{"id":33582,"date":"2024-11-18T15:00:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T21:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconservation.org\/?p=33582"},"modified":"2025-02-28T09:42:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T15:42:05","slug":"climate-resilient-rush-creek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconservation.org\/climate-resilient-rush-creek\/","title":{"rendered":"A Climate Resilient Future at Rush Creek"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As climate change reshapes our world, connected and resilient landscapes are crucial for preserving Wisconsin\u2019s natural wonders. At Rush Creek, we\u2019re collaborating with partners to restore the landscape into a thriving, interconnected haven for wildlife. Read on to discover how this vital project is restoring habitat and building a future where nature can adapt and flourish in the face of climate change.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Aerial view of Rush Creek State<\/em> Natural Area. Photo by Ben Albert<\/em><\/p>\n

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Why is Rush Creek worth protecting?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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In 1993, the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin chose Rush Creek State Natural Area as one of our very first conservation sites. <\/strong>Our commitment to protecting this special place has never stopped. Nestled along the Mississippi River, Rush Creek is home to one of the rarest habitat types in Wisconsin\u2014dry prairie remnant. It also happens to be the largest dry prairie remnant in the Midwest. The diverse landscape also includes oak savanna, oak-hickory woodlands and floodplain forest. Two miles of spring-fed streams flow through this precious landscape. With 2,800 acres of high-quality habitat, Rush Creek runs along an important migratory flyway for birds like the cerulean warbler and Henslow\u2019s sparrow.<\/p>\n

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Rush Creek SNA is a designated Important Bird Area<\/a> and\u00a0Conservation Opportunity Area<\/a>. It is also home to imperiled birds, like this red headed woodpecker. Photo by Lindsey Broadhead<\/em><\/p>\n

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Rush Creek\u2019s climate resilient future<\/h3>\n

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In 2022, we teamed up with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to launch Wisconsin\u2019s first grassland climate adaptation project<\/a> at Rush Creek. Our goal has been to restore the State Natural Area\u2019s habitats. The team is building a resilient, connected landscape that will support a wide range of species for years to come, even as the climate changes. This work will benefit nearly 50 Species of Greatest Conservation Need<\/a>, from forest and grassland birds to pollinators.<\/p>\n

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State endangered Ottoe skipper at Rush Creek State Natural Area, one of the priority sites for the Natural Resources Foundation. Photo: Armund Bartz<\/em><\/p>\n

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In order to meet these ambitious goals, the project has focused on three key adaptation strategies:<\/p>\n

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  1. Reconnecting<\/strong> two miles of prairie through brush control and invasive species removal, allowing species to travel between different habitats.<\/li>\n
  2. Restoring<\/strong> oak savanna and woodlands by thinning shade-loving trees, using prescribed fire, and enhancing forest health to build resilience against climate change.<\/li>\n
  3. Creating<\/strong> new native prairie and savanna with forest buffers and climate-smart seed mixes, to reduce runoff and make prairie plants more resilient.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    A crew member managing a prescribed burn at Rush Creek State Natural Area in the spring of 2024. Photo by Ben Albert<\/em><\/p>\n

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    Wrapping up the first grassland climate change adaption project in Wisconsin<\/h3>\n

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    Throughout the past three years, the team has completed over 1,100 acres of climate adaptation work. Here\u2019s how it all came together:<\/p>\n

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