Project Description:  This project proposes to restore 60 acres of Great Lakes Alvar along Green Bay.  Alvar’s are a globally imperiled plant community and this property protects the highest quality alvar in Wisconsin.

Proposed Project:  Invasive species such as common buckthorn, european honeysuckle, and red cedar are currently suppressing savanna vegetation and will be removed from the site.  Trembling Aspen is also encroaching into the savanna and will be mechanically girdled.  The work will be completed Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources  (WDNR) staff and local contractors.

Progress:  Presently, 50% of the aspen has been girdled by WDNR staff.  The remaining work is scheduled to begin during the week on February 12th and will be completed by March 31st.

The restoration work will benefit several savanna species such as the state threatened handsome sedge and yellow gentian as well as numerous birds identified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) that utilize this area for breeding or stopover during migration.  A subset of these species includes the black-billed cuckoo, red-headed woodpecker, least fly catcher, and the brown thrasher.  The modeled dusky wing butterfly, another SGCN also frequents the site and will directly benefit from the savanna restoration.