This team developed design management practices that contributed to maintenance of biodiversity while allowing an income from timber harvests in the watersheds. The team implemented a Biodiversity Collaboration Strategy in three watersheds in the Chequamegon Bay area—the Bad River, Raspberry Creek, and Whittlesey Creek watersheds. The team mapped ecosystems, assessed the status of understory herbs in a variety of forest communities (the “PlantWatch” program), assessed the status and needs of species-of-concern in the Northern Forest (northern goshawk, wolves, and neotropical migrant birds), and assessed the status of forest tree communities.

Data collected were incorporated into a GIS developed by Northland College that is now used by Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, the Wisconsin DNR, Northland College, and the Inland Sea Society for watershed planning efforts. Team members targeted public education and outreach program efforts at area land managers, public officials, schools, Great Lakes Visitor’s Center, and towards local tribes. They produced and distributed two handbooks—one in cooperation with the TNC entitled “Forest Owner’s Handbook for the Bad River Watershed” and a complementary NWF publication entitled “Forest Restoration on the Bad River”.