Baraboo Range Protection Program (completed as of April 1, 2010)

THE BARABOO RANGE

The Baraboo Range in Sauk and Columbia Counties is nationally recognized for its outstanding geology and diverse ecological resources. This unique landscape is an excellent example of an exhumed mountain range. Differences in elevation, exposure and soils of the Baraboo Hills create a variety of ecological habitats including high, dry rock strata where white pine predominates; rocky cliffs covered with lichens and mosses; cool steep valleys and ravines of hemlock; dry and wet prairie, and marshes. At least 28 different natural communities have been identified, harboring 23 federal or state listed threatened or endangered species. About half of the more than 2,200 vascular plants in Wisconsin have been found in this tiny fraction of the State.

LANDSCAPE SCALE CONSERVATION and PROGRAM SUMMARY

The Baraboo Range is the largest block of mostly deciduous forest remaining in the upper Midwest. This quality makes the Baraboo Hills a very important habitat for the preservation of neotropical migratory bird populations, which are threatened primarily due to fragmentation of their forest habitat.

To most effectively conserve forest interior bird species populations, the preservation or restoration of large forest tracks are critical. Given the long time frame inherent in restoring this type of habitat (100+ years), the best strategy is preservation of existing areas. The Baraboo Range Protection Program is intended to implement this landscape scale conservation effort.

The Baraboo Range Protection Program (BRPP) was a part of, and implemented, the U.S. Highway 12 Memorandum of Agreement. The purpose was to develop a comprehensive program which addressed the need for transportation improvements in the USH 12 corridor, as well as the need to protect and preserve important natural resources in the area. Those resources include the Baraboo Range National Natural Landmark (BRNNL), the Ice Age National Scientific Trail, and forest and farm land. The idea was to better address local growth and development issues in the region which would be impacted by the USH 12 project.

The Baraboo Range Commission and staff were responsible for the management and administration of the functions of the Baraboo Range Protection Program, under County Board oversight by the Planning, Zoning and Land Records Committee. All monthly Baraboo Range Commission meetings, 100 in total, were open to the public and fully noticed per the requirements of the Wisconsin Open Records Law. In general, staff and Commission members worked together and with willing landowners (more than 100 made application) to identify and evaluate priority Baraboo Range conservation projects and then to negotiate, acquire and maintain permanent conservation easements to protect forest canopy, wildlife habitat and other critical conservation and cultural values of the Baraboo Range.

Since its inception in 2000, the Baraboo Range Commission and staff of the Baraboo Range Protection Program, through County Board resolution, completed 43 conservation easement projects, protecting over 3,100 acres of Baraboo Range forest and farm land.

Ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the Baraboo Range Protection Program conservation easements will be coordinated by the Planning and Zoning Department with the collaboration of the landowners.

Thank you to all the landowners who participated in this program, to the Commission members, the County Board, and Dave Tremble the Planner/Land Protection Specialist who managed the program. The program was a great success thanks to all of you.

BARABOO RANGE COMMISSION

The Baraboo Range Commission was a special committee of the Sauk County Board responsible for general supervision of the BRPP. Membership included:

• Roman Statz, Town of Delton Supervisor
• Marcus Wenzel, Chair, Town of Honey Creek
• Dean Steinhorst, Mayor, City of Baraboo
• Judy Ashford, District 20 Supervisor, Sauk County Board
• Terry Turnquist, Chair, Town of Greenfield
• Ron Persche, Pres. Baraboo Range Preservation Association
• Forrest Hartmann, Attorney, Quale, Hartmann, Reynolds, Pulsfus and Groeneweg SC
• Gary Kowalke, local contractor and Baraboo Range landowner
• William Beard