Northern Highland
TheNorthern Highlandis a geographical region in thenorth centralUnited Statescovering much of the northern territory of the state ofWisconsin.
The region stretches from the state border withMinnesotain the west to theMichiganborder in the east, and fromDouglasandBayfieldCounties in the north toWoodandPortageCounties in the south. While most of northern Wisconsin is within the Northern Highland region, a short belt of land along the coast ofLake Superioris not included in the area, and is instead part of theLake Superior Lowlandregion. Outside Wisconsin the highland stretches northward inCanadathrough theUpper PeninsulaofMichiganand theCanadian ShieldinNorthern OntarioandQuebectoLabradorandHudson Bay.
Geography[edit]
The Northern Highland was once a mountain range similar to theAlpsorRocky Mountainsof today. Over hundreds of millions of years, these mountains were worn and flattened out byerosionandglaciation.The region is mostly a smooth plain, but it remains higher than the rest of the state and some hilly regions continue to exist. Located near the center of the region,Timms HillinPrice Countyis the highest point in Wisconsin, at anelevationof 1,951 feet (595 m) feet abovesea level.Other hills such asRib Mountainalso approach this elevation. The second highest elevation in the state of Wisconsin is found in the Northern Highland and it isSugarbush hillwhich is in Forest County.[2]
Whether hilly or flat, most of the Northern Highland is covered in woodlands. The most common trees of the Northern Highland are theSugar Maple,Aspen,Basswood,Hemlock,andYellow Birch,as well asRedandWhitePine. A large amount of the forestland in the region is included within the 1,519,800-acre (6,150 km2)Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.State and county forests also cover a significant part of the region, and only a small portion of the land is devoted to agriculture.
The largest city in the region isWausau,with a population of 38,426. Other principal cities includeMerrill,Rhinelander,andLadysmith.Despite the absence of large cities, tourism is an important part of the local economy. The region’s numerous lakes and forests make it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts during the summer season.
This is part of a northern Wisconsin area colloquially referred to as "up north."[3]
Northern Highland Lake District[edit]
The Northern Highland Lake District consists of Lake Peter, Paul, and Tuesday. These lakes appeared during an ice age around 12,000 years ago.[4]
Wildlife[edit]
The wildlife of the Northern Highlands includes whitetail deer, timber wolves, elk, moose, and bear. With a growing population of the timber wolf, Wisconsin officials have agreed to allow a lottery system for the hunting of these wolves.
Counties in the Northern Highland[edit]
Part or all of the land in the following counties is included in the Northern Highland of Wisconsin:
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References[edit]
- ^"WiscOnline: The Geographical Provinces of Wisconsin".Archived fromthe originalon 2001-02-09.Retrieved2015-06-21.
- ^Dawson, Drew (14 August 2023)."These are the 10 tallest peaks in Wisconsin".Journal Sentinel.Journal Sentinel.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^Alden, Sharyn; Stoga, Stan, Editor (March 1, 1999).Up North Wisconsin: A Region for All Seasons(Paperback). Madison, Wisconsin: Trails Books. pp.176.ISBN0-915024-69-1.
{{cite book}}:|first2=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)ISBN978-0-915024-69-8 - ^Kitchell, James F. and Stephen R. Carpenter (1993).The Trophic Cascade in Lakes.Cambridge University Press. pp. 17–18.ISBN0-521-43145-X.
