[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Sumac Prairie page.]

1/1/2007 – A snowy prairie hillside on New Years Day

 

3/7/2007 – Deer browsing on the prairie – they like the steep south-facing sides of the hills because the snow disappears there first, so it’s easier to find food.

 

4/13/2007 – Sandy area on the east side of the prairie

 

4/13/2007 – There are small birches and aspens, and some brush, above the sandy area.

 

4/13/2007 – view of the wetland

 

5/11/2007 – There was a big fire in the Boundary Waters – in northern Minnesota – and the wind brought the smoke all the way to western Wisconsin.

 

5/7/2007 – Arlene and I girdled all the aspens on the steep hill below Sumac Corner Prairie.  They’re fairly small ones, but there are a lot of them, so it should make a big difference when they’re gone.  We found an orchid – the first time I had found this species – growing on the hillside under the trees.

Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride)

 

Closeup of the flowers

 

5/20/2007 – This is the area I worked on clearing last fall – there are a few sumacs and raspberries coming back, but it’s much more open than before.

 

Balsam Ragwort (Senecio paupercula)

 

7/6/2007 – The cleared area – still looking good

 

10/20/2007 – Looking west from the prairie into an overgrown savanna on the hillside.