Bayfield Regional Conservancy is proud to be an active partner of the My Lake Superior Northwoods program!
Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, is the healthiest of all of the Great Lakes. The Lake Superior Watershed in Wisconsin covers approximately 1,842,000 acres across parts of four counties - Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, and Iron. It is comprised of lands owned and administered by tribal, federal, state, county and private entities. The watershed is predominantly forested with an agricultural zone in the north. Freshwater estuaries at the mouths of many streams acts as filters to reduce erosion and sedimentation, and provide habitat for diverse species. The watershed's outstanding water quality and biological diversity requires a high level of attention in the management lands and waters.
In 2024, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the US Forest Service designated 13 sites around the country as part of their Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership to work across traditional boundaries and restore the health of the forests and watersheds on public and private lands. The Lake Superior Basin in Wisconsin was selected as one of these 13 sites based on the strong local partnerships already in place. The Lake Superior Landscape Restoration Partnership is an effort to develop and enhance collaboration among agency, non-governmental organizations (NGO), and private landowners. The project focuses on restoring critical habitat for rare and sensitive species (including Brook Trout, Golden-winged Warbler, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Kirtlands Warbler), mitigating fire risk, and improving water quality conditions in the Lake Superior Watershed. Sediment loading is a critical water quality concern in Northern Wisconsin and must be managed to improve and protect Lake Superior and its watersheds. The project will support and enhance conservation activities on private, public, and Tribal lands. Anticipated benefits will include reduced sediment loads in tributary streams and Lake Superior; reductions in non-native invasive species; increased desirable terrestrial wildlife habitat (including riparian forests, early successional forests, globally imperiled pine barrens); improved road-stream crossings allowing greater aquatic organism movement; and higher percentage of private landowners actively managing their woodlands using sustainable forestry practices.
An important component of the Partnership’s effort is My Lake Superior Northwoods program, the landowner outreach branch of the partnership. Through this program, partners work closely with the hundreds of small, private landowners in the Basin by providing support, tools, information and expertise to help them meet their goals for their land.
Bayfield Regional Conservancy ~ P.O. Box 410 ~33 N. 1st Street, Bayfield, WI 54814 ~ 715.779.5263 ~ brc@brcland.org