Workshop schedule

7:00 am - 5:30 pm	FT-4	Mississippi Bluff Prairies and Oak Savanna/Woodland Restoration at Rush Creek State Natural Area
7:30 am - 6:00 pm	FT-5	Ferns of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area
8:00 am - 4:30 pm	FT-6	Geology of the Baraboo Hills -North and South Ranges
8:30 am - 5:00 pm	FT-7	Rocky Run, Muir Memorial Park, and Observatory Woods State Natural Areas - Walking in the Footsteps of John Muir
8:45 am - 4:30 pm	FT-8	Lower Wisconsin River Canoe Trip

6:00 am - 6:00 pm	FT-9	Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Field Station
7:00 am - 6:00 pm	FT-10	Botanical Treasures of Ft. McCoy
7:30 am - 4:30 pm	FT-11	Atlantic Coastal Plain Disjunct Plants and Communities in Central Wisconsin
7:30 am - 4:00 pm	FT-12	Prairie Flowers and Grasses in the Lower Wisconsin River Valley
8:00 am - 5:00 pm	FT-13	Geology and Botany of the Baraboo Range
8:00 am - 3:00 pm	FT-14	Ferns of the Baraboo Hills
8:30 am - 5:00 pm	FT-15	Ecology, Conservation, and Restoration of Oak Savannas in the Madison Area
8:30 am - 5:15 pm	FT-16	Ecology and Composition of Low Prairies in the Scuppernong Valley
8:30 am - 5:00 pm	FT-17	Ecology and Flora of Fens in Southeastern Wisconsin
8:45 am - 4:15 pm	FT-18	Ice Age Landforms of the Southern Kettle Moraine
12:30 pm - 5:00 pm	FT-19	University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum: A Microcosm of Wisconsin Communities with Emphasis on Restored and Remnant Prairies

Mid-Conference, Half-day

Post-Conference, Multi-day

Field Trip Descriptions

FT-1 The Ecology and Biogeography of Isolated Habitats in Iowa’s Paleozoic Plateau (“Driftless Area”)

Leaders: Jeff Nekola, Diana Horton, & Richard Baker. Contact: Jeff Nekola, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr., Green Bay, WI 54311-7001. Tele: 920-465-2937, E-mail: <nekolaj@uwgb.edu>.

The spatial arrangements of populations and habitats and the history of ecological process can leave a significant imprint on present-day ecological pattern. In this 3-day excursion participants will observe the roles that such spatial and temporal contingencies may play in determining the biota of three isolated habitats in northeastern Iowa: algific talus slopes, fens, and bedrock glades. On each day, at least one example of each habitat type will be visited. These habitats not only possess different spatial arrangements within the same landscape (algific talus slopes being highly clustered along streams; fens having a relatively diffuse distribution over the entire region; and bedrock glades being intermediate, most examples occurring near the Mississippi River or in the Baraboo Hills but with scattered examples throughout), but also have different colonization histories (algific slopes being 10,000 BP paleorefuges; bedrock glades, 7000 BP paleorefuges; and fens, no older than 6000 BP neorefuges). They also harbor some of the rarest plant (e.g., Aconitum columbianum ssp. columbianum, Botrychium campestre, C. sterilis, Chrysosplenium iowense, Cirsium hillii, Gentianopsis procera, Gymnocarpium robertianum, Mertensia paniculata, Sullivantia sullivantii) and invertebrate species (including butterflies, skippers, land snails, spiders) in the region. Field clothing is essential, including sturdy shoes (expect to get wet feet; waders not necessary) and possibly rain gear.

Leader: Thomas J. Givnish. Contact: Thomas J. Givnish, Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Rm 315 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Dr., Madison, WI 53706-1381. Tele: 608-262-5718, E-mail: <givnish@facstaff.wisc.edu>.

We will examine forest, barrens, wetland, and aquatic communities that span a wide range of soil fertility, moisture availability, and disturbance history in north-central Wisconsin. We will discuss the ecological processes and plant adaptations underlying the patterns observed and collect samples for a comparative study of landscape-scale variation in leaf specific mass and N content. Forty-three years after Curtis published his classic “Vegetation of Wisconsin” this trip will offer a unique opportunity to discuss and evaluate how our understanding of plant community ecology has evolved in the intervening decades and the directions it may lead in the future. Our headquarters will be Kemp Natural Resources Station, a comfortable lodge in a marvelous setting on Lake Tomahawk in the Highland Lake District. Besides beds and showers, it has a fully equipped kitchen. We will prepare all meals cooperatively. Come prepared for wading, wet footing, pleasant days, cool nights, and warm camaraderie. Bring your swimming suit.

