Yellow River Floodplain Forest State Natural Area

Situated along the meandering Yellow River, this mature, intact floodplain forest is dominated by silver maple with river birch, basswood, and red oak. The canopy is composed of large trees with a good mix of size and age classes. Protection of intact stands of bottomland forest is a high priority along this river corridor and opportunities are increasingly scarce on this landscape.

A rich and diverse ground layer includes spring ephemerals such as trout-lily, spring-beauty, and bloodroot. Other species are nodding trillium, Virginia waterleaf, green dragon, meadow-rue, woodland phlox, marsh marigold, golden ragwort, swamp rose, false mayflower, Michigan lily, Sprengel’s sedge, fox sedge, and bluejoint grass. This assemblage of understory plants is highly localized and relatively rare within this area.

The Yellow River flows through the site and is of extremely low gradient, with many meanders, oxbows, sloughs, and ponds. This stretch of river is an important component of a highly significant riverine corridor that is threatened by intensive timber harvest and, in some areas, cranberry farm development. Birds include pileated woodpecker, eastern phoebe, wood duck, and the state-threatened red-shouldered hawk.

Yellow River Bottom is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2008.

Source: Wisconsin State Natural Area Program