The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources designated approximate 3,600 acres of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve as State Natural Areas (pdf), best reflecting the natural plant and animal communities that occupied the state in the mid 1800s. These areas have seen little human disturbance, thus serving as important resources for biological and genetic diversity. State Natural Areas are devoted to scientific research and have valuable educational potential.
For more information on the Kickapoo Valley Reserve State Natural Areas, visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources State Natural Areas Program website.
Furthermore, in 1975, the National Park Service National Natural Landmark Program designated portions of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve as the Kickapoo River Natural Area.