FT-3 Triarch Incorporated - 76 Years of Slide Manufacture and Service to Biologists

Leader: Paul Conant. Contact: Paul Conant, Triarch Incorporated, P.O. Box 98, Ripon, WI 54971-0098. Tele: 800-848-0810, Fax: 888-848-0810.

Founded in 1926, Triarch now employs 18 persons representing more than 400 years of cumulative experience in microscope slide preparation, plastic embedments, photomicrographic color transparencies, and microscope sales. Like our slides, our buildings and grounds are dedicated to beauty as well as utility. Our laboratory, built in 1965, is an air-conditioned two-story structure with 12,000 sq.-ft. of floor space. It is located on a 48-acre site bordering a wildlife refuge and has gardens, cultivated trees, and a stream, all useful in supplying specimens for slide-making.

FT-4 Mississippi Bluff Prairies and Oak Savanna/Woodland Restoration at Rush Creek State Natural Area

Leaders: Armund Bartz & M. Nee. Contact: Armund Bartz, Bureau of Endangered Resources, WI Dept. of Natural Resources, 3550 Mormon Coulee Rd., La Crosse, WI 54601. Tele: 608-789-5514, E-mail: <bartza@mail01.dnr.state.wi.us>.

The 1800-acre Rush Creek State Natural Area is located in southwestern Wisconsin between Prairie du Chien and La Crosse in the heart of the naturally hilly Driftless Area. The outstanding feature of this area is a two-mile-long series of dry-lime prairies on steep, limestone-capped bluffs paralleling the Mississippi River. The SNA complex encompasses some of these prairies, which are among the best of the remaining viable “goat” prairies in the state, as well as bottomland forests, oak and mixed hardwood forests, and springs and ponds along the creek. Surrounding the prairies are pockets of oak savanna and extensive tracts of open oak woodland. We will walk through an oak savanna/prairie restoration project to view the results of extensive prescribed burning, understory thinning, and invasive-species removal. Many uncommon light-dependent understory species thrive in the oak savanna portion of this restoration. We will then climb one of the large dry prairie relics that provide habitat for nearly the complete range of dry to dry-mesic prairie species. We’ll eat lunch sitting on the summit of the steep dolomite-capped bluff while enjoying spectacular views of the Mississippi River valley. On the ride back we’ll undertake a scenic tour of the Driftless Area, observing the general topographic features of the Western Upland Geographical Province while driving south down the Kicapoo River Valley, then east along the Lower Wisconsin River Valley. The latter is defined by ranges of steep bluffs and contains one of the longest stretches of free-flowing river remaining in the Midwest. The hike will be moderately strenuous (uphill at times); please consider your own personal fitness before registering for this trip. Wear long pants and sturdy shoes/hiking boots, and bring sun screen, insect repellent, drinking water, and hand lens/binoculars/other personal items.

Leaders: W. Carl Taylor & Timothy A. Kessenich. Contact: W. Carl Taylor, Division of Botany, Milwaukee public Museum, 800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53233. Tele: 414-278-2760, E-mail: <ct@mpm.edu>.

This tour will focus on parts of the Western Upland Geographical Province, a large part of which lies within the famous “driftless area” This well-dissected upland contains not only such topographic irregularities as narrow ridges and valleys, mounds, cliffs, and gorges, but also a major landform in the area, the Baraboo Hills (even though its eastern end was glaciated). The tour will begin with a climb up Ferry Bluff, which rises about 300 feet above the north bank of the Wisconsin River and affords spectacular views of the Lower Wisconsin River Valley. The bluff consists of late Cambrian sandstone capped by layers of Prairie du Chien (Ordovician) dolomite. Besides a prairie remnant, it possesses south-facing cliffs with xerophytic ferns (Pellaea, Cheilanthes) and more sheltered northern and eastern slopes with more cosmopolitan ferns of moist woods and shaded rocks. We will then drive to Hemlock Draw, a long wooded canyon in the South Range of the Baraboo Hills with sandstone cliffs and hemlock stands. A refuge for plants normally found farther north, its flora includes several ferns, as well as Equisetum sylvaticum and Huperzia porophila. After lunch at Natural Bridge State Park, our party will cross the Wisconsin River to visit the physiographically and floristically diverse Governor Dodge State Park, which occupies 5200 acres on the thoroughly dissected northern edge of the Galena-Black River upland. The variation in topography and soils make possible an interesting diversity northern and southern forest and prairie communities. We will walk trails to pine relics at Pine Cliff and Jack Pine Point, which provide habitat for various lichens, mosses, and ferns. On our way back to Madison we will stop at Pinnacle Bluff, whose dry sandstone faces provide suitable microhabitat for the highly disjunct Asplenium pinnatifidum. Wear comfortable walking shoes, and don’t forget drinking water. Hiking will be mostly easy (Ferry Bluff is a steep climb on a well-worn path), but expect rocky or uneven surfaces and wet feet crossing the small stream in Hemlock Draw.

