Wabikon Forest
Look to the Trees
Studying forests around the world—starting with one right here in Wisconsin.
Forests are more than trees—they’re complex ecosystems that reveal a lot about our planet’s health. That’s why scientists worldwide are studying how forests grow and change. Led by the Smithsonian’s Center for Tropical Forest Science, this global network includes over 40 long-term research plots across four continents. UW–Green Bay contributes through the Wabikon Forest Dynamics Plot, a 62-acre site in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. It’s a chance to be part of global research—right here in Wisconsin.
What
The first census of the Wabikon Forest Dynamics Plot in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest was completed on October 15, 2009, producing a database with 58,658 records representing 48,849 live trees. All trees in the plot were mapped, tagged and measured. This provided ecological succession, forest regeneration and natural disturbance patterns in a typical northern hardwoods forest of the western Great Lakes region.
Who
Principal investigators were Robert Howe, Amy Wolf and CCB Herbarium Curator Gary Fewless, with support from US Forest Service Ecologist Linda Parker and USFS Biologist Steve Janke, who also are UW-Green Bay graduates. Students and staff were on the ground as field crews for the project, after REI Engineering of Wausau established the plot grid in October-November 2007. Dr. Lucas Magee, former UW-Green Bay master's student who studied at Wabikon, has now stepped up to lead long-term efforts.
Impact
In addition to scientific publications, the plot has provided field research experience for at least 33 UW-Green Bay students and part-time employment for 22 of these. But it's not just limited to field research; science courses at UW-Green Bay have used data from the plot for laboratory exercises and classroom projects. In winter 2009, for example, students from a course in Mammalogy (and others) conducted a survey of mammal tracks at the plot.
Tree cheers for our sponsors!
This ambitious project was funded by the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity through the generous support of three sponsors.
Climate Partnership
Ask an Expert
Meet Erin Giese, Associate Director of the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity. She champions student experience and truly enjoys training the next generation of scientists. If you have questions about the Wabikon Forest Plot, Erin can help.