Management Map

Pleasant Valley Conservancy is divided into a number of management units, which are shown on the map below. This is a new map created in February 2011 using ArcGIS and exported as a GIF version. It is based on the latest (2010) georeferenced Dane County air photo, downloaded from Wisconsinview.org. The boundaries and other features shown on this map as Waypoints and Tracks were determined with by GPS. Note that the service roads and ATV trails shown on this map are NOT open to the public except as foot trails.

The vegetation type in each management unit is indicated by color. The contrast in vegetation between the north-facing and south-facing slopes is striking. The south-facing slope is relatively dry, and consists of prairie remnants (with no trees) on the lower slope, and oak savannas above. Here the oaks are principally bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa).

The north-facing slope, which remains shaded throughout most of the day, is relatively moist (snow remains long here) and consists principally of oak woodland. The trees are mainly red oak (Q. rubra), with occasional black oak (Q. velutina), white oak (Q. alba), and bur oak (Q. macrocarpa, and a small patch of Hill's oak (Q. ellipsoidalis). There are also some basswoods (Tilia americana), black walnuts (Juglans nigra), and a few red maples (Acer rubrum).

The herbaceous vegetation on the south-facing slope consists of dry prairie grasses, primarily little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), with an occasional clone of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). The forbs are principally dry or dry-mesic species. Because of the open character of the savannas, sunlight is available to the plants throughout the summer, but the soils are dry.

The areas marked in orange are level to gently sloping oak savanna, and consist of bur and white oak, with occasional black oak and shagbark hickory. The lower savanna slopes in Unit 12A and B and 11C and D, developed on sandstone bedrock, and are primarily white oak. Huge open-grown white oaks (and an occasional bur oak) are common along the White Oak and Mid Savanna Trails.

The herbaceous vegetation on the north-facing slope consists of plant species that develop and flower early before the tree leaves have come out (sometimes called spring ephemerals), and the soils are moist. Once the tree leaves are out, the groundlayer mostly remains in deep shade, suitable primarily for ferns.

The planted prairies (shown in light green) are former agriculture fields that had been fallow for some years. The year of planting of each field is shown on the map. Most (but not all) of these prairies are in the Conservation Reserve Program.

The wetlands at Pleasant Valley Conservancy are relatively large for this part of Wisconsin (the Driftless Area). Although only part of the wetland is in the Preserve, the rest remains undeveloped under a 10-year agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Most of the water derives from a large number of springs spread across the wetland, or from two creeks, East Blue Mounds Creek, and Pleasant Valley Creek. The latter is almost solely spring-fed and is a typical cold-water creek. Sandhill Cranes and Canada Geese nest on the wetland, as well as numerous other bird species. Muskrats occur, and beaver have created several dams. In contrast to many wetlands, reed canary grass, a serious invasive species of wet habitats, is relatively uncommon.

The tree inventory, determined from our tree database, is shown at the link further below. More details on the vegetation can be found on the links under the Vegetation overview menu item to the left, and on the Species check list.