Leader: Philip Fauble. Contact: Philip Fauble, WI Dept. of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921, Tele: 608-267-3538, E-mail: <faublp@mail01.dnr.state.wi.us>.

Located in south-central Wisconsin in Sauk and Columbia counties, the Baraboo Hills (also called the Baraboo Bluffs) encompass 144,000 acres (225 sq. mi.) and embrace an unusual combination of northern and southern plant communities, including the largest tract of southern upland forest in the Savanna Ecoregion. Owing to their unique geological history and remarkable biodiversity, the Baraboo Hills have been designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and a “Last Great Place” by The Nature Conservancy. They are defined by an oval-shaped bedrock formation (syncline) rising to as high as 700 feet above the surrounding landscape and containing the oldest rock exposed in southern Wisconsin, the extremely durable, 1.7 billion-year-old Baraboo quartzite. In striking contrast, the moraines blocking both ends of Devil’s Lake gorge are only about 16,000 years old and are some of the youngest geological materials in the state. Our first stop will be at the South Shore of Devil’s Lake State Park. After a brief lecture on the geologic history of the Hills, we will hike the east bluff of Devil’s Lake, which will afford us some spectacular views of the park. After lunch, we’ll enjoy a tour of Parfrey’s Glen, Wisconsin’s first State Natural Area. The cool shaded walls and rock exposures of this scenic gorge in the South Range of the Hills provide excellent opportunities for geological interpretation. Next, we will travel to the seldom visited North Range to visit an important rock exposure in an active quarry and engage in some rock and mineral collecting. Participants will be required to tolerate moderately difficult hiking up a steep trail to reach the top of the East Bluff. They are strongly encouraged to wear long pants and hiking shoes/boots. The availability of drinking water is limited at most stops, so participants are encouraged to bring adequate supplies of water.

FT-7 Rocky Run, Muir Memorial Park, and Observatory Woods State Natural Areas - Walking in the Footsteps of John Muir

Leaders: Mark Martin & Sue Foote-Martin. Contact: Mark Martin, Bureau of Endangered Resources, WI Dept. of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921. Tele: 608-266-8916, E-mail: <martim@mail01.dnr.state.wi.us>.

In the morning we will visit the 316-acre Rocky Run Oak Opening State Natural Area in Columbia County. The topography is variable and includes a steep-walled, dry-run box canyon. Oak opening restoration includes tree removal and prescribed burning and has been underway since 1983. Far and away the most common trees are bur, white, and black oak, but the true dominants are grasses, namely Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, and Bouteloua curtipendula. More than 100 species with prairie affinities have been recorded, including four threatened and special-concern species. Next we will visit Muir Memorial Park State Natural Area in Marquette County, where we will eat lunch atop a savanna knoll. We will hike the trail around the lake, which passes through land that John Muir’s family settled. The old Muir homestead played a vital role in the development of John Muir, the “father of our national parks” and founder of the Sierra Club. The 150-acre SNA is very diverse, containing southern sedge meadow, wet-mesic prairie, fen, oak woodland, oak opening, restored prairie, and a deep, hard-water drainage lake. The alkaline, sedge-grass fen on the west side is botanically the richest community in the area and perhaps reaches its glory in late summer. After leaving Muir Park, we will travel to nearby Observatory Hill State Natural Area, another of John Muir’s boyhood haunts. Observatory Hill, the highest point in Marquette County, is a rhyolite outcrop that supports a cedar glade containing the Wisconsin-threatened Opuntia fragilis. Glacial striations and petroglyphs are present on the outcrops. The slopes below the cedar glade support a southern dry forest dominated by red and white oak and shagbark hickory and an oak savanna that is being restored. Participants should be prepared for a moderate amount of hiking and weather that might be hot or rainy. Bring water and sun-screen.

Leaders: James R. Sime & Merel R. Black. Contact: James R. Sime, 6327 Elmwood Ave., Middleton, WI 53562. Tele: 608-831-9297, E-mail: <jrsime@itis.com>.

