Lewis Lake
Size: 307 acres
Location: Spider Lake, Sawyer County
Habitat Types: Quality mixed conifer and hardwood forest, lakeshore, wetlands, tamarack bog.
Conservation Values: Habitat for plant and animal species, protect water quality of nearby lakes and protection of shore land and wetlands.
Description: The property is mostly forested with a variety of forest types containing remnant red and white pine scattered throughout its gently rolling uplands. Most of the forest type is second growth since 1920. Several wetlands are interspersed throughout the property. Some of the wetlands are treeless along with a few small tamarack wetlands. Herbaceous plants include Canada mayflower, rattlesnake plaintain, gaywings, pipsissawa, Indian Pipe, moccasin flower and wintergreen among many others.
There is separate small bog lake surrounded by spaghnum moss with pitcher plants, black spruce, cranberries, sundews and bog orchids including grass pink, rose pogonia and arethusa. The lake supports a healthy fish population - mainly sunfish, perch, small mouth bass and various species of minnows.
There is always a pair of resident loons in the summer, and for the last thirty years nineteen young loons have fledged from Lewis Lake. Many other birds nest here including kingbirds, tree swallows, kingfishers, ruffed grouse, barred owls and blackburnian warblers. Bald eagles and ospreys frequent the lake and a large number of ducks utilize it as a resting place during migration. Black bear, otter, fisher, mink, beaver, flying squirrels, badger and woodchucks are among the mammals observed
Protection: Lorainne Olsen donated Conservation Easement held by Bayfield Regional Conservancy
