Purpose of Ecological Landscapes Component

The Ecological Landscapes component of the Wisconsin All-bird Conservation Plan identifies the highest priority management issues within each of Wisconsin’s major ecological regions. Priority bird species, important habitats, and key sites also are listed for each Ecological Landscape page. Conservation opportunities outlined in this section closely follow those listed in both the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan and the Ecosystem Management Plan for Wisconsin. The goal of these accounts was not to duplicate previous efforts, but rather to provide a concise summary of the relevant conservation information for each ecological landscape and direct readers to additional sources of information. Furthermore, the Wisconsin All-bird Conservation Plan is formatted so that readers entering the plan to gain information on a particular landscape will be directed to other sections of the plan pertaining to that landscape. For instance, a reader seeking information from the Northwest Sands Ecological Landscape might be directed to the Jack Pine habitat page, the Connecticut Warbler species account, or the Namekagon Barrens Key Sites page. In this way, readers gain a holistic view of the conservation opportunities available.

Guide to Ecological Landscapes Template

• Landscape Map - This map highlights the geographic location of each landscape within Wisconsin.

• Description of Landscape - This section was taken directly from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources webpage (http://dnr.wi.gov/landscapes/). It provides an overview of the geology and plant communities of each Ecological Landscape.  

• Priority Birds - This table lists WBCI priority species that occur in manageable numbers within a given landscape and their habitat requirements. The conservation needs of each priority species are described in detail in the Species Account component of the plan.

• Habitats of Importance - This table identifies WBCI priority habitats that are present in manageable extent across the landscape and which provide important conservation opportunities to the species in the priority birds table. Each priority habitat is described in detail in the Habitat component of the plan.

• Management Recommendations - This section identifies landscape-level projects appropriate for each region that are of the highest priority for bird conservation. Many of these recommendations parallel those in the Wildlife Action and Ecosystem Management plans for Wisconsin. Management recommendations also are listed in the other plan sections (i.e., Habitat, Species Accounts, Key Sites).

• Key Sites - Sites listed here provide focus areas within each landscape for implementing conservation goals.