Chippewa County Biotic Inventory and Analysis

The Chippewa County forest encompasses 33,000 acres and includes numerous terrestrial habitats and over 400 lakes. While there is detailed information about the tree resources, information about the other terrestrial flora and fauna is limited. Likewise, there is limited information on the lake resources in the forest. The surface water inventory for the county was published in 1963, but since then data has been collected only on a limited number of lakes in 1988 and 1989.

The Department of Natural Resources and the Chippewa County Forest have developed a cooperative agreement to provide baseline information on the terrestrial and aquatic resources of the forest. Work is being carried out by DNR staff in the West Central region, research scientists from DNR's Integrated Science Services Bureau, and specialists from the Natural Heritage Inventory Program (part of the DNR Endangered Resources Program). The study, initiated in 2002, will provide baseline ecological information for the county-owned properties within the Chippewa County Forest. This information will be important for conserving critical habitat for rare and endangered species. The inventory and analyses will also consolidate background information useful for property planning and other applications that can be used in conjunction with other analyses to develop overall management recommendations for the forest.

Objectives

• The identification and evaluation of natural communities.
• The identification and evaluation of rare or otherwise significant plant and animal populations.
• The identification and evaluation of selected aquatic features and their associated biotic communities.
• The identification of sites appropriate for the restoration of lost or declining communities or important habitats.
• To emphasize especially important protection, management, and restoration opportunities, focusing on both unique and representative natural features of this property and the surrounding landscape.
• The interpretation and transfer of the information gathered to the Chippewa County Forest managers, administrators, and others involved in the implementation of land use decisions on the state forest.

The companion project led by the Integrated Science Services Program will focus on the aquatic resources within the study area and include the following components:

• Characterization of trophic status of the forest lakes
• Characterization of littoral zone community and riparian habitat
• Identification of rare and endangered species
• Discussion of management issues and identification of critical sites

It is anticipated that the final results of the biotic inventory and analysis will be incorporated into a larger report that includes all of the components of the study. Funding for the project comes from the Endangered Resources Fund, the DNR Aquatic and Terrestrial Resources Program and a Lake Protection Grant.