{"id":718,"date":"2019-09-08T17:37:05","date_gmt":"2019-09-08T22:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wisconsinbirds.org\/iba\/?page_id=718"},"modified":"2019-09-10T15:52:59","modified_gmt":"2019-09-10T20:52:59","slug":"lower-wisconsin-river","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.wisconsinbirds.org\/iba\/conservation\/lower-wisconsin-river\/","title":{"rendered":"Lower Wisconsin River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Project Description<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Lower Wisconsin River IBA encompasses one of the state\u2019s great undeveloped river corridors.\u00a0 Much of it is in public ownership (though many private inholdings exist), a series of state properties collectively known as the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway (LWSR).\u00a0 This unique public resource was established in 1989 to protect both the riverway\u2019s scenic qualities and its abundant natural resources, and to provide compatible public recreational opportunities.\u00a0 The Wisconsin DNR is in charge of natural resource and recreation management on these public lands, while the scenic protection regulations established at the time of the LWSR\u2019s creation are administered by a 9-member citizen panel, the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board.<\/p>\n

Like the other large river IBAs, the Lower Wisconsin River is a very dynamic system, representing a nearly continuous, shifting mosaic of important plant-animal communities that serve as critical bird habitat, ranging from forest to open wetland, barrens, savanna and grassland.\u00a0 Most significantly, this IBA is one of southern Wisconsin\u2019s most important forested landscapes and contains critical habitat for many southern forest interior birds, including such high conservation priority species as red-shouldered hawk, cerulean warbler, Kentucky warbler, prothonotary warbler, and wood thrush.\u00a0 Because of the IBA\u2019s significance, the complexity of this mosaic, its divergent management needs, and the demands placed upon it for human uses ranging from recreation to forestry and agriculture, planning is difficult yet critical.\u00a0 Birds represent just one of many components to be considered, yet because their associations with habitat are fairly well understood, they may serve as indicators of habitat quality for other flora and fauna as well.<\/p>\n

The conservation planning process for this IBA has unfolded ahead of a renewed master planning process for the LWSR.\u00a0 A master plan is a set of documents that details the resource management, facility development, and public use that will take place on a state property or collection of properties.\u00a0 The Riverway\u2019s present master plan is over 20 years old and WDNR anticipates beginning development of an updated one within the next several years.\u00a0 The conservation strategy nearing completion for the Lower Wisconsin IBA is intended to provide detailed, bird-focused information useful to the various LWSR land managers in their ongoing management of this large, complex, and ecologically significant site, as they bridge the gap between an outdated master plan and the development of a new one.\u00a0 It also should prove a valuable resource in identifying and planning for the long-term needs of priority birds and their habitats once the new master planning process is underway.<\/p>\n

The Lower Wisconsin River IBA conservation strategy relies on many sources of information collected in recent decades, including breeding-bird surveys conducted for various WDNR inventories, monitoring programs and research projects, winter bald eagle monitoring by Ferry Bluff Eagle Council and sandhill crane migration counts done by the International Crane Foundation, and anecdotal records submitted to the eBird website.\u00a0 In recent years, several studies and inventories have targeted species, sites and communities of special ecological significance.<\/p>\n

As with the Lower Chippewa and Leopold-Pine Island IBA projects, the Lower Wisconsin IBA project is guided by a strategic process that attempts to determine the IBA\u2019s most valuable contribution to bird conservation in local (e.g., Ecological Landscape), statewide, and regional (upper Midwest) contexts.\u00a0 The IBA conservation strategy uses this strategic focus to set priorities for bird species and habitats and proposes recommendations for their management, emphasizing an adaptive approach.<\/p>\n

The different managers responsible for the various management activities across the LWSR have been informed about the IBA conservation strategy throughout its development and have participated in reviewing various drafts.\u00a0 The final report is expected to be completed, with their input, in fall of 2010.<\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/strong><\/h3>\n