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| This web site is based
on natural history studies done on and around property owned by Jim
and Ann Barnes. The property is in Crawford County, WI. (Section 19,
T8N, R4W) and is located along one of the slow curving bends of the
Kickapoo River as the river winds its way through the vast wooded hills
and valleys to the Wisconsin River. According to Martin's The
Physical Geography of Wisconsin ( Martin, 1965 ): |
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Fig. 1 Maptech's Geological
Survey Maps on CD. (see Links
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| "The Kickapoo River
is the simplest and the largest stream in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area."
"Rising in Monroe County, the river courses about 65 miles to the
south at Wauzeka where it joins the Wisconsin. Its grade is about 5
feet to the mile, but the grade is steeper at the headwaters. The valley
of the Kickapoo, near Steuben,’ (about four miles from our property)’
contains the most perfect intrenched meanders in Wisconsin." On and
around the Barnes’ property these can be seen as a number of small oxbow
lakes that are a great attraction to water loving birds and other wildlife.
With more than 13.6 acres of mixed abandoned field, hilly woodland and
low wetland, the Barnes property includes over 1000 feet of river access.
The vegetation of the area consists mostly of southern hardwood forest
and oak savanna typical of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area. The lowlands
are occupied by floodplain forests dominated by sparse silver maple and
American elm as described by John Curtis in his: The Vegetation of
Wisconsin ( Curtis, 1959
). The area is truly a nature lover’s delight.
My visits to this property are
largely consumed by efforts to study the plants and animals living
in the area. This website is an attempt to organize my observation
in that regard. The site attempts two objectives. One is to document
the wildlife of the area and my progress in knowledge about it. It
is important to remember that this is an amateur effort by one who's
knowledge and interests are very general. The other is to offer a review
of literature that can be useful to other naturalists, both amateur
and professional, interested in similar pursuits. The "references" and
"links" sections of this site, as well as the main pages, will hopefully
be useful to that extent. In time the site will become a clearinghouse
for such information.
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Fig. 2 A Small Oxbow Lake
on the Barnes' Property
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How You Can
Help
It is my intent that this
website will grow to become more useful in future revisions. I hope
that persons who visit the site will contribute to that growth.
There are a number of ways that they can contribute. I am receptive
to any and all criticism that would lead to improvement of the site.
This includes suggestions relating to the style of my writing and the
design of the pages themselves. I am especially anxious to learn of
research reports and other reference material that will serve to update
what I have found thus far. The more specific the material is to the
study area the more useful it can be. I am also interested in the reports
of other people with interests similar to my own. Lists of organisms
that they may have seen and reports of their studies (both technical and
otherwise) would be of great interest. I assure the contributor that all
material used in future revisions will be fully credited and acknowledged.
Finally, visitors to the site can help with the maintenance by reporting
any links that are no longer active or have been moved. These changes will
be incorporated in future revisions. |
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