North Central Research Station - Experimental Forests

Coulee Experimental Forest Wisconsin DNR land, WI 2,971 acres, Est. 1947 Contact: James Dalton Hydrology of forested and non-forested lands in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin.

Brief introduction

The Coulee Experimental Forest , located in west central LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, was formally dedicated in 1960.  The forest is owned and administered by the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 

The Coulee Experimental Forest is about 3,000 acres of upland oak forests, experimental tree plantings, ridgetop open fields, rock outcroppings and a few small "goat" prairies on steep topography.

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Climate

The average annual temperature is 44°F with summer maximum temperatures occasionally exceeding 100°F, and winter minimums sometimes as low as -40°F.  Average annual precipitation is 34 inches with the highest rainfall usually occurring during the growing season.  Average annual snowfall is 44 inches.  Average length of the growing season is 138 days.

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Soil types

On the ridgetops soils have 1 to 4 feet of loess over clayey pedisediment. The bedrock is generally greater than 80 inches on these summits and shoulders.  The soils are formed in silty slope alluvium over loamy skeletal materials with some bedrock at 40 to 80 inches. The footslope soils are formed in silty slope alluvium with occasional rock fragments but no bedrock within 80 inches.

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Vegetation types

The ridgetops, which were formerly used for agricultural crops, are now planted to pines, spruces, larches and mixed hardwoods. Species and seed source experimentation were part of the reforestation projects here. Some open land remains and is currently sharecropped by neighboring farmers. Natural and established prairie sites are managed for native plants and wildlife habitat. The forest is predominantly an oak–hickory type with red and white oaks, shagbark hickory, basswood, and some elm providing the major volume. The steeper slopes are quite productive because they were never used for agriculture as fields or pasture.

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Research – past and current

Past research includes

• Forests and erosion in the Driftless Area
• Reforestation
• Land disposal of sewage effluent

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Major research accomplishments

The primary mission of the research initiated on the Coulee was to study the effect of land use and steep land management on floods, soil erosion, and stream sedimentation.  A secondary mission was to study the adaptability of various tree species and classes of planting stock to different sites to guide landowners in their tree-planting programs. 

Many reports have been published in the following subject areas:

• Land use and effects on soil properties, runoff, and erosion
• Soil freezing
• Spring flow and groundwater
• Evapotranspiration
• Climate
• Reforestation
• Research instruments and techniques

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Collaborators

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
USDA Forest Service
 

Past Collaborators include:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wild Turkey Federation
Ruffed Grouse Society
Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association
Natural Resources Conservation Service
LCD
Audubon Society
and Whitetails Unlimited

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Facilities, contact address, location

Contact information:
James Dalton
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
3550 Mormon Coulee Road SOB
La Crosse WI 54601
phone: 608-785-9007
email: james.dalton@dnr.state.wi.us

USDA Forest Service - North Central Research Station
Last Modified: Monday, 07 April 2003