Foulds Creek
Location
![Foulds Creek flows south as it enters the north boundary of the RNA. [Brzeskiewicz 2013]](/sites/default/files/2023-02/nrs-fouldscreek.jpg)
Potential Research Topics
Foulds Creek RNA provides opportunities to investigate timber wolves and denning, forest bats, trout survival in Class-II trout streams, great blue heron nesting habitat, invasive earthworms, raptor habitat, and wintering grounds for white tailed deer.
Ecological and Physical Description
The Foulds Creek RNA is a complex of forested and open wetland areas with a good to excellent representation of late successional forest communities in mature status. Throughout the site are older forested wetland communities surrounded by northern dry-mesic and mesic forests with eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), red pine (Pinus resinosa), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and super canopy white pine (Pinus strobus). A prominent glacial esker runs in a southeast to northwest direction with several springs originating from its base and flowing through the adjacent swamp. Foulds Creek, a cold water stream, flows through the site.
Annual precipitation averages 32.1 inches (81.5 cm), 69% of which falls between April and September. Average seasonal snowfall is 41.2 inches (104.6 cm).
The Park Falls DNR Headquarters in Park Falls is 22 mi (35 km) northwest of the RNA.
The most notable glacial feature in this RNA is a two mile (3 kilometer) long esker, a winding, narrow ridge of sand, gravel, and boulders deposited by a stream flowing on, within, or beneath the once stagnant Laurentide glacier. The other main geologic feature is the undulating, hilly surface formed of washed till and outwash a mixture of sorted and unsorted debris of all sizes worked over by the glacier melt-water.
Soils within the RNA are quite varied and range from deep, acid, poorly drained soils to well-drained loamy sand soils. Peaty acid soils generally occur in depressions and drainage-ways (0-2% slope) with sphagnum mosses, and woody and herbaceous plants comprising the organic source material. Soils in low areas are very poorly drained. On nearly level to undulating topography (0-5% slope) are loamy sand soils over medium and coarse sands. These soils are well-drained. Areas of 5-15% slope contain loamy sand over sand and gravel outwash material. These soils are well to excessively drained and contain greater than 30% gravel.
Foulds Creek runs through the RNA and flows north into Pike Lake, which is a part of the South Fork Flambeau River system. Foulds Creek is a Class II trout stream. Streams in this classification may have some natural reproduction, but not enough to fully utilize available food and space. These streams often have good survival and carryover of adult brook trout. There is a spring pond within the RNA surrounded by sedge meadow.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lonicera canadensis; | American fly honeysuckle | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Vaccinium angustifolium | early low blueberry | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Acer spicatum | mountain maple | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Ledum spp | Labrador tea | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Trientalis borealis | American starflower | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Cornus canadensis | bunchberry | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Oxalis montana | wood sorrel | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Maianthemum canadensis; | Canada mayflower | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Aralia nudicaulis | wild sarsaparilla | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Sphagnum moss | Common Herbaceous Species |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castor canadensis | beaver | Common Fauna | ||
| Ondatra zibethicus | muskrat | Common Fauna | ||
| Mustela vison | mink | Common Fauna | ||
| Canis lupis | timber wolf | Common Fauna | ||
| Odocoileus virginianus | white tailed deer | Common Fauna | ||
| Ursus americanus | black bear | Common Fauna | ||
| Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | red squirrel | Common Fauna | ||
| Salvelinus fontinalis | brook trout | Common Fauna | ||
| Ardea herodias | Great Blue Heron | Common Fauna |