Buena Vista Prairie Chicken Meadow State Natural Area

The Buena Vista Prairie Chicken Meadow is a part of Buena Vista Marsh, a large outwash plain and former glacial lake bed. The original marsh and tamarack swamp have been altered by land drainage, agricultural use, and wildfires. Much of the topography has been altered, but the depressions still retain organic matter and support sedges, bulrush, and willow. The remainder of the site is grassland dominated by bluegrass and is managed for Greater Prairie-chickens, a state threatened species.

This Area contains a pesticide and herbicide-free tract, studied extensively by the Fredrerick and Frances Hamerstrom in their classic work with Prairie-chickens. Because the Area has been maintained as an open grassland, several rare and uncommon grassland bird species also thrive: grasshopper, Henslow’s, clay-colored, and savannah sparrows; bobolink; meadowlarks; and northern harriers.

The Area is managed as a rare animal conservation area to keep the site in an open condition for use by Greater Prairie-Chickens and other grassland species. This Area provides opportunities for research and education on a small portion of this expansive grassland habitat.

In the Meadow, the cool-season grassland is kept open via prescribed fire, mowing and grazing. Other allowable activities include control of invasive plants and access to view Greater Prairie-chicken mating rituals during spring.

 

Buena Vista Prairie Chicken Meadow is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1970.

Within Buena Vista Wildlife Area, Portage County. T22N-R7E, Section 26 S½SE¼

Source: WDNR