SAUK PRAIRIE — Nestled in the hills southeast of Baraboo, Hemlock Draw is like a time capsule from Mother Nature.
Ann Calhoun, Baraboo Hills project coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, walks past "sea stacks," quartzite outcrops that were once islands in a prehistoric ocean at Hemlock Draw State Natural Area.
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White pines in Baxter's Hollow stand out against the oak and maple forest. Gorges in the Baraboo Range support species that thrive in cooler climates and are relics of the last ice age, when a glacier covered land just a few miles to the east.
Fiethong Thao, an AmeriCorps member working for The Nature Conservancy, removes invasive vegetation beneath a stand of oak trees at Hemlock Draw State Natural Area. Oak forests traditionally depend on wildfires to keep down underbrush.
Hemlock trees hold to an outcrop in the Baraboo Hills. Relics of the last ice age, the trees have survived for more than 10,000 years in cooler microclimates like this ravine.
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As part of an effort to promote the growth of established oak trees at Hemlock Draw State Natural Area, Caleb Klima, Baraboo Hills land steward for The Nature Conservancy, clears unwanted underbrush from the area.
Researchers with Ohio State University say the glaciers that cover much of Greenland are 'past the tipping point', and can no longer be saved, even if the impacts of climate change came to an end.
Ann Calhoun, Baraboo Hills Project Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, views a hemlock sapling on the valley floor at Hemlock Draw State Natural Area. "Hemlock would not do well on top of the hill," Calhoun said.
GALLERY: Fall color intensifies Thursday in Baraboo area
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
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A couple consult a map Oct. 8 at Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo. The most popular state park drew visitors all year but was closed for a short time in spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
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Two-year-old Trace Porter, Evansville, picks stones Thursday morning on the north shore at Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo.
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
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Two-year-old Trace Porter, Evansville, picks stones Thursday morning on the north shore at Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo. His mother, Tanya Porter, said they come to the area once a year to see the changing leaves and go to Ski-Hi Fruit Farm. Baraboo isn't quite at peak fall color yet, according to the Wisconsin Fall Color Report, which predicts the peak will be in the third week of October, but Porter said the trees were plenty colorful. "It's beautiful," she said. "You couldn't pick a better day than this."
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
Baraboo area fall color, Oct. 8, 2020
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Tim Porter, Evansville, and dog Tizzy watch as 2-year-old Trace Porter throws a stone into the water Thursday morning at Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo. Tanya Porter said they come to the area once a year to see the changing leaves and go to Ski-Hi Fruit Farm.
