Nipissing Swamp State Natural Area

Nipissing Swamp protects a diversity of important natural communities, including the largest remnant of northern hardwood swamp in northeast Wisconsin. This community type was more prominent prior to the cutover era and is less commonly found on the landscape today. The swamp is situated in a large wetland basin that was once a lagoon formed behind a large sand bar across the mouth of glacial Lake Nipissing. Remnants of the old Nipissing Beach persist as sand barrens and dunes along the upland transition on the east side of the swamp. This inland dune complex likely provides habitat for the Phyllira tiger moth, a species of special concern which has been documented elsewhere on the property. Dominant tree species in the swamp include red maple, black ash, and northern white cedar with tamarack, white birch, and eastern cottonwood as secondary components. This area also provides important habitat for rare species such as the four-toed and cuckooflower. Nipissing Swamp is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2012.