Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Alvin Creek Headwaters (No. 443)

Overview

Location

Located within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Forest County. T40N-R13E Sections 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22. 887 acres.

Access

The site is approximately 20 miles east of Eagle River on STH 70. Highway 70 forms north boundary of site. FR 2175, 2243, and 2427 provide further access.

Description

Description

The Alvin Creek complex presents an excellent opportunity to protect a unique assemblage of high-quality biological communities and glacial landforms. At the heart of the complex are the Alvin Creek headwaters wetlands, a unique area of springs and ponds, bogs and sedge meadows, alder thickets, and lowland forests of various types. Alvin Creek, part of the Brule River watershed, begins as the outlet of a seven-acre spring pond, flows into a small drainage lake, thence between drumlin ridges where the stream is mostly alder-lined and alternately associated with wet forests of black spruce/tamarack, white-cedar, and black ash. The areas surrounding the spring pond and lake are for the most part open and very wet and support a rich and unusual patchwork of bog, sedge meadow, and marsh species that defies formal community classification. Several rare and/or uncommon plant species occur here, including dragon’s-mouth (Arethusa bulbosa) and tall white bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata). The surrounding uplands are forested mainly with hemlock-hardwood mixes, but also include some rich hardwoods and a small but excellent stand of old-growth hemlock under numerous super-canopy white pine. Upland stands on adjacent State Trust lands include minimally disturbed old-growth. Adjacent old-growth stands on National Forest lands are restricted to narrow zones on steep slopes bordering wetlands and are dominated by hemlock. Hemlock up to 30 inches in diameter is common in the best stands, mixed with sugar maple and yellow birch of comparable size. White pine forms a super-canopy in many of the older stands. Understories are generally quite open in the older stands, though sugar maple saplings are dense in a few places. The shrub layer is poorly developed, while the groundlayer varies from dense and diverse to rather sparse and species-poor, depending on soil and stand type. Intermediate wood fern, oak fern, maidenhair fern, lady fern, rosy twisted stalk, club-mosses, Canada mayflower, and American starflower are common groundlayer species. Alvin Creek and its tributary have a history of beaver activity and the most recent flooding, in the 1980's, resulted in the killing of many lowland forest stands, including stands of white-cedar and black ash. As evidenced by the numerous standing dead trees, flooding occurred along nearly the entire length of those portions of the creeks within the complex, including the headwaters spring pond area. The open bog surrounding the spring pond apparently suffered no lasting ill effects, as the rare plant populations are still present. Alvin Creek Headwaters is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.

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)