The 92-mile stretch of the Wisconsin River from Prairie du Sac to the confluence with the Mississippi River constitutes one of the strongest topographic features of the Western Upland Geographical Province and one of the longest stretches of free-flowing river remaining in the Midwest. After crossing the terminal moraine into the unglaciated Driftless Area and passing the site of Sac Native American Chief Blackhawk’s famous battle, we will put into the river at the Co. Hwy. Y landing below Sauk City. Heading downstream at a leisurely pace, we will paddle to the mouth of historic Honey Creek and disembark in order to climb to the top of Ferry Bluff/Cactus Bluff, which, rising about 300 feet above the north bank of the river, possesses prairie remnants and cliffs and affords spectacular views of the broad, steep-sided valley. After observing the efforts that are underway to clear brush and restore the bluff top to its once “bald” nature, we will relax in the shade for lunch. Returning to our canoes, we will continue down river while enjoying the scenic beauty of this cherished waterway; seeing wilderness, waterfowl, and wildlife; learning about the cultural history of the area; and finding out about efforts to preserve its natural beauty. The shallow river is full of islands, shoals, and shifting sandbars. We will make stops at some of these bars before ending our 8-mile trip at Cedar Island near Arena. We will take a different route back to Madison to see as much of scenic southern Wisconsin as time allows. Strong currents may be encountered, so some paddling experience and swimming ability are desirable. Wear suitable clothes, bring drinking water and sun protection, and carry a plastic bag to secure valuables. No bathrooms. No glass bottles are allowed on the river.

FT-9 Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Field Station

Leaders: James A. Reinartz & Gretchen A. Meyer. Contact: James A. Reinartz, UW-Milwaukee Field Station, 3095 Blue Goose Rd., Saukville, WI 53080. Tele: 262-675-6844, E-mail: <jimr@uwm.edu>.

Numerous terrestrial, aquatic, and semiaquatic successional communities occur on the Field Station property, including a beech-hardwood forest of splendid quality and the adjoining Cedarburg Bog. The Cedarburg Bog is one of the largest, most diverse and biologically interesting wetlands in southern WI (website: www.uwm.edu/Dept/fieldstation). Its most unusual feature is the presence of a string or “patterned” bog, a vegetation type that is typically found much farther north. We will access the string bog via a boardwalk, and along the way we will observe cedar-tamarack swamp forest, shrub carr and swamp hardwoods, as well as a stream, lake and islands that occur within the bog. We will return to the UWM Field Station lab for lunch. In the afternoon participants will be given a choice of activities. One option will be to go canoeing on Mud Lake, a 245-acre shallow lake contained within the Cedarburg Bog. We will see emergent aquatic plant communities and have access to the islands in the lake. Two of these islands have deer exclosures that have been in place for over 30 years. (A third deer exclosure is near the boardwalk and will be visible to all participants.) The second option will be to visit the upland forest and experimental garden area of the UWM Field Station. Participants will see climax beech-maple-basswood forest and will hear about on-going research projects at the station. No special requirements. Bring any personal gear you might require to enjoy the trip.

Leaders: J. Kim Mello & David A. Rogers. Contact: J. Kim Mello, Directorate of Public Work, Attn.: AFBC/FM/PWN (Mello), 2160 S. J St., Ft. McCoy, WI 54656-5162. Tele: 608-388-5766, E-mail: <kim.mello@emh2.mccoy.army.mil>.

Ft. McCoy covers some 60,000 acres of eroded hills, steep to gentle slopes, and large undulating tracts in County, about 115 miles northwest of Madison. The vegetation as a whole is mostly a tapestry of intergrading sand barrens/sand prairies/savannas, the largest contiguous block of this association in the state. These and other communities have been free from agricultural practices for many decades and in some places are being actively managed. Our first stop will be at an overlook to view the 7000-acre North Impact Area, which supports impressive populations of Lupinus perennis and Phlox pilosa and the Karner blue butterflies and phlox moths that depend on them. Next, we will proceed to a jack pine area to see a good-quality, 10-acre, true savanna in that the dominant plants are grasses and forbs of prairie and barrens affinity associated with a stand of scattered pine trees. We will spend most time at the Ft. McCoy Sand Barrens State Natural Area (SNA), an extensive sand barrens incorporating remnant oak barrens and dry sand prairies. Bunch grasses dominate, accompanied by many forbs, most of which are restricted to sandy habitats (Ambrosia psilostachya, Selaginella rupestris) or barrens (Cyperus lupulinus, Talinum rugospermum). After lunch on a knoll in a dry oak woodland, we will make stops at a series of moist acid flats that contain associations of plants of boggy places. Besides sedges, orchids, and ferns, a site might have Hypericum kalmianum, Lobelia spicata, etc.; another, Castilleja coccinea and Lilium philadelphicum; a third, Rhexia virginica; and a fourth, Aletris farinosa. The last stop will be at a part of the SNA where prescribed burns are being carried out to maintain the dry prairie vegetation. This itinerary is subject to change due to military security issues. We will have a great field trip in any case, because there are good-quality, alternative sites available. All easy hiking. Bring wettable footwear, sun protection (hat, sun-screen), drinking water, and a picture ID card in case we have to show identification to military authorities. Insect repellent with strong DEET is recommended.

