Kettle Moraine Oak Opening SNA receives grant for invasive species removal and oak savanna restoration
The Natural Resources Foundation recently received a $15,000 grant from the
John C. Bock Foundation to control invasive species within the Kettle
Moraine Oak Opening State Natural Area (SNA) in Jefferson and Walworth
counties. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' SNA crew in the
region will use the funds, which were disbursed in November, to control,
monitor and map the invasive species that harm the rare native vegetation at
the site.
"Kettle Moraine Oak Opening is a shining star among remnant savannas," said
Barb Barzen, the Natural Resources Foundation's programs and grants
coordinator. "It is one of the Midwest's largest and highest-quality oak
savannas. We are excited to play the role of attracting financial resources
to this ecological treasure."
Oak savannas are among the rarest habitats in the world. They once covered
much of the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin and now less than 1 percent of
those savannas remain. Kettle Moraine Oak Opening, a 600-acre property, was
designated a state natural area in 1991. Fire suppression and a lack of
conservation resources had allowed the area to become overgrown with a dense
understory that crowded out oaks and native grasses. Since 1991, the
Department of Natural Resources has worked to restore a core area of 180
acres back to savanna and open oak woodland. The DNR will work over the next
several years to restore the rest of the SNA.
Part of that expanded restoration has been funded through the Bock
Foundation and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. In 2014, the
Natural Resources Foundation received a $10,000 grant from the Bock
Foundation, which the SNA crew used to control oriental bittersweet and
black locust and conduct a prescribed burn. The two targeted invasive
species are difficult to eliminate with prescribed burns, and they have been
shown to compete with existing oaks and decrease the likelihood that new
oaks will grow. The 2015 grant will help to continue fighting oriental
bittersweet and black locust, and to help DNR conduct more prescribed burns
to control other invasive species. The ultimate goal is to improve
conditions for large oak trees in the area.
"Prior to European settlement, oak savannas covered more than 5 million
acres in Wisconsin," said Nate Fayram, field ecologist for the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources. "Remaining examples are dependent on active
management, especially including frequent prescribed fire, or they will
cease to exist. Many rare species benefit from oak savanna restoration, and
savannas are known for having a diverse ground layer comprised of plants
that can be found in both prairies and oak forests."
Kettle Moraine Oak Opening is one of several state natural areas within a
long-term, landscape-scale restoration project conducted by the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy. This area has
been designated as an area of ecological and conservation significance by
several organizations. In addition, the Ice Age Trail runs through the
Kettle Moraine Oak Opening, making it easily accessible to visitors who want
to learn about restoration work.