The effect of human disturbance on vegetation at the Wehr Nature Center in Whitnall Park

Abstract

During 1975 and 1976, I studied (Nowak, 1976) two woodlands at the Wehr Nature Center in WhitnaLl Park, Milwaukee County (Figure 1). My purpose was to document the vegetational changes brought about by human disturbance. The Wehr Woods, adjacent to the Wehr Nature Center Building, had been lumbered and grazed; while the woods along College Avenue is subjected to seasonal flooding, a result of road construction which had altered the drainage pattern. In each woodland, a disturbed portion was compared with an adjacent, relatively undisturbed area. The heavily lumbered and grazed portion of the Wehr woods will be referred to as the "cutover area" and an adjacent uncut and ungrazed maple woods is designated the "mature area". The woods affected by ponding in spring and early summer along College Avenue will be referred to as "the flooded area" and the adjacent unflooded woods as the "non-flooded area".