FT-11 Atlantic Coastal Plain Disjunct Plants and Communities in Central Wisconsin

Leader: Emmet J. Judziewicz. Contact: Emmet J. Judziewicz, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Tele: 715-346-4248, E-mail: <emmet.judziewicz@uwsp.edu>.

The area we will examine is about 130 miles northwest of Madison. We will visit a white pine-red maple swamp, ephemeral ponds, pine barrens, and poor fens with disjunct Atlantic coastal plain plant species in the Black River State Forest in the bed of old glacial Lake Wisconsin. Unusual plant species likely to be seen include Virginia meadow-beauty (Rhexia virginica), crossleaf milkwort (Polygala cruciata), screwstem (Bartonia virginica), leafcup (Rotala ramosior), the sedge Scleria triglomerata, the milkweeds Asclepias hirtella and A. ovalifolia, and the highly disjunct Massachusetts fern (Thelypteris simulata). Wear suitable clothes for short hikes, and bring drinking water and sun protection. Waterproof boots (but not hip waders) are recommended.

Leaders: Robert W. Freckmann & Kristin Westad. Contact: Robert W. Freckmann, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Tele: 715-346-2637, E-mail: <rfreckma@uwsp.edu>.

This trip will visit three state natural area prairies near or within the Lower Wisconsin River Valley. Enormous volumes of meltwater from the Laurentide Ice Sheet transported huge amounts of sand and gravel that filled the valley to a depth of 125 to 150 feet and undercut the sandstone and dolomite formations adjacent to the river, forming the steep bluffs that define the present-day valley. Upon these bluffs and the series of terraces made by the erosion of the valley train outwash, there are prairies, barrens, and dunes, from north of Mazomanie, where we will exit the valley, all the way down to the junction of the Wisconsin River with the Mississippi. Vast panoramas of grasses and prairie flowers await participants at Avoca Prairie-Savanna, an extensive sedge meadow-prairie-oak savanna complex developed on a huge outwash sand terrace. It includes the largest native tall-grass prairie tract east of the Mississippi River. Protected by the DNR, Avoca Prairie is part of the conservation plan for the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. From there we will proceed to the Spring Green Preserve, which features recovering old fields, sand prairies, and sand blows on a dry sandy plain and dry lime prairies and oak woods on a steep rocky slope. It functions as an important refugium for many rare, threatened, and endangered plants, insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals like the pocket gopher, reaching here its easternmost range limit. Our last stop will be at Black Earth (Rettenmund) Prairie, a high-quality, dry-mesic relic that harbors a rich flora, including such plants as Asclepias tuberosa, Coreopsis palmata, Dalea candida, Eryngium yuccifolium, Gentianella quinquefolia, and Silphium laciniatum. The pace of this trip will be gentle to allow full appreciation of the myriad plants, birds, and insects of the prairies. However, be prepared for hot, muggy weather; moderately steep hillsides (Black Earth, Spring Green); and muddy or wet spots (Avoca). Bring drinking water and sun protection.

Leaders: Louis J. Maher, Jr., & Kenneth I. Lange. Contact: Louis J. Maher, Jr., Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, Rm 484A Weeks Hall, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706. Tele: 608-262-9595, E-mail: <maher@geology.wisc.edu>.

