Dendrochronological History of the Lower Chippewa River Valley

Abstract

The Lower Chippewa River Valley in west-central Wisconsin is the largest contiguous oodplain forest within the Midwest; it remains forested along most of its channel stretching from Eau Claire to where the Chippewa meets the Mississippi River and contains a variety of plant and animal species. Vegetation along the Chippewa River was mapped over a 70 year period (1938-2008) and preliminary analysis has shown prominent vegetation coverage consisting of prairie, savanna, woodland, forest, or marsh throughout the study period. The main objective was to establish a dendrochronological record for the study area.