National Park Service To Conduct Brush Removal In St. Croix Falls

ST. CROIX FALLS, Wis. -- St. Croix National Scenic Riverway plans to conduct understory brush removal in the Riverway corridor along the St. Croix River in Polk County, Wisconsin from approximately November 1 –18, 2022 depending on weather and site conditions. The National Park Service (NPS) is conducting mechanical brush removal as part of an effort to improve prairie, savanna, and mixed forest habitat.

The areas where brush removal is to occur:

• Sterling Barrens; located in Sterling Township in Polk County, 10 miles west of Cushing, Wisconsin. This work site is located east of Sunrise Ferry Landing.
• Sunrise Campground; located in Sterling Township in Polk County, 10 miles west of Cushing, Wisconsin. This work site is located west of Sunrise Ferry Landing.

The NPS has developed detailed plans for brush removal and work will be carried out by contracted personnel. Work will be restricted to times when the ground is dry and/or frozen. Work will be rescheduled if conditions are not favorable within the planned timeframe. The project area, including the Sunrise Campground, will be closed to the public while work is actively occurring. Operations are not expected to impact use of Sunrise Ferry Landing.

For additional information, contact the St. Croix River Visitor Center in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, at 715-483-2274.  Updates regarding brush removal work will be posted to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway website and Facebook page when exact days are determined.

The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a unit of the National Park System, was established by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. It is one of a group of eight rivers in the country which first received this recognition.  For 255 miles, the St. Croix and its tributary, the Namekagon, flow through some of the most scenic and least developed country in the Upper Midwest. Learn more here.