils and is prominent in and
around adjacent swamps reaching maximum density in the area between fen and swamp (Fewless
1999).
• Migratory birds, especially waterfowl use the fen for nesting. Reptiles and amphibians are likely
inhabitants of this wet habitat.
• Significant species known to Kellner Fen include two Wisconsin special concern species, white bog
orchid (Platanthera dilatata), and extensive concentrations of brown beak sedge (Cyperaceae
phynchospora fuaca). Tussock bulrush (Scirpus cespitosus) is a Wisconsin threatened species found
at the outer edge of Kellner Fen (Fewless 1999).
Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal
This unit of the Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline site lies north and south of the Sturgeon Bay
Ship Canal, extending west from Lake Michigan to near the urban edge of the city of Sturgeon Bay. The
ship canal, which bisects this unit, was built in the 1870’s through an extensive ridge and swale
landscape, the remnants of which still exist north and south of the canal. The land here is primarily
forested with a mix of pine, hemlock and birch on the drier sites and cedar, green ash, and alder in the
lowlands between the ridges and in extensive poorly drained wetlands west of the ridge and swale system.
These poorly drained wetlands are similar in composition to the forested wetlands in the previously
mentioned units of this site. This landscape requires a biological inventory to access its contribution to
the overall significance of the site.
• Land use in the vicinity of the ship canal itself is largely recreational. Both north and south of the
canal, extensive forested areas occur near the shore, with land use largely agricultural away from the
shore. A balance between wildlife habitat and tourist needs is required to maintain the intrinsic value
of the area.
• Soils are of two types. The first soil type found near the Lake Michigan shoreline is deep, well to
moderately well drained and gently sloping to sloping. The second type is found further inland.
These are deep, poorly drained, organic, nearly level soils underlain by fine sand outwash or outwash
with silt loam subsoil over stratified lake sediments (USDA SCS 1978).
• Surface water resources in this area are restricted to the flooded interdunal wetlands within the beach
complex along the shore.
• Limited shore and dune communities occur along Lake Michigan, with plant species typical of this
type of habitat. Forested vegetation is similar to that found north of the canal.
• The area south of the canal extending to Clay Banks consists of a series of upland forest ridges and
lowland forest swales. The dunes provide a protective barrier to nearby wetlands (i.e., swamps, small
lakes, interdunal permanent and ephemeral ponds).
• Vegetation consists of white cedar, white birch (Betula papyrifera), red maple (Acer rubrum), and
balsam fir (Abies balsamea) on the upland sand ridges, and a mix of white cedar, black ash (Fraxinus
nigra) and alder (Alnus incana) in wetter sites.
Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline 65