Visiting the Baraboo Range of south-central Wisconsin is like using a fabulous time machine. You can almost hear ocean waves breaking on a Cambrian cliff and feel the chill of icebergs calving into a unique glacial lake. The range is the last remnant of a 1.7-billion-year-old mountain system, reduced to an oval-shaped synclinal fold of quartzite. The Baraboo quartzite is so resistant to erosion that it towered 400 feet above the surface 500 million years ago when a shallow sea spread across the land and surrounded those hills; from above, they must have resembled a ring-shaped atoll. The waves from the encroaching ocean broke first against the quartzite cliffs, which were then buried under thousands of feet of sediment. Cenozoic erosion exhumed the range, which now looks much as it did in Cambrian time. These hills blocked the path of Wisconsin’s last glacial advance; the western half lies in the Driftless Area. The varied relief and soils produced a marvelous mixture of major vegetation types. We will begin the trip at scenic Parfrey’s Glen (Norman C. Fassett State Natural Area), noted for its unusual plants and geology. We will then drive to the valley of Devil’s Lake, where we will visit a cold air pocket among talus blocks (Alaskan Grotto) within the Red Oak State Natural Area. We will discuss the lake’s glacial origin, its sediments (based on sub-bottom echo profiling), and its 15,000-year pollen history. After lunch we will take a short but steep hike up the northeast end of the East Bluff for both geology/botany and spectacular views. We will then journey 10 miles northwest to the opposite side of the syncline and the Driftless Area to walk through Abelman’s Gorge. More than any other place, the gorge provides evidence how this Precambrian mountain was buried early in the Paleozoic Era. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring sun-screen lotion, water, rain gear, and camera

Leaders: W. Carl Taylor & Timothy A. Kessenich. Contact: W. Carl Taylor, Division of Botany, Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53233. Tele: 414-278-2760, E-mail: <ct@mpm.edu>.

Located in south-central Wisconsin in Sauk and Columbia counties, the Baraboo Hills (also called the Baraboo Bluffs) encompass 144,000 acres (225 sq. mi.) and include 55,000 acres of southern upland forest. Owing to their unique geological history and remarkable biodiversity, the Hills have been designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and a “Last Great Place” by The Nature Conservancy. The range is an exhumed bedrock formation (syncline) rising to as high as 700 feet above the surrounding landscape and containing the oldest rock exposed in southern Wisconsin, the extremely durable, 1.7-billion-year-old Baraboo quartzite. In striking contrast, the moraines blocking both ends of Devil’s Lake gorge are only about 16,000 years old and are some of the youngest geological materials in the state. The diverse topography presents and array of habitats and niches from warm sunny cliffs, talus fields, and bedrock glades to clear streams and cool moist gorges. Devil’s Lake State Park protects examples of these habitats. In the morning, we plan to explore a mesic forest in a small rocky wooded valley drained by Messenger Creek, where we might expect to find several species each of Equisetum, Lycopodium, Botrychium, Dryopteris, and Osmunda, as well as Thelypteris hexagonoptera. The creek empties into Devil’s Lake, which contains two species of Isoetes. In the afternoon, we will explore Fern Dell, a narrow sandstone gorge in nearby Mirror Lake State Park. The red oak-basswood forest of the valley floor gives way to pines on the cliffs and oaks along the upper edge. The rich flora includes many ferns, among them additional Dryopteris plus Adiantum, Athyrium, Deparia, Gymnocarpium, Phegopteris, and Polypodium. Hikes will involve moderately easy walking on rocky, often uneven surfaces. Bring drinking water and sun protection.

FT-15 Ecology, Conservation, and Restoration of Oak Savannas in the Madison Area

Leader: Mark K. Leach. Contact: Mark K. Leach, UW Arboretum-McKay Center, 1207 Seminole Hwy., Madison, WI 53711-3726. Tele: 608-263-7344, E-mail: <mkleach@facstaff.wisc.edu>.

Prior to 1840, much of southern Wisconsin was a fire-swept landscape featuring savannas with a canopy of scattered oaks. We will visit about six remnant or restored savannas/woodlands while making a large loop east, south, and west of Madison. We will see and discuss conservation and restoration projects on state, town and private lands, stopping first about 20 mi. E of Madison at an extremely rare, floristically rich, wet-mesic bur oak savanna. This private site has been burned annually for over 20 years and supports populations of several rare plants. At the oak woodland restoration at Lake Kegonsa State Park, we will observe the dramatic results in understory vegetation following intensive management over the past decade. After a picnic lunch we will head west into the naturally hilly and picturesque Driftless Area to see oak woodlands at the Brooklyn Wildlife Area. Our final stop, the Sugar River Oak Savanna, is a small but beautiful, privately owned gem that appears to be recovering well. About 380 native plant species have been found on its 9.5 acres. Management began in 1976 and includes tree removal, weed control, seeding, and burning. This tour will introduce participants to the local flora, historic and present landscape ecology, issues in conservation and restoration, and glacial geology. Field clothing will be necessary, including sturdy shoes. Don’t forget insect repellent and a water bottle. Be prepared to walk at a quick pace, sometimes on steep or uneven terrain. This trip is appropriate for those attending the symposium on restoration of major ecosystems of the United States.

