La Crosse’s Hixon Forest is “dead”

Park rec. supervisor says
invasive species are taking over

You may not know it by hiking through Hixon Forest in La Crosse, but it is trouble.

And, your walking through it, may be part of the problem.

City park and rec supervisor Jay Odegaard told the park board that, in some ways, the forest is dead and they need ideas on how to revitalize it. 

“What are we going to do to kind of bring the forest back to life?” Odegaard asked the board. “Right now we have a mature forest that invasive species are taking over.”

The problem could be people. Too many hikers and bikers going through the forest, but city leaders don’t want to discourage them from enjoying the outdoors. 

The board needs to figure out how to maintain the natural habitat while coexisting with the people, with the trail.s 

Odegaard says if a trail through the forest is planned properly, then some other trails could be eliminated. 

“There are rogue trails going through every single one of our prairies,” he said. “These are extremely sensitive ecosystems that we need to do everything we can to protect.”

The city wants to accept proposals for a comprehensive forest management plan. 

“It is, in essence, a dead forest,” Odegaard said. “It’s a wonderful recreation opportunity, but we really need a road map to lead us through the next 20-25 years.”