Current and Past LIP Projects
Pepin County
2009: Pepin Township/Lower Chippewa River Oak Savanna Recovery Project
| Project Acreage: | 11 |
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| Benefiting Species: |
Eastern Prickly-pear black rat snake bullsnake Grasshopper Sparrow Red-headed Woodpecker Red-shouldered Hawk Blanding's Turtle Blue-winged Teal Blue-winged Warbler brittle prickly-pear dotted blazing star American Woodcock Eastern Meadowlark yellow gentian |
Hooded Warbler Lark Sparrow Northern Harrier regal fritillary round-leaved orchis Silky prairie-clover small skullcap timber rattlesnake Veery Western Meadowlark Wood Thrush eastern Massasauga rattlesnake |
Project Goal and Site Description:
The restoration of this area will literally be the last link between the large prairie and savanna project to the west and the Lower Chippewa River Natural Area to the east while at the same time restoring rare habitats for rare species. This gateway connection will provide a direct link and transition to an otherwise separated pocket of at risk species and habit allowing the species to increase their number, size, range and chance for survival.
The project site which is connected to a large ongoing prairie and oak savanna restoration by the applicants. It is an 80 foot high ridge located on a river sand plain that is approximately 90 feet higher than the river elevation. The upper reaches of the east and south facing slopes are very steep and the site is inundated with eroded animal lanes on these slopes. For many decades it was heavily grazed by sheep and it was known by the locals as "Sheep Hill". For the past twenty years it was lightly grazed by a few horses or not grazed for periods of time at all. It is not being grazed at this time. Outstanding open grown white and burr oaks are being crowded out by twenty years of secondary tree growth such as ash, hackberry, birch, elm, ironwood and red cedar trees. These are killing and damaging lower branches and shading the ground between the oaks. In addition, invasive shrubs of honeysuckle, buckthorn, prickly ash, brambles and black berry bushes crowd the open areas. The owner has begun to clear the secondary trees from around and under the open grown oaks and has been cutting and burning red cedars, many over 30 feet high. Also they have cut and treated all observable honey suckle and buckthorn. Some of the undesirable secondary trees are standing but have been griddled or basil bark sprayed in the past months. Few prairie plants poke up through the cool season grasses and from under the heavy closed canopies of the encroaching trees. Other grasses and forbs will appear along the edges of the old animal lanes. The site also has Native American Burial Mounds that are being protected.
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