Leader: Richard A. Henderson. Contact: Richard A. Henderson, Bureau of Science Services, WI Dept. of Natural Resources, 1350 Femrite Dr., Monona, WI 53716. Tele: 608-221-6347, E-mail: <hender@mail01.dnr.state.wi.us>.

As many as 2000 acres of lowland prairie habitat may have originally existed within the broad flat valley of the Scuppernong River of southeastern Wisconsin, about 50 miles southeast of Madison. Although remnant sod of any quality plus well-recovered old fields likely fall far short of that amount, they nonetheless constitute a block of state-owned land that has the potential of becoming the largest and richest prairie in Wisconsin. Due to a shallow water table and underlying deposits of calcareous sand and gravel, slight changes in local relief result in a mosaic of related plant communities ranging from sedge meadow to wet-mesic prairie and fen. Participants will see both original prairie when visiting three high-quality State Natural Area (SNA) prairies and old fields reverting back to prairie, some abandoned for as long as 50 years, when walking through adjoining tracts. A 25-acre portion of Scuppernong Prairie (185 acres) has been managed with fire for 50 years, Young Prairie (50 acres) has been a managed SNA for 25 years, and Paintbrush Prairie (20 acres) was just protected as a SNA in 2000. All three contain complete representations of lowland prairie flora, including several rare species, and are among the best and largest remnants of this type in the region. Planning is underway for restoration of over 1000 acres of low prairie in this valley, incorporating remnant sod and recovering old fields and pastures. Be prepared for walking, at times on damp ground. Bring a hat, water, and sunscreen.

Leaders: Quentin J. Carpenter & S. Galen Smith. Contact: Quentin J. Carpenter, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Rm 125 Science Hall, Madison, WI 53706. Tele: 608-263-7771, E-mail: <qcarpent@facstaff.wisc.edu>.

Participants will tour two calcareous fen complexes at the edge of the Kettle Interlobate Moraine south of Whitewater in southeastern Wisconsin. These complexes contain some of the most concentrated plant diversity in the state. The mostly herbaceous vegetation is strongly prairie influenced, but the numerous carbonate-depositing seepage faces provide habitat for regionally rare species, such as Eleocharis rostellata, Scirpus caespitosus, Triglochin maritima, T. palustre, and Tofieldia glutinosa, as well as numerous other calcicolous species. The Bluff Springs Fen and Spring Complex spreads out along one-half kilometer of Bluff Creek and contains a large peat mound that was partially disturbed by dredging in the 1950s. The 20-ha. Clover Valley Fen Complex contains at least seven fen mounds of various shapes and dimensions, rising as high as 5 m above a flat glacial lake bed. Field clothing will be necessary, including wettable footwear. The morning stop involves a short walk through wet sedge meadow and across a very shallow creek. The afternoon stop involves a rather longer walk through wetland (mostly sedge meadow) vegetation. Bring drinking water. Insect repellent and rain gear may be desirable, as well as personal items (especially a hand lens).

Leaders: Ronald C. Kurowski & Gary Werner. Contact: Ronald C. Kurowski, Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit, S91 W39091 Hwy. 59, Eagle, WI 53119. Tele: 262-594-6215, E-mail: <kurowr@mail01.dnr.state.wi.us>.

Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine is a belt of irregular knobby ridges and upland areas running for 120 miles through five counties in southeastern Wisconsin. Much of the area is under public ownership as the northern and southern units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. The landforms in the Kettle Moraine were shaped by glacial sediment deposited between the Green Bay and Lake Michigan ice lobes about 18,000 to 15,000 yr B.P. as they melted during a series of retreats from the positions of their maximum extent during the most recent glaciation. These deposits produced the impressive terminal moraine; large outwash plains, within which are hollows or kettles that formed when large blocks of buried ice melted; gigantic eskers; and a vast drumlin field. We will explore the Southern Kettle Moraine area by bus, beginning at Lapham Peak State Park, where we will climb the observation tower to gain an overview of the Kettle Moraine landscape and hear an introductory talk on the geology of the area. En route to the state forest headquarters, we will make stops at the Jefferson County Drumlin Fields and Glacial Lake Scuppernong. After lunch at the headquarters, which offers a Natural History Museum, slide program, and a book on the Pleistocene geology of Waukesha County ($19.95), we will continue our tour with stops at a kettle hole (Great Spirits Wash Bowl) and Heart Prairie Outwash Plain. Join us as we explore examples of the variety of geologic features left in the wake of the glaciers. Dress should be suitable for outdoor activities and short hikes. Bring rain gear if weather appears stormy.

