[Photo 2] Cherrywood Forest was first burned in April 2016.
[Photo 3] Wild geranium.
[Photo 4] At the base of each white oak is an abundance of acorns.
Cherrywood Forest Conservancy (5+ acres)
Take a walk through Cherrywood Forest
When you step into Cherrywood Forest, you are standing among the largest and oldest oaks in the Town of Middleton.
These mighty white oaks have large sprawling branches, a result of over 100 years of growth in an open canopy. As you walk down the path, look out across the forest. What do you see? On a sunny day you will see the speckled mosaic of sunlight hitting the forest floor. These characteristics describe an open oak woodland.
Oak woodlands provide ideal habitat for Wisconsin’s native woodland flora. In the spring, Cherrywood Forest explodes with native wildflowers like wild geranium, jack-in-the-pulpit, and Solomon’s seal.
This open oak woodland habitat and its assemblage of native flora are the result of restoration efforts since 2013.
A new generation of oaks
Prior to management, these majestic oaks were choked by invasive brush and non-native trees. No new oak seedlings survived under the dense understory layer. The restoration process began by removing this layer of brush and non-oak trees. Additionally, the return of fire, through prescribed burning, has promoted the regeneration of these mature oaks.
Take a look at the forest floor and you will find an abundance of oak seedlings establishing.
The Natural Heritage Inventory of Wisconsin estimates than less than 0.01% of the original oak-dominated communities remain. Regeneration of oaks is the key to preserving these endangered communities.
Enjoy it and respect it
Please stay on designated Town-maintained trails.
Please do not dump yard or animal waste. Yard waste smothers native plants and tree seedlings.
Cherrywood Forest Conservancy (5+ acres)
Take a walk through Cherrywood Forest
When you step into Cherrywood Forest, you are standing among the largest and oldest oaks in the Town of Middleton.
These mighty white oaks have large sprawling branches, a result of over 100 years of growth in an open canopy. As you walk down the path, look out across the forest. What do you see? On a sunny day you will see the speckled mosaic of sunlight hitting the forest floor. These characteristics describe an open oak woodland.
Oak woodlands provide ideal habitat for Wisconsin’s native woodland flora. In the spring, Cherrywood Forest explodes with native wildflowers like wild geranium, jack-in-the-pulpit, and Solomon’s seal.
This open oak woodland habitat and its assemblage of native flora are the result of restoration efforts since 2013.
A new generation of oaks
Prior to management, these majestic oaks were choked by invasive brush and non-native trees. No new oak seedlings survived under the dense understory layer. The restoration process began by removing this layer of brush and non-oak trees. Additionally, the return of fire, through prescribed burning, has promoted the regeneration of these mature oaks.
Take a look at the forest floor and you will find an abundance of oak seedlings establishing.
The Natural Heritage Inventory of Wisconsin estimates than less than 0.01% of the original oak-dominated communities remain. Regeneration of oaks is the key to preserving these endangered communities.
Enjoy it and respect it
Photo credit: Adaptive Restoration LLC