Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Turtle-Flambeau Patterned Bog (No. 291)

Overview

Location

Within the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area, Iron County. T41N-R2E, T41N-R3E, T42N-R2E, T42N, R3E. 3,145 acres.

Access

From the intersection of Highways 47, 182, and 51 in Manitowish, go west on 51 0.5 mile, then south on Murray's Landing Road about 5 miles to a boat landing. The units of the natural area are all accessible by boat.

Description

Description

The Turtle-Flambeau Patterned Bog features an extensive and diverse landscape containing numerous vegetation communities including patterned bog, northern wet, mesic, and dry-mesic forest, and emergent aquatics. Created in 1926 by flooding lowland wetlands, the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage is located at the top of the Chippewa River watershed at the junction of the Turtle and Manitowish Rivers. The patterned bog community is quite complex and includes water tracks, sphagnum lawns, and discrete areas of large trees. Very rare in Wisconsin, this wetland type can be characterized as an herb- and shrub-dominated minerotrophic peatland with alternating moss and sedge-dominated peat ridges (strings) with saturated and inundated hollows (flarks). They are oriented parallel to the contours of a slope and perpendicular to the flow of groundwater. Within a patterned peatland the peat “landforms” differ significantly in nutrient availability and pH leading to a diverse flora that often includes numerous bog and fen species. The northern mesic forest is dominated by hemlock and large white pine while the northern dry-mesic forest contains hemlock and hardwoods with remnant white pine stands. Both areas are important habitat for bald eagles and osprey. In fact, the flowage contains the largest concentration of eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) breeding pairs in Wisconsin. Other rare species include common loons (Gavia immer), merlin (Falco columbarius), black tern (Chiladonias niger), dragon’s mouth orchid (Arethusa bulbosa), sparse-flowered sedge (Carex pauciflora), and white bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata). Turtle-Flambeau Patterned Bog is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1996.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)