Sauk County Habitat Restoration Area

The Sauk County Habitat Restoration Area is an 82-acre parcel located along Pine Bluff Road in the Town of Westfield. The restoration project started in 2000 with a prairie restoration on approximately 25 acres. The wetland restoration project was completed in 2002 and restored nearly 30 acres of valuable wetlands and waterfowl nesting habitat. Native wetland plant plugs were planted by local volunteers to enhance the restoration site.  Restoring the wetlands involved the construction of earthen ditch plugs and berms with an overflow pipe and grassed spillways.  Five excavated wetland scrapes provide shallow, open water and supplement existing open water areas.

A two-acre area of uplands adjacent to the stream were planted with a variety of wildlife shrubs such as highbush cranberry, silky dogwood, red osier dogwood, American plum, American hazelnut, and serviceberry. The area provides food and cover for songbirds and other wildlife species and creates a transition zone between prairie areas, stream riparian buffer and wooded uplands.

The restoration project was a partnership with local, state, and federal government agencies as well as nonprofit organizations. A plaque is located at the overlook along Pine Bluff Road that commemorates the project as a Five-Star Restoration Site by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Association of Counties, Wildlife Habitat Council and the US Environmental Protection Agency.  This overlook provides an exceptional view of the restoration area. Over the years, Trumpeter Swans, Sandhill Cranes and other waterfowl have been seen utilizing the open water and adjacent grasslands. In 2011, three federally endangered Whooping Cranes were also seen occupying the restoration area.

The DNR holds a stream corridor easement on the 3,200 feet of Narrows Creek that runs through the parcel. This easement ensures long-term protection and enables the DNR to complete restoration work on the stream. Eroding streambanks have been stabilized by reconstructing the banks and placing rock rip-rap along the water's edge. Fish habitat structures have been installed including rock vortex weirs, wooden structures and boulder placements to provide habitat for smallmouth bass and other fish species.