FT-19 University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum: A Microcosm of Wisconsin Communities with Emphasis on Restored and Remnant Prairies

Leader: Kenneth W. Wood. Contact: Kenneth W. Wood, P. O. Box 81, Black Earth, WI 53515-0081. Tele: 608-767-3343, E-mail: <kwwood@facstaff.wisc.edu>.

The UW-Madison Arboretum, more than 1,200 “natural” acres embedded within the Madison metropolitan area, was established in 1934 by Aldo Leopold and his colleagues as a laboratory of habitat restoration. It contains the world’s first restored prairie, Curtis Prairie, and also one of the finest wet prairie restorations to be found anywhere, Greene Prairie. In addition to these and other restored or re-created communities, the Arboretum contains unplowed remnants of dry sand prairie and barrens, wet prairie, fen, sedge meadow, and deep-water marsh. Some of these are degraded, but the prairies are in relatively good condition due largely to management that stretches back to about 1948, when the first fire experiments were conducted by John Curtis and Max Partch. Upon entering the Arboretum, we will pass a complex of wetlands and woodlands, where we will discuss briefly the interaction between geology, ecology, and management in producing the plant communities found here today. The walking tour will concentrate on and contrast restoration efforts in a degraded oak woods, which is being converted into an example of a southern Wisconsin mesic forest, and the Arboretum’s two flagship prairie restorations. After exploring Curtis Prairie, we will drive to the southern portion of the Arboretum to visit Greene Prairie and associated remnant/restored sand prairies and oak savanna. The trip will focus on ecology, history, and management of the Arboretum, and to a lesser extent on how communities found there relate to similar native communities of southern Wisconsin. Walking will be easy but extensive (about 2 miles), and you might like to bring water. There will be time for a brief stop at the Arboretum’s newly expanded McKay Visitor Center in the middle of the tour. This trip is appropriate for those attending the symposium on restoration of major ecosystems of the United States.

Leaders: Linda E. Graham, Martha Cook, James Graham, & Lee Wilcox. Contact: Linda K. Graham, Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Rm 211 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Dr., Madison, WI 53706-1381. Tele: 608-262-2640, E-mail: <lkgraham@students.wisc.edu>.

Hook Lake is a pristine wetland largely dominated by Sphagnum mosses and associated plants. It is the only bog in the county still in excellent condition. Desmids, cyanobacteria, and glaucophytes are of interest. Microscopes will be available for examination of collections in Rm 210 Birge Hall throughout the conference. Wear clothes and shoes that can get wet, and bring your collecting gear.

FT-21 Algae and Bryophytes of Northern Wisconsin: Walking in the Footsteps of G. W. Prescott

Leaders: Linda E. Graham & Martha Cook Contact: Linda E. Graham, Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Rm 211 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Dr., Madison, WI 53706-1381. Tele: 608-262-2640, E-mail: <kgraham@students.wisc.edu>.

The field trip will focus on making collections of algae and bryophytes in the Highland Lake District of north-central Wisconsin. The region is one of pine and mixed hardwood forests and in former times contained the most valuable timber in the state. Microscopes will be available on site for examination of collections made from peat bogs, an oligotrophic lake, and a nearby wetland. If the thought of gleaming lakes, fragrant pine needles, and the quivering call of the loon appeal to you, or swimming or just plain relaxing, come along and experience the north woods. Overnight accommodations will be at Kemp Natural Resources Station, a very comfortable lakefront lodge operated by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, and located near Minoqua in one of the outstanding vacation areas of the Middle West. Besides showers and beds, it has a fully equipped kitchen, in which meals will be cooperatively prepared. You should wear clothing appropriate for outdoor activities. Besides your collecting gear and boots you should bring a jacket or sweater, insect repellent, toiletries, towel, extra socks, and a change of clothes.

August 2-4: Forum on Botanical Education & Outreach
August 4-7: Annual Scientific Conference

Pyle Conference Center
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

Pre-Conference, Multi-day

Pre-Conference, Half-day and One-Day

Mid-Conference, Half-day

Post-Conference, Multi-day

Field Trip Descriptions

August 2-4: Forum on Botanical Education & Outreach August 4-7: Annual Scientific Conference

Pyle Conference Center University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin

Pre-Conference, Multi-day

Pre-Conference, Half-day and One-Day

Mid-Conference, Half-day

Post-Conference, Multi-day

Field Trip Descriptions

August 2-4: Forum on Botanical Education & Outreach
August 4-7: Annual Scientific Conference

Pyle Conference Center
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin