Roche-A-Cri Woods State Natural Area

Roche-A- Cri Woods features an old-growth pine-oak forest on the sandy terrain that surrounds Roche-A-Cri Mound. Canopy tree dominants are large white pine, white oak, black oak, red pine, and red oak. Associated species include black cherry, red maple, and big-toothed aspen. Saplings of red maple, white pine, and white oak with ironwood and yellowbud hickory are also present. The varied shrub layer contains American hazelnut, nannyberry, and prickly ash with huckleberry and early low blueberry common throughout. The diverse groundlayer contains at least 220 species including bracken fern, elliptic shin-leaf, interrupted fern, wild sarsaparilla, calico aster, Pennsylvania sedge, and spinulose wood fern.

Carter Creek, a class III trout stream, meanders through the site. As the terrain drops towards the creek, the vegetation becomes more mesic with species such as ironwood, maidenhair fern, lady fern, hepatica, early meadow rue, and marsh marigold. Bordering the creek is a wet-mesic floodplain forest of silver maple, green ash, and basswood.

Numerous birds use the forest including the uncommonly found Louisiana waterthrush and the state-threatened red-shouldered hawk. Other migratory bird species are eastern wood-pewee, ovenbird, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting, and rose-breasted grosbeak. Minor natural communities include dry sand prairie, northern dry forest, and oak barrens.

The Area is managed as a reserve for northern dry forest, Central Sands pine-oak forest, and as an ecological reference area. Natural processes will primarily determine the structure of the forest. The Area provides opportunities for research and education on the highest quality Central Sands pine-oak forest and northern dry forest ecosystems

Roche-A-Cri Woods is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002.

Source: WDNR