justnorth posted on August 22, 2007 17:19 :: 1582 Views
STAR LAKE, Wis. – Lake Laura Hardwoods, an 852-acre old-growth forest of maple, basswood, red oak and hemlock that contains diverse wildlife from bald eagles to bobcats, has been permanently protected through designation as the 500th State Natural Area in Wisconsin.
Gov. Jim Doyle announced the designation August 15 to a group of over 120 partners and area residents as part of his “Up North Tour.” Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area is located east of Star Lake in Vilas County within the Northern Highland – American Legion State Forest.
Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas Program was created in 1945 by Aldo Leopold as the first state-sponsored natural areas protection program in the nation. It has since grown to become a national model, with more than 300,000 acres enrolled in 70 of the state’s 72 counties.
The State Natural Areas program was established to protect the scattered remains of the native plant and animal communities that covered the state of Wisconsin before intensive European settlement began over 150 years ago. The natural areas themselves are also intended to provide outdoor laboratories for research, education and exploration of the rare species, native ecosystems, animal migrations and geological features.
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area has a variety of old growth trees, with some stands more than 250 years old. Along the southeast shore of the lake is an old-growth hemlock-hardwood stand with a long history of research use by Purdue University and University of Wisconsin ecologist, John Curtis.
There area also has stands of white pine, sugar maple, yellow birch, and basswood. A variety of woodland plants thrive at the site, including Pennsylvania sedge, wood anemone, hepatica, American starflower, sessile-leaved bellwort, and false Solomon’s seal. The clear-water lake contains freshwater sponges, indicating high water quality, and supports the rare lake emerald dragonfly a more northerly species which, in Wisconsin, has only been found in Vilas County. The site contains numerous scattered wet depressions that are important habitat for many amphibians such as wood frog, spring peeper, and chorus frog.
“The future of our state is directly linked to our natural resources, and today, I’m pleased to be here to recognize a milestone in Wisconsin’s long tradition of protecting those resources,” Governor Doyle said. “Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas are the ‘best of the best’ of Wisconsin’s remaining natural landscapes. These are lands that are home to our wildlife, watersheds, lakes, and rivers. Even in tight budget times, by making the necessary sacrifices to preserve these lands today, we will earn the thanks of Wisconsin residents far into the future.”
Governor Doyle credited the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program for the integral role it has played in protecting many of the lands enrolled in the State Natural Areas Program. Established in 1989, the Stewardship program was created to preserve Wisconsin’s most significant natural resources for future generations, as well as to provide the land base and recreational facilities needed for quality outdoor experiences.
Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources, said the program also owes its success to the many agencies and conservation organizations that partner with the program to designate natural areas on their own lands.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Meyer, DNR State Natural Areas program coordinator - (608) 266-0394
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