North Pikes Creek Wetlands Community Forest

The Bayfield Regional Conservancy (BRC) acquired the North Pikes Creek Wetlands Community Forest - 280 acres of headwater stream, forest, and wetland habitats in the North Pikes Creek watershed - in September 2014. This could not have been done without the help of Futurewood Corporation and the Rathlef family (sellers) and WI DNR Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program and the USFS Community Forest Program (funders), or the Town of Russell community members who envisioned this project. The headwaters of North Pikes Creek (NPC) are located near the tip of the Bayfield Peninsula and are surrounded by ancient glacial mountains. As a home and a stopover to a diversity of species, the North Pikes Creek project also protects a Class 1 trout stream that provides a home to Brook trout. The North Pikes Creek Wetlands Community Forest is open to the public for hiking, fishing, hunting, trapping (see below for beaver permit information), and cross country skiing among other non-motorized uses. Since acquiring the property, BRC has been working on refining how we will manage the property. We will be working with partners and community members to restore the lowland conifer swamp trees that are still persisting on the property and that were there prior to the cut-over. This forest type provides many benefits including: slowing the flow of floodwaters and snowmelt that helps decrease sediment in the stream helping to store groundwater and provide cold water to the nearby stream; and habitat for many wildlife and plants We will be finalizing our draft management plan by the end of 2016 and welcome input especially related to public use of the property. We will also welcome help from both local and regional community members to implement future projects. If you would like to volunteer, please contact us! The BRC will be allowing Beaver Trapping on the property BY PERMIT ONLY. Currently, the multiple North Pikes Creek beaver ponds are integral to the functioning of the wetlands, and helping to slow-the-flow of water across the landscape. . As such, retaining the site's beaver ponds for the conservation of the important bird/waterfowl habitats and overall watershed health is important. BRC will manage the beaver population to maintain optimum, sustainable numbers by a regulated permit system for beaver trapping. The establishment of this permit system will ensure the maintenance of a healthy beaver population while avoiding adverse depletion, or overpopulation. Trappers who are interested must visit the BRC office to receive permission. For more information, please see permission letter.

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