We are thrilled to share with you the story of the Stroebe Island Marsh, also known as the Guckenberg-Sturm Preserve, which was purchased by the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust in 2005. This 48-acre preserve is situated along the west shore of Little Lake Butte des Morts and is adjacent to, as well as on, Stroebe Island. On its northern edge, it is bordered by Mud Creek, which meets the Fox River before flowing northeast into Green Bay, the largest bay in Lake Michigan.
Mud Creek, the Fox River, and Little Lake Butte des Morts are classified as Areas of Special Natural Resource Interest (ASNRI) waters by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. As such, the preservation of the Stroebe Island Marsh is recognized as an incredibly important opportunity to maintain the health of the water flowing into Lake Michigan.
What makes this marsh and surrounding floodplain forest so special is that they represent one of the last remaining pristine, open cattail marshes found along the Lower Fox River drainage. This habitat type once covered thousands of acres throughout the Fox River system, but due to dam construction and high-speed motorized boat traffic, over 99 percent of the original cattail marsh had been destroyed by 1965. This remaining high-quality habitat is now incredibly rare and provides critical food and cover for a myriad of wetland species trying to continue their life cycles surrounded by the pressures of land development and severe habitat destruction.
The importance of this wetland along the Fox River cannot be overstated. In a 2005 Clean Water Testing Report, it was concluded that this “marsh is a healthy, highly functioning filter for the Fox Valley’s soil and water cycle.” Given that the Fox River Valley is one of Wisconsin’s most urbanized and industrialized areas, it is essential that this wetland maintains its health.
Not only is the health of the wetlands important for people in the area who rely on the Fox River for their drinking water and recreation, but the 2005-2015 Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan (WWAP) also designates Floodplain Forest Communities and High-Quality Wetland Communities as areas of state significance for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SCGN). Some of these species documented at this site use this habitat for reproduction, while more of them use this area as a feeding and migratory staging ground.
We invite you to come and visit this special place. Visitors can access a short trail from Stroebe Road that leads through the forested wetland and along Mud Creek, a tributary of the Fox River. A floating boardwalk takes them to a wildlife viewing platform out on the marsh. Additionally, the neighboring Wild Ones center offers additional trails to explore this habitat.
We are grateful for the opportunity to share this special place with you and encourage you to come and experience the beauty and importance of the Stroebe Island Marsh firsthand.
