Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Summary
In this publication, the presettlement plant community types of Columbia County, Wisconsin, are documented. Their composition, distribution and extent as they existed in the 1830's are described from the data accumulated during the original land survey of the county. Six plant community groups delineated within the county in decreasing order of occurrence are: savanna, prairie, upland oak forest, marsh, floodplain forest, and tamarack swamp. Futher analysis of savanna and upland oak forest groups utilizing soils information for the county resulted in the identification of three additional plant community types which occurred over droughty sands: black oak savanna, black oak forest, and xeric sand prairie. A composite map of the 9 plant community types which characterized the presettlement landscape of Columbia County appears on the centerfold of this publication.