Forest management
Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area
- Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area
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- Introduction
- Auto tour
- Boating / Canoeing
- Camping
- Cross-country sking and snowshoeing
- Fishing
- Forest management
- Hiking / Nature trails
- History of good stewardship
- Hunting
- Nature and wildlife viewing
- Protecting your flowage
- Quiet area
- Securing the future
- Snowmobiles and ATVs
- Turtle-Flambeau Patterned Bog State Natural Area
- Water levels
- Current water level conditions [exit DNR]
- Turtle-Flambeau master plan [PDF]
- Related links
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- Boating in Wisconsin
- Fishing Wisconsin
- Find Boat and Developed Shore Fishing Access Sites
- Aquatic invasive species
- Don't move firewood
- Range of Allowable Firewood [PDF]
- Hunting in Wisconsin
- Snowmobiling in Wisconsin
- USFS Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest [exit DNR]
- USGS Loon Migration Tracking [exit DNR]
- Wisconsin tourism [exit DNR]
- Contact information
- For information on the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area, contact:
- Property Manager
Dept of Natural Resources
5291 N. Statehouse Circle
Mercer, Wisconsin 54547
715-476-7846 (office)
715-614-5120 (cell)
Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters AreaForest management
Up until the early 1900's, large white and red pine dominated the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area. After the area was logged, large fires swept through, encouraging aspen and white birch growth. Forest lands on the property are currently 37% aspen, 22% northern hardwoods, 21% swamp conifer (white cedar, black spruce, tamarack) and 6% white birch. Red pine (3%) and white pine (2%) are relatively small components of today's forest.
The forest in the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area is managed primarily to protect the scenic qualities of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. A 300 foot aesthetic zone has been established around the entire shoreline in which no timber harvest will occur. A number of other areas have been designated for limited or special management to protect unique natural communities. Lands more than 300 feet from the water but which could still be visible from the water will be harvested only on a selective basis to protect scenic qualities while providing some wood products from within a well managed forest.
Timber harvests in certain areas of the property which are not visible from the Flowage may include more intensive forest management to increase the diversity of wildlife habitats while providing additional forest products. Aspen regeneration is possibly the most important management that benefits grouse, deer, and many other species of wildlife. Clearcutting (more appropriately called regeneration cutting) is the primary tool used in aspen regeneration. Regeneration cuts on the property will only be considered in areas not visible from the water, and will be carefully laid out to provide a "natural" appearing forest.